We all want to be more successful, so any tips or advice we can find to make that happen is worth a try, right? Finding a self-help book on success isn’t necessarily enough to make a significant change in your life – it’s all about what you read and how you read it. This is what turns someone from relatively successful into something pretty amazing. So how can you change your reading habits to make yourself even more successful?
Don’t go for the best sellers
So you walk into a Barnes and Noble and head straight for the best sellers shelf, where you see a new, super popular book on success. Avoid it. Although it might seem counterintuitive, do not pick up the self-help book that makes its way onto the bestseller list. For it to get there, it has to have been picked up and read by a considerable number of people, which in turn, substantially dilutes the message. If everyone else has read the same book and is following the same advice, you will no longer have the edge above anyone else. Head to the back of the store and look for something that speaks to you personally.
Read and absorb
It’s all too easy to skim a book without taking in a whole lot of information, and then wonder why we haven’t learned anything from it. In a world where instant gratification is the way we tend to run our lives, the thought of taking any time to do something might seem intimidating. However, if you do want to improve your life, you have to put in the time as an investment. Really read the book, taking in the information and consider taking notes if that is what will help you.
Be ready for change
Open yourself to the concepts in the book before you start to read it; otherwise, you will be fighting against yourself. If you read a book while subconsciously expecting that it won’t work, then it won’t. If you really want to become more successful, a book can only give you so much information. The rest of it depends on what you put in. You need to learn to think differently, and raise yourself above average – don’t just settle for who you are, or where you are in life.
Read and question
Just because something is written in a book doesn’t mean it’s right, and just because you read it, doesn’t mean you have to believe it. You can take your knowledge and understanding up an extra level by questioning what you read and evaluating it. Test out the theories and ideas that you read in the books and think outside of the box to become a more creative thinker when it comes to solving problems.
Reading a self-help book about success isn’t enough to become successful. You have to choose the right book, do more than just read it, and put it into practice. It won’t happen overnight but the harder you work, the more successful you will become.
