I was on an airplane for almost six hours yesterday. Near the end, the guy sitting next to me leaned over and asked how I could possibly read for that long.
Here’s what I told him.
- Attention takes practice. Reading is a skill like cooking or playing the piano. Anyone can get better if they approach it this way.
- Practicing the skill of reading is about training and reclaiming our minds. Start small with 15-minute reading sessions and build your way up.
- It took thirty minutes to get my brain to cooperate on that flight. I was tempted to throw in some headphones and watch a few movies to pass the time. I’m human, which means that no matter how much I practice, I’m going to feel the pull of doing nothing over reading a book (which takes work). I have to choose to practice, just like my daughter has to choose to practice her saxophone.
- Throughout the six-hour reading session, my brain wandered several times. When that happens, it’s a signal that I’m reading too quickly. So, I slow down and give myself permission to read slowly and think about the meaning of each word.
The distractions never go away for me. I’ve just gotten better at gently returning to my book without hating myself for losing focus. The more I return to the book without judgment, the easier it gets and the better the book becomes.
Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.
-Eddy
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