How to read a book?
When it comes to reading and understanding a book, you must implement a proper system for remembering everything you read. Otherwise, reading becomes only an act of pleasure that serves no value other than a little bit of dopamine.
Bellow is a video explaining the note-taking system I am talking about.
Note-taking system:
- Broad inspection of a chapter (skim over to see how the chapter is structured. Are there lists, headings,…).
- Read the chapter without any note-taking.
- Reread the chapter with a pencil and plastic flags to underline anything that stood out.
- Once you’ve signposted the entire chapter, flip back to the last page of the book and briefly summarize the chapter.
- Archive your summary notes into a digital or analog notebook.
How to journal?
We have learned how to read, but what about writing? The next step is for you to learn how to journal.
There are many methods and ways a person could journal. From 5-minute bullet points to long essays, there is truly a plethora of options. But sometimes, the ideas for writing just won’t come to mind. It feels impossible to write even a single sentence.
This is exactly why I love the approach to journaling that I am about to show you. With it, you will never again find yourself staring at your notebook, unable to start writing.
Bellow is a video explaining the journaling system I am talking about.
Journaling system:
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- Write a paragraph about something that happened.
- Write a paragraph about something that you did well.
- Write a paragraph about something that you could have done better.
- Zoom out and write about the bigger picture (It can be just a single paragraph or multiple pages).
Additional resources
For anyone interested in learning how to think and put his thoughts into an essay, check out Jordan Peterson’s Writing App. It is the perfect tool to help you learn how to write good essays properly.
Consider dedicating 90 minutes to 3 hours of writing once per week. I personally do this on Sundays. Choose any topic that you find interesting and write about it in the form of an essay. Use the before mentioned writing app as a guide.
Conclusion
Knowing how to properly read and journal is the foundation for becoming an intellectual. There is no point in reading non-fiction books unless you learn how to remember what you read, nor is there a point in journaling for self-improvement if you don’t learn anything from it.
Now that you are equipped with the right tools, start implementing both systems into your daily routine. Before you know it, these habits will change your life in ways you could have never imagined.