#13. Why do I consider reading the single most important habit for success?
The vast majority of noteworthy people were avid readers.
I am not writing a history book. You can look it up, but let me drop in a few names of insatiable readers: da Vinci, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln, Einstein, Gandhi, Marie Curie-Skłodowska, and a few modern ones: Warren Buffett, Oprah, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Obama, and Mark Zuckerberg.
Good company, wouldn’t you agree?
Note that I did not mention writers as they, by default, are readers.
Think about it for a second.
You should surround yourself with original, deep thinkers.
You want to listen and analyze what they have distilled into the pages over their lifetimes.
When answering questions and making decisions, you should have a vast pool of knowledge at your disposal, including history, biographies, social behavior, and human wisdom. Trust me, when talking to people who know, they notice it. “Winging it” goes only so far.
I am only partially joking when I say: surround yourself with dead people: advisors, thinkers, inventors, poets, and artists who stood the test of time. They could advise you daily to offset the bombardment of media nonsense. You should only answer “to them” with your actions, not “to” your social feed.
Reading will help you find a bearing and set your moral compass, especially in trying times.
In the West, we live in the most wonderful time (so far), and I would not trade it for the past. However, it is a time of inattention, shallow popular culture, and obsession with no-effort success. Do not get fooled by appearances. Behind the closed doors, the successful people read and study hard.
I do not claim any superpowers or gifts. I know for a fact that the people around me are very often more intelligent. My habit is always learning, reading, or listening to a valuable author. I listen to Audible books when I cook, clean, drive, or walk. I read and highlight books when I can.
I feel that I am only starting this journey. You should be, too. There is a stack of books next to my bed. They are piling up faster than I can read them.
I am putting my recommended books on the webpage, but it is a huge effort. I have thousands of books: not vampire-ex-military-lover novellas or trashy criminal stories, but value books.
Review them. Perhaps you find something to your liking:
https://ukidlucas.beehiiv.com/p/recommended-books
Respectfully,
Uki D. Lucas
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ukidlucas/details/recommendations/
