The joy of a summer reading list, and 3 ways to actually read the books

Leaders read. Why? Because leaders are learners, and reading is a great way to learn.

Warren Buffet reads 500 pages a day; Mark Cuban reads 3 hours a day; Bill Gates reads 50 books a year; Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Tony Robbins are all avid readers.

What about you?

Summer presents a perfect time for many of us to catch up on our reading. So every summer I prepare a reading list. Confession: I rarely complete the list, but so enjoy the simple act of thinking about what I want to read, researching the books, pulling the pile together and getting started.

Here’s my Summer of 2021 reading list:

1. “Total Meditation” – Deepak Chopra. I qualified as a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher a year ago, and am committed to deepening my knowledge about meditation, so that I can better teach others, particularly leaders, how to be more mindful.
2. “Mindfulness Without the Bells and Beads” – a new book by Clif Smith presents Mindfulness Meditation from the western perspective. Clif honed his approach at EY, and I am particularly interested to learn how he applies Mindfulness meditation in the corporate setting.
3. “Dare to Lead” – Brene Brown. I recommended this book to a coaching client, and committed to reading it with her. Two chapters in, I slowed down and realised that there’s much here for me to learn and apply to my life about vulnerability, shame and courage.
4. “How to Think Like Leonardo daVInci” – Michael J. Gelb. Times like these, and the problems we face require genius, creativity and curiosity. Who better than Leonardo DaVinci to learn from?
5. “Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future” – Margaret Heffernan. I am interested in learning more about the lessons this CEO and entrepreneur has to share on leading in uncertain times, because uncertainty is not going away.
6. “Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny” – Sadhguru. There’s no wiser being on this planet now than Sadhguru. In “Karma”, he continues his message of living consciously, fully involved in life, in freedom and joy, and his practical guidance on how to do this. Plus he’s quite funny.

Having set the intention to read these books, what’s my plan to make sure that by the end of summer my life has been enriched by these authors’ words? Here are 3 steps I am taking, and that you might consider:

1. Dedicate time each day to read. Remember: Mark Cuban reads for 3 hours each day. Set your timer – 30 minutes per day adds up. And often, you will find that you continue reading after the timer has sounded.
2. Take notes – I have a special journal for taking notes on the books I am reading. This slows me down, encourages reflection and deepens the learning. It also allows me to mark my progress, and provides an easy reference guide long after I have completed the book.
3. Read more than 1 book at a time – yes, I do that – typically, 1 in the morning and a different one in the evening or on weekends. This stimulates my mind, in a cross-pollination kind of way. I recommend reading the heavier books in the morning, when your mind is fresh and lighter books in the evening as a way to wind down your day.

Wish me luck! Please share what’s on your Summer Reading List and consider including my 2nd book – “Forget It! What’s the Point? Letting Go and Claiming Joy” (click HERE – we can all use a little more joy, even during summer.