Introduction: Mastering Your Unread Pile of Books

Do you have a towering stack of unread books gathering dust on your shelves, filled with untapped knowledge and ideas? Are you facing persistent challenges that demand fresh insights? Do you aspire to supercharge your creativity and problem-solving abilities? If any of these questions resonate with you, then you're in the right place. In no time, you’ll be mastering your unread pile of books.

In this blog post, Mastering Your Unread Pile of Books, we will transform the way you approach reading nonfiction books, showing you how to extract valuable insights efficiently. You'll discover how to prioritize your reading based on your personal and professional goals, all while saving time and gaining crucial skills.

Summary: Mastering Your Unread Pile of Books

• Change your approach to reading nonfiction books, helping you extract valuable insights more effectively.
• Explore the top ten skills you need to thrive, from analytical and creative thinking to empathy and leadership, and show you how reading can enhance these skills.
• Teach you the concept of leadership reading, a technique to read strategically and master your unread books.
• Introduce the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize which books to read first based on your goals.

Changing Your Definition of Reading a Nonfiction Book

When we first learned to read, we were taught to sound out the words, reading left to right. And reading every word on the page.

Later, most of us were never taught a new way to read that better serves us. But can you honestly say that as an adult, the old way of reading serves you? You're leading an over-scheduled life, so you're thinking there's no way to add reading nonfiction books to the mix.

If there was a way to get what you need from a nonfiction book in a fraction of the time, would that be helpful to you?

Skills You Need to Thrive

The World Economic Forum says you need the following skills to thrive.

Top 10 Skills to Thrive: Skills You Need to Succeed

1. Analytical Thinking: Strengthen your analytical thinking by reading books on critical reasoning, problem-solving methodologies, and logical thinking. These skills will enable you to make informed decisions and tackle complex challenges effectively.
2. Creative Thinking: Foster your creativity through books that encourage innovative thinking, brainstorming techniques, and design principles. Creative solutions are highly sought after in a rapidly changing job market.
3. Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility: Read books on resilience, adaptability, and agile methodologies to develop the ability to navigate uncertainties and embrace change with confidence.
4. Motivation and Self-awareness: Understanding your strengths and weaknesses is crucial for personal and professional growth. Books on self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and motivation can aid in your journey of self-discovery.
5. Curiosity and Lifelong Learning: Cultivate a thirst for knowledge by exploring books on various subjects. Embrace lifelong learning to stay relevant and continually upskill in your chosen field.
6. Technological Literacy: Stay updated with technological advancements by reading books on emerging technologies, digital trends, and tech-related topics. Technological literacy is essential for success in a tech-driven world.
7. Dependability and Attention to Detail: Build trust and reliability by honing your attention to detail. Books on time management, organization, and quality assurance can help enhance your dependability.
8. Empathy and Active Listening: Empathy and active listening are indispensable for effective communication and building meaningful connections. Books on emotional intelligence and communication skills can guide you in developing these essential qualities.
9. Leadership and Social Influence: Develop your skills as a leader through books on leadership theories, management practices, and team dynamics. Leadership abilities are valuable, regardless of your career stage.
10. Quality Control: To deliver excellence in your work, familiarize yourself with books on quality control, process improvement, and quality management systems.

How will you learn the above skills? Reading books is one of the easiest ways to learn a skill.

What Are You Trying to Accomplish Personally and Professionally?

Before you decide on how to learn the skills you need to thrive, it’s essential to figure out what you are trying to accomplish. Figure out your short-, medium-, and long-term goals.

Answer the question: What is one skill, if learned, would speed up or change the trajectory of your life and career?

Your reading must align with what you want to accomplish. Those are the unread books to read first.

Leadership Reading: Reading Books Strategically

One of the easiest and quickest ways to learn the skills the World Economic Forum says you need to thrive is by reading books. If you’re like most people, you have books you’ve bought at conferences and other books waiting for you to read them. You may already own books that will teach you the skills to thrive.

Now the trick is to incorporate reading into your day. There’s a concept called leadership reading that teaches you how to read strategically instead of sequentially. Imagine what would happen if you could read 20 percent of the text of a nonfiction book and understand 90 percent of the text? You may think, no way is it possible to read 20 percent of a book and understand 80 percent of the text.

