Learning to Stay Current

Dealing with Difficulties

Experienced-Based Education

11 Steps Toward Developing a Superior Mind

The Deadly Well – Teaching to Learn

Do You Read Enough?

9 Alternatives to Mindless Television

Interview: Learning New Technology

Setting Goals

Why You Need to Fail to Succeed

Personal Development: Reading Habits

I come across a website through some means or another, and if I like it, it goes in my feed reader. If it hasn’t got a feed, I’ll probably never come back.

But the bulk of my reading is books, and my choices are usually informed by recommendations from friends or because I liked the blurb on the back of the book. I just finished reading Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett and have gone back to read his The Light Fantastic, which I skipped along the way. Anyone looking for reading material should not complain until they have consumed every Discworld book out there.

http://www.joelfalconer.com from Joel Falconer (rss)

With the web, it is easy to overlook the value of printed books.

I am a “printed word” junkie so I ready everything from professional literature to cereal boxes and billboards. The public library is a great source for audio books which I use for traveling or exercising.

When I find a reference to a book I would like to read, I add it to my personal Wish List on www.amazon.com. This tool enables me to keep track of books I would like to purchase or receive as gifts.

As a Professional Organizer I work with clients who have accumulated stacks of magazines. Since they will not live to read every one of them, we devise a system that works with their storage space and ability to speed read.

Ellen Hankes from Organization, Productivity and Life (rss)

I tend to have a lot of magazines accumulating.  I try to go through and tear out any important articles to read later and throw the rest out.  Speed reading is an interesting suggestion.  I had some speed reading courses in high school.  My barrier tends to be my ability to comprehend–not just how fast I can move my eyes across the page.

Finding Effective Self-Help Books

With over 30,000 self-help books currently in print and titles available that address every conceivable type of problem, happening upon a book that speaks to your unique situation and personality can be challenging, to say the least. Because everybody is unique, there are different styles and approaches that will resonate more strongly with your needs.

However, by steering clear of unrealistic, unscrupulous, or otherwise unhelpful self-help books, you’ll stand a much better chance of success. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind the next time you’re in the market for a new self-help volume.

•    Beware of fly-by-night gurus. Does the author have credibility as an expert in the field? Check the book-flap bio and do a little investigative Googling to make sure that the book you’re about to buy was written by someone who has a record of verifiable experience and is respected by his or her peers.

•    Focus on specific issues. There are many self-help books out there that promise to solve all of life’s problems in one fell swoop. Although the idea of tackling everything at once can be tempting, research shows that it’s better to stick to one issue at a time. The more specific the problem that you are tackling is, the more likely you are to succeed in overcoming it.

•    Tune out unrealistic promises. There’s been a rash of bad publicity lately over a new generation of self-help authors that promise their readers the attainment of whatever their hearts may desire. It’s true that you should never underestimate the power of positive thinking, but any self-help concept that sounds too good to be true, probably is.

•    Avoid books that privilege style over substance. Before you buy, flip through the self-help book you’re considering. Is the book full of empty platitudes and poetic clichés, or is it based on action-oriented strategies that are designed to work in the real world? Does the author back up her claims with footnotes or references? Is a list of “further reading” resources offered? Try to opt for books that offer more gravity than hot air.

• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Self-help books are often a great resource to help you along your path towards permanent and meaningful life change, and research has shown that they can be effective tools when used in the right way. But there are some problems that simply require professional help. If you’re dealing with serious depression or anxiety, or you feel that your physical health may be suffering, please don’t hesitate to consult with a trained and licensed professional.

David B. Bohl from Slow Down FAST Today! (rss)

When dealing with self-help style books it is easy to forget the most of the people writing them aren’t that much different than you.

I read books a lot, though not on any particular schedule.  I read anywhere between 2 books a week to 2 books a month.  I try to focus on what I’m most interested in reading, as well as something I need the most help with.  I’ve also recently discovered some popular business books have their synopses on sites like Wikipedia.  This news has saved me lots of time.

Anne from Writers Cabal Blog (rss)

That is useful information for finding summaries. I like using summaries as a review some time after I’ve read a book.  It helps remind me of what I learned.

I read VORACIOUSLY.  We have eight magazine subscriptions (The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Economist, Wired, Cook’s Illustrated, Consumer Reports, Bon Appetit, and Discover) and I still manage to knock back about three books a week. Mostly, I follow recommendations and try to mix things up with a variety of stuff to keep it interesting and to force my mind into new angles on familiar topics.

