From Book-Hater to Book-Lover: Learning to Go Deeper, Not Wider

As a child, reading felt like torture.

Books were a chore, and the constant pressure to read only pushed me further away.

Fast forward to age 39, and you'll find me choosing a book rather than the TV every chance I get. This transformation wasn't just about having more time during lockdown - it was about finally discovering my literary sweet spot in self-development.

But lately, I've been wrestling with a beautiful problem: my hunger for new books might actually be preventing deeper learning. This realisation hit home when I remembered a thought-provoking blog post about the concept of a "Depth Year" - a deliberate 12-month period where you pause acquiring new things and instead dive deeper into what you already have.

This concept struck a chord. Looking at my growing pile of books, I couldn't help but think about all the valuable insights from previous reads that I haven't fully implemented. Just this weekend, while attending Charlie Morley's workshop on sleep and lucid dreaming at a Buddhist temple in London Bridge, I caught myself reaching for more books. But for once, I stopped. Those Christmas books were calling, waiting for me to extract their full wisdom.

Key Takeaways for Fellow Readers:

1. Audit Your Reading Style: Are you constantly chasing new books while leaving previous ones only half-digested? Take stock of your reading habits and their impact on your learning.

   
   

2. Practice "Depth Reading":

   • Keep a dedicated reading journal

   • Review your notes regularly

   • Try implementing one key concept from each book before moving to the next

   • Consider re-reading books that particularly resonated with you

     
     

3. Create a "Knowledge Implementation Plan": Before starting a new book, review your notes from the last one and identify at least one idea you can put into practice.

   
   

4. Consider Your Own "Depth Period": Whether it's a month, three months, or a full year, try focusing on deepening your understanding of what you already have before acquiring more.

   
   

What started as a childhood aversion to reading has evolved into a journey of not just loving books, but learning how to truly absorb their wisdom. Maybe sometimes the best way forward isn't to read more, but to read deeper.