Reading non-fiction

Treat non-fiction books differently

When reading a story we follow the narrative page-by-page.

But life is too short to read non-fiction books cover-to-cover in this linear fashion. Often there may be a few key ideas that the book contains and the rest is just filler.

Here’s my process for reading non-fiction:

• Start with the index to get an understanding of what’s in the book and what you are interested in,
• Look for summaries at the end of chapters,
• Think of questions to ask, before diving into the detail. Treat reading the book like a conversation with the author.

Make “literature notes” by underlining passages that intrigue you as you find them, write notes in your own words, paraphrasing as you go.

When you have finished your first pass of the book, create permanent notes from the literature notes. I use obsidian but I’ve seen this system set up using physical index cards.

Don’t just capture ideas, merge the insight from the book with other ideas, make them relevant to other things you are working on.

Read more…

• Don't just coach — manage (How to help others depending on where they are)
• A technique for overcoming procrastination (And why we prioritise other things instead)
• Engage readers with hooks, promises and payoffs (Turning insight into an engaging read)
• Dopamine — this changes everything (How dopamine rules your life and what you need to do to change)
• Interstitial journalling (Mindfully journalling throughout the day)
• Metacognition, learning and me (The science of thinking about thinking)
• Be the change you wish to see in yourself (How to set goals and achieve them)
• Taking notes to the next level (Using a digital garden for cultivating wisdom)