بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Which books should I read?
Which book do I start with?
Are these questions on your mind? Do not worry - navigating the vast sea of literature can leave us grappling with these questions. The 'paradox of choice' phenomenon can also make it difficult to choose a book (with a large variety of literature to choose from, customers may end up choosing no book at all as they are overwhelmed by the options, this is the paradox of choice).
There are a few cardinal questions you need to ask yourself when you embark on your reading journey. These questions serve as a compass for aligning your reading choices with your goals and aspirations. Rather than simply asking, "What book should I read?" these questions prompt you to reflect on more fundamental goals in your life.
The Cardinal Questions:
1. What knowledge contribution do you want to make in this world?
2. What do you want to know?
3. What specific areas of knowledge do you want to know more about?
4. What do you want to achieve in the next 5 to 10 years?
"What book should I read?" is in fact a secondary question to the above questions! Once you have answered these questions, you are more equipped to embark on a purposeful reading journey by first understanding your own ambitions and curiosities.
Bear in mind, one cannot read every book. For this reason, be selective and purposeful with your choices. Once you have made a selection - the next goal is to make a commitment to read that book so that you are continually contributing to your knowledge base.