The height of self-development is when you finally put down self-development and pick up fiction

I didn’t always believe the quote above.

My journey started with cringe (picked up Five Point Someone because I got a Five Point Something GPA), and has now reached Murakami, Dostoevsky & Taleb. Over time, my likes and patterns have oscillated – starting with popular fiction, followed by the longest “business & self-development” hustler phase, and now back to good old fiction!

Sharing below my thoughts after a decade of reading over 150 books. These are purely based on my experience and preferences – feel free to disagree. 

Why Fiction over Self-Help

Self-Help orders you to do something. Fiction allows you to develop an intrinsic feeling & motivation to do that. As humans – we relate most to other humans. Retention & Impact is highest when you’re told lessons in the form of a story about humans, rather than a direct order. You forget what a book said, but you’d never forget how it made you feel. Fiction has higher chances of making you feel it. Above all – fiction lets you read for the joy of reading.

Why Reading over Video

Reading allows your brain to develop and visualise worlds and characters from your own lens. Movies, Shows & Podcasts are great entertainment and open your eyes to the world, but reading – it opens up your mind. Combining what you already know from your experiences with the writer’s cues & support, creates an unmatchable experience. 

Why finishing everything is not important

Every minute spent reading something you don’t truly enjoy is a waste of time. This is not a competition or a project. There are hundreds if not thousands of amazing books out there which are perfect for you. And again, it’s an art form at the end of the day – what’s great for you, may be irrelevant for someone else. But that’s the beauty of it – the subjectivity.

Why having a Reading List helps

Like with other content forms, the percentage of crap out there is increasing every day. With AI, everyone would likely have their own e-book soon. The way to filter (for any form of content), is to go to the most authentic source. Choosing only the most credible authorities on any subject, and having them ready is the only way to avoid slop. Pre-order your next 3-4 reads and keep them handy. 

Why remembering it all does not matter

I can’t seem to remember most of what I read and have been flustered with this thought a lot. Until I came across this quote – “I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me”. This highlights the idea that experiences and learning nourish the soul, shaping character even when you forget specific details. If you have a couple of major takeaways from every book you read, it’s a life-changing deal. Also, when I started writing, I realised that writing is a magic trick to help remember what you read. Thoughts and stories that were forgotten just start popping out – but more on that in my Thoughts On Writing essay some time later 🙂