A quick thought on how to finish a book. When we reach the final pages, it’s normal to feel different. Perhaps you feel the urge to “get through it,” speeding up and skipping content. This happens in real life, too. Do you ever find yourself in the last 10% of a project at work, taking shortcuts just to get it off your desk? We do this because we’ve invested tons of time and want to move on to something new.
Another option: perhaps you lose interest at the end of the book. This happens when you’re so focused on the next book you want to read, that you speed up to get this one out of the way. I’ve been guilty of this as well.
But here’s the rub –> The author has spent 90% of the book creating plot lines and interesting arguments, and now the last 10% is for tying up those loose ends. You’ll miss the payoff if you dilute your focus during those final pages. You’ll walk away from the book giving it a poor rating, having missed the point.
Don’t do this.
If you’ve made it 90% of the way, take a breath and give the book your best focus. The moment you feel the need to rush, remind yourself of why you started the book in the first place. Also, remember that if you rush, you’ll have wasted the time you invested, which, for some books, could be many hours indeed. I’m looking at you, Plato.
Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.
-Eddy
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