What have you read today? How can it change who you become?
An average person in the US spends 5.2 hours reading per week. But are they choosing the right content?
I remember reading quotes from Robin Sharma’s book “The 5 AM Club” in the past year, and I hit on this great idea: “you become the content you consume” or more simply, you are what you read.
This post is about the type of content you read. You have read tons of stuff since the age you started to read. What you are now is because of the books, blog posts, articles, notes, social media posts, and messages you have read.
You can’t disagree with this.
I used to disagree with the idea that reading shapes us. But when I looked at the facts, my belief just disappeared for these reasons.
Now I am very selective about the content I consume or read. I don’t read anything that comes to me.
I choose it and know how it will affect my actions.
You consume a lot of content from reading, listening, and watching, but you don’t measure how this content will change your actions.
I don’t know about you, but I must say I can tell what actions you will take based on the content you read.
Here are the reasons for you, I have come up with facts to help you understand why you are what you read.
Let’s start.
Stories shapes who you are
Reading helps us learn new things and discover different ideas.
When you read books, articles, or research papers, you improve how you think and remember things.
Studies prove that reading makes our brains work better. It’s like exploring new worlds and meeting different people without leaving our seats!
This help you become more creative, curious, and smarter. So, reading isn’t just fun – it also makes you better at understanding the world and solving problems.
Stories, whether they’re made up (fiction) or real (non-fiction), can change how you see the world and what you believe.
When you read stories, you feel like you’re part of them, which helps you understand different feelings and perspectives.
A research from the University of Toronto found that reading made-up stories can make us better at understanding how others think and feel (empathy).
Fictional stories lets you explore different lives and cultures, making you more caring and open-minded. And True stories, like biographies or history books, teach you about real events and people, shaping your views on society and history.
More simply, stories have a big impact on what you care about and how you see the world.
Let’s say you read a book about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life. It can really inspire you, even if you didn’t care much about fairness before. Learning about King’s struggles and how he fought for equality can make you want to do something good too.
You might start to see why it’s important to stand up for what’s right and treat everyone fairly. This could lead you to help out with good causes, speak up against unfairness, or just be kind to people.
Biographies like this show you how one person can make a big difference, and they can make you want to make the world better too.
Your words are what you read
The words you read can change how you talk and what words you use.
For example, if you read a lot of books with big words, you might start using those words too.
A study from Loughborough University in 2019 showed that when we read complicated language, we learn new words and use them more often.
This means that what you read can make your vocabulary bigger and your way of talking more complex and strong. So, if you want to improve how you talk or learn new words, then reading books with different kinds of language can really help!
The types of things you read changes how you talk and write.
Scientific journals use very clear and specific words to share facts and data. Humor essays use funny words and jokes to make people laugh.
When you read exciting stories, you might start using more interesting words and phrases. This makes your own writing more colorful and fun.
Even spending time on reading tweets (good tweets) can teach you to write more concisely and informally. You can learn how to express your words clearly in a limited space.
Your reading influences how you talk and write. So please pick what you read carefully to improve how you use words.
Your reading shapes how you see others
Reading is like seeing the world through someone else’s eyes.
When you read about different characters and their stories, you learn about their feelings and challenges.
Like reading a book about a character going through a tough time, you start to understand what they’re going through. This helps you relate to people in real life who may be going through similar things.
A study from Yale in 2021 found that reading stories about people’s emotions and relationships can make us better at understanding how others feel.
This shows reading not only entertains you but also makes you kinder and more caring toward others. So read books with different characters and experiences, as you get to learn more about the world and the people in it.
Then you understand others better and care about their feelings.
When reading a book about a person facing discrimination, you start to grasp what that feels like. This means you can relate to and care about others’ feelings even if you haven’t been through the same things.
When you understand other people better, you can be kinder and more helpful.
You start to see things from their point of view, which is called empathy. Empathy helps us connect with others and make the world a friendlier place.
This helps you connect with people from all walks of life and create a more understanding and caring about others.
Your reading decides your inspiration
Reading makes you feel like you can do amazing things and reach your goals. Isn’t that true.
