I’ve read hundreds of books in my life, but the first one I read well was Mastery by Robert Greene. I started it like any other book, eager to learn something new. But after the first few pages, I felt guilty for being casual with the material. It was full of knowledge and I wasn’tContinue reading How to Read a Book Well
Yesterday was rough for me. It was one of those days where every little thing stacks up in the wrong direction so that, by the evening, you’re completely disheveled. I sat through several hours of administrative meetings at work (not my favorite), my son forgot about his dentist appointment, the gym was packed full ofContinue reading I Tranquilized Myself to Avoid Work
I work as an accountant, and the number one tip I can give you for saving money is to log into your bank account every day and review the transactions. You don’t need to reconcile the books or run complicated reports – just look at the transactions. The process of seeing your money daily makesContinue reading How to Get Smarter
I love to read, but getting started is always hard. My brain won’t turn off, and when I do manage to sit down with a book, I find myself getting up a few minutes later to check on something – anything. There’s a real resistance to focused work. This morning, when I started my book,Continue reading It’s hard to Focus and Read
I just recorded an hour-long episode of The Read Well Podcast with my first-ever guest. Liza Jacob is an audiobook narrator who, through several years of acting classes, diction training, and practice has learned a valuable lesson – that narrating a book makes it more meaningful. The episode will come out soon, but for now,Continue reading Read Like An Audiobook Narrator
Saturday morning is insanity in my home. It’s chore day, which means that nobody can enjoy anything until the toilets are scrubbed, the beds are made, and the mysterious junk drawers are emptied and sanitized. It’s a lot of work, and with it comes a lot of noise. Kids shout that they’re out of cleaningContinue reading Slowly, But Surely
It’s true, I need a digital detox. Sometimes I go from looking at the little screen (my phone), to the large screen (my laptop), all while watching a movie on the biggest screen (my television). In total, I spend six to ten hours a day looking at glowing surfaces and my head is throbbing. IContinue reading I Need a Digital Detox
In 2002, Steven Pressfield taught us about resistance in his book, The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle. If you haven’t read it, here’s the main idea: whenever you’re about to do important work, there’s a palpable feeling of resistance every time you get started. If you’re an author, every morning’s writing sessionContinue reading The War of Reading
My wife reads a lot for work. As a college professor with a Ph.D., if she’s not reading research papers, she’s grading large stacks of homework. In her downtime, the last thing she has energy for is more reading. But last night, things got interesting. She was unwinding on Instagram while I read Hiking withContinue reading She Wouldn’t Read the Book
A fridge magnet changed my life. It said, “Show me your five closest friends and I’ll show you your future.” It’s the kind of saying that means little when you’re a kid, but I wasn’t a kid. I was sitting in the principal’s office with my son who had gotten himself in trouble on theContinue reading Your 5 Favorite Authors