How to Read Books Quickly & for Maximum Impact

Books are one of the best ways to connect and receive insight and guidance directly from an expert in the field. One of the main benefits of books is that they are cheap and that we can even connect with those who have passed away.

Personally, I would account for 70-80% of my career "success" being due to the books that I have read. A simple strategy that has helped me in building my business and becoming an entrepreneur has come down to locating and digesting books relevant to any obstacle or problem I come across. I have found that any problem I come to face, has already been faced by another person, and the chances of a book being published addressing his very issue to be highly likely. Therefore, all I need to do is find the relevant books, the right experts and spend a day or two going through their books. In a matter of hours, I usually have my solution.

The way we read books and have been reading books influences us greatly in how we retain the new information coming in. To enhance and potentially challenge the way we have been reading books, I have come across a few ways to speed up the process of how to select a book you will actually read and enjoy as well as how to enhance the reading of and comprehension of books. The following tips are directed to non-fiction books primarily.

How to Choose a Book You will Actually Read

• Before going to a bookshop (online included), get an idea as to what subject, category, or style of book you are looking for

What subject is going to help solve your problem now and get you moving in the direction you want to be heading? Know that there is a book out there already that will answer the exact question that you have and will offer you very well thought out solutions and advice for whatever you may be struggling with.

Going to a bookshop or looking online at books without knowing what you are generally looking for is like going to the supermarket without a list or checking what was in the fridge before going out. It can easily become overwhelming or even boring when you don’t have a subject in mind.

If you have read the previous chapters, then you would be aware of how to identify what areas of your knowledge bank is deficient and which areas are strong. This will give you an idea as to what field of the bookshop to start looking. Also, consider what style of books hold your attention the best. Comical? Quirky? Biographical? Scientific?

Unfortunately, 99% of retail bookstores, meaning physical, brick and mortar bookshops, only stock what is popular and is selling to the masses. Therefore, I have found that retail bookstores do not stock much variety or any specialized books. Second hand bookshops are an exception but it is often hard to find exactly what you are looking for. That’s why online bookshops like Amazon offer the largest selection of books known to man and will dramatically increase the chances of finding the perfect book that you are looking for.

• Be on the Look Out for the Primary One or Two Ideas

Most books are centered on just one or two main ideas. The aim, therefore, is to identify what those points or main ideas are as soon as possible so we can work out how relevant it is to us and what we will learn from it. We can do this when looking for a book to read.

• Check Dates and Study the Table of Contents

Check when it was written, when it was published, and take the time to read the table of contents. If it’s considered a classic and the author is well known, then it is probably worthwhile reading regardless of when it was written because some knowledge is timeless. We want to check the dates so that we are not reading a book about business or economics that was published some twenty years. When selecting a book to read, I would check the table of contents, and then when I found a relevant topic in the table of contents, I would jump to that section and read a few paragraphs. If the language totally resonates with me and is answering and addressing a question I have, I would seriously consider purchasing it.

• Check for the Tone of the Book

By reading the front cover, the table of contents, a bit of the introduction, and the back of the book, we will get the overall feeling of the book and the style of the authors writing – is it upbeat? Is it comical? Is it negative and cynical? Is it intelligent? Is it at your level of intelligence or is it lower or higher? Generally, any book that has a negative, cynical, or conspiracy vibe to it is not recommended.

If the intelligence level is slightly higher than ours, it will hold our attention and feel like we get little bolts of lightning moving through our body and mind when reading. Sometimes, the words may even start to fly off the page toward us. If it’s too high or too complex for us, we will find it hard work and we will lose interest quickly. If it’s too low for us, it will seem predictable, full of clichés, and boring.

How to Read a Book More Quickly and Increase Comprehension

• Mark Your Books – Get Messy!

After purchasing your book, be sure to have a pen in your hand when you go through it and mark anything that stands out to you. Marking your books increases comprehension and will enhance your ability to reflect upon the core teachings. If there is just one tip that you pick up from this whole book, it is to mark the gems in the books you read with a pen or pencil.

• Read the Beginnings of Chapters to Assess Its Value

Read the first one or two paragraphs of the chapter to know what the author is addressing. If it's not relevant to you, then you can skip it or skim read it. If it’s relevant, read some more paragraphs to see where it’s going. Often, authors will go into some kind of story, personal usually, and I often skip these stories because it is often just filler. Read the last paragraph of the chapter to get the summary.

• Chip Away at It Daily

I usually set myself a target of reading at least 10 pages or even 10 minutes a day. What often happens is that I start and after 10 pages, I want to keep going. Therefore, if you set the goal up to be easy to achieve, it is likely you will take it further. Often, just sitting down and opening a book is the hardest part about reading.

• Take a Few Minutes to Reflect When You Have Finished the Book

Once you have finished the book in this way, spend a few minutes writing down some of the main things you learned from the book. You can skim through it and check your markings to help you remember.

• Review Again After Weeks or Months

Revisit the book again the near future. Pick it up and run through your mind a few of the things you learned just to refresh them. You can do this continuously for many years to come. It is amazing how much you remember and how the teachings and advice can creep its way into our lives. If one book can change your life, imagine what ten or twenty great books can do.

• Sign Up to the Author’s Website and Mailing List

If the book really had a big impact on you, follow it up by making contact with the author through their website. They will often have videos and other books to share with you. Remember, it's more about the energy of the book and the author we want to surround ourselves with, rather than getting too caught up in specific details or the techniques. If the author’s book really inspired you, then it will be worth the effort to connect and remain in touch with their energy field.

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