How to Read Like Your Success Depends on It

Tom Bilyeu

I credit my success to reading. And I read a lot. A LOT. So the question that I naturally get asked all the time is how I manage to read as much as I do while still keeping up with the demands of running a company. So here is my definitive guide to reading like your success depends on it, because, well, it does.

1. Start with why.

Why do I read so much? Beca1use there is a critical math equation at work here and it goes like this: Ideas In = Ideas Out. I actually used to have a sign hanging over my desk that read II = IO to remind me. What I mean is I’m not worried about thinking new thoughts. I’m simply trying to make unique connections between old ideas. I believe that’s what makes all of us unique: We make different connections than the next person.

That’s important for two reasons:

1. It means I don’t need to memorize facts from the book; I’m just trying to truly understand the overarching themes that will then act as reactive molecules in the chemistry of my mind.
2. I always read the whole book (versus an abridged or CliffNotes version) because I’m looking for the ideas that stand out to me, which might be very different than the ideas that stand out to someone else. So I don’t skim, but I don’t get hung up on things that don’t resonate or I don’t understand.

2. Improve your reading speed.

I am a ridiculously slow reader. I once had a teammate at Quest show me something he had written. I read it and told him I liked it, but he didn’t believe me, “Something must have bothered you; you read it three times.” I had to laugh out loud, because I had only read it once. That’s just how slow I read.

Reading that slowly, however, simply wouldn’t do. So I had two choices:

1. Learn to speed read. Tried that, and though I could move my eyes across the words faster, I couldn’t understand or retain the information.
2. Use audiobooks.

I went with audiobooks. I use the Audible App. So when I say I “read” something, I actually mean I listened to it. The advantage here is that I can assimilate information aurally, very, very quickly. Also, the magic of the Audible app is that it allows you to speed up the playback—allowing you to go all the way to 3x the normal speed. That’s where I live: 3x. To be clear though, I had to work my way up to that. I started at 1.5x, then pushed myself to 2x, then ultimately to 3x. So don’t expect 3x to be intelligible from day one. But like anything, if you push yourself and stick with it, you will get better. So push yourself

3. Always be reading. 

There’s a saying in sales that I hate: ABC (always be closing). But I live by the mantra ABR—always be reading. Audiobooks are a huge help with this, because as long as I have my phone and headphones, I can read literally anywhere. As such, I not only read during stretches of free time, I also read in the transitional moments of life. Here is a nearly exhaustive list of the times and places I read:

• Driving
• In an Uber
• On an airplane
• Walking the dogs (or walking, period)
• In the shower
• While brushing my teeth
• While getting dressed
• While waiting anywhere (if I’m alone)

Without a doubt, I prefer to read when I can read for long stretches of time, but I’ve just found that all of the little moments add up to a lot of reading (especially at 3x), and thus a lot of new and exciting ideas.

4. Cover a topic from all angles. 

I don’t memorize books; I get the big ideas and move on. Don’t get me wrong, I lament that I don’t have a naturally prodigious memory (Kim Peek, anyone?), but since I don’t and I continue to get great results from simply focusing on the big ideas, I haven’t invested the energy into improving my memory, or felt it necessary to back off from digesting books at 3x.

Another thing that keeps me from worrying about remembering certain facts is that I usually read as many books on a given topic of interest as I can. When you do that, you’ll find that themes emerge, and those themes become very familiar. And when you collect them from many different points of view, they firm up in my mind in a much richer way than they would if I slowed down and read a book like I was preparing for a final exam. This approach also ensures that I don’t fall prey to the confirmation bias (reading only ideas that agree with what I already believe).

This is how I read and these are the hacks I use to absorb as many new ideas as possible. May those techniques serve you as well as they’ve served me.

The 3 Habits Productive People Find Time for Every Day

Daniel Dipiazza

Founder of Rich20Something

1. Become an early riser by going to bed early.

There was probably a period of time in your life where it was easy stay up late into the night (or early into the next morning) trying to get things done.

For me, however, that period was over a long time ago. Recently, I’ve come to realize that all eight-hour periods just aren’t created equally.

Going to bed at 10 pm and waking up around 6 am is EXPONENTIALLY better than going to bed at 3 am and waking up around 11 am, even though number of hours you sleep is the same. I’ve tested this over and over again, and the evidence is pretty clear: I don’t perform well if I stay up past 11 pm-ish. 

Early risers really do have a distinct advantage when it comes to mental clarity, acuity and energy.

