In late 2013, I started a habit that changed my life. After reading a brilliant article by Ryan Holiday, I started carrying a book with me at all times.
And when I say ‘at all times’, I really mean it. The supermarket, the DMV, almost everywhere I could envision a couple minutes of dead time. I decided that if I had 5 minutes somewhere, I didn’t want to play Angry Birds on my iPhone.
Instead, I wanted to read.
Even if it was only a couple of minutes throughout the day. I was trying to build a habit, to replace iPhone games with reading.
Personally, I believe a good read has a real return on investment, and that return compounds over time. The more you read, the faster you are at it, the more connections you see between topics, the better you are at analyzing things and reading between the lines, and the more often you’re able to disagree with a particular author.
In short, the more nuanced your understanding of the world becomes.
For that reason, reading is extremely important and non negotiable. It’s like sleep, spending time with loved ones or eating three meals a day.
Why reading is crucial – backed by science
When was the last time you read a book? Do your daily reading habits revolve around your Facebook feed and the back of that Chipotle bag?
Well, reading is the key to a happy, fulfilling and successful life. But it’s not just me who says so. It’s science.
It gives you a broad understanding of the world
From an early age, reading exposes you to 50 percent more word than TV cartoons, according to the University of California, Berkeley. Other studies suggest that stronger early reading skills may mean a higher degree of intelligence later in life.
In addition, reading on a regular basis offers an outstanding wealth of learning at a faster rate than official education, like college. In fact, books at home have been strongly linked to academic achievement and success.
According to Anne E. Cunningham and Keith E. Stanovich in their study “What Reading Does for the Mind”, they noted that heavy readers tend to display greater knowledge of how things work and who or what people were.
It helps you navigate through life effortlessly
A study by Mindlab at Sussex university found that reading is a fantastic way to alleviate the problems of everyday life and combat stress. According to the research, heart rates and muscle tension significantly drops within six minutes of starting to read.
The Mayo Clinic sustains that reading before bed signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and go to sleep. And we all know the importance of sleep in everyday life.
It improves your memory
It also improves your ability to remember. When you read a book, you must remember multiple characters and their nuances, plot-lines and story arcs, and more. As every new memory you create forges new synapses and strengthens the existing ones.
In the book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf sustains: “Typically, when you read, you have more time to think. Reading gives you a unique pause button for comprehension and insight. By and large, with oral language “when you watch a film or listen to a tape, you don’t press pause.”
What’s even more interesting is that it keeps your brain sharp for years to come. A study by Neurology Journal maintains that doing robust brain activities during your early years has a direct impact on memory loss rate at old age.
World-changing people do it
Winston Churchill, Ryan Holiday, Tim Ferriss, Seneca, Robert Green. What do these leaders, authors and successful people have in common?
They all read voraciously.
And the list is endless… Think about Frederick Douglas, who freed himself out of slavery by sneaking out and teaching himself how to read.
Or Mark Zuckerberg who in 2015 decided to challenge himself and read one new book every other week – with an emphasis on learning about different cultures, beliefs, histories and technologies.
I encourage you to do the same. Reading will change your life.
This post is the introduction of an article I wrote for Piktochart last week.