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Good (whatever time of the day it is where you are) fellow Fastlaners!
This year I decided to take the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge, and I have to say I'm glad I did. The knowledge it has given me has been invaluable. So what's this thread about?
First, it's not to gloat, although finishing something like this does feel pretty damn good (17 weeks early too), or to say that everyone should do it, or anything along them lines. What I want to give you is what I've learnt from doing the challenge, and how I would approach it if I were to do it again.
This challenge isn't for everyone, there is an old saying that by doing, you learn more than you would reading, but, you also learn more by reading than wasting time watching TV, or browsing social media to see what your friend had for breakfast, and not everyone can (or should) work 100% of their waking lives.
So what did you learn? I hear you ask....
Playing Catch-up
One of the main reasons I done it, was I realised I hadn't really been reading nearly enough over the past 5 years, and before that? I didn't read much of anything at all apart from blogs. I wanted to do it because I felt I was "playing catch up" to some extent. This is not a good reason to start doing the challenge though looking back on it, but if I didn't do that, then I wouldn't have got to where I am now (and wouldn't be posting this thread).
Goals
Ever completed or stuck with a new years resolution? I hadn't really up to this point, and 52 books in 52 weeks is one of the first I've followed through on. I don't intend to stop just because I've finished it either, so now it's a challenge to see how many I can read before NYE (and no, I'm going to be spending ALL my time reading, more on time and reading to follow). So, besides the fact I wanted to play catch up, it has solidified in me the belief that goal setting is something that you should do!
Finding Time to Read
One of the biggest obstacles to reading is time, "I can't find the time" etc. Utter garbage, I used to think that I was always "too busy" to read. until you take the time, to find the time. One of the things this taught me (and it was actually in one of the books I read too, which solidified the thought (The ONE Thing in case you're wondering)) that time management or time blocking is a great habbit to get into. If you can't find time to read, look at what you're doing during your day and find it! How?
Get Yourself a Notebook!
I used the notebook to count off the books, and write down what I'd read so I had a physical list of everything I read, and how many more I had to go, this give me a countdown, and motivated me to finish the challenge.
Besides that, the notebook doubled as a note taking device (who'd a though it?). Ideas and the biggest thoughts from each book were jotted down, especially quotes.
"Do nothing that is of no use" Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings.
That's just one of my favourites, imagine living like that? Free book from feedbooks too btw.
I also used the notebook to jot down any business ideas I had while reading, and various other things like authors to look into more to find more books etc.
Short Reads Can Be Just As Powerful
Some of the best I read were also the shortest (also helps to complete the challenge, CHEAT!) As a Man Thinketh (mentioned here), Anthem (Ayn Rand's shortest book AFAIK), Who Move My Cheese (also mentioned here) The Dip, The Icarus Deception, Poke the Box and Tribes We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin, The Little Book of Talent and Growth Hacker Marketing for example are some of the most mind-opening things I read. Love Yourself like your life depends on it being another.
So what am I trying to say? You don't need to read War and Peace, Atlas Shrugged and whatever other long books you can think of to do this challenge and it be worthwhile, lots of these books took me very little time to read.
How Would I Do It Differently, and How Should You (perhaps) Do It?
Like I mentioned above (long post, I know!) I did it to play catch up, that isn't a bad reason to do it, but now I've finished, I can say that if I do it again, no, when I do it again, it will be more focused.
If you're looking for business ideas in general, then I would preach my approach to anyone looking to start somewhere. Find the best/more recommended books, pick them up and start, don't plan, just read and finish the challenge.
If you already know where you want to go, or what you want to do? Don't dare go scatter-gun! I'd suggest picking perhaps 10 general wealth/business/self help books (Think and Grow Rich, BOLD, The ONE Thing, etc.) and then doing the other 42 relating to your desired subject.
If you want to be a real estate investor, you're probably not going to need to read something like The Laptop Millionaire (not a bad book FWIW). Focus on that area of expertise instead.
Think 10 self-help/wealth/etc books + 42 on your desired subject is too focused? Chuck in a bit of fiction for fun, why not?
The other thing I would advise, is adding something health and fitness related, and maybe a cook book or 2 (not recipe books, but one's that teach you how to cook in general) or anything relating to other areas where you think your life could be improved, languages, mathematics (A Slice of Pi is a cool book!) whatever.
There's probably more I can add to this section but this post is getting huge already.
What else can the challenge do you for you?
I think it has improved my writing, although maybe you who are reading this can be the judge of that.
Blasting through 52 books has given me at least a top 10 which I will now re-read and re-read and re-read again as I see fit.
Business ideas galore now fill my notebook. I normally have a few, but when I read, they seem to just pop into my head more frequently.
Reading has improved my focus, something I used to struggle with.
All In All
This challenge has done me wonders, I'd highly recommend doing it! If you've got any questions that I haven't covered, then feel free to ask!
This year I decided to take the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge, and I have to say I'm glad I did. The knowledge it has given me has been invaluable. So what's this thread about?
