How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

Since 2019 started, a good friend of mine, Jonathan Ledwidge, and I have been meeting regularly via WhatsApp. Ledwidge, a financial security expert, reads Business Insider, Bloomberg, and Reuters every day to keep on top of news in the world. In our last conversation, we discussed the importance of reading to Acquire Knowledge. He thinks that I should not place so much emphasis on reading books. He added that people can go to books if they need more information.

I agree with my dear friend – up to a point. Because technology changes so rapidly, during the Strategic Reading Challenge, I recommend that participants read respected tech journals every week. Ledwidge’s argument is that people are busy, so they won’t read books. Yes, that’s true, but it is to their disadvantage if they opt not to read books. I often talk about how to read selectively, and if you do so, you can easily read a book a week. I will say it again; most books are not meant to be read cover-to-cover. Jonathan Ledwidge has mastered the art of ferreting out the information he needs from books. He knows how to read selectively and strategically.

Most people are not as skilled a reader as Ledwidge is.

Have you read?

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There is a reason why Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Charlie Munger, and Mark Cuban are billionaires, they read books to acquire Knowledge. And they read a lot of books. Reading books allow them to have more knowledge than their competitors. It gives them an edge and allow them to spot opportunities that others may miss.

Ways to Acquire Knowledge

When I am writing an article for publication, I often interview experts to get what I need. And clients hire me to interview their clients to acquire knowledge that I turn into success stories. So, talking to people is another way to acquire knowledge. When I traveled a lot in the past, I always arrived a few days early and/or stayed a few days after I conducted business, so I could get a sense of the place. I would take public transportation to interact with the residents. People spend a lot of time on Facebooks interacting with their friends, but you need to interact with those who are different from you to avoid group think.

That’s another way that I gather knowledge. Traveling also helps you to develop intercultural awareness. I am aware that not everyone can travel. If that is the case, then watch some documentaries about the countries that you are interested in. You can gather knowledge that way as well.

The most common ways for me to acquire knowledge is by reading books, journals and magazine. There are also some websites that I have grown to trust just like Ledwidge. What I do is to use the Feedly app to create a feed of the publications that I am interested in. I quickly scan the feed each day to see if there are any articles that I want to read. This is something that you could easily do.

Why Read More to Acquire Knowledge

These days, winging it is not a strategy. Things are changing at the speed of light and you have to be on top of all the changes taking place in your industry. You need to know what is happening in the world and how it might affect your business. Given your level of knowledge, what do you need, to move ahead professionally? How do you make a difference to your clients?

Lack of knowledge can negatively impact your business and career. Ideas become outdated and you need ready sources to generate new ones. Knowledge acquisition is critical for job promotion and enhancement; skills enhancement; and job security.

When you compare yourself to your peers, how does your access to knowledge stack up? Are they more knowledgeable than you? How does your role contribute to the organization’s goals? These are very important questions and your answers will determine what knowledge you need to access.

Next Steps: Read More in 2019 to Acquire Knowledge

Make 2019 the year you read more to acquire knowledge. Here are a few steps to take to start the process.

• Each day read at least three articles from industry journals.
• Find an industry conference to attend to network with pioneers and trendsetters in the field.
• Join the Strategic Reading Challenge to acquire general knowledge to generate ideas.

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent ReadingHow to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, Revised EditionHow to Read Better & Faster

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