Every single book that I’ve voluntarily read in my life is because someone else recommended it.
That’s true for most of us. Think about it. What’s the last book you finished? Why did you read it? Most of us read books because others told us about them.
It’s a great way to learn about good books. Because no one goes out to recommend a bad book or product.
When I think about how I found out about classic non-fiction books like How To Win Friends and Influence People, The Intelligent Investor, Man’s Search For Meaning, I must say that I read these books because others told me about them.
These books still sell well, decades later.
Any creator that hopes for that type of lasting success must accept that it starts with creating something that’s worth it. Why is not everyone making great products? The honest answer is that it’s hard.
Ryan Holiday, the author of Perennial Seller, and who has written six books, put it best:
“To be great, one must make great work, and making great work is incredibly hard.”
But it’s also not impossible, as I’ve learned from Ryan. In his latest book, Perennial Seller, he outlines his system for creating books and products that stand the test of time.
Because who doesn’t want to create something that people love? Or write a book that thousands of people read? And more importantly, who doesn’t want to make something that sells for years to come?
Ryan’s process for making a perennial seller goes like this:
- Adopt the mindset of a creator that makes classics
- Create a great product that stands the test of time
- Perfect, package, and position into a compelling offering
- Promote it through different marketing channels
- Capture an audience and build a platform that stands the test of time
To learn more about the above framework, listen to my interview with Ryan Holiday:
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I was impressed with Ryan’s mindset. And he inspired me to set even higher standards for my own work. I truly enjoyed this interview and learned many useful things about entrepreneurship, marketing, and the act of creating.
Ryan is excellent at simplifying what it takes to be successful. And I think this interview is a must-listen for every entrepreneur, creator, and marketer out there.
Subscribe to Ryan’s The Reading List Newsletter here.
