Why I SHOULDN'T HAVE read 33 books this year.

Great Post!!! (it was this post and wanted to say how great it is, that prompted me to go from lurker to member )

I think you really hit the nail on the head about why we read. Its not about building your library, its about using knowledge to experience a different aspect of life.

Josh

Agree.

We tend to overload ourselves with too much information, which makes us not take action.

The most important part about reading a book or taking a course is implementing what you've learnt.

Cheers,

C.G.

This is the whole reason I had created the Billionaires's Brain - I had the same problem... but once you start making notes and implementing them strategically..the results are astounding.

The thing is, achieving 'Success' is not a myth.. there are welled layed out plans, patterns & strategies .. why try and reinvent the wheel when you can simply leverage on proven strategies.

My thoughts exactly.

Everytime I re-listened my audiobooks, I always pick up something new even if its the 3rd time I have listened to it in 1 month.

Brilliant decision Rogoz, and thanks for posting this. I too have goals set that you have helped me refocus. I am not changing my goals, but changing how I am facing them. Quality over quantity is very important for success with my goals. Reminders like this do wonders for me!

Have an Awesome day!

In a previous thread there was listed a gratitude journal. I tie up one goal from a book I read and try to act on it for three weeks by applying it wherever possible. I have found this method to lead to great benefits in the long term cause this way I can track the implementation of the goal choose to follow.

what i learned a long while ago . after about a hundred book .. there are only 10-20 pages that you will get value out of ... you are better off reading fiction or science fiction


but i agree with the post .. i get better info combing through you tubes

I agree that reading 100 books a year is not necessary unless you're able to apply what you learned from each book before you move on to the next.

Your ability to apply what you learned shouldn't be rushed just so you can reach your goal of 100 books a year.

If it takes you a whole year to read and apply what you learned from one book then you're better off doing that than reading 100 books without comprehending or applying what you learned.

Thank you for all the positive feedback.

More people should understand this. I've did it only recently.

You know why?

Because there are all these challenges of "read 52 books per year" or "read a book per week".

The challenge should be "read one book 52 times" instead.

Right now, I'm studying ONLY TaGR (Think and Grow Rich). Page by page, slowly and I think I hate a page of notes and personal insights for every page I've read. I'll start a new topic after I've finished it, to reveal how this new method helped me.

Well said man! Words of wisdom. At least you got wiser right? So it was a good experience none the less

Well, I can't say it was wasted time ...

Every book brought a lot in terms of new knowledge and even new behaviors.

But it was the 20 / 80 rule done in reverse.

I've did the 80% that brought me 20% of the results.

That reminds me of a revelation I discovered myself recently. I used to pride myself on reading large numbers of books until I realized that it's not the number of books that matter, it's the content. That lead to my now axiomatic statement that "I'd rather have a few good books on a subject than a lot of mediocre books on a subject." Reading lots of different books may look good for show and/or to brag about, but it can be detrimental.

Update:

Since I've deleted my GR account, I've started studying Think and Grow Rich.

My MO will be (actually is) to:
1. Find a good book.
2. Take notes, as many as possible but not notes on the book but rather how I can apply the ideas in my own life.
3. Use them in the same time.

Since then, I've reached page 32 from the book and I have 31 pages of notes.

I write down an idea and then I go for how I can apply it in my life. I apply it and then I write how it worked out. It is working great so far. I assume that by the end of the book I'll have more pages of notes and experiences, feedback than the book itself.

I guess you can say it is a combination between serious study and journaling.

And what's even more interesting is that for the first time, I'm not getting this only at an intellectual level. The more I think about it, the more I write about it, the more it becomes a part of me. It is like going through a boot-camp.

I totally agree. My sister in law was showing off that she has read an "x" number of books. She thought it was such BIG news because she is not the book type. She is all about the hype. I don't think she reflected, emulated, imbibed, made notes, and genuinely "read" it.

It's not the quantity, it's the quality of reading. I am a book type of person. I love to read and I really take my time when I read and enjoy the book like it is a fine wine that you sip on slowly and luxuriously. Take in each page and enjoy the moment one by one.

Kudos to deleting that account. Enjoy it dont count it!

Now don't take me wrong ...

I'm not saying reading was bad. It is not. Every book I've read gave me new tools to help my clients sell more.

I'm just saying that I was doing it for the wrong reasons. It was about finding tools not simply hitting a number. It is not hard to read 52 books a year. It comes down to one book a week. Reading in the morning, in the evening and in the bathroom makes it rather easy.

But since I've started my focused study exercise, the results are far better. So no, I don't regret reading any one of them.

This is like exercising.

There are ways to do it.

1. No exercise at all.
2. Light exercise.
3. Active exercising but with no proper direction.
4. Hitting the gym.
5. Hitting the gym with a goal in mind.

2 is better than 1, 5 is better than 4. You must start somewhere and if this means reading everything you can find (and I am where I am today, financially independent and a very skilled marketer thanks to my love of knowledge) ... is the way, then do it. But eventually, you will need to specialize and mine deep into something.

But you know what I'm going to do?

Take each book, take notes, read it several times and once it is a part of me, I'm going to move to the next one. Don't use this as an excuse not to read. Read, just don't read to brag off with the number.

Read in order to find out how to become richer, healthier and better in your life.

Speaking of which, I'm limited to one non-fiction book at a time but I can't wait for the new Tom Clancy novel coming this July.

PS: I've read three Seth Godin books. I swear, I can't remember a thing from them. I like him but he's the only author that haven't wrote anything to actually stick to me. I can remember half of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius but not one unique concept from Seth Godin.

This is such a great post. I agree and I am glad to see that you were educated by this. Good reading ahead!

I think you should. Why do you go to the cinema so much, well hello it's the same reason to read these books you are in your own private cinema no obscene and out of tune laughter and talking to interrupt you so read and have fun it's entertainment.

I don't think reading a great number of books is really an accomplishment in itself. Researchers say that with the advent of the internet and social media young people are actually reading more now than they did in the past. The problem is most of what they are reading is a waste of time. Many books fall into this same category. For example let's say you're reading a book on getting healthier while you're reading the book you feel good like it's the first step towards accomplishing your goal. Some time passes though and you go back to your old habits, later you pick a new book on getting healthy. In many instances a book isn't needed at all you already know what you need to do. Motivation won't come from a book no matter how well written it may be.

Thanks for sharing. Good read.