Why you should read more often in 2019

Never before has it been so easy to access information. With the advent of the internet, there has been an exponential increase in the consumption and output of information in the form of blog posts articles in digital magazines, you name it. And some still find a way to do as little reading as possible.

The importance of information (or knowledge), cannot be overemphasized. Knowledge is what helps us live better, think better, and indeed help us make better decisions. While I do agree that everyone is different, and processes information differently, I’m also inclined to make an argument in favor of reading.

Reading helps us form opinions about things, helps us come into another person’s experience(s). It helps us broaden our horizons, and transcend cultural, social and geographical boundaries. We are empowered through reading. History is made available to us through reading. I wonder then why we do not read as often.

Because of my background, and the opportunities my father provided me (in the form of a library), books have always fascinated me. This fascination would lead me to obtain books in any way I could. 

When I was in high school, I’d steal the novels my (female) friends brought to school, read them, and after a few days return them. They soon learned to keep their books out of reach.

Readers are leaders. Indeed this is a truism, and what makes it a truism, is because its true

The great minds of this century, of past centuries, have been proven to be voracious readers. And thanks to the implementation of Google’s powerful AI’s that encourage website owners to publish high-quality content, we now have access to a lot of beautiful and informative content.

Here are some reasons why you should read more often.

BETTER BUYING DECISIONS

You get to make better choices as a buyer because you are more informed. In the world of horology, there are some things to look out for that make for a durable timepiece. These include a sapphire crystal, water resistance, and an automatic or quartz movement. In the watch community, everyone agrees that these are the features of a good quality watch. These concepts do not take a Ph.D. in nuclear physics to grasp. You can make better buying decisions and recognize steals when you see them.

MORE ATTRACTIVE

Yes, reading can make you more attractive. When you go on a date, and just say something impressive and techy, people just go wow “you’re so intelligent” meanwhile, the information you have is just surface level. Use your knowledge to impress. And if you’re with a sapiosexual, the better for you.

MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

Life is full of decisions to be made and so we have to make decisions armed with as much knowledge as we can. It doesn’t really matter what the decision(s) is/are. It could be anything from planning your recipe, to raising your intelligent child. The decisions we make (and their outcomes) are what determine the quality of our lives. Hence the importance of making good decisions.

Here are some resources that give us access to information to high-quality content, across all media.

KINDLE

According to Forbes magazine, 19.5% of books sold in the US are kindle titles. With about $75billion in annual revenue, Amazon Kindle has proved itself to be a very much awake giant. These numbers prove that the new way to read is online. With millions of titles, there is very little you won’t find on there. Everything from Romance to Comedy to Non-fiction. You name it.

SCRIBD

For those who like freebies, SCRIBD is the way to go. They have an impressive library, including access to big-name magazines like The New York Times, People just to name a few. They give you a 2month access to their library for free, and after that, you have access to the entire thing for the small sum of $5/mo .This is a pretty good deal I tell you.

AMAZON

For those purists who like the feeling of holding their books in their hands while sipping a hot cup of cocoa, Amazon is more than a great option. You get to shop in the comfort of your home and get your goods delivered to your doorstep. Of course that comes with the price tag of a cup of coffee (depending on where you stay) in some cases delivery is free in the U.S.

MISCELLANEOUS

Some other places to look for free information include 4shared, SlideShare, and open digital library. With all of these resources, you’d have to create accounts with them, which shouldn’t be much of a challenge. To avoid confusion, you could even sign up with your social media. Easy as pie.

2019 is a new year you cannot afford not to make the best of it Cheers!