Trent Hamm from The Simple Dollar (rss)

That is a pretty varied list of magazines.  I have a similar number of subscriptions, but not quite as wide of range in subject matter.

I read approximately 10-15 books a month, so being picky is not an issue. In my industry (marketing)-you have to keep up with trends. It’s the only way I can constantly give my clients and readers fresh information.

In terms of finding books, I have some favorite authors that I seek out. Other times, I just scan the shelves to see what’s intriguing. = )

Shama Hyder from After The Launch (rss)

Amazon’s “people who liked this also liked” feature can be pretty useful for finding other books as well.

I try to read a book every week or two.  Since I read mostly for idea fodder and to kick-start my thinking, I try to read as wide a variety of material as possible.  I think the only mistake you can make with reading is to be too narrow.

Scott Young from ScottHYoung.com (rss)

It is easy to get to focused on one particular area.  On the other hand, taking some time (a few months) to really focus on one particular topic can help you learn and explore that area better than reading the same content with other reading in between.

Reading regularly is an excellent practice, one that every expert agrees is a key to success. I have a goal of one book a week, which I’ve not been able to keep up with recently due to some health issues. I’ve discovered I can get the majority of ideas from a book by limiting myself to one hour. This also allows reading a *lot* of books, which is part of my goal of becoming ridiculously valuable to people.

Like any diet, quality and variety are important. My current one is a mix of productivity, self-improvement, and popular non-fiction. Importantly, I suggest a balance between reading as work and reading as pleasure. If you can’t tell, the former involves thinking and taking notes.

Matthew Cornell from Matt’s Idea Blog (rss)

I’m still working on getting better at taking notes on reading.  I tend to just remember that there was a section in a particular book about a topic and then spend hours trying to locate it later.

I used to be very big into science fiction and political thrillers.  However, I find that right now, I’m too brain dead after doing research that I really need something engaging, but without requiring a lot of brainpower.  So, my favorite books right now are murder mysteries, especially with a strong female heroine.  They tend to be set in present day, so I don’t have to expend any brainpower in understanding the world.  Plus, I’m happy to just go along for the ride, so I’m usually surprised at the villain in the end!

Every three or four books, I pick up some scifi.  I love the genre, but I do find that it takes me twice as long, or longer, to read, since you really need to digest some of it.

Every now and then I read non-fiction, but it really has to be interesting to hold my attention.  I blame that on the fact that I have to do so much “thinking” reading for my research.  When I want to read for pleasure, I want to relax and enjoy it.

GTD Wannabe from GTD Wannabe (rss)

I’m a big scifi fan as well.  I’d recommend Asimov’s short stories if you are looking for a good read, but don’t have enough time or concentration.  H.G. Wells short stories are also great.

I do most of my reading during down-time between appointments at work, or on a “Day Off”. Unless, of course, I am doing some research for a post or article or book review. Then I carve out an hour in my morning routine.

I would like to modify this, and set up a regular time for reading every day.

Stephen Smith from Productivity in Context (rss)

I tend to get most of my reading in when we travel to see family.  Fortunately, that is usually about once each quarter so that gives me some time to really dig into reading.  As the number of people in my family have gone up, the amount I read has gone down.

Since my blog is a resource for book clubs and readers in general, I read a LOT, all the time!  I usually read three or four books simultaneously – contemporary fiction and Pulitzer fiction for the book club kits I sell through my site, some sort of nonfiction, a book on tape in the car, and then pleasure fiction before bed.  I try to read whatever is getting a lot of attention — either critically or through word of mouth.  I currently read about 30 lit blogs daily, so I have a pretty good sense of what I should be reading and reviewing on my blog.

Kristen from BookClubClassics (rss)

I usually have 2 or 3 books going at a time, but I question if this is really a good way to read.  I try to spread them out in different areas.  If I have one technical book, once science book, and a business book going all at the same time, it seems to work pretty well.

I’m always careful to read something just FOR FUN every once in a while. Otherwise, I tend to stop making time for reading, which is really my favorite activity.

It can feel like a waste of time to re-read LITTLE WOMEN or VANITY FAIR for the third time, but in fact, it keeps me reading more.

Gretchen Rubin from The Happiness Project

Good point.  If you don’t ever enjoy what you read it is harder to keep making it a priority.

