Today we are at a time in the world where our attention is constantly being diverted in many directions. One notification can take your mind away from your initial focus, a short video can gobble hours away, and now fast consumption has become the norm while deep focus is the exception with social media.
We take in information, act on it and forget it all again very rapidly. In all of this digital clutter, more than ever, reading is important, not less important.
To read deeply requires a lot more than flipping through pages of information only to move on to the next attention-grabbing item. Reading lets the mind relax and consider information thoroughly. It doesn't just make us think of other people's ideas, it expands our brain, forces our focus and develops our own ideas.
Reading has influenced my thinking, communicating and decision making in numerous ways. Learning beyond entertainment has made me more aware of other people, think differently about problems, and is making me more conscious of my objectives. I have gained knowledge about discipline, emotional intelligence, financial knowledge and personal development through reading. There are books that have shaken my perspective on the world, and those that have helped me to see things clearly in tough times. It's hard to read consistently and not be changed.
The more you know, the more you can do something impactful, and in today’s professional world, it is a much needed skill. Social media will provide you with the information that you need quickly, books, on the other hand, will provide you with depth, wisdom and perspective.
As a reader, reading is something that has proved to be a constant ally in my growth journey while building my personal brand. It has broadened my horizons in my career, but also in my creativity, my leadership and the knack of bringing together ideas from very divergent spaces.
Reading is not a pastime, it is a source of self-evolution, each page will change the way you think, act and evolve. When times are trendy and when everything has to be instantly gratifying, it's a choice to read, it's a choice to gain depth in a shallow world.
Now, the question for you. Will you make the choice to read?