How to get more out of books in 2024

Hack your way to better reading comprehension, idea generation, & articulation

You're probably reading books wrong. Here's how to do it right:

Let me clarify that 90% of books are a few key ideas with 200 pages of filler & case studies. Most books should be articles, most articles should be tweets

BUT to justify print & pricepoint, they have to fluff it up to 200+ pages

So, choose your books wisely.

• Get book recommendations from people whose mindsets you want to emulate

• Spam summaries on Youtube. Different creators will emphasize different key points

• If you find merit in the ideas & want to dig deeper. Buy the book

I recommend buying books over spamming free PDFs. It will make you want to get your ‘money’s worth’ and actually finish it

Now lets talk benefits

Absorbing information is just one of the benefits of reading:

- Reading makes you more articulate

- Reading helps spark new, novel ideas

- Reading improves creativity

- Reading helps you destimulate

The more you read, the more words you're exposed to, in proper context. You will slowly absorb the writing style of the author whether you know it or not

The more you read, the better you can conjure up pictures & ideas in your head.

The more you read, the more opportunities you have for starting points of your own unique ideas

The more you read, the more your brain becomes accustomed to slow-pace stimulation

Reading in modern times is an active hedge against our hyper-stimulated world. Most people can't watch a YouTube video, let alone read a novel. Short-form content & instant gratification have destroyed our dopaminergic systems

I find reading reacclimates us to slower, deeper idea consumption. & subsequently deeper thought

The fact that reading is hard makes it worth it in & of itself.

Now the real reason I read to this day is because there is nothing better to catapult me into my own idea generation. If you want to break a bad case of writer’s block, pick up a book.

If you're a non-linear thinker like me, one idea will spark another, which sparks another, which sparks another. Put yourself in a position to catch these ideas as they come to you (lots of post-it notes)

90% of my posts come while reading something else. I can't help it. Reading is boring, so your brain will be looking for the next most stimulating thing.

The good news is your own ideas are often time more stimulating than the ideas of others

This is the beauty of reading, there’s so many benefits that even reading a shitty book won't be a total loss. If anything it will challenge you cognitively and improve your own thinking/writing skills

Now lets talk about how to read

1. Remove all distractions: Go to a coffee shop, library, or other quiet location. Bring with you nothing but the book, a highlighter & a notepad

2. Force yourself through the first few pages of resistance: It’ll suck, but that’s because you let your brain be overstimulated. This is the acclimation period. Once you get through this dip, reading will be smooth & enjoyable

3. Read out loud in your head: As if you were narrating to yourself. Try to use intonations that you think the author would use. Narrate it in a voice you find fitting for the author.

   (For example when I read How to Win Friends and Influence people, I narrated it in an old-timey American accent )

4. Engage with the content as much as possible: highlight, star, annotate, write down your personal reaction on the page (“wow”, “interesting”, “?”)

5. Stop & summarize: Try to recap key parts/chapters in your own words. Write it down or verbalize it out loud. You haven’t truly learned something until you can explain it in your own words

How to make reading easier:

To read effectively, you need to improve your short-term memory, reading comprehension, & sustained focus capabilities. The best time to read is when you’re already de-stimulated (before bed or in the morning)

I find I can read the longest when I’m in a GABAergic state. L-theanine, Taurine, Magnesium. All help me calm down & get cozy with a book or research paper. My knee-jerk reaction to distraction is dampened.

I include a bit of nicotine for that extra cholinergic boost. Helps me stay on the task at hand and really “feel” the content I’m consuming

What about audiobooks?

The same can be done with audiobooks. Instead of writing down reactions, say them out loud. Pause after every chapter & record a voice note of yourself summarizing it. Just the anticipation of needing to summarize the chapter will change the way you absorb the information

Anyway, I digress. This is what I do & it works for me. This entire post was sparked by a cluster idea 2 pages into a new book.

Good luck & godspeed