I need to lose 10 pounds (mostly around the belly) and the process of dieting has taught me something interesting about reading deeply. I know what you’re thinking…that I pull these reading thoughts from strange places, but I promise this will help improve your deep reading sessions. Keep reading.
Ok, back to the diet. I tried eating less food. That makes sense, right? WRONG. By cutting down on calories, I get ravenous halfway through the day and throw my diet out the window. By the afternoon, my self-control is gone and I’m eating entire bags of processed gunk. I behave like the man-eating plant in Little Shop of Horrors. (See the colorful image attached).
What’s the solution? I’ve learned that protein is a magical food. If I get enough of it, I’m satiated through the day and my sugar cravings are easier to handle. As long as I start the morning with quality protein and keep that up, I win. Huzzah!
Let’s apply this to reading deeply. First, our bodies (and minds) crave real substance, not the low-caloric media diet that most social and streaming services provide us. I might argue that many books tend to swim in the shallow pool as well. If we don’t feed our brains with something calorically dense, they will lash out with ravenous hunger, gobbling up all sorts of useless, anxiety-driven information.
When was the last time you decided to give your brain a real book of substance? One that makes you think, takes a long time to read, and challenges your ideas, sense of self, etc.? I’m taking stuff like Euthyphro by Plato, The Invisible Man by Ralph Elision, or Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.
What if, instead of reading 100 books this year, you studied that ONE book you’ve been eyeballing? You know the one, don’t you? It’s been on your shelf for years, waiting for you to overcome the fear of its weighty ideas. You’ve probably pulled it down several times, read the first sentence, and put it back telling yourself, “I’ll read it one day when I can give it the time it deserves.”
The time is now.
If I’m going to lose 10 pounds of junky weight, I have to give my body what it needs: quality food. Not eating is not a solution. If we’re going to do something important with our brains this year, we have to give them something worth chewing on. If you need something quality to read, check out my recommendations list which gets updated each week.
I’m just going to say it! Have courage and read the hard book. You’ll be glad you did.
Until next time, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.
-Eddy
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