Why read anything? Why sit in a chair a spend hours reading when you could just sit in front of a TV and be spoon fed your entertainment and information?
Let’s looks at some reasons.
Entertainment
I love Clive Cussler books. For those that don’t know his books have been around for decades. They are light adventure books with characters that appear in multiple books. When I read a Clive Cussler book I’m not looking for the meaning of life. I am entertained and love it!
You know how people often remark about a movie “It wasn’t as good as the book.” That really is true. A book uses the infinite imagination of your mind. A movie cannot compare.
Escapism
Reading a book for escapism is similar to reading just for entertainment. I guess you might differentiate them by saying you can put yourself in the shoes of the main characters. You feel what the characters are feeling. You cringe when they are in trouble and celebrate when things go right for them. That is true escapism.
To Learn Something New
You can use a book to learn something new. It might not be anything you will ever use in a practical way. But it is so good for your brain! Studies have shown that learning something new that is very different from what you normally do literally makes your brain sharper. And we all need that, regardless of age!
To Advance Your Career
Reading is a way to learn and experience the skills you need to further your career. You learn what kinds of things people in the next ladder rung up know. You learn what problems they face and how they solve them. Reading is a way to learn some of these things without direct experience and the “school of hard knocks.” This is a good thing.
To Enjoy a Hobby
You can really dig into your hobby by reading about it. You can learn what others are doing.
To Get Motivated
There are a million self-help motivation books. Many have a similar message. But you know what; that’s OK! We all need a little kick in the butt, or a new pep talk once in a while. Pick up a new motivation book and you’ll be able to keep moving ahead, even when things seem to have stalled.
To Meditate
Sometimes you need to think deeply about something you read. I’m talking about the Bible or whatever form of meditation works for you. This kind of reading can slow you down, improve your thinking, or even give you comfort at difficult times.
To Get a Business Idea
Reading business related books can give you ideas for other businesses. Maybe you can imitate exactly what the book says, adjusting for your own personal style. If you already have a business you may get ideas to increase sales or get more efficient. You might get ideas on how to better balance your business and personal life. Most importantly you can gain experience that may have taken the author years to learn just by spending a few hours reading their book!
To Get into the Head of a Person
Reading a book is like sitting down with the author and learning what took them decades to learn. They can guide you to learn about the ups and downs in their life so you can choose to either experience or not experience the choices they made.
If you already have a reading habit keep is going. If not please start one. You will be glad you did.
Photo by Amy Benton Blake on Unsplash
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