3 Minutes…

There is something that happens when we read information. Be it a blog, an article, or a book. There is a cascade of brain chemistry that pumps as we read. It supercharges the parts of your brain responsible for learning and retention and it isn’t on a small scale.

So why are we, as humans and especially Americans, not reading as much anymore? The most common excuse is “I don’t have time. A book is a big commitment and I just don’t have the time…” Sound familiar?

Let me throw some numbers at you.

• It takes on average 3 minutes to read an informative blog post (Like this one).
• It takes on average 20 minutes to read a research article.
• It takes on average 5 hours to read a book.

Now let me tell you what you get from those short time commitments.

• That 3 minute blog post… you are getting 3 days worth of information.
• That 20 minuted article… you are getting 4 months worth of research and information.
• That 5 hour book… you are getting an average of 15 years worth of research, experience, and knowledge from the writers.

Sounds like a pretty efficient trade-off to me.

But wait, how does that work? When we read and retain information, our brains literally fire and connect new neurons. The more information we absorb, the better our brain actually operates. The more efficiently it can learn. The more quickly it can recognize patterns and offer up information to you when you need it.

Remember that movie Limitless? He took this pill and it instantly made it possible to access your entire brain? That is basically what is happening when we read. On a slightly smaller scale of course, but the cumulative outcome is the same. The more we learn. The better we become at learning. The better our memories work. The more efficiently your brain can operate at higher levels.

Reading helps stave off neurodegenerative disease and studies actually show that the more a person reads, the more successful they become. It is a direct correlation. Success, of course, is measured in a weird way in this day in age. You don’t have to read anything to go viral on social media… But why try to gain followers when you could potentially own the entire platform? Books give us access to everything. Books layout the blueprint that every successful entrepreneur, business owner, athlete, etc used to become successful.

Start small. Like with this short article, commit to reading a little every day. Then build on that and move on to longer articles then onto books. Stop thinking you know everything and find the life you desire in the pages of a book. You might be surprised at what you are actually interested in. Your passions will shine through I promise you that.

Read on!

-Adam