The Power of Reading

Do you remember your first books before bedtime?

Most of us are introduced to books at a very young age, but it isn’t until later that we realize the full power of reading. With each word and each image that we see in our minds, we can be changed, challenged, or simply just entertained. While this world seems to be more media-based than ever before, this does not mean that reading has lost its value for us as a society or for the individual. In fact, reading is more important than ever.

At its core, reading gives you a new perspective on the world around you. Instead of having to live in different parts of the world or travel extensively, you can begin to learn about every culture and nearly every tradition from the simple pages of a book. In doing so, you will begin to create your own version of the world and what holds value for you.

You will find that your perspective shifts with each new book that you read – and that only makes you more valuable to society.

Reading helps define who we are and who we aspire to be.

As said by Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones,

“You are the same today that you are going to be in five years from now except for two things: the people with whom you associate and the books you read.”

Reading also gives us a chance to escape from the business of our lives. Reading gives us a chance to relax, something that doesn’t happen often in today’s overworked society. There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book. Within just a few pages, we can be instantly transported into another world.

I am a voracious reader. Over the years, my desire for reading has become an insatiable thirst. I wish I could take a break from life, run to a small beach town, and read for weeks on end.

In today’s society, lifelong learning is a necessity. Self-education has become one of the greatest factors of success. Those who are most successful in today’s world are those who know how to find the information they need and apply it to their situation. Today’s ever-expanding technology requires us to be lifelong learners. Otherwise, our jobs and our paychecks will both become outdated.

However, today’s most successful people are not necessarily those who have the highest ACT scores, but rather those who have learned how to learn. Passion and curiosity always surpass IQ. This passion is engrained through truly great teachers who challenge their students to think deeply.

We now live in a global world where the opportunities for knowledge and education are unlimited. Almost anything you need can now be found on the Web for free.

Some of our history’s greatest readers include Alexander the Great, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Franklin. Reading is one of the cornerstones of success. By taking in new knowledge from a book, you are creating a bigger world for yourself, a world of possibility and promise. Don’t shut the book on your future.