I wrote it down. Which makes the goal official. I watched a video by John Fish, where he discussed what he learned from reading 100 books in 100 weeks. He articulated exactly what I have been realizing over the past year, during which I’ve been reading consistently. By reading, I am not becoming a walking encyclopedia of knowledge that can contribute interesting facts to a conversation. Yes, there is some of amount of learned information that I can recall. But, I certainly do not remember most of what I read, and that’s expected. The point is not memorization. Rather, the benefit of reading is that it changes how I perceive the world. It gives me perspectives. It shows me how other great minds have thought about problems. Books reveal the thought processes and conclusions of great people. Some books, such as Paradise Lost or Lord of the Rings, contain an author’s life work. You can learn, in just a few hundred pages, what it took somebody a lifetime of 50 years to articulate. Think about that – incredible! By reading, I learn different approaches for analyzing the world and thinking about problems. There are so many things that I don’t know. Books help me become just a little less ignorant. I’ve been journaling consistently for about 3 years. Combined with reading, these skills have shaped me. I’m not the same Charlie that I was 3 years ago. I’m more mature, and I like the changes that I observe between “now” Charlie and “before journaling” Charlie. Reading and writing have improved my ability to organize thoughts and articulate myself. I see the benefits in personal and professional conversations, during professional presentations, and in my technical writing. For 2020, I am going to read at least one book per week, and write a short reflection on each book. The reflection will summarize the book or express my thoughts or both.
John Fish’s YouTube video:
“I Read 100 Books in 100 Weeks”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYOZpDg6Oj0