Skim, Scan and Save my RSS feeds.  That cuts about 80% of the feed items. If I miss something important, I’ll notice a buzz and go deeper.

For books -  if it’s not written or endorsed by a blogger I trust, I don’t buy it.

For magazines – depends on travel. The more I travel, the More I read.

MIke Sansone from ConverStations (rss)

I tend to get more book reading done during travel than magazines.  I’m learning how to choose the right reading material for what I’m doing.  Scanning a magazine is easier with short periods of time.  A technical book may not be worth cracking open unless I have at least 20 minutes of contiguous time available.

My reading habits consist of listening to Audio Books and then buying the written book if needed for reference.

I usually choose the latest business and personal productivity titles from Audible.

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

I wish there were a way to buy the book once, and have access to the audio or text versions.

My reading habits these days involve:
1) Limit the time I spend reading to a minimum
2) I choose to only read material that will advance the work I’m doing with clients.
3) Scan books for what I need

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

Scanning is a skill that I’m working on improving.  I still prefer to just sit down and read something at my own pace, but there isn’t always time for that.

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Not Because it is Easy

Making Yourself Indispensable

Study Tips

Personal Development: Continual Improvement

I try to remain curious. I constantly challenge my own thinking … even when I don’t want to. Take blogging for example. I thought it was a fad and refused to get involved. But after a while I wondered why I was adamantly against it … and I opened up my sense of curiosity and jumped in.

Being curious opens you to the world of new ideas and challenges your own sense of the status quo. Feeding your curiosity ensures you are always learning.

Gavin Heaton from Servant of Chaos (rss)

I’m facing a similar dilemma when it comes to online games/virtual worlds.  On one hand, I think they are a waste of time, but I also don’t want to miss learning something important or a different way to view the world.

The best way to make sure that you are continually learning new things is to pursue a career that challenges you and pushes you out of your comfort zone (in a good way). What could be better than learning every day and getting paid for it? Even if your job provides learning opportunities (and especially if it doesn’t), I think it’s a good idea to also seek other ways of expanding your horizons on a regular basis. I regularly take classes and seminars in areas outside of my areas of professional expertise and read books on a wide range of topics. I have gotten some of my best ideas from very unexpected places.

Pamela Skillings from Escape from Corporate America (rss)

I think everyone should take a few minutes at least once a year and decide what the current work zone is.  It is easy to get use to not learning anything and settle in for many years without realizing it.

Have an open mind and lose the foolish ego. No matter how talented or knowledgeable you think you are as far as a certain field is concerned, you can rest assured that there is always room for improvement. In the end, you will be the only one losing out if you choose to live in denial.

Alan Johnson from TheRatingBlog (rss)

Ego also tends to make people not like you–even if you are every bit as good as you think you are.

I think the most important thing is to remain interested. By that I mean that you should be interested in the world around you, other people an new developments.

Taking an interest in things takes you in new directions, stops you getting too rooted in one place. Simply taking an interest in what your friends are doing can lead you down new paths and onto new and exciting things.

Katy Whitton from Flipping Heck! Productivity, Project Management & Motivation Blog (rss)

This goes back to Pamela’s suggestion to make sure your career is keeping your interest.

By continuously pushing myself out of my comfort zone. It’s there, and only there, where growth can be found.

“Everything you want is just outside your comfort zone” ~ Robert Allen

Lodewijk van den Broek from How to be an Original (rss)

Good point.  If you are comfortable, then you probably aren’t reaching your full potential.

The best way I know to continue to grow and learn is to set up a life that is conducive to risk taking. The times you learn the most are when you have no idea what’s in front of you.

It’s very hard to take risks if you have heavy financial needs. You cannot change careers, you cannot take time off from working, you cannot have slip-ups where you fail to earn money in an unpredictable way.

Keep financial needs way down, or at least way flexible so that you can take risks that force you to learn about yourself.

Penelope Trunk from Brazen Careerist

Early on, my wife and I decided to live well below our means.  This has enabled us to do all kinds of things that are completely out of reach for most people.  I constantly encounter people who can’t understand how we can spend so much time traveling or doing other things that are important to us.  But most of those people spend 75% of their income on expenses that we don’t even incur.

Keep on moving. Meet new people. Enroll on formal courses. Allocate time and money to learning. I commit 20% of my time to it. I’d like to commit more. It is the best investment of time you can make.

