Corey Stokes

5 Books You Should Have Read in 2018 but must read in 2019

As we begin to lay the groundwork to ensure all of our goals are accomplished in 2019 there are are a few things that I have been reminded of several times Lately. The first of which is, “you become what you think about” (Earl Nightingale). Not saying that positive thought is all you need to be successful. But the things you think about will be the things that you focus on. Regardless of what it is, the thing that gets the most of your focus, will be what you will achieve in the upcoming year. So, what are you thinking about form 2019?

Every year, people resolve to get fit, spend less and read more. These are among the most popular New Year resolutions. Every year, however, millions of resolution get left behind and go unaccomplished. So for 2019 let’s resolve to have this year be different. I am not typically a person that makes resolutions, however, I did make one this year. For 2019, my resolution simply is not to break the chain. What that means is I will make moves every day to accomplished the goals that I desire to achieve this year.

As in previous years, I have compiled a list of books that will not only help me to achieve my goals but that I will also enjoy reading. My 2019 Reading list will be published shortly, but in the meantime below is a list of several books that I believe should have been on your reading list for 2018. If you haven’t read them they definitely make a good starting point for your 2019 reading list. Each of these books has helped me conclude that achieving a goal does not happen overnight. It takes work and time to be successful.
It doesn’t matter what your resolution is, if you consistently work at its accomplish, you will be successful!

Thomas Corley- Rich habits
The “Rich Habits” are ten principles created through years of researching the daily success habits of his wealthiest clients. These ten simple principles miraculously transform every individual who comes into contact with them. By applying these principles, you are literally walking in the footsteps of the wealthy. In Rich Habits, Tom Corley provides a step by step financial success program that is concise, easy to understand and even easier to apply, regardless of your age, education or income level. In these tough economic times, individuals are struggling financially and desperately looking for help in achieving financial success. Every person seeks prosperity for themselves and their families, and with Rich Habits, the secret to financial success, possessed by only the wealthiest individuals, will be revealed. Join the Rich Habits financial success revolution

Earl Nightingale- The Strangest Secret
Earl Nightingale was America’s key motivational speaker and ‘The Strangest Secret’ was his most successful work. This is a transcript of the unrevised original classic 1956 motivational speech. The text was later revised into a print version which Economist Terry Savage calls ‘…One of the great motivational books of all time.’

Dave Ramsey- The Total Money Makeover
Described as America’s favorite finance coach, what Dave Ramsey teaches works just as well in any currency! In The Total Money Makeover, he reveals, in plain, no-nonsense language, just how many of us can get rid of those soul-destroying debts and still end up with a nice fat retirement or “rainy day” fund. If you want to get yourself on a sound financial footing (and who doesn’t?) just read the book and follow Dave’s advice. It really is that simple! Dave Ramsey would never have acquired the following he has, all across the US of A if his advice wasn’t sound.

Deciding to buy The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition could be the best decision you ever make. Get-rich-quick schemes are ten a penny, not only in America but all over the world. Invariably they are crazy and will never work in the real world, many are downright scams. Well folks: This is not one of them! No Sir, this book is the real McCoy. Just sound, down to earth guidance from a man who knows money and the financial world inside out.
Forget the crazies and the crooks and follow the guy with the knowledge. He’s not promising you a fantasy lifestyle. He’s not promising you’ll be the next Trump, Branson or Jobs. What he is saying is that if you follow the plans and apply the lessons you’ll learn from this book, you will wind up debt-free, comfortably well-off and with more than enough for you to enjoy your eventual retirement and still leave a nice legacy for the kids.
This is one book that really is worth buying. It’s just a few pounds to join the enlightened. Those who, have read the book and are right now following Dave Ramsey’s advice are getting their finances sorted. It won’t happen overnight, but happen it will!

Thomas Stanley – The Millionaire Next Door

The Millionaire Mind targets a population of millionaires who have accumulated substantial wealth and live in ways that openly demonstrate their affluence. Exploring the ideas, beliefs, and behaviors that enabled these millionaires to build and maintain their fortunes, Dr. Stanley provides a fascinating look at who America’s financial elite are and how they got there.

Darren Hardy- Compound Effect
No gimmicks. No Hyperbole. No Magic Bullet. The Compound Effect is based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny. Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success Magazine, presents The Compound Effect, a distillation of the fundamental principles that have guided the most phenomenal achievements in business, relationships, and beyond. This easy-to-use, step-by-step operating system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve any desire. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life, use the power of The Compound Effect to create the success you want.

First time tiling a bathroom – My experience

Not knowing how to do something, in my opinion, is never an excuse for it not to be done. This is a lesson that I try to teach my children daily. I had the opportunity to show them how to overcome the obstacle of not knowing while also learning how to retile a bathroom. When we purchased our home a few months ago, the first thing we wanted to do was rip out the carpet and terrible looking linoleum floors and replace them with something that had a more appealing appearance. The problem was, I had no idea where to begin. The first bathroom was a learning opportunity for me. It was also the most difficult of the bathrooms to complete because of all of the angles. So we decided to hire a company to do the job.

Professionally done. — Professionally done

Still keeping the learning opportunity I asked if I could assist with the project. The company agreed and gave me a few discounts for my labor. Retiling a bathroom had never crossed my mind but now, I was curious about the process and wanted to learn. When the first bathroom was complete, the contractor made it look so easy that we decided I would do the next project myself.

