Last month I created a new rule for myself: the 80/20 Rule of Reading. Now, 80% of my reading time is to be spent on books with only 20% left over for the internet and other sources.
It’s been a difficult transition. But, the results have been tremendous.
Here’s why I’m focusing 4x as much on books, and why you may want to give the reading rule a try.
The Quick “Wow” vs. Depth of Understanding
“A book is incredibly powerful because it gives you leverage. The author could have spent years of his or her life studying a subject, reading everything that had already been written, learning from the best, summarizing different theories, and simplifying complex ideas. After ten years of research, thousands of hours and millions of pages can be condensed into a concise little 200 page novel, and little old you comes along to get it for $10.” –Brian Armstrong, Lifehack
Reading on the internet has a way of sucking up time. Without self-monitoring, a few more minutes on the web can easily turn into several hours. Follow where the links lead, and you’ll find thousands of very interesting and very short articles. Often, you’ll come across web writing that gives you a “wow” moment. Unfortunately, learning often ends after the “wow.” You read about a new idea and the discussion is over after 500 words.
Books, on the other hand, give you a greater depth of understanding. Traditional authors don’t have to worry about shrinking their ideas down into web-digestible nuggets, using lists and bullet points to please the eye, or saying the same word over and over with the hopes of being picked up on Google. They have hundreds of pages to give readers a more thorough understanding.
Online articles are designed to be quick reads, often written in less than an hour. Books can offer an immense amount of knowledge, gathered by the author over a lifetime of learning. [click to continue…]
{ 5 comments }
