Hypnotist Romy Rafael is a man with style. Dressed in black and sporting a black skullcap, he first charmed the public when showing off his skill on television back in 2005. His talent continues to thrill his loyal fans both on and off screen.

Despite a tight schedule, the certified therapist and hypnotherapy clinic owner still finds time to read. He lists three favorite books — The Magic of Thinking Big, Personality Plus and How to Win Friends and Influence People — as influential guides for his career and life.

The Magic of Thinking Big

This book is not about positive thinking; it is more about having the courage to take risks, to be bold to face failure and other ways of thinking that make us stay away from being small minded.

I believe in the saying “you are what you read”. I certainly applied that advice with this book. A book has no use if it is not applied.

Chapter 12 was very memorable. It was a chapter on goals and dreams. It explains that life is like a destination that needs a roadmap from one year to the next. It is very applicable in my life. I realize that what I have accomplished are the dreams that I have written down before. It is all because of the book.

Personality Plus

The book makes me understand people’s character and traits. I first read it when I was in senior high school. Back then, I barely had friends. That was why I often spent my time in the library, where I could find solace in reading books. I found many interesting books and read a lot of them.

How to Win Friends and Influence People:

It is easier to lose friends than to win friends. In real life, our success does not come from our CVs, but from our networking — from our friends and our friends’ friends.

I used to have problem making friends when I was in junior and senior high school. Now I have changed a lot.

These three books complement each other. If you know about people’s character but you are narrow-minded, the book will not be much help. If you like to think big, but you do not know about people, it does not help either; you may still face problems in making friends.

— as told to Indah Setiawati

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