Bill Gates does not need an introduction.
I don't know a single successful person who hates books.
It's also true that not all successful people are great readers. However, they do engage in continuous learning.
Bill Gates is a voracious reader. He became famous for his Think Week practice.
What is a Think Week?
A think week is nothing but setting aside 7 days to think, brainstorm, and plan.
During this time, a person typically disconnects from the regular sources of information.
It's also called a digital detox.
Mr. Gates shared many times the way he read books. In a nutshell, these are the four main things.
1- Taking notes in the book margins
2 — Don't start what you cannot finish ( I disagree with this. You don't need to waste your precious time if the book is uninteresting. I am a nonfiction reader, and most of the time, the book's objective is stated by a nonfiction author in the first 1–3 chapters, and then the rest is just full of examples (not all books, though).
3- Physical books are preferred to ebooks.
4- Block out an hour to read every day
Bill shared his struggle with finishing books, especially those with which he disagrees.
I also think it's not necessary to finish a book, especially if the author conveyed the objectives in the first couple of chapters.
However, if you disagree with the book or author's opinion, I encourage you to keep reading. It will help to broaden your perspective.
I don't let myself start a book that I'm not gonna finish.
You know, when you're reading, you must be careful that you are concentrating, particularly if it's a nonfiction book.
Do you understand the new knowledge before stacking or connecting it with the already stored one?
The human brain reshapes itself with each new memory. This happens through the actions of synapses or the tiny gaps between brain cells.
Credit: National Library of MedicineBill practiced the note-taking system along the book's margins to help him think hard.
He writes detailed notes in the margins, especially when he disagrees with the book.
Understanding the "why part," it's important to write down why you disagree with the author in your own words.
Are you taking the new knowledge and sort of attaching it to the knowledge you have?
For me, taking notes helps make sure that I'm really thinking hard about what's in there.
If I disagree with the book, sometimes it takes a long time to read it because I'm writing so much in the margin.
I just sit there at night, often reading a paper magazine or a book. It's ridiculous because I care. I have a whole book bag that goes on my trips with me.
Reading is not the kind of thing you can do in five minutes here, ten minutes.
Every night, I read for a little over an hour so that I can take my current book and make some progress.
Bonus
"Reading can even relax your body by lowering your heart rate and easing the tension in your muscles. A 2009 study at the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%." — Gutenberg
Related articles
What Happens When You Start Reading Every Day
How Does Reading Affect Your Brain
The bottom line
Bill Gates shows a strong commitment to finishing the books he starts, but you don't have to if the book has conveyed the main objective in the first couple of chapters.
I also encourage finishing the book if you disagree with the author.
Follow Bill's strategy to write why you disagree with the author in the margins with a pencil.
Make sure to highlight the important things. I add tab notes and then take a step further and write down all the important notes on the note cards.
Note-taking serves as a valuable tool for Gates.
Reading is an active engagement with the material and deepens his understanding.
The length and complexity of a book can influence Gates' decision to start reading it.
Mr. Gates prioritizes dedicated reading time.
It helps him to fully engage himself in the book's content.
Book recommendation
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
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