Reading about people who have done great stuff, peoples like Sylvester Stallone or Tom Cruise. They are the living inspiration to so many of us. It makes you believe you can do it too.
It makes you to start focusing on yourself and do something great.
A similar study in Psychological Science found that reading about successful people makes us feel more confident. It helps us think, “If they can do it, I can do it too!”
I hope you have also felt that many times. And this feeling of believing in ourselves is really important for turning our thoughts to action and that our dreams come true.
Start reading inspiring stories and learning about people who faced adversity and came out on top and you will never give up on what you want to get.
Self-help books give you tips and ideas on how to improve ourselves.
Biographies will speak the people struggles and how they overcame them, giving you hope and motivation to keep going even when things get tough.
Fictional stories of characters overcoming challenges shows you how to find strength and courage within ourselves.
I was reading a book named “Golden Rules by Bob Bowman” back in the previous year. It’s a book on Michael Phillips life and how he became the world champion in swimming. Yes I didn’t finish it.
But I read some pages, from that I learnt the consistency how Michael used to come on practice everyday at 5 AM.
Visualising that hard work inspired me question to take my work as work and I started being on time everyday to start my work. Of course I am not on time on somedays but I am towards it.
So read the self-help books, biographies, or stories about overcoming challenges and becoming great. Whatever you find easy to read.
As the author Robin Sharma said – “The project that you are most resisting is the project you need to do first.”
And you will get to know how much you have changed from what you are now to what you will become after reading that book or biography only if you read it.
What you read builds your imagination
Reading makes your imagination run wild and help you think up new and creative things.
Think about when you read a story, it’s like your brain creates pictures of what’s happening, like a movie in your mind. So it becomes exercise for your brain to be more creative.
Researchers at Stanford University discovered that reading fiction makes our brains work harder. It activates the parts of our brain linked to imagination and innovation.
This means that when we read, we’re not just passively absorbing words; we’re actively creating pictures and ideas in our heads.
By stimulating your imagination and creativity, reading helps you think outside the box, come up with new ideas, and solve problems in creative ways.
It’s like exercising your brain muscles to keep them strong and flexible. So, the more you read, the more creative and imaginative your minds become.
You can imagine anything and go on an adventure inside your head, It’s so amazing.
Being exposed to different ideas and worlds through reading can spark your curiosity and make you more open-minded. You start to see that there are many ways to look at things and many solutions to problems.
This helps you become better at thinking critically and finding innovative solutions to problems you face.
The more you read and explore different topics, the more your minds expand and your problem is no more a problem to you.
So give your brain a playground full of ideas to play with by reading.
Summing Up
I hope you get the answer now why you are what you read.
So choose whether to spend time on social feeds that goes into the bin after reading or to invest your time reading which is good for you.
You know the reading benefits but I want to tell don’t just read, choose the content you read.
How to Decide what to read:
These checks can help you decide if what you’re reading is worth your time and attention-
- Does it come from a reliable source and has right information.
- Is it something you care about or find useful.
- Make sure it’s easy to understand.
- Look for stuff that you enjoy reading and keeps you engaged.
- Good reading material often gives you practical advice or things you can use in real life.
When you are aimlessly scrolling, you are missing the great books to read, great podcasts to listen that can make you way more productive, creative and grow.
So, make good reading a priority because it’s more important instead of scrolling or watching netflix, even for 15 mins on workday and hours on weekend is fantastic.
Try to find a time that works for you, like in the morning or before bed in night. I don’t get time in the morning or during the day so I read books before the bed.
Simply make reading a part of your daily routine. Mark it in your calendar. No more excuses.
Moreover, It’s important to read a variety of opinions, not just what we already agree with. When you only read things that match your beliefs, it’s called confirmation bias. This can limit your thinking. By reading broadly, you grow your knowledge and empathy.
It’s an important part of understanding the world better.
Each person has different tastes in reading. What works for one person might not be enjoyable or helpful for someone else. Reading non-stop without breaks can make you feel tired and stressed.
Finding a balance in our reading habits is key to getting the most out of it.
Put your comments, I want to know what you think. Share this with your 3 friends who would like this.
With that,
All Green lights to you
I’ll talk to you soon.
