Some Quick Takes on the Importance of Reading by the Super Successful

Bill Gates

"I don't let myself start a book that I'm not going to finish," Bill Gates said in a recent interview. He regularly takes notes in the margins of his books to ensure he's concentrating on the information he's taking in. 

Gates also believes it's important to constantly ask yourself how you feel about the author's perspective. Do you agree, or disagree? He claims if he disagrees with a writer it becomes increasingly difficult to finish the book because his notes begin to pile up. 

What's important is the fact he's engaged and thinking critically.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk reportedly finished reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica by the time he was 9 years old. He credits his love of reading for much of his success. When asked how he learned so much about rocket science he responded by simply saying, "I read books."

Warren Buffett 

Warren Buffett also loves reading. A lot. The second richest man in the world says he reads between 5-6 hours a day. "You can learn so much," Buffet says. "I particularly love biographies. To be able to live the lives of these people seems so extraordinary -- the lessons, the discouragements they faced. Just everything about it. You can't get enough of reading"

You Ain't Missing a Thing: The Value of a News Detox

A few years after finishing drama school a funny thing happened. I started browsing the aisles of my favorite book stores looking for biographies on people like Bobby Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, instead of Marlon Brando and James Dean. I was suddenly fascinated by politics and the world beyond the stage. I even applied to grad school again for a Masters in Public Policy. I'd sit in acting classes daydreaming about famous speeches, or thinking of ways I could make an impact in my community. During this time I didn't listen to news, I devoured it. I'd start my day off with NPR, read The Economist, and often spend an entire Sunday morning perusing the newspaper.

I was starting and ending my day with car chases, deficits, robberies, and murders. I felt my normally buoyant spirit suddenly weighted and my body literally taking on the stress of the world. What's more, all of this information wasn't helping anything. Yes, I knew more, but was inundated with knowledge of events I couldn't directly influence. I was also blinded by the fact that the news no longer informs but works to instill fear.

This year I decided to go on a "news detox." I'm happy to report the results have been overwhelmingly positive. I'm happier, calmer, and still somehow know enough to be informed, which I still believe is important. The difference is I now put my energy towards issues I can affect and much of that starts with the quality of my own presence in the world. 

As Paramahansa Yogananda once noted, "Change yourself and you have done your part in changing the world."