I Hope You Read To Learn
If you take the time to read these words, I hope you read to learn.
“There is nothing more wonderful than a book. It may be a message to us from the dead, from human souls we never saw who lived perhaps thousands of miles away. And yet these little sheets of paper speak to us, arouse us, teach us, open our hearts, and in turn open their hearts to us like brothers. Without books, God is silent, justice dormant, philosophy lame.” ~ Charles Kingsley (2)
I hope you read actively.
Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to read actively or don’t know why they should.
Actively Engaged Reading Is Hard Work
Staying engaged with a clear purpose for reading is hard work. When you read to learn, you must be an active participant, and unfortunately, that means more than curling up with your favorite novel. It means:
- Ask questions that you expect the book/article to answer.
- Take Notes.
- Put thoughts into words.
- Quit reading if nothing stands out.
Thankfully, the world has come alive with PKM (Personal Knowledge Management). Whether your destination is a student, knowledge worker, or entrepreneur, methodologies like Linking Your Thinking, building a Second Brain, or creating a Zettelkasten communications partner can help you turn that information into knowledge, insight, and wisdom.
Ask Questions You Expect The Book/Article To Answer
There is so much to read and learn you won’t have time to engage with every scrap of information. Skim the text. Or better yet, ask AI to determine if an article contains sufficient material for your needs before reading.
Before reading, ask ChatGPT to “Create a table of key concepts, first column list the key concept, second column provide a short 5–7 word summary of the key concept, third column provide a short 5–7 word summary of the authors views on the key concept, fourth column list 3 related topics, from the following article: {copy article link here}.” (3)
Using the list of the key concepts and the summary of views provided, decide how well you know the existing material and if you have any additional questions the book/article might answer to deepen your knowledge. If yes, then read the text, capsulizing the new information into your existing knowledge base. If no, then move on to the following article.
Take Notes
It seems a minor point; however, there is a distinction between note-taking and note-making. We take notes from books, articles, and other forms of the written word and lectures. And it is perfectly acceptable to mark all the information, ideas, or thoughts that stand out to you.
Highlighting, underlining, framing, and using bold type or colored markers can all emphasize helpful or inspiring phrases that contain meaning. (4) Capturing essential passages on the fly will help avoid frustration when assimilating the information into knowledge.
Put Thoughts Into Words
One of my favorite note-taking quotes comes from Mark Levy’s “Accidental Genius.” He says, “Don’t wait to put your thought into words, assuming that it’s so E=mc2 — brilliant that you’ll retain it in your mind forever. You won’t.” (5)
In other words, while capturing essential passages, if inspiration strikes, jot it down, scribble it on the page, or record it on a card. Because OUR thoughts and ideas are the most fragile, they will vanish instantly if not cared for immediately. Everything else can be re-obtained from the source; (6) treat them with the respect they deserve.
Later, we make notes by explaining in our own words our thoughts through essays, presentations, or exams by condensing and compacting the key elements generally from multiple sources into our own observations.
Quit Reading If Nothing Stands Out.
Life is too short, and there is too much information to churn through duplicate details constantly. When skimming the text or reading, if nothing stands out, move on. Plenty of exciting information is waiting and ready for you to explore; find it.
Written September 9, 2023
Editorial assistance by Grammarly.
While coffee may not be my cup of tea, I do have a passion for beautiful jewelry. If you enjoyed reading my article, I invite you to visit Jewelry Art by Linda, where every piece is lovingly crafted by hand with meticulous attention to detail.
Published simultaneously at Linda’s Brick Barn.
Footnotes and References
(1) Title from: Leveen, Steve. The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life: How to Get More Books in Your Life and More Life from Your Books. Levenger Press, 2005.
(2) Sill, S. W. (1974). The majesty of books. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book. p.5.
(3) My Blog Article: Moving AI Upstream in my PKM
(4) McPherson, Fiona P.hD. (2018). Effective Note-taking, 3rd edition; Wayz Press. p.26.
(5) Levy, Mark (2011) “Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insights, and Content” Berrett-Koehler Publishers. (Location 1700).
(6) Tietze, Christian. (2014, October 25). Zettelkasten. Retrieved October 20, 2019, from https://zettelkasten.de/posts/dont-rely-on-source-have-faith-in-yourself/
