I had extra time over the Thanksgiving break, and I was able to finish my 20th book of the year. I try to read 20 books a year, and I met my goal with a month to go. When people find out I read around 20 books a year, one of the first things they ask is “What did you learn?” Usually I answer with “Stuff” because the real answer takes too long to explain. It is a good question, and it makes me think, what did I learn? Over the books I have read this year, these are my thoughts.
- Sleep is way more important than you think it is. It is way more important than I think it is. “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker made me feel uncomfortable because he was able to articulate what I was feeling: That I am a major detriment to my life, my relationships, and my career due to not getting eight hours of sleep a night. Sleep is how humans got to the top of the food chain.
- To see true results in your life or career, you need to be absolutely “locked in” to an activity for certain periods of time. This can be done in a big segment perspective or in a small segment perspective, but each segment needs to be filled with one atomic activity. This atomic activity needs to consume your attention, and your only goal is to do this activity as well as possible. This idea is the equivalent of choosing quality over quantity. I’ve found that being “locked in” is annoying to many, but it is the only option for growth in life or career.
- Books don’t have to be long in order to be good. Some of the best books I’ve read this year are only 100-200 pages. I’m at the point where I can tell if a book is artificially long, and I think most other readers can do the same.
- Reading is a form of entertainment. The question “What did you learn?” implies that I had to learn something meaningful or beneficial to justify reading a book. Sometimes it’s just fun to read.
If you are curious about what I have read this year or in past years, feel free to check out my “Interests” page.