TL;DR

Whom am I speaking to? Who is this going to help?

My Practical Experience

Books Influence the way we think, which sets us up for the right ACTION

This more coming from the shit I hear other people say.

Alex Hormozi once mentioned how, he eventually read 10 books, but nothing about himself changed–to which I strongly disagree.

The changes that take place when we read books are not visually observable actions, rather internal changes to the way we perceive the world through shaping the way we think–a software update instead of a hardware one.

A lesson from Plato

I absolutely love what Plato says about the mind:

Reality is created by the mind. We can change our reality by changing our mind

According to Plato, the human mind has the ability to grasp higher truths and realities beyond what can be perceived through the senses (which we use during experiences).

Plato believed that by engaging in philosophical inquiry and contemplation, we can expand our understanding of reality and move closer to a more complete and accurate perception of the world. And, what better way to engage philosophically than to read the in-depth ideas of people who have organized their ideas into compelling arguments?

Furthermore, Plato also believed that the mind has the power to shape and influence our experience of reality. He argued that our beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions can have a significant impact on how we interpret and respond to the world around us.

Applying Plato’s Ideas

What do I mean by this?

I’m saying that, unlike life experience and taking action, the process of changing how we view ourselves, other people, and the world around us is a more inconspicuous processes that lays the foundation for future action.

When you don’t know shit about anything, you can’t really take any action unless you have at least some idea of that which you want, whether it’s understanding how real estate works, investing into the stock market, or reading self-help books on how to grow as a person.

Or maybe the reverse–you keep on making mistakes, and unless you change the way you view the issue, it will be much harder to arrive at a creative solution.

As you read these books, you are subconsciously absorbing the lessons of the author by actively reading the words off the the page; you begin to see the world in a different way and start seeing abundant opportunity where others may overlook.

Plato suggests that by changing our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions, we can transform our experience of the world and bring ourselves closer to a more accurate and complete understanding of reality.

Some books can actually encourage you to take action

I’m also not saying to not expect a book to change you; from my personal experience, the book “Courage is Calling” by Ryan Holiday was the single book the propelled me forward to move out of my parents house and experience the world, then it was the book “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy For Dummies” by Rhena Branch and Rob Willson that showed me how to change my behavior by changing my thinking.

And let’s not forget the countless other books that have simply made me more positive, and thereby more optimistic about the future and my proclivity to keep on trying at like; books like “Principles” by Ray Dalio encouraged me to move back to east coast and embrace the chaos of the world while using my principles to guided me, or “Mindset” by Carol Deweck that, again, encouraged me that ALL skills are learnable–including managing social anxiety by going out more often, or learning Spanish by actually practicing diligently.

What about reading versus taking action?

Of course, there is no substitute for life experience, and I’m not saying to be a librarian or one of those people who know a lot about the world but do nothing about it.

What I am say, is that, just as nature has it’s seasons of contrasting day and night, summer and winter, chaos and order–so too can we take advantage of down-periods to gather more potential energy, while simultaneously have the courage to take life opportunities as they come.

Thanks for the advice, now how can I practically put this to use in a simple way for daily execution?

These are my opinions, with no practical data to illustrate.

But, see what happens when you start reading more, and combine that with what you observe in your life experience.