The Power of Active Reading

Steve Jobs wouldn’t have introduced Apple’s sleek design if he didn’t take that calligraphy class. The founder of Dropbox, Drew Houston, wouldn’t have built his $12 billion-valued empire if he remembered to bring his thumb drive with him.

Ideas whiz past us in all directions. They come in many shapes and sizes, some are ideas that help navigate our daily lives, others are as big as multi-billion dollar startup ideas. No matter what idea, we appreciate the past experiences and influences that led us to its discovery.

In a world of randomness and chance, the most original, thought-provoking ideas stem from the constant shifting of activities and thoughts.

That is how humans enhance creativity and drive innovation.

Humans are naturally ambitious to grow, improve, and prevail. And with this instinct comes a massive appetite that needs satisfying.

So how can we expand our utility to create? How can we catch more ideas?

One such vehicle of creativity is active reading.

What is Active Reading?

Often times when I read, I would pause to question a main idea, or drift into my own thinking space, my eyes still scanning the text but my consciousness detached from comprehension.

Whats the overall meaning of this passage? How does it connect with the previous chapter I was reading?

My mind engages in imaginative ways.

It is in these moments that explain the phenomena of active reading.

Active reading is a process or technique of actively engaging with the text we are reading.

By “actively engaging”, I mean critically processing content beyond an author’s interpretation and into personal connectivity.

Reading, unlike watching or listening to media, gives the brain more time to stop, think, process, and imagine the narrative.

Therefore, forming space to think allows your brain to create new complex connections and patterns that draw from other ideas. This synthesizing of ideas is what sparks creativity.

The Formula

In essence, reading should be a 3-step process: Consume, Criticize, Innovate.

Consume

Ingest the author’s content with deliberation. Read slowly and carefully, deeply understanding the larger implications of the text.

Criticize

Stop and critically evaluate the insight based on your intuitions and knowledge. This is where your memory retrieves previous ideas and experiences that develops your analysis.

Innovate

This intersection of the author’s knowledge and your memory is the epicenter of creativity. This is where all ideas of human ingenuity are born.

Philosophers, psychologists, entrepreneurs, academics, and other thinkers of the world are actively reading to grow and change their thinking behavior.

So the next time you divert your thoughts while reading, embrace this opportunity to create.