When was the last time you read a book, did you learn anything valuable? It seems with the growing popularity of television, cell phones, and video games, we’re seeing a decline in reading. In fact, 27% of U.S. adults didn’t read a single book in 2015. I used to be part of that statistic, I hated reading! Why read when there’s a plethora of entertainment on the web? That is until I realized how the right books could change your life…as in completely change your life. No one is born with infinite knowledge, so let’s see how you can realize personal growth and achievement through books.
The Top Benefits of Reading
Reading has a myriad of benefits including stress reduction, mental stimulation, vocabulary expansion, improved focus, among many others. However, I’d like to focus on books that are educational in nature, which provide a desired skill set. Why do people read these types of books?…because they want to become something better, an improved version of themselves. These are the types of books I prefer as my time is precious and find these bring value to my life. The following are just a few benefits you may realize by doing the same.
1. Knowledge Beyond Your Years
Billions of people have lived on earth, with knowledge passed down to each subsequent generation. The Gutenberg Press, invented near 1490AD, improved the transfer of knowledge by mass producing the written word. This allowed anyone to read and learn from other’s experience. The internet as we know it today was created in 1991, but the information available to date is staggering.
With so much information readily available to us, we can essentially absorb information that took others a lifetime to discover. Why learn by trial and error when you can avoid costly mistakes and gain knowledge from those who developed mastery in their field. Reading these books will not only make you smarter, but provide greater potential than at any other time in history.
2. New Perspective
We all know that everyone is different, each with their own unique perspective on life. How one person views a particular situation could be completely different than someone else. Many of us gain perspective of those close to us, but what about people outside our social circle? According to Pew Research Center, the highest percentage (26%) of people read to learn and discover something new.
Books are a fantastic way to gain perspective on history’s greatest minds. Seeing the world through the lens of a self-made millionaire is going to be drastically different than your average American. This is where realizations are made and lives change.
Take for instance Robert Kiyosaki’s, Rich Dad Poor Dad. It takes a perspective in stark contrast to typical beliefs such as your house being an asset, saving money, and needing a safe/secure job with a 401k. It’s one of the most well known books that changes people’s lives and that is simply one book. Imagine the potential changes your life could take by reading/experiencing new perspectives on a regular basis!
3. Risk Avoidance
We’re all human and we all make mistakes, this allows us to learn and make better decisions in the future. Well, what if you could learn from others mistakes and avoid them all together! This is the value a book can provide, the avoidance of costly errors. This taps into our primal motivation for risk avoidance. Why suffer through the pain if you can avoid it by learning from someone who has already experienced it?
Take for instance managing a rental property. Many people learn through trial and error, which causes a number of headaches and costly mistakes. Personally, I do my best to avoid these mistakes by referring to, The Book on Managing Rental Properties. It’s been a lifesaver and has prepared me for a number of scenarios should they happen to occur.
Whatever venture you’re looking to begin, read a few books on those who have done it before. You’ll be thankful for their advice and more likely to succeed.
4. Time Efficiency
There are 24 hours in a day and what we do with that time is crucial. The common complaint I hear is, “I don’t have enough time”. While this may be true for some, I interpret it as, “it’s not a priority”. However, I believe books allow you to be more efficient with the time you have.
Waiting for the train or riding public transportation? Read a book. On your lunch break? Read a book. Driving your car? Listen to an audiobook….get the idea? Why let time go to waste when you can get a few minutes in throughout the day. These minutes add up over time and just like those minutes, your knowledge will accumulate as well.
Taking Action on Knowledge Gained
Have you ever seen the TV show, Jeopardy? Where the contestants answer questions based on any number of categories? While I think the show is great, I always wonder what people do with such a wide vast of knowledge. What’s the point in learning so much if you don’t have some kind of aim in mind? While general knowledge can be useful and extremely interesting, I see a lack purpose.
My point is not to deter you from general learning, but to be more strategic with your learning objectives and to take action. What’s the purpose of all that knowledge if you don’t take action and put it to good use? You can read books for the rest of your life, but if you don’t use the knowledge you’ve gained, you’ll get nowhere outside of interesting conversation.
Personally, I prefer listening to audiobooks when I can throughout the day. This allows me to learn a little every day and I take detailed notes as I make my way through the audiobook. I can’t remember everything I read/hear, so the notes allow me to go back and review key takeaways that help me progress towards my goals. You might consider doing the same as you learn and progress towards your own goals.
So there you have it, start listening to/reading books, take consistent action, and achieve the goals you have set for yourself. You might be surprised by what you can start to accomplish. What are some of your favorite books? Any key takeaways that impacted your life in a positive way? Leave a comment below and share with the community!
*Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something.