First, it's not to gloat, although finishing something like this does feel pretty damn good (17 weeks early too), or to say that everyone should do it, or anything along them lines. What I want to give you is what I've learnt from doing the challenge, and how I would approach it if I were to do it again.
This challenge isn't for everyone, there is an old saying that by doing, you learn more than you would reading, but, you also learn more by reading than wasting time watching TV, or browsing social media to see what your friend had for breakfast, and not everyone can (or should) work 100% of their waking lives.
So what did you learn? I hear you ask....
Playing Catch-up
One of the main reasons I done it, was I realised I hadn't really been reading nearly enough over the past 5 years, and before that? I didn't read much of anything at all apart from blogs. I wanted to do it because I felt I was "playing catch up" to some extent. This is not a good reason to start doing the challenge though looking back on it, but if I didn't do that, then I wouldn't have got to where I am now (and wouldn't be posting this thread).
Goals
Ever completed or stuck with a new years resolution? I hadn't really up to this point, and 52 books in 52 weeks is one of the first I've followed through on. I don't intend to stop just because I've finished it either, so now it's a challenge to see how many I can read before NYE (and no, I'm going to be spending ALL my time reading, more on time and reading to follow). So, besides the fact I wanted to play catch up, it has solidified in me the belief that goal setting is something that you should do!
Finding Time to Read
One of the biggest obstacles to reading is time, "I can't find the time" etc. Utter garbage, I used to think that I was always "too busy" to read. until you take the time, to find the time. One of the things this taught me (and it was actually in one of the books I read too, which solidified the thought (The ONE Thing in case you're wondering)) that time management or time blocking is a great habbit to get into. If you can't find time to read, look at what you're doing during your day and find it! How?
- Do you spend however long watching TV? Cut it down FFS!
- Have you got time to pick up a book to read before bed?
- If you do any exercise on a stationary machine like a bike, can you not read while you're on it?
- How long do you spend on the toilet? Put a book by it, or get into the habit of taking one in there with you (don't forget to wash your hands!)
- Like sunbathing? READ too!
- I wanted to stick to actual reading, but if you cannot read, get some audio books!
- A tip for audio books - change the play-speed to a slightly higher one to quicken your listening.
Get Yourself a Notebook!
I used the notebook to count off the books, and write down what I'd read so I had a physical list of everything I read, and how many more I had to go, this give me a countdown, and motivated me to finish the challenge.
Besides that, the notebook doubled as a note taking device (who'd a though it?). Ideas and the biggest thoughts from each book were jotted down, especially quotes.
"Do nothing that is of no use" Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings.
That's just one of my favourites, imagine living like that? Free book from feedbooks too btw.
I also used the notebook to jot down any business ideas I had while reading, and various other things like authors to look into more to find more books etc.
Short Reads Can Be Just As Powerful
Some of the best I read were also the shortest (also helps to complete the challenge, CHEAT!) As a Man Thinketh (mentioned here), Anthem (Ayn Rand's shortest book AFAIK), Who Move My Cheese (also mentioned here) The Dip, The Icarus Deception, Poke the Box and Tribes We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin, The Little Book of Talent and Growth Hacker Marketing for example are some of the most mind-opening things I read. Love Yourself like your life depends on it being another.
So what am I trying to say? You don't need to read War and Peace, Atlas Shrugged and whatever other long books you can think of to do this challenge and it be worthwhile, lots of these books took me very little time to read.
How Would I Do It Differently, and How Should You (perhaps) Do It?
Like I mentioned above (long post, I know!) I did it to play catch up, that isn't a bad reason to do it, but now I've finished, I can say that if I do it again, no, when I do it again, it will be more focused.
If you're looking for business ideas in general, then I would preach my approach to anyone looking to start somewhere. Find the best/more recommended books, pick them up and start, don't plan, just read and finish the challenge.
If you already know where you want to go, or what you want to do? Don't dare go scatter-gun! I'd suggest picking perhaps 10 general wealth/business/self help books (Think and Grow Rich, BOLD, The ONE Thing, etc.) and then doing the other 42 relating to your desired subject.
If you want to be a real estate investor, you're probably not going to need to read something like The Laptop Millionaire (not a bad book FWIW). Focus on that area of expertise instead.
Think 10 self-help/wealth/etc books + 42 on your desired subject is too focused? Chuck in a bit of fiction for fun, why not?
The other thing I would advise, is adding something health and fitness related, and maybe a cook book or 2 (not recipe books, but one's that teach you how to cook in general) or anything relating to other areas where you think your life could be improved, languages, mathematics (A Slice of Pi is a cool book!) whatever.
There's probably more I can add to this section but this post is getting huge already.
What else can the challenge do you for you?
I think it has improved my writing, although maybe you who are reading this can be the judge of that.
Blasting through 52 books has given me at least a top 10 which I will now re-read and re-read and re-read again as I see fit.
Business ideas galore now fill my notebook. I normally have a few, but when I read, they seem to just pop into my head more frequently.
Reading has improved my focus, something I used to struggle with.
All In All
This challenge has done me wonders, I'd highly recommend doing it! If you've got any questions that I haven't covered, then feel free to ask!
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