Reading as a Microcosm for Life

Rather than Checking a Box

Books have always been the way people have distributed novel ideas.

One’s ideas are logically organized to ink, and the reader gets a fresh perspective.

In today’s society, there’s a lack of reading books and more short-term content viewing.

For some good reasons.

Why read an entire book on business when a timeline filled with Alex Hormozi's knowledge is there for free.

Back when I was in elementary and middle school, the norm was to be assigned to read 2 books over the summer break.

One book to be used for a book summary showing your understanding of the material.

They were conditioning us to check the box, that we are readers!

Most kids faked the reading, or I know I did.

Students used the internet to summarize a book they didn’t gain anything from.

This is only accelerated with ChatGPT and other AI platforms.

They are here to stay.

Just recently, I stumbled upon a new approach to reading.

The new approach is from the likes of Tim Ferris, Naval Ravikant, and Dan Koe.

The Strategy:

To read to understand a new idea, not for completion.

When you pick up a book use it as a way to learn a fresh perspective that can be useful in your own life.

Flaunting that you read a book to its completion is less important than utilizing the knowledge in the book for good.

When you start to read, search for something that can be of use.

Once you satisfy that need and see the spark, write that thing down, and go about the rest of your day.

Do not feel compelled to continue reading if you do not want, because you have already found the gold you were searching for.

This new style of reading can be applied to anything in life.

Not just reading.

If you are full, you should stop eating.

If you are drunk, you should put the drink down.

Sat for an hour, you should probably get up and move around.

There is power in stopping before the wheels come off.

Before diminishing returns.

Take the idea and apply it to where balance seems off in your life.

Too much time alone → Seek relationships

Too much going out→ Seek solo-reflection

Too much thinking → Seek play

If you try something and it no longer serves you do not feel compelled to continue doing it.

Alter your path - adjust.

Through consuming new things we get alternative perspectives.

Try the ideas out and see if they stick and enhance the quality of your life.

And iterate off of the original idea with your own uniqueness.

That’s the whole point of reading anyways.

To learn and grow, not to check a box that you’ve read a book.

This is for anything in life.

Thanks for reading!

And if you have a hard time picking up a book to start with, here are a few tips that helped me.

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