I'm working my way through my "steps" and I started with books. I don't have a ton of time to sort these days, so I just did a little bit. I think I need to be more hard about "slicing" things out. I pulled out 10 or so of the really great books I've read recently and brought them to tonight's board meeting. I gave a brief summary about them and what my thoughts were and offered them up to whoever wanted them. I encouraged them to share them with each other when they are done. All but one book remained, one that was destined for another reader in the group not present at the meeting.
Books that I gave away:
Lies my Teacher Told Me - I read this book many years ago and have not touched it since, but it helped me realize concretely that not everything we were told in school was true, not everything in history books is accurate.
The Starfish and the Spider - Without question the best book I read last year. Recommended by a professor, it is a quick read and discusses the structure within leaderless organizations, the strength of leaderless systems, and how this theory applies to what is going on with terrorism, information sharing, etc.
Wikinomics - Fantastic, great read to accompany Starfish.
Groundswell - Even better than Wikinomics. Also recommended by a professor.
Ways of Seeing - Also recommended by a professor, but in my undergraduate. Noticing a theme here.
Emotional Intelligence - One of the best and most practical books I've ever read. I think everybody should read this book. Seriously.
The Pirate's Dilemma - Good book. Required for a class, but very applicable elsewhere. A great summary of the book is here:
Concern moving forward:
I am getting rid of quite a few things... and only keeping the things that I use, that are important. Considering this is an exercise in detachment, will the consequences be that I am more attached to fewer things (because I have little), rather than moderately/not very attached to many things because I have plenty?