This month’s question is one I’ve been asked by many people, in many ways. I once asked myself this question when, several years ago, I stopped using the tried and tested habits and attempted to rely solely on my memory. The short result: it didn’t work!  That question is “how to read a personal development book, so the information sticks.”

I love to read, and I particularly enjoy personal development. From psychology to philosophy, parenting to politics, you will find many of them as part of my regular personal development book reviews. There are many more that I read that fall more into the business sphere; some many find their way into the reviews, but the majority don’t. What they all have in common is the desire to remember and act from what I have read. Over the years, I have tweaked and changed my approach, and this week want to share the simplest way that I find doesn’t interfere with the pleasure of reading.

 

How to read a personal development book so the information sticks?

Start how you mean to go on

It can be helpful to consider, before you begin, which question(s) you want answered by reading the personal development book. It can be something specific, such as in the case when I read business books (“how can I make more sales?”), But it can also be more general, including “I want to think differently about “x or y* when I finish”.

Either way, it gives you some structure around your reading. For most of us, there is something about a title that gives us the motivation to read it: from a recommendation to the blurb! You can find your first question there!

Read with a pen and paper!

I like to read with a stack of Post-it notes (other sticky note brands are available!) and my favourite pen. Yes, I have one, don’t you? And it’s a Uni-Ball Eye Ocean Care in 0.5, in blue,  if you were curious.

I like to collect all my thoughts for each chapter, ideally, on one note. But when a chapter is particularly chunky, it can even stretch to three. By simplifying the information to bullet points, page numbers, and connections to previous ideas (as the chapters and then the “to-read list” progress).

Usually, it’s a summary of the a) key ideas, b) questions they have generated, and c) further reading.

What about eBooks or audiobooks?
Firstly, yes, audiobooks count. Glad we have got that out of the way.

I have, in the past, read personal development books as eBooks, and found that keeping a notebook alongside can help. The reason for the sticky note is longevity; I stick my thoughts, findings and reflections at the end of each chapter for quick access in the future. That, obviously, is virtually impossible for an eBook or an audiobook. Likewise, if you are reading a borrowed book from a friend or the library, you need to be able to keep your thoughts when the book is returned!

It’s the collection of the ideas that matters, not which method you used to read them.

Make yourself accountable to explain the themes

The benefit that I have with the majority of my personal development books is that I know they will be turned into a review.  So, I am capturing information to share with an audience. Even if you have no plans to become a book reviewer, having an audience in mind can really help the information stick. That could be your team, your colleagues, your clients or an upcoming presentation.  I always lead with the top takeaways; what are the topics, insights and studies that I want to share with others.

Don’t just stick with personal development books

Personal development books aim to give us new insights, but non-fiction isn’t the only place we can get this from. The stories we get from fiction books can give us insights into different time periods, places, cultures, and perspectives. There is growing evidence that being immersed in the emotional journey of a story builds and improves empathy, amongst other things.  Whilst nothing beats the total escapism that reading can provide, considering non-fiction as learning through evidence, and fiction through experience, can add an extra dimension to your personal development journey! And nothing sticks more than an engaging story!

 

So, will you try this approach when you next read a personal development book? Make sure you craft the question you want answered, have your pen and paper nearby, and track the key ideas, questions they generated and further reading. Not only will you get closer to your reading target by the end of the year, but you will start to build new skills, perspectives, and insights to carry on creating a career to enjoy!

What works for you? Come over to Creating Careers to Enjoy to share!

If you enjoyed this, here are the previous AMA, an archive from the past two and half years of career, confidence, balance and business questions and answers.