Is reading important for success? Many people believe that the answer is yes, but it might be difficult to find real-world examples. An article from the The New York Times provides us with the examples we need. Entitled C.E.O. Libraries Reveal Keys to Success, it talks about the reading habit of some prominent business leaders such as Phil Knight (the founder of Nike) and Michael Moritz (a venture capitalist behind the likes of Google and Yahoo). Not only do these leaders love reading, they make it an indispensable part of improving their life and business.
How else can we better learn about good reading than from such successful people? Here is how they read (with quotes from the article and my comments):
1. They read to improve thinking
Serious leaders who are serious readers build personal libraries dedicated to how to think, not how to compete.
“My books have helped me develop a way of thinking critically in business…”
They are aware that the benefit of reading first and foremost is to improve their thinking. More than just giving knowledge, reading trains their mind to think better.
This is something I learn to better on. So far, I read mainly to gain knowledge, and only secondarily to improve my thinking. I should reverse the order, though I haven’t figured out how exactly I should use reading to improve my thinking.
2. They read to learn from the best
If there is a C.E.O. canon, its rule is this: “Don’t follow your mentors, follow your mentors’ mentors,”
For them, here is a great benefit of reading: by reading books, they do not just learn from their mentors; they learn from their mentors’ mentors.
We may not be able to meet face-to-face with the great thinkers of the world. But, by reading their works, we will have them teach us personally. It is as if we sit beside them and let them speak to us about their rich knowledge and experiences. Is there a better way to learn from so many great thinkers of the world than reading their works?
3. They read classic books
Forget finding the business best-seller list in these libraries…
This is surprising to me. Since they are business leaders, I expect them to mainly read business books. But the opposite is true. This is what Michael Moritz said:
“I rarely read business books, except for Andy Grove’s ‘Swimming Across,’ which has nothing to do with business…”
Instead of reading business books, they mainly read classic books. They find the most value and wisdom through the books which have passed the test of time.
This is something beyond my current reading habit. So far, I read mainly popular books. While I believe the classics are excellent read, I still read mostly recent books. Maybe someday I will reach the level where I read the classics more, but it’s not yet the case.
4. They read diversely
“I try to vary my reading diet and ensure that I read more fiction than nonfiction,”
I wrote about diversifying reading before, and that is something I actively try to do.
What I still don’t understand is the “reading more fiction than nonfiction” part. Maybe you can share with me why that should be the case? Now I mainly read nonfiction since I think I get the most value that way.
5. They read to find other perspectives
“I read for pleasure and to find other perspectives on how to think or solve a problem”
This is also something I actively try to do. Reading outside of our favorite topics is important. It gives us different perspectives and a lot of fresh ideas to use.
***
What do you think about the points above? While I love reading, I think their reading habit is far beyond mine. They see things differently and think differently. I hope someday I will also reach that level.
Photo by mclgreenville
译文:
商界领袖们是怎样阅读的？
阅读对于成功而言是否重要？许多人认为这个答案是肯定的，但是要找到现实生活中的例子则可能有点困难。来自纽约时报的一篇文章提供给了我们所需要的例子。这篇名为《首席执行官们的书库揭示成功秘诀》的文章谈及了包括耐克公司创始人菲尔·奈特，站在雅虎和谷歌公司身后的风险投资教父迈克尔·莫瑞茨在内的一些杰出商业领袖的阅读习惯。这些商业领袖们不仅喜爱阅读，更是将它作为提升他们生活及商业的一个不可或缺的部分。
从这些成功人士的身上我们可以更好地学到关于阅读的一些什么呢？他们是这样阅读的（我从这篇文章中摘抄了一些观点并做了个人的点评）：
1. 他们阅读以提升思想
严肃的领导者们往往是严肃的阅读者，他们将自己的阅读范畴限定于如何去思考而非如何去竞争。
“我阅读的书帮助我形成一种在商业中至关重要的思维方式……”。
他们认为阅读最首要的益处是提升他们的思想。阅读不仅传递知识，它更训练他们的头脑使其更为灵活精明。
这就是我所要学习去完善提高的。至今，我阅读主要是为了获取知识，而以提升我的思想为次。虽然我还没有领会到怎样具体地将阅读用于提升思想，我仍应该把我阅读的两种目的的顺序颠倒。
2. 他们阅读以向最好的学习
如果存在首席执行官们的心诀的话，那就应该是：“不要追随你的导师们，而要追随你的先圣们”
对于他们而言，阅读的一大好处就是：通过阅读，他们可以不仅向他们的导师们学习，还可以向他们先圣们学习。
我们可能无法面对面地会见这些世界上伟大的思想家们。但是通过阅读他们的著作，我们可以让他们亲自教授我们。这就像我们坐在他们的旁边，聆听他们讲述他们渊博的知识和丰富的经历。除了通过阅读这些世界上伟大思想家们的著作外，还有什么更好的方法来向他们学习吗？
3. 他们阅读经典名著
不要寄望从这些书库中找到畅销商业类书籍的书单……
这一点让我很惊讶，因为他们都是商界领袖，所以我以为他们会以阅读商业书籍为主。但是事实是他们并不以阅读商业书籍为主。迈克尔·莫瑞茨这样说到：“除了安迪·格鲁夫的《游到彼岸》，我几乎不读商业书籍，而这本《游到彼岸》也与商业无关……”
这些商界领袖们主要阅读经典名著而非商业书籍。他们从那些经历岁月考验的书籍中找到了最多的有价值的东西和智慧。
这事与我现在的阅读习惯所不同的。至今为止，我主要阅读畅销书籍。尽管我相信经典名著会读起来很棒，我仍然主要阅读近期出版的书。也许有一天我会达到更多阅读经典原著的境界，但至少现在还不是。
4. 他们广泛地阅读
“我努力去丰富我的阅读口味，保证我阅读更多小说类书籍，而非纪实作品。”
我以前曾写过关于广泛阅读的文章，而广泛阅读也正是我在积极去做的。
我仍不理解的是“阅读更多小说类书籍，而非纪实作品”这一句。也许你可以告诉我为什么是这样？现在我主要阅读纪实作品，因为我认为从中我可以获得最多的有价值的东西。
5. 他们阅读以寻求其他的观点
“我为乐趣而读，为寻求如何思考或解决一个问题的其他观点而读。”
这也是我正在积极努力去做的事。阅读一些关于我们最喜爱的话题之外书籍是很重要的。它给了我们一些不同的见解和许多新鲜的想法去利用。
对于以上观点你是怎样认为的呢？尽管我热爱阅读，我认为他们的阅读习惯超出我太多了。他们以不同的眼光去看待事物，以不同的角度来思考事物，我希望有一天我也可以达到那种境界。