LEARNING
4 Steps to Gamify Reading if You Have No Idea How to Start
Books are not the only source of wisdom.
Last year, I finished reading my first book two years after I developed a reading habit.
That’s because books can be a lot to take. If you plan on going shotgun, you’ll backfire at your brain with a buttload of information that deriving value will be overwhelming.
During my two years of reading, I’ve found a method that transforms reading from merely a habit to a healthy drug.
Here are four steps ( in no specific order ) to make your reading habit exciting and feasible.
#1. For starters, read where you’re desperate for growth.
Finding a book to read will give you analysis paralysis because there is so much to read. There are so many books in the printing process as you’re reading right now.
To make the starting process easier, self-assess to identify which area you want to nail urgently.
Some of the topics that are always open for exploration are:
- health
- personal growth
- relationships
- career advancement
- business
- personal finance
- mental health
I struggled with impostor syndrome when I graduated from college. So, I started from there, branched out to personal development, and now write about the topics that once gave me a migraine.
#2. For trustability, read from credible sources.
How will you know what you’re reading is truly valuable to you?
To gain helpful knowledge, search on platforms where the room for error and plagiarism is less.
For example, read famous authors whose books are highly recommended for their sound advice. Medium is also a source of daily inspiration from amateur and professional writers alike.
#3. For motivation, apply the wisdom.
How will you believe reading is improving your life? That’s right! By applying the wisdom.
One coworker at my first job suggested starting with Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. But this book has so many cross-civilisation references that I’ve read it three times and still couldn’t finish. Maybe the fourth time will be a charm!
Then I heard about Atomic Habits by James Clear. Although I knew some of the methods James discussed, knowing that my process has worked previously means the masses accept the wisdom.
#4. For memory, share your knowledge.
After consuming content for years, you’ll gain so much wisdom that eventually, you won’t be satisfied with being happy alone.
You’ll want to share your hard-earned success story and advice that might help your folks ( or even a stranger ) just as reading my article might have helped you.
Sharing your knowledge is an effective way to strengthen the memory because it makes the belief stronger when we see someone benefitting from our lessons. It gives us a higher sense of life purpose. It makes us feel valued that we’re making an impact in someone’s life.
Even if your experience helps one soul, it is enough reason to share your knowledge.
Final words
I still have a terrible distraction tolerance when I’m reading.
Whenever I plan to read for more than 5 minutes, I put on noise-cancellation earphones and set a target to read. A target is generally a number, like:
- Five blogs on Medium,
- One chapter of the paperback version of the book I’m currently reading,
- One chapter in Kindle, or
- One chapter in Audible
The more diverse your knowledge source — content type — the more brain areas activate to converge your attention in the present task.
Don’t dishearten yourself by thinking that your first goal should be to eat a book mentally!
Start with inspiration quotes, blogs, more blogs, even more blogs, and then move on to short books.
Before I moved on to longer books and different reading formats, my first achievement was finishing Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. When I started my writing journey in March 2020, I read it because I struggled with creativity.
Read where you’re desperate for growth, start small, apply the wisdom while learning and share your knowledge to see the impact it has on humanity.
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Sanjeev is a writer, mentor and recovering shopaholic. He writes about emotional intelligence, productivity, relationships, and practical psychology for everyday life. When he is not busy with his muse, he is sweating either in a workout or emulating outdoor games in his home because of the pandemic. He also chronicles his writing and fitness journey on Instagram.
