Retaining and Applying What You Read

One of the benefits of reading is that it allows you to master the best of what other people have already figured out. This is only true if you can remember and apply the lessons and insights from what you read. This article outlines how to get the most out of your reading.

Quit Books

• When it comes to reading, you don’t need to finish what you start.

• Skim a lot of books. Read a few. Immediately re-read the best ones twice.

• Putting a bad book down creates the opportunity and space for a great book.

Levels of Reading

• Reading the words on the page is the easy part. Tailoring how you read to what you read makes more sense.

• Not everything needs to be read with the same intensity. Some books only deserve a skim, while others deserve your complete attention. How much effort you put in relates to the quality of the reading.

Choose Great Books

• Reading time is limited, it should be directed at knowledge that lasts

• Read old books.

• The opportunity cost of reading something new is re-reading the best book you've ever read

• Most of the time, the best books are the ones that have stood the test of time

Taking Notes

• The blank sheet method works best for simplicity and effectiveness

• Before you start reading a new book, take out a blank sheet of paper and write down what you know about the book / subject you are about to read

• When you're done reading, put these 'blank sheets' into a binder that you periodically review

• As your cognitive fluency increases, you'll start connecting ideas across disciplines, disagreeing with authors about specific points, and developing your own ideas

Reading More

• You can't get where you want to go if you're not learning all the time