“Hear or read something challenging, something instructional, at least thirty minutes a day, every day. You can get along without some meals, but you can’t get along without some ideas, examples and inspiration.” – Jim Rohn

Every day I like to start my day with reading something:

• inspirational
• motivational or
• instructional.

Even though I listen a lot to podcasts  (and of course our own FLAWD podcast) for inspiration and news in my fields, reading books gives you a more deeper knowledge on a subject, and reading books is like having a conversations with the author or as Descartes said:

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” ― René Descartes

Last year I read 48 books, my goal was 30 books on Goodreads. This year (2016) my goal is to read 50 books

To get to use all the knowledge from all this book reading I have stumpled across acronym: M-A-S-T-E-R

• Motivating your mind
• Acquiring the information
• Searching out the meaning
• Triggering the memory
• Exhibiting what you know
• Reflect on how you’ve learned

Motivating your mind

You need to be motivated to learn. To be honest: If you don’t have the attitude to learn, just do something else.

Acquiring the information

You need to acquire and adsorb be information that fits your style of learning. Perhaps you like audiobooks? Perhabs you like ebooks? Or you need something to hold, like a paperback book?

Searching out the meaning

Make sure you truly understand the subject. Don’t just memorize facts.. Try to understand what this means for you, how you can implement it in your life and how you can teach this to others.

Triggering the memory

Using triggers is a great way to help you “lock down” your learning. Like this MASTER acronym. You can check out this Framework from LIFEHACKER: My secret to reading a lot of books 

Exhibiting what you know

Find a “study buddy” or accountability partner that we talk about in the FLAWD Podcast 008: Get your life together and present the information to that person. It is a great way to test yourself and prove to yourself you have permanently acquired the knowledge.

Reflect on how you’ve learned

Reflect on your learning experience. Not WHAT you have learned, but rather HOW you have learned. This will make sure that you continuously evolve and improve how you are learning.

FLAWD: