Reading and success

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In his book No Time for Tact: 365 Days of the Wit, Words, and Wisdom of Larry Winget, Winget writes

On average, people spend twenty hours per week watching television and less than two hours per week reading.  Fifty-eight percent of Americans won't read a nonfiction book after high school.  Forty-two percent of university graduates never read another book after college.  Only 20 percent will buy or read a book this year.  Seventy percent have not been in a library or bookstore in the past five years.  I guess these folks think they have all the information necessary to be successful, prosperous, happy, and healthy.

One of my fondest memories of my childhood was joining the reading club at our library each summer.  Our family did not have the money to buy a lot of books, but my mother took me to the library nearly every Saturday we came into town.  During the school year the library sent a mobile library to the county schools, and I would always check out a book or two to read before it returned the next time.  I loved reading and still do today and cannot understand people who don't read.

We live in a time of rapid change.  New things are being discovered every day.  It is impossible to keep up with all the new knowledge that impacts nearly every field of endeavor, but if one doesn't read he or she will find they are quickly being left behind.  Anyone in leadership in any capacity will soon be passed by if he or she isn't involved in trying to stay current with recent discoveries in the field in which he or she operates.  I began my ministry in 1981, and I can assure you that ministry has changed greatly in the 3+ decades since.  We assumed ownership of a small business in 1994, and we saw major changes in the field in which we were doing business from that time until I sold it a few years ago.  My ministry remains productive and effective today while our business suffered in its final years.  What made the difference?  I read ministry related materials much more than I read business resources.  I continued to grow in my ministry responsibilities while I allowed our business to continue to operate much as it had since the original owner started it in the 1960s.  No one will ever convince me there is not a direct correlation between reading and success.

Of course, it matters what you read.  If one reads a steady diet of romance novels it is unlikely to have much impact on one's success in business or life.  My recommendation is that you read books by highly respected authors in your particular field.  Read blogs and journal articles that address the challenges you face and the areas in which you need the most growth.  Read material outside your particular field to stay abreast of what's happening in the world around you.  Read biographies of successful people who overcame incredible odds to achieve their success (which will include most successful people.)  Read material to help you understand the culture in which you live.  It's OK to read fiction books occasionally.  I have to admit that I do not read many fiction books, maybe 2-3 out of the approximately 50 books I read each year.

Some people find it hard to believe I read as many books as I do, but I have friends who read many more books than I do.  Especially if you are not currently an avid reader I recommend you begin with a commitment to read one book a month.  If your budget is limited go to the library to get your books and read the journal articles that you need to read.  If you will read even this minimal amount in 2013 I believe you will find at the end of the year that you were much more productive and profitable due to the increased knowledge you gained from your reading.