The reading strategy that changed my life

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In 2018 and 2019, I read a combined 100+ books.

Most of them were “read” via audiobooks, some were physical books, and a few were e-books.

As the end of 2019 neared, I looked back on the last two years and all the books I read, only to realize I barely remembered or took action on anything I had read.

I had previously felt excited and “successful” having read so many books, but feelings of disappointment and failure started to set in.

I quickly realized this was because I wasn’t truly paying attention to what I was reading.

I was just reading to read. Highlighting and sticky-noting just to highlight and put sticky notes.

I was just reading quickly to check off another book.

I cared more about the external “image” this portrayed when I was able to brag that I had read so many books.

Since I came to this realization during the “goal setting” period of 2019, I made the goal for 2020 to not read any new books. The goal was to only go back and re-read books I’ve already read.

I didn’t quite “achieve” that goal, which is fine. Achieving the goal wasn’t the point.

The point was that I needed to be more diligent and active in my reading (and overall learning) and I was using that goal as a means to push me towards that.

I did read new books in 2020 — not many, but some. However, the goal wasn’t a complete failure because I achieve the real underlying goal of being more diligent and active in my reading.

Now when I listen to audiobooks, I no longer listen to them on 2-2.5x speed or do other activities while listening to them — I slow them down to 1-1.25x speed and really focus on what I’m listening to.

That has been a big change and helped a lot, but the real change comes with physical books.

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Poll
If you start a new book, read the first ~50 pages, and you don’t really like it, or aren’t gaining much value from it, do you:

A. Keep reading
B. Stop reading

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For physical books, I still highlight and put sticky notes, but now when I’m done with the book, I go back through it and create a summary sheet of everything I highlighted or put sticky notes next to.

Rather than rushing onto the next book, I take time to digest what I just read.

By typing out everything I highlighted or put sticky notes next to, I am doing two things: 1) cementing the concepts into my brain further, and 2) creating an easy-to-use guide that I can easily refer back to when I want to revisit any of those concepts (and it’s searchable through CTRL + F).

On the summary sheet, I also write out 1-3 different actions that I need to take based on what I read.

This has had a huge impact on my life and completely changed how I approach reading.

All the best,

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