Don’t Follow the Crowd: Read an Array of Books
We limit ourselves if we read only what other people read. It would be like sending our kids to a school that only taught math. They would receive a lopsided education. It is far better to expose ourselves to an array of ideas (even those outrageous ones) so that we can decide for ourselves what is best, instead of following the crowd. Be a sheep or be the shepherd. Which is better? Reading a vast selection of books opens us up to new ideas and in-depth knowledge on subjects. It is one thing to read a magazine article or google a subject, and quite another to dive deep into a 300-page book dedicated to that same subject. Walt Disney got it right when he said: “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” Books are loaded with treasures just waiting to be revealed, knowledge to be imparted. By reading, we are in essence educating ourselves, whether we are reading about time travel theories, the science of horticulture, social media marketing or the ideas of Nicola Tesla.
Find Time to Read Daily
Let’s squeeze reading back into our lives. The more we read, the more our children will read, purely because we are setting an example. We can read before bed and replace the time spent perusing that Facebook feed with a good book. We can even designate a timed, 30-minute electronics-free reading period in our daily lives. But, don’t give up on those bestsellers! Let’s just resist the urge to restrict our reading to that bestseller shelf, when there are so many more books out there waiting to be explored. Knowledge is power. Let’s arm ourselves to the hilt.
