%% tags:: #writing/2022 #Resource #video #ProjectKnowledgeBase started_date:: [[2022-10-29]] (started) published:: [[2022-12-07]] project:: [[Interests MOC]] ##### Research: - From ex-Principal Eng from Shopify that I got through Readwise newsletter lol https://sirupsen.com/read?ref=Daniel+Doyon-newsletter#what-would-i-like-to-improve-about-reading - Great quote from Charlie Munger that I must use - Great sectioning, sourcing, choosing, etc - Simon's profile https://sirupsen.com/about %% ###### [[Resources]] | updated [[2023-01-15]] # How I read ###### PJ's system for reading books. ![[The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.png]] Inspired by [Simon](https://sirupsen.com/about), previously Principal Engineer at Shopify, I made time to write down the system I use to make the most out of my reading habit, from selecting books to publishing summaries. 1. Keep a list of recommendations 2. Yearly book challenge 3. Technical speed reading 4. Tracking reading time 5. Taking notes 6. Time is the best editor 7. Book threads 8. Top five quotes 9. Book summaries 10. How much time do I need for this reading system? ## Keep a list of recommendations ![[The Daily Stoic.png]] Quality over quantity, that's what Seneca is telling us. With 500,000 to a million published books each year, how to decide what to read? That's a prioritization question and I have three simple criteria: 1. Based on my own hype, 2. alignment with the [[Skills to master|skills I want to 10x]] 3. and how many times got someone's recommendation to pick the book. When a new title catches my attention I add it to [my "To read" shelf on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/54958548?shelf=to-read). Every six months, I review and select a handful of my ClickUp list. ##### **[[Books timeline#Books for 2023|Check the books for 2023 here.]]** ![[DD09C855-6F05-4F47-9AFA-9F521EFAC7C1.jpeg]] ## Goodreads yearly challenge Reading is a lonely habit and Goodreads makes it social. The yearly reading challenge is the New Year's resolution trigger to goal-oriented readers. ![[221668EC-4239-4896-AEE0-F47EB31599E9.jpeg]] This is the top-down commitment, how many books will I read this year? Inspired by [Lukas Vermeer](https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12729777-lukas-vermeer), who read 28 books in 2022, I target 12 to 16 books. ![[0B2717C2-45EB-43EA-AAA4-4D534F9EC0EE.jpeg]] **[Connect on Goodreads.](https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/54958548-john-ostrowski)** ## Technical speed reading I got into speed reading because of [Tim Ferris](https://youtu.be/ZwEquW_Yij0). As a non-native speaker, I struggle to read faster because of how quickly I create the sound of words in my mind as my eyes go through them. I broke free from that blocker using kindle sync. **For 80% of the books I read, I have the kindle and audible versions of the same book.** I listen to the audio at 1.75x and train my eyes to follow text at that speed. It's very effective. I can't stress enough how this trick helps me to read more. ### Reader, my favorite reading tool After releasing [[Capturing systems]], [[Peter Lloyd]] reached out with an invite for closed beta access to [Reader](https://readwise.io/read), the newest value proposition part of the [Readwise](https://readwise.io/) family — Honestly, Peter never misses. I told you how foundational Readwise became, centralizing my notes and idea capturing. **Reader's text-to-speech capability raised the technical speed reading bar from good to great.** ## Taking notes My reading habit is the primary source for capturing new quotes. I use them as [[Quotes are powerful (soon)|spark plugs for new ideas and as transitional elements for pleasant content design]]. "It reminds me" is the trigger for making those notes and finding connections to other ideas from the past within Obsidian. [[Capturing systems|Find the taking notes engine here.]] ## Tracking reading time How much time did I spend with the book [[The Mom Test book summary|The Mom Test]]? ![[Pasted image 20221207154808.png]] Readers know how much I care about time, it's part of my mission and coaching practice. Want to give time tracking a try? Get started next Monday with my Time Tracking Email Sprint. #soon ## Time is the best editor [[Billy Oppenheimer]] is right in saying that time is the best editor. Not every highlight gets incorporated into the knowledge base. In this context, selection is curation, and [[Curation is key|curation is key]]. I use this concept to optimize my notes into the Obsidian knowledge base and avoid link dilution. It's a one-two-three-punch system for returning to my notes, extracting the essence, and refining what is already in the knowledge base. 1. Book thread 2. Top five quotes 3. Book summary ![[The Almanack of Naval Ravikant 4.png]] ### Book thread When I finish books they go to "Review book pipeline" in Clickup. The objective is simple, go through all highlights and comments and expand on some of the "it reminds me" trying to incorporate to existing material in the knowledge base. I go through the process in waves, and I publish some bites for community engagement. ##### **[This process started with the book Sprint](https://positivejohn.substack.com/p/sprint-how-to-solve-big-problems/comments).** ### Top quotes I like to think that every book I pick can teach me at least three new things. With most learnings captured in the thread, I revisit that material in a later stage and publish a selection of five top quotes. ### Book summary Not every book gets a summary. The ones I commit to that level of time and energy have something special that encourages me to share more. ##### **[[Book summaries and top quotes by PJ|Find book summaries here.]]** ## When to drop a book? The author's job is to hook you in the first chapter. Since most books I pick go through a selection process, if after that I'm not engaged with the reading or I feel I won't learn anything new I drop the book as fast as possible. Note to self: I should bring more on sunk cost fallacy here #later. ### How much time would that take you? That is a difficult question as it depends on so many factors. I give you my data for inspiration. ![[Pasted image 20230116095831.png]] I spend between 12 and 20 hours per month, either reading or audiobooking. ### [[Books timeline|Check my book record over time]] --- > As long as I have a book in my hand, I don't feel like I'm wasting time. > > — Charlie Munger --- ![[38 copy.jpg]]