They say reading is fundamental. It is estimated that 56% of Americans read at least one book of some sort each year. Another report shows that 26% of American adults say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or audio form. This means they didn’t even listen to a recording of someone reading a book for them. One-third of people making less than $30,000 a year claim to have not read a book in the last 12 months, while only 17% of those making over $75,000 a year make the same claim. While many people claim to dislike their current job or their present situation, the question must be posed, ‘what are you learning that will help you change your situation’?
Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world, spends up to 80% of his day reading. To be clear, he didn’t get rich and then start reading. What he read gave him the knowledge and strategies to get rich. It is said that he will go on reading vacations in which he takes a stack of books and after a week returns having read all of them. He was once asked how to get smarter and said, “Read 500 pages like this every week. That’s how knowledge builds up, like compound interest.” Personally, I’m not quite there yet but I do read every day. In addition to reading the Bible everyday, I read from some book everyday. I am currently reading 3 different books and just finished a book by my friend and mentor, Hubert Sugira Hategekimana on “Sonship”. I know where I’m going and where I want to be but I also know that I don’t yet know everything I need to know to get there. There’s only one-way to change that and it is to be intentional about learning.
We are all called to exert our influence in a certain ‘area of influence’ on this vast planet. What did you learn this week to make yourself more influential in your area of influence? If you are a musician what did you learn that will better equip you when you play. If you are a manager or in a leadership position of any kind, how many books have you read on leadership? If you are a minister, how much time have you spent reading the insights of those that came before you? If you are a teacher, you of all people should be an avid reader. When I teach and train ministers to teach, I always stress to them that great teachers should be great students. The one thing students must do is read.
I know that some will say, “I’m so busy” or “there’s no time to read.” I would respond by saying people always make time for what’s important to them. The question is, how important to you are your growth and ability to positively influence others? Think about how much TV you watched this week. How many minutes or hours did you spend on social media this week? How much time did you spend napping? Somewhere in that hodgepodge of activities there were 2, 3, maybe even 4 hours of time that could have been spent reading and increasing your knowledge in your area of gifting or influence. We all have 24 hours in a day. The difference is that some people have mastered how to master those hours and some allow the hours to master them.
For most of us, after we graduate from school, there is no one making us learn. This means the furtherance of our education is left to us. Your education is what you are intentional about learning. I know there are some challenges, but are you honestly doing your best to make to the most of your education? Are you staying committed to your education? Your future lies in the hands of your education! Don’t let your purpose be held hostage by your lack of education or your miseducation!
Ironically, the people who needed to hear this information the most, won’t, because they didn’t even read this blog… Let’s commit to being active and committed learners so that we can grow in effectiveness, influence and impact.
“Go to bed smarter than when you woke up.” – Charlie Munger