I was asking the wrong question.
“How should I engage with this book?” was paralysis disguised as preparation.
There’s no fucking right way.
I gave myself permission to read however I want. Sometimes I say “blah,” sometimes “whatever,” sometimes “I love this!” Whatever works.
But if I want to extract maximum value from non-fiction, I ask myself two questions:
-
“What is this really saying?”
- I summarize the author’s point in my own words
- I cut through their fluff to find the core message
-
“What does this remind me of?”
- I connect new ideas to existing knowledge
- I make both concepts more memorable
That’s it. No complex systems. No perfect method.
Just read, question, and connect.
The magic happens in the engagement, not the technique.