Rereading a small set of books
Going back through the best hundred books repeatedly rather than chasing new ones
Keep a short list of books worth returning to, and reread those instead of adding new titles. A hard book gives up something different on a second and a third pass; most people who say they have read one only moved through the pages. In practice that means one or two titles held in rotation for years, often in several formats at once so a copy is always to hand. You lose breadth. People who read this way take that trade on the grounds that the next new book is usually worse than the one they already trust.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Naval RavikantDoes it
Angel investor · AngelList and the Naval podcast
The line about wanting to read the best hundred books over and over rather than all the books came from a Twitter account called illacertus, and he credits it as such. In science he says he is stuck in a loop on two Deutsch books until he understands them fully.
Source: nav.al: Read the Best 100 Books Over and Over Again
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under focus or productivity.
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Daily reading
A fixed daily reading block, usually books rather than feeds
On record from 25 of 62 tracked people: 23 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Early rising
A fixed, early wake time, often before anyone else is awake
On record from 11 of 62 tracked people: 10 do it, 1 has discussed it - HabitFREE, no cost
Daily writing
Write something every day, published or not
On record from 10 of 62 tracked people: 8 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Phone-free first hour
No email, news or social media until you have done something of your own
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it, 2 recommend it - HabitFREE, no cost
Margin notes
Writing in the margins while reading, especially where you disagree with the author
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 recommends it - HabitFREE, no cost
Thinking retreats
Blocks of time cleared of the schedule to sit with one hard problem
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 3 do it, 1 has discussed it
Habit entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.