I get questions all the time about how I read as much as I do. So I decided to write down a few thoughts that I hope will be of help to you. If you're a leader, then growing is not an option. But in the busy world we live in, it's important to find ways to maximize our time for our own personal growth and development.
So here's 6 ways I try to learn more in less time:
#1 – Set goals – When you have a goal for the number of books your want to read in a year, you'll read faster because you want to make sure you reach your goal.
#2 – Always have a book with you – We have more time than we realize for reading and learning. So carry a book with you wherever you go and you'll be able to pull your book out in those times and get some reading done.
#3 – Always be excited about your next book – I always find this to be a great motivator. I usually don't read more than one book at a time, so I have several books waiting to be read when I'm done with my current one. This prompts me to read more and read faster.
#4 – Manage your time well – There's time to read, we just have to manage our time well so that our discretionary time doesn't get eaten away with frivolous stuff.
#5 – See learning as a priority – I don't read with my left over time. Reading and listening to audio resources is a top priority for me because I need to keep taking in new ideas and have old truths reinforced in my life. If you make learning a priority, you're read and listen to audio lessons more.
#6 – Turn wasted time into learning time – Driving is a great example of this. Don't listen to morning talk shows. Plug in your iPod and listen to an audiobook, sermon or church resource that will help you grow as a leader and as a person.
I talk about personal growth quite a bit in my new book, Zero to Sixty. You can get the book here and the audio seminar here.
