Kehinde is a BellaNaijarian Reading Bunmi Ajayi’s “Get Up & Kick Ass”

This is A BellaNaijarian Reading, where folks come to discuss the books their reading—why they’re reading it, what they love about it, and why you should read it, too. You can read previous entries here.

Kehinde, a journalist and author himself, whose love affair with books started when he read Ben Carson‘s Gifted Hands, shares his experience reading Get Up & Kick Ass by Bunmi Ajayi.

Kehinde’s Reading Habits

I have always had the passion for reading, right from my days in secondary school. I believe reading is the way out of ignorance, the road to achievement. I recall starting out with Gifted Hands by Ben Carson. The book made a huge impact in my life. Since then, the romance hasn’t stopped.

I enjoy nonfiction, literature based on facts. I enjoy reading books on business, personal development, marketing and, occasionally, Nigerian literature. I used to borrow from a library in church. But now I either buy online, order online, or visit a bookstore.

Back in the days, I would binge on books. These days, however, because of the nature of what I do, I stick to one book at a time. So far, it helps the message of the book to sink deeply. I used to enjoy sitting while reading, these days, though, I enjoy lying on my bed and just going on the journey with the author. I’m much more comfortable in that reading position.

Though I am currently not part of a book club, I would love to be join one. I believe book clubs help to further create different perspectives to what you have learned from a book. They also help to sharpen your reading habit. I can be lazy atimes when it comes to reading, but joining a book club would make me accountable, knowing that our discussions at the club will likely depend on our having read the book.

On Reading Get Up & Kick Ass

I remember reading a review about it on the author’s Instagram page. It made me anticipate the book, made me look forward to reading it. The author describes it as the ultimate guide to starting a successful business with the right mindset. I chose it because I needed a book that would help me break away from some limiting mindsets that I have held on to for so long. The author did an amazing job of helping the reader create the roadmap toward breaking away from these limiting mindsets.

I started reading the book in April 2019. I am yet to finish it, because I am taking out time to ponder over some parts that got to me.

Get Up & Kick Ass basically provides the tips to overcome the fear of starting a business. My favourite part of the book is the chapter that deals with emotional blocks. In that chapter, the author shared a story of how she used to have the fear of people leaving her. She recounted that she was so scared of people leaving her that she tolerated anything people did to her.

One of the things that stand out for me in this book is the way the author uses her personal stories, taking the reader on a journey of how she was able to overcome low self-esteem, and begin to live life to the fullest.

Another part of the book I was thrilled by is the part where the author had the challenge of choosing a title for the book. She noted that after creating a title for the book, she started being scared of what people would say about the title.

This is my first time of reading a book from the author, and I am impressed with her delivery. What I love about the author’s writing style is the conversational style she adopts in writing the book. It makes her story more authentic, relatable, genuine and significant. The book is highly recommended if you desire to overcome fear and low self-esteem, and live your dreams.

Other Books that Kehinde has Read

I read Knowledge is the New Gold by Stephanie Obi before this, and I am planning to read Olori Supergal‘s From Social Misfit to Social Media Hero.

One of my most favourite reads of 2018 is Attention Hacking by Jordan Nwachukwu. The book provides the road map for gaining attention for your ideas, content, product and service.

Another is Revirgined by Emeka Nobis, which borders on ideas and concepts needed to create a long lasting personal transformation.

Also, Avant-Garde – The Cool DJ Jimmy Jatt Story, which is a biographical account of how Jimmy Jatt became a force to reckon with in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

I look forward to reading Digital: The New Code of Wealth by JJ Omojuwa, and the eponymous book Adenike by Adenike Oyetunde.

The books whose impact would remain indelible for me are Nine Lives by El Nukoya, and The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin and Reallionaire by Farrah Gray.

I most identified with the character of Zuri in Arese Ugwu’s Smart Money Woman. I can connect with her story because, despite earning a lucrative salary, she still had financial issues. Zuri was working as a senior manager at a real estate firm in Lagos, yet she had financial challenges at the beginning of the book. What I learned from that part of the book is that what you keep is more important than how much you earn.