Recap: Early-Morning Reading
This blog is all about mastering our superpower of consistency to awaken what Einstein called “the most powerful force in the universe”: compounding. Information is a very interesting application of this awesome force.
Since we live in the information age, our value to society is strongly influenced by the quantity and quality information we have fully internalized.
Note the use of the word “internalized” here. Just reading or hearing something is not enough. It must be understood on a deep level and ingrained through application and experience.
These days, how smart you work is more important than how hard you work. Don’t get me wrong – working hard is still important. But it’s the intelligence with which you direct your productive powers that really makes the difference.
Simply put: those with lots of high quality information deeply internalized in their minds can direct their productive powers more intelligently.
Smarter productivity leads to exposure to more interesting environments and information. Gradual internalization of this new information then leads to even smarter productivity. And so the virtuous cycle continues…
The checklist
Getting this virtuous cycle rolling takes plenty of patience and consistency, but it really is very simple:
- Find something interesting or inspirational to read or listen to and buy it.
- Commit to 5-10 minutes of absorbing this information every morning.
- Similar to early-morning movement, be sure to open some space for this in your morning.
- Once you finish a book, make your own summary:
- Focus on tangible things you can implement in your own life.
- This is crucial to ensure that you internalize the new information.
- Stick to this habit for the long run and see how much more interesting your life becomes 🙂
I’d venture to say that regular consumption of educational material is one of best predictors of success today. In my experience, it’s also one of the easiest habits to form and maintain. Please give it a try!
Have an inspired day and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Marthie
July 25, 2019 @ 12:53 pm
Hallo Schalk, ek het maar onlangs ingeteken op jou blog. Jy is ‘n groot inspirasie vir my en ek verstom my aan jou vlak van produktiwiteit. Ek besef na vandag se stuk oor internalisering hoe ek bo-oor inligting lees en dan my gebrek aan feitelike herinnering blameer op my swak geheue. Ek wil baie dinge doen, maar alles moet altyd vinnig gebeur. My swakste eienskap is waarskynlik dat ek alles nóú wil regdoen, nie lank wil oefen en sukkel nie, of dit klavier of skilder of studeer is. Ek besef ook mens is nooit te oud om jou dissipline te verbeter nie (ek is 59 – en jy hoef nie vir my Tannie te sê nie). Hoewel ek vroeër jare noodwendig ‘n bietjie meer geroetineerd was, het ek nou nog minder roetine. Ek het bietjie van ‘n kunstenaarstemperament en hou van verandering. Dieselfde ding op dieselfde manier maak my gou verveeld, maar dit veroorsaak dat ek met klomp goed op een slag besig is, myself voortdurend onderbreek en dus niks regkry nie… bietjie “adhd”. Ek bewonder jou vir jou intellek en die feit dat jy as wetenskaplike ook oor so ‘n uitstekende taalvermoë beskik, én musikaal is, en seker nog veel meer. Ek geniet jou skrywes en wens jou baie voorspoed toe – met alles wat jy aanpak. Maar ons sal seker meer hier op jou forum gesels. Groete!
Schalk
July 25, 2019 @ 7:12 pm
Hi Marthie! Baie dankie vir die positiewe terugvoer. Ek waardeer dit baie 🙂
Ja, die lewe is maar ‘n aanhoudende balancing act tussen genoeg fokus om goed te vorder en genoeg variasie om dinge interessant te hou. Die goeie ding is dat mens eintlik redelik min roetine nodig het om jouself die tyd en spasie te gee om goed te vorder. My lewe is baie geroetineerd vir omtrent ‘n uur in die oggend en ‘n halfuur in die aand, maar die res is freestyle.