On Change and On Reading
October 22nd, 2005 by 
Administrator
I agree wholeheartedly with Small Business Trends that implementing change is key to successful entrepreneurship. I still remember that HP quote that it is not the biggest nor the best that will necessarily survive the competition, but those that can adapt that will thrive. Another thumbs up for the very often repeated ” the only thing permanent is change ” quotation.
However I’d like to add my take to her endorsement of Steven Little’s business advice that we should read more, and in fact, ideally, 50 business magazines a month. While I do agree that quantity counts, I would like to pitch also for quality.
I remember when I was in college, I embarked on a pretty ambitious project ( after I have read Ben Franklin’s Autobiography) to become the smartest person in school. The plan was actually quite simple — I would make sure that in addition to my studies, I would read 100 pages of extra curricular readings every day.
I worked out a pretty elaborate plan, and a small notebook where I dutifully noted the number of pages I read every day, and make sure I hit the requisite one hundred. After a few weeks, it was getting to be a little bit tired. For sure, you have differing obligations, and sometimes, it was just plain impossible to have that much time to devote, but I thought that a little bit discipline would get me there.
I did note that I try to tick off that record so much that ocassionally I do cheat a little — sometimes I get to scan only when I am really tried, ocassionally, I purposedly choose light reading materials, and sometimes, I do have the impression that I read without much comprehension.
After a few weeks, I started to see whether I had really benefitted, and the anwers was no. Overwhelming focus on the quantity means I was reading a lot of junk, and I was reading a lot of things without proper comprehension or reflection. I was nowhere near smarter, though a lot more tired, and I have gotten a bad habit of reading fast without careful attention.
So I had a different experiment after rethinking what it is that was my goal. I choose one good book, and although I could read it in 2 days, I decided I would spend three weeks on it. I carefully read each paragraph, and whatever thoughts, discussions, or references I could get, i would carefully notate it in a different notebook, or on the side of the pages. So there I was, taking time to reflect, and think on every paragraph the author said, and carefully even rewriting, or paraphrasing or arguing about it.
I can say reading and rereading a good book, and trying to go for full reflection on it can be as rewarding. Thus, mastering one book can be as beneficial as superficial reading of a hundred books.
I reckon that the right mix should be somewhere in between, and I leave it to the readers to decide what decidedly will work for them.
Follow the thread of this conversation here:OPEN Adventures
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Posted in Entrepreneurship | 
October 23rd, 2005 at 8:19 am
[...] I’d like to take this opportunity to say that I may have been guilty of rushing too much, and now taking time to focus on quality over quantity. I have made posts that you may find interesting - like the joy of reading and savoring one book in three weeks, instead of rushing through 20 books , taking time to be happy, here and now, 3 think days, and Lives Lived. [...]
October 25th, 2005 at 1:03 pm
Quality over quantity definitely! I myself “pick” the stuff I read.. not just on one subject but different ones… not just one book on one subject but different books on the same subject too. My style in reading is to go through them as quickly as I could, and picking up the things that interest me. Then i go back to them for a second serving, relishing, savoring each word and idea. Much like a buffet… I try a bit of those which interest me.. And after the “taste test”,I gobble up the best of the rest.
Nice one by the way! God bless.
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