How to Get the Most Out of Reading Self-Help Books
If you can’t remember what you’ve learned, then what’s the point?
I like reading, especially self-improvement books. However, looking back on the self-help titles I read last year, I can’t tell you much about many of them. To be honest, I wasn’t really paying attention. I’m going to change that. By putting a plan in place to read with more intent, I make sure the books I read this year will be the best ones yet.
When I decided to transition into a user experience designer last summer, I made it a point to make a habit of reading. I had a routine; I listened to audiobooks on my commute, read design books on nights and weekends, and read Medium articles in between. When I finished a book, I would start the next one right away.
Articles listing “must-read books in 2020” or “5 books all great designers should read” are clickbaity and can sometimes make you feel inadequate if you see books you have not read. Combine that with headlines like “Billionaires read a book a day” popping up on your social media feeds, and it’s easy to feel like you’re behind in your career.
In Pocket Full of Do, Chris Do calls out people who read with no purpose. They only read to check it off a list or brag to others about having read a popular book.
Is that me? No! Maybe…Yes?
Is it you?
Your time is precious, and the time spent reading self-help books should help you become a better version of yourself. Here are some things to try with your next book to make sure that happens.
First, define a goal
Take some quiet time today and reflect on your goals this year. What are you trying to do better? What do you want to learn? Knowing where you want to go will make the path to get there more clear. It can also help you decide which conferences to go to, who to network with, and what types of projects to take on.
Example: As a UX/UI designer, I often have to present my work to others. My goal this year is to improve my storytelling skills so I can better communicate my ideas to other people.
Then, intentionally choose a book
Choose the books that will help you achieve the goals you’ve set. Decide on the type of information you want. Do you need a general overview? An actionable guide? A deep dive with more technical information?
Example: I want people to remember my ideas. I may be interested in Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath as an actionable guide to communicating ideas that stay with people.
Now, read it slowly
Forget speed reading. It’s no use to be able to read many books when you can retain a single idea from them. Read intentionally and allow your mind to process each idea. See if what you’re reading spark any new ideas in your head.
Example: After rereading a previous chapter slower and with more intent, I learned the idea of not burying the lead, which I immediately tried to apply to the lead of this article. (Did I do it right?)
Have a system for taking notes
Use a system to tag ideas you find interesting. I use different identifiers that make it easy to go back and find the ideas I want to revisit.
A line next to a paragraph: Interesting. This has a high-level idea or context.
Sentence underline: Important. This specific idea is worth noting.
Dog ear. Important. There’s a good idea on this page.
Dog ear with a star. Very important. The idea on this page is worth writing about or applying immediately.
Notes in the margin. Written notes about a new idea.
Example:
Teach someone what you’ve learned
Self-improvement books are often packed with good ideas. Some may speak to you more than others, and it’s nearly impossible to remember all of them. The best way I’ve found to retain good ideas is to rewrite it and teach it to someone else. I do this by either writing a short LinkedIn post, or a short Medium article.
Example: After reading Pocket Full of Do, I wrote an article about the two main learnings from the book and how I plan to apply them this year. You can find that article below.
Final thoughts
Reading is a fantastic way to learn new ideas, but it’s only effective if you have a purpose and can retain what you learn. It can be tempting to buy a book because you see it promoted on social media by people you look up to. It would explain the stack of unfinished books on my nightstand.
My advice for you (and me) is to take a step back. By setting your goals first, and intentionally planning a path to get there, you can successfully become a better version of yourself with each book that you read.
Resources:
This article was inspired by Why Reading More Won’t Actually Make You Successful by Jonah Malin.
The format of this article was inspired by How I use design thinking foundations to write a better article by Petr Augustine.
