Summary: Reading effectively involves a balance between speed and thoroughness to turn information into knowledge. The Barbell Method of Reading suggests a two-step approach: first, quickly read the entire book, then go back and deeply process the marked parts to gain true understanding. By practicing deep processing, thinking, and writing, you can truly absorb and apply the knowledge you acquire.
The Barbell Method takes this into account by integrating your reading habit into your knowledge work with two steps:
Read the book. Read swiftly but don’t skip any parts unless they make you vomit or put you to sleep. Mark all the passages that stand out and contain useful, interesting or inspiring information.
Read the book a second time. But now you read the marked parts only. This time you make notes, connect them to past notes (Zettelkasten Method!) and think about what you’ve read. Make mindmaps, drawings, bullet points – everything that helps you to think more clearly.
The quality of the book will now determine how much time you invest in it. (View Highlight)
Note: The barbell method for reading involves reading a book quickly and making fast highlights and notes. Then, you go through another time to really work through the highlighted pieces.
Only the three parts combined, reading, thinking, and writing, produce a true change in your brain and make you a better thinker. (View Highlight)
Note: "true reading" is not just reading.... This is an interesting idea. There is much work to be done to get the full value out of reading.
