When You Read A Book Twice
Something I’ve been committed to doing over the last year or so is re-reading books. To be honest, I have pretty bad reading comprehension and I don’t always get as much as I want from the books I read. It has been helpful to revisit major topics and themes multiple times, but what has been most eye-opening is how the same book can have two very different meanings depending on when you read it.
That’s because everything we’re exposed to is contextual. Imagine you see a woman wearing a bikini in an airport, that’d be pretty unusual right? Now what if she’s wearing a bikini by the pool. Same behavior, different context, very different outcomes.
Similarly the phase of life that you’re in dictates the way that you approach the lessons you learn. One line in a book can leave two different impressions on you based on how you’re integrating the information. We can only add value to the present moment, which includes what you’re working on now and what you’re excited about now. Whatever is top of mind becomes a lens on top of what you’re learning.
That’s why re-reading a book can be so impactful. Depending on where you’re at, you will extract completely new takeaways and ideas because the meaning has changed so significantly.
This is all a representation of what happens in our lives on a larger scale. No two experiences, conversations, or moments are the same because meaning always requires context. So if we approach everything with more curiosity (the more redundant and mundane stuff too) we’ll be able to uncover the lessons we’re looking for that will help us advance our lives.
To help this all integrate let me ask you this question - What book would you most benefit from re-reading?
If you’re in the US or Canada, text me at 949-799-0788 and I’ll send you daily prompts that help you get to know yourself better and build a more meaningful life every day.
If you’re looking to grow alongside a community of like-minded improvers, then click here to join the Better Together Community.
