Doing Things for No Reason
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
There are many times in my life when I did interesting things simply because I could. How about you? I’m not talking about anything dangerous or harmful. But looking back at my life so far, I can see how I could have achieved so much more, if I took the time to think about a meaningful reason for performing an activity. When you have a clear and focused purpose for doing something, you’ll be more productive. Reading is no different. I’ll offer you some suggestions on how to get the most knowledge from the books you read in the time you have.
3 Reasons to Read a Book
In fact, in the classic, How to Read a Book
, Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren report that there are three reasons for reading any book: Entertainment, Information, and to get a Deeper Understanding of a topic of interest. I read for all three reasons – all the time. This clarity of purpose will save you lots of time.
Reading for All Three Reasons: Get the Most Knowledge from Books
Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her
I love to read, and I cannot remember a time in my life when reading didn’t give me pleasure. Even when I went to high school in Jamaica, every Wednesday, after school, I would walk to the supermarket. I waited patiently for the truck to arrive, so the workers could unload the magazines I loved to read.
This was a different time, when we didn’t get things instantly – pre-Internet era. The magazines came from the UK. And by the time they were on the magazine racks in the supermarket in Jamaica, they were three months old.
That didn’t bother me. I was happy to get my magazines, so I could lose myself in the stories. Also I loved Barbara Cartland historical fiction, Mills & Boon, not so much. For more reading pleasure, I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, and I loved Archie comics. And of course, I had to read the classics in high school, as well as other textbooks. As you can see, my reading materials were in different formats.
Sometimes I had to get information for homework assignments. My reading at that point in my life, wasn’t as diverse as it is today. And my reason for reading the books were primarily for entertainment and to further my understanding of a topic. And also for information.
Reading with Purpose
Before you start to read any book, write down your one-sentence purpose for reading the book. This acts as a signal to your brain that you’re interested in certain types of information. I already mentioned that there are three reasons for reading any book. However, it’s not enough to write down that you’re reading for information or whatever. It MUST be more focused than that. A better purpose statement is, “I’m reading The MacGyver Secret: Connect to Your Inner MacGyver & Solve Anything
so that I can discover unconventional problem-solving techniques to use on the job.”
Do you see how specific that is? My mind will be looking out for unconventional problem-solving techniques I can use at work. Reading this way allows me to get the most knowledge from books I read in the time I have.
In today’s environment, where workplaces are constantly changing, professionals are time strapped. On the other hand, to keep up with the changes, lifelong learning is a must. When you have a focused purpose for reading, it is easier, and quicker to get the right information you need at the right time. However, to benefit the most from reading books, it’s important to read for all three reasons. You get better and more creative ideas. You can learn from any book, even fiction.
Why Read for Entertainment
I love thrillers and mysteries. And I’m scared to say this, but recently, I’ve been reading a series of books from the Tanner Series. What makes me scared to write this, is that the main character is an assassin. I don’t think for one second that killing people is a worthy professional, because it isn’t. But there are so many lessons you can learn from this main character.
The author, Remington Kane, has done an excellent job crafting the story. Tanner has a set of rules that he lives by and he never crosses them. He doesn’t harm women or children. Do you have your line in the sand, do you have lines that you will not cross at work?
Ultimate Assassin (A Tanner Novel Book 28)War Zone (A Tanner Novel Book 27)The Real Deal (A Tanner Novel Book 26)Tanner: Year One (A Tanner Series Book 1)Tanner: Year Two (A Tanner Series Book 2)Making A Killing On Wall Street (A Tanner Novel Book 3)The TANNER Series – Books 10 -12 (Tanner Box Set Book 4)The Man, The Myth (A Tanner Novel Book 24)All-Out War (A Tanner Novel Book 25)
Tanner practices his craft to remain relevant, and that’s why he’s the best assassin in the world. He doesn’t allow his world class status to get to his head. He is always learning new skills that can help him in the world he lives in. How about you? Although I’m reading books in the Tanner series for entertainment, I know that I’ll inevitably learn some important lessons. I learn from this main character. A purpose statement for a Tanner novel could be, “I’m reading The Real Deal
by Remington Kane because I want to apply strategies, the character, Tanner, uses to be world class.”
Read with Purpose to Hone Your Craft; Get the Most Knowledge from Books
If you’re a writer, do you write every day? Do you read books to learn how to become a better writer? And writing conferences, when was the last time you attended one? The more you practice your craft, the more effective and efficient you become. You’ll have a purpose for reading books on writing. With your purpose for reading about writing, you’ll flag information that aligns with your specific purpose.
Additionally, when you have a purpose for reading a book about writing, you’ll find other activities that align with that specific purpose. Hence, attending conferences or practicing your craft. Your purpose extends beyond reading a book. And that’s your choice.
Lessons Learned When Reading with Purpose
Back to the story about Tanner. The assassin stands on the shoulders of giants, so that he can see that much further. He is Tanner 7. The first Tanner was active in the early twentieth century. Tanner 1 kept a notebook where he recorded all the strategies that worked for him. And each successor did the same thing, adding to the notebook. Tanner 7 reviews the notebook regularly. Don’t be jaded because of new technology and think that you cannot learn from a strategy that’s over a hundred years old. I once heard Twitter described as an automated carrier pigeon.
Imagine if your purpose for reading a series of books was to learn from people who are/were experts in your field. You’ll be standing on their shoulders, learning their strategies. Think of Tanner as a metaphor for the relevant experts in your field of interest. With a focused purposed, what information do you want to learn about the subject from them? You’ll get the most knowledge from the books you read when you have this mindset.
Read with Purpose and Read for All Three Reasons
Always read a book, having a purpose in mind. And read for entertainment, information, and to deepen your understanding of a topic of interest. When you read broadly and with purpose, not only will you read books faster because you’ll zero in on the information you’re looking for, but as you read more, you’ll become more familiar with certain topics. And your knowledge base will grow exponentially.
You might be surprised by how much you learn when you read broadly. As we approach 2020, do you have an overarching purpose to read more books? What are specific books that you can read to accelerate your career?
Read with Purpose: The One Skill That Could Change Your Life
Think about this for a second, if there was one skill, that if you learned it, would have a transforming effect on your work and life, would you invest the time to learn it? What would be your purpose for learning that one skill? I recommend that’s the first skill you need to learn in 2020. And why not start to learn that skill before the New Year starts?
Being Proactive About Skills Development: Read with Purpose to Get the Most Knowledge from Books
In the 2019 research report, Future of Work and Employee Learning, it’s clear that Employers should invest in their employees.
- 37 percent of employees, report that they would leave their current job/employer if they were not offered training to learn new skills.
- 79 percent report that when searching for a new job, it is important that a prospective employer offers a formal training program to their employees.
- Men are likelier (81 percent) than women (77 percent) to report that formal training program offered to employees is important when searching for a job.
However, if you’re in a situation where your employer doesn’t offer an employee training program or any kind of tuition reimbursement, borrow books from your public library. Start learning the skills that the World Economic Forum says you need to thrive in 2020 and 2022. These days, all of us, must be more proactive about our careers.
So, what will you be doing differently in 2020? Tomorrow we’ll continue this conversation and you’ll learn how to preview books and save even more time when reading them. Join my Performance Accelerator Plan to start learning the skills you need to thrive.
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