mdolla: If You Want To Be The Best, Don't Just Go For Bestsellers

A long time ago, none of us could stop obsessing about the hobbit who lived in a hole in the ground. But fickle we were, and we soon moved on to the wizard boy at Hogwarts, to cheering for Team Edward of Twilight, to discussing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, to wondering what would happen next in Fifty Shades of Grey, and now, to fearing for The Girl on the Train. Somewhere in between, we managed to fill those heated coffee-shop moments with Eating, Praying and Loving, Not Sweating the Small Stuff and wondering Who Moved the dang Cheese. Best-selling books, always at the forefront of conversation, make for just that- good conversation. But, why only give ourselves half an education when a whole world of information lies before us, just waiting to be uncovered? If we want the best in life, let’s read for life and not just hit the bestseller list.

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.

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