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1/ Seminary broke my love for reading.
But over the last few weeks, I’ve experienced a resurgence in my joy and excitement for reading.
Here's what's changed:
But over the last few weeks, I’ve experienced a resurgence in my joy and excitement for reading.
Here's what's changed:
2/ Before attending seminary I was a voracious reader, consuming 50-100 books each year. But something about being forced to read books in school not of my own choosing messed with my love of reading.
3/ I’ve heard this is a fairly common experience for grad students. But it’s been over three years since I graduated and I’ve still had trouble relocating that love for reading I once had.
Here are two observations that are helping me to recover my love of reading:
Here are two observations that are helping me to recover my love of reading:
5/
1. READ WHATEVER YOU WANT
After graduation no one was making me read certain books anymore. But I kept thinking I was failing to redeem the time when I read for pleasure.
There is wisdom in being choosy about what you read, but not if it keeps you from reading at all.
1. READ WHATEVER YOU WANT
After graduation no one was making me read certain books anymore. But I kept thinking I was failing to redeem the time when I read for pleasure.
There is wisdom in being choosy about what you read, but not if it keeps you from reading at all.
6/ Read what interests you and you'll see the spark for reading reignited.
7/
2. READ THE GOOD STUFF DEEPLOY
There are some books that deserve a deeper read.
Adopt a strategy for taking notes and reviewing these works so that their treasures aren't lost.
2. READ THE GOOD STUFF DEEPLOY
There are some books that deserve a deeper read.
Adopt a strategy for taking notes and reviewing these works so that their treasures aren't lost.
8/ This might sound like moving in the opposite direction from my first observation and turning reading back into a chore, but not if your way of taking notes isn't labor-intensive.
My note-taking strategy is actually quite fun!
My note-taking strategy is actually quite fun!
9/ The method I've been using is called "Progressive Summarization" and I learned from @fortelabs.
It’s basically an approach to reading and note taking that takes multiple passes over the same work to reduce it down to principles.
It’s basically an approach to reading and note taking that takes multiple passes over the same work to reduce it down to principles.
10/ Throughout the process you are digesting ideas more and more thoroughly. Eventually you achieve a sort of "ownership" over the concepts.
It’s not as though you’re reading the same book multiple times. The whole process is very “light touch” meaning it’s not onerous.
It’s not as though you’re reading the same book multiple times. The whole process is very “light touch” meaning it’s not onerous.
11/ Following a method like this can make deep reading less of a chore and more of a joy. Especially as you see the pay off in how the books you are reading are actually changing your life.
12/ I'm personally experiencing this payoff right now, as I see the concepts from Ed Welch's book "When People Are Big and God is Small" start to permeate my life.
/13 I wrote an article on Relearning the Joy of Reading that explains these concepts further. https://www.redeemingproductivity.com/relearning-the-joy-of-reading/
