How a Reading Habit Benefits You
If you think this advice is a no brainer, then think again. My kids will finish first grade shortly and have developed another super-power: reading. However being able to read in the sense that you can decipher a conventional code and being able -and willing- to consume knowledge on a regular basis are two different cups of tea. It's like poker: You'll learn the rules within minutes, but mastering the game will take a lifetime. My point here is to foster a firm and steady reading habit that will train your capability to consume knowledge and develop your personal unfair advantage in the form of wisdom. That does not mean that I am making a case for any kind of subject matter or type of books. You should just read, no matter what. I've read the Harry Potter novels three times - and I have not yet read them in German nor Hungarian. Also on my done list: tons of cartoons - DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dragon Ball, Mangas, Asterix, Clever and Smart and many more. The magic in reading is that your brain will work differently; The upside of reading is huge: you're going to become more relaxed, more creative, more open minded and less anxious about not knowing, just to name a few.
Eliminate All Reasons That Prevent You From Reading
Reading will enrich your life in many ways. I haven't really always had a steady reading habit. My baseline for the past 21 years (omg, even putting that number into writing freaks me out!) has been The Economist. Without having really tried many alternatives -Der Spiegel, a German weekly, Newsweek and Time Magazine- I strongly suggest you pick some sources where you get some basic news on what is going on around you. While I have managed to read every now and then and have also read books on an irregular basis, it is only during the past 5 years that I have been able to develop a reading habit. The two main reasons for developing a steady reading habit only in my thirties were that I shifted my business travels to public transportations instead of by company car. Second: I started to read significantly more regularly when I bought a Kindle. I love that thing. No distractions, no colours -at least on the paperwhite-, no BS, no more heavy books on your luggage. Yes, I know: sometimes I want to hold a paper book in my hands as well. But for reasons of practicality I don't want to carry around a ton of books and face the decision which clothes I am going to ban from my travel case to make room for the books.
Reserve Time For Reading
Having a company car as your primary means of travel might give you some freedoms and relax your mind occasionally. However it does not support any firm reading habit. In case you might object that you could still listen to audio books, I will admit that this is a good alternative. However actually reading a book and listening to an audiobook are fundamentally different in at least one important aspect: Reading is like jumping into an ocean of somebody's structured and consolidated thoughts laid out for you to access in any way you desire. You can determine your own pace of processing, you can easily reread sections, you can take notes in case you stumble on something inspiring or worth contemplating - you're in control of time and depth. Listening to audiobooks is like rafting on a river - you're not in control of time hence your thoughts will be clocked more stakkato like. There's no time to contemplate on an interesting thought, no time to take notes, technically you could re-listen to passages - but who on earth has ever re-listened to a specific section within a chapter on an audio book - while driving a car? My point here is not that audiobooks are bad. It's just that the quality and depth with which you process an audiobook compared to a book that you actually read will always be more shallow and superficial.
Book Tips For Everyone
You guessed right: this post can impossibly conclude without some tips for a great read. In fact, don't take these as tips, but rather as mandatory lectures - no pressure ;-) Here's my top three favorite books four you. You need to read these. Trust me, you really, absolutely do. Thank me later:
- Atomic Habits - James Clear; Well researched and well written book about self improvement and productivity with specific step-by-step propositions how to get going.
- The Four Hour Work Week - Tim Ferris; It's radical, revolutionary, phantastic, outrageous, hilarious, unconventional and much more. If you haven't already read it, it's an absolute must read.
- Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson - An epic biography of an enigmatic and controversial personality written by one of history's most talented journalists. Great story, great read, equally inspirational and frightening.
Congratulations! You finally found it! Here's the secret recipe to your Zen and to eternal awesomeness: Read, think, do epic shit, repeat ;o)
So what are you still waiting for? Grab a book, a weekly, a comic book or whatever you're in to and start reading - now.
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