Read this Book!: My Start Up Life, by Ben Casnocha

I just read Ben Casnocha's book My Start Up Life and I recommend everyone picks it up. For those of you who don't know, Casnocha is a 19-year-old entrepreneur, author and blogger. He started his first company at age 12 and was later nominated for Inc. magazine's "Entrepreneur of the Year." So you could say he is good at what he does.

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, this book will give you the kick in the ass you need to start doing something about it. Casnocha stresses taking action time in and time out. Reading, researching and thinking are all great, but he constantly reminds the reader that nothing will come without action.

For people who are not looking to start a business, he describes how to become CEO of your own life. One of the best lessons in the book is to push yourself almost to the point of being uncomfortable in everything you do. Casnocha describes pushing himself to finish 30 minutes on the treadmill even though his quads are burning and he is short of breath. It's a great point. Even the most seemingly unimportant aspects of life can be used as a learning opportunity and a chance to better oneself.

Another thing that caught my attention was the fact that Casnocha's passion for entrepreneurship has less to do with money and more to do with making a difference in the world. It has become strikingly apparent to me through my own self reflection and discussions with friends and peers, that this desire to make a difference is a key driver for most young people today. If I do start a business it will certainly not be solely for monetary reasons.

Buy the book, visit Cashnocha's blog and drop him an e-mail if you feel compelled. After enormous success, he still takes the time to answer every message. He is extremely gracious. The book was just ranked #1 "mover and shaker" on the Amazon.com charts. I'm not the only one who thinks it's good.