Why One Book Isn't Enough
If you’ve ever struggled to be that person that reads books, I encourage you to slightly alter the way you think of reading books.
If you’ve ever struggled to be that person that reads books, I encourage you to slightly alter the way you think of reading books. Making reading a habit doesn’t work — when the book is wrong.We feel different emotions throughout the day — motivated & enthusiastic after coffee and breakfast, just getting along after lunch and tired in the evenings.
We’re definitely all familiar with having to study at the end of a long day — it just ain’t easy! So why would you pair your tired evenings with a book requiring intense focus when your brain just wants to cool down? Exactly.
Ommmmmm, bro, you’ve gotta get in touch with your inner vibes. Bro, feel the book, feel the moment, find balance in the two — Namaste.
I’ve always wanted to be a reader. I took notice of those people around me that read, not because I was actively doing so but because it was easy to tell. They spoke well, had a great list of words to throw at any occasion and generally seemed a lot smarter and well articulated. They could very easily get their thoughts across to you and others — being able to change their language depending on the audience. I enjoyed hanging around these people. They were more interesting to talk and listen to. It was as if they had ‘lived more’ than those around me.
I wanted to be one of those people but never thought of myself as a reader. I never browsed for books nor sat down to read when there was a book nearby. Instead I was consumed by video games and various sporting activities. A few years ago I decided I wanted to become that person, someone that reads. So I tried. I found some books at home and just sat down to read them. Meh. Barely made it through a single page. The books just weren’t that interesting. So I gave up.
Eventually a book came highly suggested on some podcast by someone that I must’ve looked up to — Rich Dad, Poor Dad. So I got it and guess what. I finished it in a day!
It was so interesting. A new way of thinking, a fascinating insight from someone else. A new way for me to walk the same paths I had before but this time looking at the world ever so slightly skewed compared to yesterday. I loved that. Suddenly I was thinking differently than before and challenging the way I had previously viewed the world.
Since then I have read a number of books, mostly non-fiction as I am very curious these days. I’ve managed to sprinkle in some good fiction here and there but have not yet put in the time and effort to find and explore a genre I enjoy. I welcome any suggestions in the comment section!
Being curious doesn’t mean that I am always in the mood for heavy content though. Sometimes it’s good to just have a wind-down with a wonderfully written novel. Below are 3 types of books and when & how to use them.
ℹ️ Informative — Swapper / Stopper 🔀
These are the books I read most often. They are the ones that teach you about a topic. Sometimes they explore a large subject and other times they take you down a more narrow path of learning about a single area of interest.
Often times we will start these books and not finish them. Maybe this is because we have learned all that we find interesting about that certain subject or they have opened us up to diving deeper into a matter that was introduced in the book.
Therefore these books are either swappers or stoppers. Swapping them out for another, going further down the rabbit hole or just stopping them entirely. Reading these books just before bed probably isn’t the best idea. You just won’t be able to squeeze out all that juicy info if you’re not putting in the necessary focus. Keep these for when your mind is feeling particularly spongey.
💬 Expressive — Stopper 🔖
These books are just totally unbingeable. Often they come in the form of a well written essay or the thoughts & opinions of the author. The take-away information is delivered in smaller chunks of singular paragraphs or even just a sentence in the case of philosophy.
Philosophy fits this category remarkably well. I am a fan of stoicism and highly recommend Letter From A Stoic — Seneca. It’s a book I keep nearby and whilst I have had the book for roughly 8 months now, I am only a quarter of the way in. I often find myself rereading or skipping chapters. I have pulled many quotes from the book and will regularly catch myself staring out of my window as I contemplate the last sentence I just read.
If you are in need of a book to put you to sleep — these are go-to’s! Read late at night, they will make you feel tired and get your mind wondering. Read in the morning, they could spark new ways of thinking or an appreciation for life.
‘Happy is the man who can make others better, not merely when he is in their company, but even when he is in their thoughts’
— Seneca
🏰 Storybooks — Proper Binger 🔮
Great for unwinding at the end of the day, often written in easy to understand language. Much like your favourite show on Netflix sucking you in for ‘just one more episode’ — these books do it with their chapters.
An obviously popular example is Harry Potter and a more recent book I read as an example, 1984 — George Orwell. 1984 truly surprised me as I had bought it on the same day I bought Brave New World — Aldous Huxley. 2 books that come highly regarded in the dystopian genre and novels that I had been wanting to read for a long time. I started with Brave New World as I had more recently heard about it with it’s critics comparing it to todays society. A few pages in with some of George Owell’s finest work just resting beside me, my curiosity got the better of me. Leading me to read the first page of 1984.
Like. Damn dude!
I couldn’t believe the difference in writing styles between the 2 novels. It was immediately clear that 1984 was much more digestible. The language used is far more captivating and page turning. This was truly eye opening to me. Unfortunately this made finishing Brave New World a lot harder as I so badly wanted to get into 1984!
🎣 Fish n’ Tjips (The Takeaway) 🍟
What’s this all to mean? Don’t just stick to one book. Especially not just one type of book. This is not to say go and start 10 books today but maybe have 1 book in each category. This way you’ll never get tired of reading. No matter the mood you’ll be happily satisfied.
This also gives you a bit of an excuse to buy extra books when given the opportunity. Keeping a well stocked book shelf allows you to reach for a goodie at a moments notice! Plus it just looks hella cool.
I’d also like to give credit to Elizabeth Filips as this is where I came across the wonderful breakdown of book types. She has an amazing YouTube channel filled with incredibly useful and binge-worthy content!
Thanks so much for reading — it’s truly appreciated. If you have any book recommendations, I would love to hear them in the comment section. Stay tuned for more articles coming at you every week — subscribe to keep up to date!
Cheers mate 🤙🏼