Educator Russell Stauffer conducted a study and discovered that only four to 11 percent of the text on the average page of a nonfiction book carries meaning. That’s about one sentence. The rest of the information is context and examples. How much of that do you really need?

Using the leadership reading technique, you could master your Unread Pile of books in no time.

What is Leadership Reading?

It’s reading to learn what you need to know. You read with purpose to uncover the information that matters the most to you.

“Leadership reading is reading with a bent toward making the page impact our lives. It is more than just pleasure, although it can be immensely enjoyable. It is more than reading a lot of books, although it will certainly take us through many volumes. Leadership reading is the active, intentional devouring of the greatest writings applied with earnestness toward the highest aspirations. It is a lifestyle habit that is open to everyone but taken advantage of by only a select few.” Turn the Page, Chris Brady

The Leadership Reading Process

• Preparation: Before diving into a book, prepare your mind. Engage in brief brain gym exercises or use techniques like binaural beats audio to enhance focus. Craft a concise one-sentence purpose for your reading, and jot down the questions you want the book to answer.
• Preview: Start by reading the book's Introduction, Preface, and Foreword. These sections provide context and insights into the author's intentions. Review the Index and Table of Contents to identify chapters and sections aligned with your purpose and questions.
• Strategic Reading: Instead of reading every page, focus on the chapters and sections that directly address your purpose and questions. While reading, take notes to capture key points and noteworthy insights.
• Maximizing Learning, Minimizing Time: The aim isn't to complete the entire book but to extract the knowledge you need efficiently. The Leadership Reading approach allows you to maximize your learning while minimizing the time commitment.
• Review your notes a few times then pick out the big ideas.

Eisenhower Matrix: How to Choose Which Books to Read

Using the Eisenhower Matrix, choose the books from your unread pile of books that you’d like to conquer first.

What is the Eisenhower Matrix?

The Eisenhower Matrix, also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix, originates from President Dwight D. Eisenhower's approach to time management. He developed this method to prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. The matrix helps you make efficient decisions and manage your time effectively.

The Eisenhower Matrix comprises four quadrants:

1. Urgent and important: These tasks require immediate attention and have significant consequences if not completed. They are top priority and should be tackled first. These are books that will enable you to achieve your short-term goals.
2. Important but not urgent: These tasks are essential for long-term success but don't require immediate action. Schedule them for later and work on them consistently. These are books that will enable you to achieve your long-term goals.
3. Urgent but not important: These tasks demand immediate attention but contribute little to your overall goals. Delegate them if possible or complete them quickly to free up time for more important tasks. These books could be book club choices.
4. Neither urgent nor important: These tasks hold little value and can be a waste of time. Eliminate or minimize them to focus on more meaningful activities. These books could be books you read for pleasure. For me, these would be mysteries and detective stories. I would argue that these books help me decompress. Therefore, I wouldn’t eliminate them. It’s up to you.

Mastering Your Unread Pile of Books

Prioritize your reading based on the books that are urgent and important. You determine what’s urgent and important based on the goals you’re trying to achieve. Start reading the books that will allow you to achieve your short-term goals. Next, conquer the books that will help you achieve your long-term goals.

Conclusion: Mastering Your Unread Pile of Books

Your unread pile of books holds the keys to unlocking new skills, solving complex problems, and igniting your creativity. By adopting leadership reading techniques and leveraging the Eisenhower Matrix, you can prioritize your reading to align with your goals, whether they are short-term, long-term, or focused on personal growth.

So, why wait? Start your journey toward mastering your unread books today. And remember, if you ever need guidance and support along the way, we're here to help you unlock your full potential. Visit our leadership reading workshop for more information and take the first step toward a brighter, more knowledge-filled future. Link to workshop.

Next Steps

Wondering what to do next, you can do all of:

1. Buy my new book, Leadership Reading: Spilling the Tea on How Top Leaders Read

2. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel

3. Join the Art of Learning Membership Site

4. Download Unlock Your Genius Power Reading Tips Sheet

5. Buy me a cup of coffee!

If you want access to my Bookish Notes, please consider joining my membership site, the Art of Learning.

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