4 Lessons Learned From Reading 52 Books in a Year
As a new business owner, I realized that it would be valuable to learn more about, well, everything. So, at the start of 2021, I knew I should set a goal to read more.
Then, unexpectedly I came across a challenge to read a book a week for an entire year.
Even more interesting – you had to check in twice a week. If you missed a check-in you owed $20.
Talk about motivation to follow through! So…I did it.
I signed up and read 52 books that year. The content I read varied. Some weeks I read business and growth books. Other times I escaped into fantasy and adventure. I also included courses and ebooks associated with writing.
But the challenge made a surprisingly HUGE impact on my life and business.
Here are the 4 key lessons I took away – and still carry with me today.
1. Learning is a Superpower
What I noticed, more than anything else, is that most people spend very little time learning. (Including myself, before the challenge.)
The latest news, shows, movies, social media clips, and video games are what the majority do in their free time. Entertainment rules society.
Quite frankly, this made my new weekly reading a superpower.
In one year, I tripled my income and up-leveled my habits. And it wasn’t that hard. I just read about marketing while most people watched Ozarks.
The lesson: Making the time to learn gives you a massive advantage.
(This isn’t to say screens are bad. It’s more about managing the time spent.)
2. The World Is At Your Fingertips
It turns out that everything I need is within my reach.
Reading made me realize there’s a wealth of knowledge available to anyone who wants it. For my business and my life, that epiphany brought freedom.
The Lesson: I am in control of how my life goes.
3. Kids Do What You Do
In the span of 12 months, my kids saw me read A LOT more. Instead of scrolling my phone, I had a book on my lap. Funny enough, now they both read while I’m reading too.
The lesson: Modeling is the best way you can get your kids to notice how important something is.
4. It Becomes a Lasting Habit
Once I got the habit going, picking up a book became second nature. I still read about a book a week, several years later.
Just keep an interesting book or course within reach!
Getting an accountability partner can also give you the push to follow through on your reading. Or try a commitment card for the full effect.
The lesson: Everything you now find easy, you once thought was hard. Stick with it and it will become who you are.
So few people take learning seriously. By doing so, you’ve entered an entirely different world. It reminds me of a saying I heard once that goes something like this…
If you want to be ordinary, it’s crowded and your competition is fierce. But if you do just a little bit more than the average person, if you go the extra mile often, you’ll find the crowd is pretty thin.
It’s not all that difficult to get to extraordinary.
How much do you read?
Perhaps it’s time to take your learning up a notch. And become a student again.
What’s Next?
Learning is one key way to increase your income and change your life. Check out these articles for more:
- 25 Epic Ways to Invest in Yourself and Your Future
- Money Mindset Books To Transform Your Mindset
- Hidden Steps to Increase Your Income
- The 7 Income Streams of Millionaires
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