Benjamin from WOWNDADI (rss)

The 20% rule sounds similar to Google letting employees spend 20% of their time on pretty much any project that interests them.

Surround yourself with highly motivated and talented people.

Tatsuya Nakagawa from Product Life

Easier said than done, but very valuable advice.

As a software consultant, I learned a long time ago that not learning new technologies would be fatal to my career. Working as I do with many projects and technologies, I am constantly learning.

In the non-technical parts of my life, I try to keep pushing my skills and knowledge. For example, in crafting, with each new project I try to learn new techniques or new crafts. For productivity and simplicity, I read, and try things out.

I view my life as a giant experiment of best practices that evolves over time.

LJ from simpleproductivityblog (rss)

When you start lagging behind on learning new things, you are headed downhill.  It can be quite a challenge to identify when that is occurring though.

Keep a queue.  Always have fresh ideas lined up that can fill your time whenever you find any.  Whenever I see one of my projects winding down, I know its time to start the next idea in line.

Scott Young from ScottHYoung.com (rss)

A list can help make sure you pick the most valuable thing to pursue.  Without it, you’ll tend to pick something that comes to mind–not necessarily what you feel is most important.

College is important, but it isn’t a determining factor to be successful in life. I believe that a good work ethic, a willingness to learn, and honesty will take you a long way. Having said that, I am currently attending college 20 years after graduating high school.

Rolando J from macNwin (rss)

I think college is pretty valuable, but most people see it as a 4 year one time investment.  Getting a degree out of high school should be just part of your life long educational plan.  I’ve been enrolled in a college course of some type for the last 15 years and am working on finishing up my second master’s degree.  With all the distance education opportunities it is significantly easier to keep yourself educated than it was even 10 years ago.

I enjoy reading and so I often peruse the aisles of my favorite book store and will always discover a book that would lend some insight from a different perspective.

I often write and with all the thoughts that collect from my reading and time alone, I tend to sort of bits of wisdom which often inspire me to find more!

Another method I truly enjoy is speaking to people from all different walks of life.  I learn so much when I spend time with the elderly or check out the recommendations of new friends who also seek growth or experience a sense of balance, peace and happiness.

JEMi | Tips for Life, Love, You from InMyHeels.com (rss)

I like to go to bookstores and find sections I know nothing about and see what new things I can learn.

I take a step back and see if I’m generally comfortable with everything I’m doing. If so, I know that I’ve stagnated to some degree and need to push myself to do things that I’ve never done before. If you’re comfortable with where you are, you know it’s time to move on.

John from Fiscal Musings (rss)

If you have no fear of failure in your current projects, you probably are operating well below your potential.  I don’t think people realize how dangerous it is to stagnate in their job–5 years of not learning anything new is deadly to a career.

First, by reading something outside of the things I know and believe everyday.  Second, by trying to make the things I think about become real, whether that’s expressing an idea, creating a new tool, or drawing a picture that represents what I’m thinking about.  Thirdly, I talk to as many different people as I can, as everyone brings new ideas and perspectives to learn to the table.  Lastly, I always try to do something better today than I did it yesterday.

Charlie Gilkey from Productive Flourishing (rss)

Charlie makes a good point about working on continual improvement.  If you get a little better every day, your growth over a few years can be tremendous.

It’s just part of my DNA.  I don’t know any other way to be in the world!

Ariane Benefit from Neat & Simple Living (rss)

Well that probably makes things easier.

Reading blogs, listening to Audio books, and listening to the news and talk radio.

John Richardson from Success Begins Today (rss)

I’m a big fan of audio books. Recently I’ve been experimenting with summaries of audio books.  The are good and bad points, but it helps you cover a lot of ground very quickly–useful if you want to make sure you are abreast of any new things in a particular field.

This is what I live for. Personal development and the study of personal change is my passion, so it’s not hard to keep moving forward.

When I’m trying to implement a dramatic change or improve rapidly I like to set up some type of crazy challenge for myself – something like eat a vegan diet for a month. By doing this I raise the bar extremely high. At the end of the month when I let myself backslide I don’t go all the way back to where I started. Instead, I’ve improved but the improvement seems easy compared to the challenge.

Maria Gajewski from Never the Same River Twice (rss)

That an interesting tactic.  Kind of like running with weights or at a higher altitude while you are training.

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Stretching Yourself

Take a Nap for Memory

Should he drop out of college?