How often do you go back and read what you already read?
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We know far more than we live out. We are forgetful creatures. We forget to apply what we've learned when it's needed. We quickly lose sight of our values and priorities that were once so clear.

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One way to combat the tendency to forget is to develop the practice of rereading and use the concept of spaced repetition. By regularly rereading what is most impactful and meaningful to you, you can move the idea from a place of vague recollection to where you can quickly access it and have it influence your thoughts throughout the day.

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Do you have a habit of reviewing what was powerful, meaningful, or even life-changing?

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Resource

​Readwise is a tool that helps you get the most out of what you read. This simple tool is so powerful!
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Here's how I use it. While I prefer reading a physical book, I mostly buy kindle books and then highlight what stands out to me. It's simple to set Readwise to take those highlights and do two things automatically:
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1. Send me a daily email with five quotes I've previously highlighted. My daily morning routine includes every day the daily email from Readwise to reread my favorite passages.

2. Forward all of those highlights to my note-taking app, Roam Research. Now I can search for those highlights anytime I want.

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Quotes

"I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once."

​C.S. Lewis, Letter to Arthur Greeves (February 1932)
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"Learning, thinking, and writing should not be about accumulating knowledge, but about becoming a different person with a different way of thinking. This is done by questioning one's own thinking routines in light of new experiences and facts."

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Sönke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes​

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Question

What are you optimizing for?

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Endnote

To get started on rereading, choose one of your favorite books. Reread what you underlined or highlighted. If you don't underline or highlight, whether you express digitally or a physical book, that's the place to start.

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Live Wisely,
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Josh

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