I enjoy learning new things. Whether through books, conversations, or podcasts; I like the process of gathering new information.

One challenge is that it can be hard to apply this information in real life. It’s easy to be inspired in the moment, only to let that inspiration wane before taking action.

I tend to lean on two techniques to overcome this challenge.

First, I take my time with dense non-fiction material. Even though I could easily fly through a book in less than a week, I like to drag it out. I know that the information is most readily available in my mind while I’m actively reading a given book, so I’m rarely in a hurry.

Then, when I’m thinking about what to read (or listen to) next, I like to circle back to books I’ve already read.

You could make the argument that it’s a waste of time, but I don’t see it that way. Regardless whether it was years or months ago that I read the book the first time, I’m now I different person. I’ve learned and experienced things that allow me to view material in a new light and draw new conclusions.

Revisiting an old book isn’t boring or any less effective than reading new material. It’s actually eye-opening

Not to mention that it returns the material to the front of my mind (see point one) and gives me another opportunity to apply it in real life.

-Brandon