Years ago, my wife and I lead a small group through our church. We were encouraging members of the group to take educational opportunities offered at church, but we realized we hadn’t taken every opportunity ourselves. There was one more course available: Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. With only the motive to lead by example, we enrolled into the 13 week course (now it is 9 weeks). During the course, my entire philosophy about money and building wealth changed. As man of the house (that’s not to say I wear the pants!) I had adopted the thinking that to become financially secure you needed to hit a grand slam, i.e. Facebook or some other overnight success amassing mega millions. It was a tremendous relief of pressure learning the millionaire next door doesn’t need to hit grand slams – he or she just needs to make calculated decisions taught in the course for singles and doubles that amass to fortunes.

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My father tells the story that in his younger days his aunt gave him a book and humorously suggested, “You should really read this.” He now admits, “Boy, did I ever need to read it.” Convinced by my father’s influence, I purchased the book on CD four years ago and have listened to it at least once a year since, and will continue. Warren Buffett took a course on the book when he was 20 years old and still proudly displays his diploma at the office. That book was originally published 78 years ago, in 1936, and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The book is filled with real-life experiences from housewives to the greats of mass enterprise from the day. The spectrum is wide, but the subject is singular… people.

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