Do you want to know what ultra-successful people have in common? It’s not just successful businesses and careers, they are also avid readers. In this article, blogger Shivali Singla shares why the world’s most successful people read.

Reading is a way to discover new things. It also helps us develop a positive self-image. The ability to read is an important skill in being able to function in today’s society. Reading is very important because it helps us expand our minds and improve our imagination. So, today I am going to be talking about why successful people read books.

People who know how to read can educate themselves and others in any area of life they see fit. People who don’t know how to read or are poor readers often seem to have a poor self-esteem. They sometimes feel isolated, ignored, and have behavioral problems. As we live in an age that has information in abundance, reading is the only way to become and remain informed.

Do you want to know what ultra-successful people usually have in common? They read. A lot. Here are a few of today’s most successful people and what they have to say about reading and its importance in one’s life.

Warren Buffett

In an interview, Warren Buffett was once asked about his key to success. He pointed to a stack of books nearby and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest”. Buffett takes this habit to the extreme. He reads between 600 and 1,000 pages per day when he was beginning his investing career and still devotes about 80 percent of the day to reading.

Mark Zuckerberg

He made a resolution to read a book every 2 weeks.

 Bill Gates

He said he reads 50 books every year, which comes down to 1 book per week.

Elon Musk

He is a voracious reader and when asked how he learned to build rockets, he replied: “I read books.”

Oprah Winfrey

She selects one favorite book every month for her book club members. She reads and discusses it with them.

Read Daily

As an avid reader, I have experienced the change that happens when you read—be it a book, newspaper, blog, or an online article. Reading takes you to another world and once you enter that world, you will never want to leave it and hence, you won’t stop reading. It also has an effect on your life and your thoughts.

If reading as a pathway to success isn’t enough to get you motivated, consider these health benefits of reading: it prevents stress, depression, and dementia while improving one’s confidence, empathy, decision-making, and overall life satisfaction.

There is a genre for everyone. So whether your taste lies in classics, poetry, fashion magazines, biographies, young adult books, self-help, or romance novels, there is something for each one of you. The first thing you need to do is to grab a book and enrich your knowledge, curiosity, and imagination. Step away from the computer, open a book, and replenish your soul for a little while.

So guys grab a book, a newspaper, a cutout, and start reading. Happy reading, everyone!

The original article was first published in Shivali Singla’s blog.

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