It is universally accepted that reading aids your chances of being successful. From classic novels to self-help books, there are millions of books for you to read. However, how can you select your best options with such a large selection? Since 2019 I have dedicated a lot of time to reading, averaging 40 books a year. I have read some books I recommend to everyone I meet, while some have been very forgettable. Books are extremely knowledge and information-dense and a great way to consume information, but they are time-consuming to digest, so it is important to select the right ones.
What do you want to learn?
A huge factor in deciding what books to read depends on what you want to get from the experience. Do you want to learn something new? Do you want to improve upon a skill you already have? Or do you want to write a book of your own eventually? You may consider adding reading to your daily routine for many different reasons. When selecting a book, you must think – 'what do I want to get from this time I am about to spend?'.
Most of us have limited spare time to dedicate to reading, so we don't want to waste time on a book only to find it hasn't given us what we wanted. I take note of every book I have read, along with what useful information I have taken from it or what I enjoyed. While some books contribute to direct life decisions and business ideas, others are purely for enjoyment. There is no right or wrong answer to deciding if a book has helped you or has been worthwhile, but it is important to self-reflect. Whether it is establishing what authors and writing styles you enjoy consuming or if it is merely assessing if a genre interests you, it is crucial to assess regularly.
Learn directly from the experiences of others
Many people who ask me what to read are ambitious and looking to improve in their field. From junior athletes hoping to eventually turn pro to new entrepreneurs looking to grow their start-up company successfully, there are many reasons this can be of interest.
While there are countless incredible self-help and human performance books, many of them focus heavily on theory. They detail potential ideas and concepts that you could try and implement. The options and theories can be endless and neverending, and many contradict each other. This is because when it comes to theories and concepts around aspects like human performance, most are not universally accepted. There can be contrasting ideas, theories that are only relevant in certain scenarios and considerations that are often missed.
This is why when people ask me what they should start reading when starting their self-improvement journey, I point them in the direction of biographies. When starting on a journey of information gathering to improve your life and chances of success, biographies are the perfect place to start. Whether it is a biography of a world champion athlete or billionaire tycoon, the information in these books can be priceless. Well-written biographies allow you to consume a lifetime of successes and failures in your chosen field within a few hours. It can give you insight into how to succeed in an area and highlight traps and common mistakes. They can potentially save you from hugely costly mistakes and highlight a path from where you are now to success.
While it is near impossible to merely follow the direct path of an individual or group to achieve similar success, it can show how the path was carved, where they saw the gap and how they manoeuvred through it.
There are huge benefits to reading books that cover theoretical concepts and best practices. I could write multiple articles covering areas I have vastly improved upon through reading relevant books. However, starting them can also be slow, cumbersome reads. They often read that requires heavy focus and attention to understand what is discussed fully. Biographies, on the other hand, are often far lighter. More of a storytelling experience than an academic lecture. An insight into another life, often with humour and interesting side stories. If you are new to reading regularly or struggle to finish a book, this is another reason why this can help you build into the routine.
Reading is a great habit for anyone wanting to achieve big things. It is a hobby and routine that many of the most successful individuals in history have in common. However, it is not always easy to find the time in modern society. With constant distractions and commitments pulling your attention away, it can often fall by the wayside. Yet, by selecting the right books for your goals and books that do not drain your focus heavily, you can build a routine to learn and develop from the comfort of your sofa.
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