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BFW: Want to Read More Books during the Summertime?
Dear Reader,
Welcome to another edition of Brain Food Wednesdays, your weekly intellectual feast. In this edition, issue 235, we talk about how to read more books during the summertime.
Process to Read Nonfiction Books
- Prepare Your Mind.
- Preview the Book.
- Read the Book.
- Test the Ideas.
- Repeat the Process.
- Synthesize the Information.
- Name Ideas.
- Implement the Ideas.
- Create a Product from New Knowledge.
Prepare Your Mind
I suppose when you decide to read, you want to get the process started as quickly as possible. So, more than likely, you dive right into the book. A better way to go is to prepare your mind for reading the book, so you can absorb more of what you’re reading. In the past, I encouraged my readers and clients to do brain gym exercises like jumping jacks and marching bands. Now, I’ve added technology to the mix.
You want to be in the zone when you’re reading. To get into a flow state, I’ve had success with a few apps, both for iOS and Android. I turn on the audio app before I follow the other steps. In fact, I’ve found that the apps get me into flow while I’m writing. As I’m listening to the audio with stereo headphones, I do:
- Write a one-sentence purpose statement about why I want to read the book.
- Craft an outcome statement about what I expect to learn after reading the book.
- Formulate the questions I want the book to answer.
Preview the Book
You want to decide if the book is worth reading. And you also want to discover the sections and chapters that align with your purpose for reading the book.
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Read the following sections of the book.
- Foreword.
- Preface.
- Introduction.
- Flip through the book to look at all the images and charts. A picture is worth a thousand words.
- Scan the Index to identify the phrases and keywords with the most references. This tells you what is important to the author.
- Review the Table of Contents, which is the most important section of the book.
- Place a check mark beside the chapters and sections that align with your purpose for reading the book.
- Decision time. Read or not read the book.
Read the Book
Read only the chapters and sections of the nonfiction that you flagged as needing further exploration. Many people suffer from the fear of missing out, and that’s why they read nonfiction books cover-to-cover. Practice just in time reading. You can always return to the book if later you need additional information from it.
As you read the book, take notes of the important information. When you finish reading, take a break to create space to think about what you learned from the book. Review your notes a few times, then pick out the big ideas. If the book offers a model, technique, or process, record that as well. In fact, create a table where you’ll record the big ideas and if there’s a process, record that as well.
Test the Ideas
I always tell my clients and readers that reading a book and not testing and applying the ideas is like spending all day in the kitchen preparing a five-course meal and not eating. When you get an idea, it’s seldom fully formed, but it doesn’t hurt to test it. Remember, you’re reading a nonfiction book because you have a problem to solve, or you need answers to some questions.
Repeat the Process
Whether you’re reading a nonfiction book to solve a problem, answer questions or learn a skill, reading one book is not enough. You want diverse perspectives, so it’s important to read at least five books. After you read the first book, it’s time to repeat the process with the other books.
Synthesize the Information
Combine the ideas across the five books you read, making them into bigger and better ideas. No one book can give you everything you need, so combine the models, filling in the information gaps. You might end up with something that’s new to you, that you can use in your business.
Name Ideas
Now you have combined ideas to make them bigger and better. Using two to four words, name the bigger and better ideas. Create elegant descriptions, so they’re easy to explain.
Implement the Ideas
Remember the food metaphor we used earlier? Use the elevated ideas to solve your problem, as well as answer the questions that you crafted.
Create a Product from New Knowledge
You’ve solved your problem. And you’ve answered the questions you crafted at the start of this journey, but why stop there? With your newfound knowledge, what can you now do that you couldn’t do before reading the five books? Can you teach this information to others? Can you create a new course? Or can you write an ebook?
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Warm regards,
Avil Beckford
Brain Food Wednesdays
Editor, Brain Food Wednesdays
Founder, The Invisible Mentor & Art of Learning Leadership Academy