Even after working with the contractor, I was still a little apprehensive about diving right in, So, I talked to Lowe’s flooring personnel, as well as a friend who does repair work, trying to get all of my questions answered. I even attended a Home Depot workshop on how to retile a floor. The conditions at Home Depot, however, were perfect. There was no need to cut tiles (although we did cut a few), no need to rip up old tiles, linoleum, or carpet, nor was there a need to put down an underlayment in the workshop. I left the workshop a bit more confident but, I wouldn’t know what to expect until I began to work in an uncontrolled environment, my own bathroom.

Several people told me that “tiling floors are easy”. But in the same breath, they would say that they would “never do it again”. I, however, would not say that it was easy. It was merely less difficult than my mind made it out to be.

Even after attending the workshop I was apprehensive about starting. Instead of continuing to fret about it, I simply got started. My wife looked up different methods for getting the linoleum up. The method I used was the hot iron method. This seemed like the less tedious way to remove the flooring. Other methods described standing over the floor scrapping the adhesive and tiles, as it chipped piece by piece. The iron melted the adhesive and allowed me to peal the linoleum back with relative ease.

After getting the linoleum up, we purchased all of the material we needed. I still had to do a little bit of scraping to ensure that the floor had no protruding nails and was even throughout the room, as well as removing the remaining adhesive. Then I prepared to install the underlayment. This was described as a cement(ish) barrier to keep water from the getting to the underboard. It is supposed to be easy to cut and easier to put in place. I found, though, that this was the hardest part of the entire project. The sales representative told me to get a straight edge and a utility knife to score the board and “simple snap the board to size.” Eventually, I was able to use this method, but only after getting the right tool did this method work for me. I ended up going back to the hardware store to purchase a flooring cutter, which made this part of the job immensely easier. The cuts were far from perfect, but with the right tool, it was easier.

Cutting the tile was not as difficult as I imagined either. After finishing with the underlayment, my next step was to measure and cut the tiles to dry fit them in place. It did take me a little longer than I anticipated but, hey this was my first time cutting tiles. I used a Kobalt Wet saw to cut the tiles to size. It just so happened that the day I decided to cut the tiles was the day it snowed and the water began to freeze on my tiles almost instantly. But getting them inside and wiping them down with a dry rag alleviated this problem.

As I shared my progress I received a lot of support and advice. The one thing that was said was that mixing the thin set was where most people mess up their entire project. While I did have the option to go with the premixed thin set, I decided to mix it myself.

Laying my first few tiles with the thin set, was a bit stressful as I had forgotten the direction that the tiles were supposed to go. But, after I corrected my incorrectly laid tiles, I was able to move forward with little difficulty. 24-hours later, I applied the grout and replaced the toilet. A few days later I applied the sealer and my project was complete.

Looking back on the project, I am glad I decided to do this myself. Not only did it save me quite a few dollars, but I was also able to acquire a skill to add to my repertoire. I don’t think me learning how to retile bathroom, however, had the intended effect on my daughter. After I finished the project she said: “why would I have to learn, when I can call you to do it for me”!

Privacy and Light with Gala Sidelight Solutions

The front door to my house has a side window that extends the full length of the door. What was there when we moved in, was a sheer curtain held up by several thumbtacks. Needless to say, this had to go!

After a walk around the neighborhood, my wife and I noticed that many of the homes in the area actually do not have a covering on this part of their door. Anyone walking on the street can see directly into those houses. We both agreed that an open view of the house was unacceptable. At the same time, however, we did not want to block out the natural light. The natural light was one of the main things that we loved about the house in the first place. So we searched for an option that would fit these specifications.

On one of our many trips to Lowe’s, we were introduced to the Gila Sidelight Solutions Window Film. This, seemingly, solved our issues The film promised to let the light through but maximize privacy. It also promised an easy install with no adhesive residue. My wife was totally convinced that I would be able to make this work for our home.

When I began the installation process, admittedly I was probably too tired to try to start putting this together. But the product did promise that the install would be simple. To my surprise, it actually was pretty easy. My only qualm was that it was too short for the window. About 3-4 inches of the bottom of the window was uncovered. On top of that, no matter how hard I tried, I could not keep it from shifting while I attempted to get the air pockets out. in the final steps, a bit irritated, from the film shifting, I stepped back and I realized that the film shifted while I was cutting and I cut the film a little slanted. It didn’t take long for my wife to come behind me and tear the entire thing down and highly encouraged me to start over.

I am happy to say that my second attempt went much better than the first. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures to show these results, but in retrospect, I probably should not have started this until I was less exhausted. A day after I put the film up, I noticed that it started separating from the window. It was only then that I realized that there were several steps that I totally missed in the instructions, such as the film was a two-piece product that had to be separated before placing on the window. Also, a how to install video from the manufacturer’s website suggests cutting the film before installing. That made a world of difference in trying to mount the film to the window. Finally, When we purchased this product, were did not specifically go out to buy it. We were actually working on another project (take a look at #handymanCorey on facebook to see what else we’ve done). Lowe’s had this product in two sizes, a six foot and a six and a half foot film. Since this was a spur of the moment purchase we did not have the measurements of the window.

Fortunately, I am not one to give up easily and the staff at Lowe’s was sympathetic to my situation. They allowed me to exchange the product for the one I actually needed. With the correct product, I was finally able to install the “easy-to-install” window film. Now, we have the privacy, light and less tacky finish to our front door.

Lessons Learned!

Measure twice; Cut once!
Never work exhausted.
Be nice to your hardware store personnel, they may help you out in your time of need.

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