How to read more

and how to remember what you read.

I love reading, and I always try read more and extract value from what I read. These were 5 awesome tips for how to read more from a video by Mark Manson and how to remember what you read, below are my notes and interpretation on it.

1. Skip the inner monologue

You know that voice in your head when you read things, yes the voice you have right now reading this. That’s your inner monologue. Learn to cut it out, it’s only slowing down your reading.

Try reading this opening paragraph from “The Picture of Dorian Gray” with an inner monologue, and then one more time without. You probably can tell the difference.

The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.

2. Read with you finger

This sounded weird at first, but I must admit I have done this before, but never really got used to it. Manson argues that your eyes are not stable, and having a finger track where you read helps guide your eyes faster, and ultimately increases your reading speed.

3. Don’t read what you don’t like

Are you forcing yourself to finish that non-fiction that you don’t really like, but you need the sense of accomplishment of ticking that book off? Drop it. It’s not worth your time. Manson states most non-fiction books have buffer chapters or chunks of information that are repeated in many other books, ie. the Marshmallow Test.

The rule is, only read chapters that you know can be applied in your life, or in other words, take what you need, leave the rest. For fiction books on the other hand, if it’s a banger story, read the whole thing.

4. Schedule time to read

Saying “I’m too busy to read,” is utter crap. All you’re saying is your other tasks in life are more important than reading books that may change your life. Or you just don’t know how to build a habit of reading. It’s easy. Start with 10 minutes a day. Then 15. Then 20. Make yourself accountable. Learn how to delay gratification.

5. Read more than a book at a time

Reading multiple books at a time is a pretty smart move. Picture this, you have a philosophy book in your iPhone where you read while waiting in life / in the bathroom, you have an non-fiction audiobook that plays during your commute, and you have a huge fiction book that you read before you go to sleep. Reading more than one book, and especially in different medium is a smart approach towards reading more.

How to remember what you read

The short answer: Use what you read in your life.

The long answer:

Highlighting and note taking is completely useless — Mark Manson, 2020

As Manson asserts, if I want to lose weight, I don’t highlight steps to losing weight, I actually do those steps. If you’re reading books and only highlighting them, or taking huge amounts of notes, you’re wasting you’re time.

Read only read books that piques your curiosity, make you go into deep contemplation, and more importantly, or even better, make you want to share it with your friends and family, because explaining the news profound ideas you just discovered is the best way to learn something new.