Simply put: waking up early works better than any other strategy for becoming more productive. But you have to make sure you get enough sleep to back it up. So get to bed!

I’ve had to give myself a bedtime and be my own parent by ruthlessly enforcing it. It was harder than it sounds, because I’ve been programmed to stay up late for so many years.

2. Start every day with an intention, focus or meditation.

Starting your day with  a clear idea of what you want to do changes EVERYTHING.

Have you ever had a day where as soon as you woke up, there were already missed calls, text messages and emails screaming for your attention? You felt like you were struggling to stay afloat before breakfast. Oh, that sounds like every day, you say? That needs so stop.

 

3. Physical activity. Do it.

Working out is probably the highest-leverage tool in your arsenal. It predictably and reliable makes you feel  better and keeps you both physically and emotionally healthy, year round.

To have the mental energy to take on the full calendar of to-do’s that people want from you, you have to be in the gym.

Period.

Training yourself physically not only gives you benchmarks to hit on a regular basis, but it also creates a predictable backbone in your daily life that you can count on, even if everything goes wrong. Mentally, that’s very comforting.

Trust me, I know that integrating these habits into your life won't be easy at first. But if you're not healthy, your business can't thrive anyway. Consider them a long-term investment in your business.

Raspberry Tart

Raspberry Tart

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbs granulated white sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into pieces

1 large egg

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 - 2 tbs ice water

Filling:

2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tbs all purpose flour

Garnish:

2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

powdered/confectioners sugar

Whipped cream (optional)

Ice cream (optional)

Raspberry Tart Recipe:

Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F 

 In your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and whisk until combined. 

Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

 In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla. Then gradually pour in the food processor while it's still  running, until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add water, if necessary. 

Transfer the pastry to an 11 inch fluted tart pan, and press evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the raspberry topping.

In a large bowl combine the sugar and flour. Add 2 1/2 cups of fresh raspberries and toss to coat. 

Remove the chilled pastry from the refrigerator and evenly pour in the raspberries and sugar/flour mixture. 

Place the tart pan on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 30 minutes  until the pastry is golden brown. 

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Top with the remaining 2 1/2 cups of raspberries  pressing them gently into the hot raspberry jam. 

 Dust with powdered sugar and serve with softly whipped cream or ice cream. Refrigerate leftovers.

Menu Planning

Menu Planning

Planning is the key to eating a healthy diet and there are many benefits of meal planning.  I’d highly encourage you to take half an hour  every week to meal plan healthy meals for your family that week.  I prefer to plan my week and review the past week on Sunday evenings. 

Start menu-planning by looking in your freezer, refrigerator  and pantry. 

 Here are many benefits of meal planning;

1. Save money

-You save money by eating at home.

-Planning allows you to look at the sales in your local grocery store circulars. You can choose recipes that incorporate sale items  and fresh produce in season. 

-Build your grocery list around a meal plan,buy only what you need.

Menu planning saves on gas

2.Eat Healthy(Avoid Unhealthy Choices)

-You establish good eating habits for younger children. 

-You have more control over the ingredients in your meals Lowering sodium and saturated fat while increasing fiber in the diet.

3.Less Stress

You don’t have to run to the store, run around your kitchen frantically trying to figure out what to make for dinner, or spend an hour trying to find a great recipe.

Improve Family Relationships

Studies show that the more often families eat together, the more likely children are to do well in school bond with parents and siblings and eat their vegetables.

Makes meal time more joyous. 

4.Save time

After selecting your recipes, make a grocery list. 

You can buy what you need for the entire week without having to make a return trip to the store for forgotten items. Select easy recipes that don't require a lot of prep work. 

5.Add Variety

Families are more likely to eat the same meals over and over if they don’t meal plan and with time it gets boring. 

It's very easy to fall in the trap of eating out  on a regular basis where there's no variety. Choose a theme to help steer you to a particular section of a recipe book or even try different cuisines of the world.  Decorate the house and Set up the table in that theme if you have time.

Menu planning tip,

Begin your cooking with the Picture of the plate in mind🤔🍽. Always remember that vegetables🍠🌽🍆 and fruits 🍇🍎🍉should cover half your plate and the protein🍗🍖🍤 should cover a quarter. The rest of your plate should be grains, preferably whole grains.🍚🍝🍞Planing ahead is key.

Do you plan your menu? What are your best meal planning tips? 

Rosemary Tea

• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 1 small ginger (crushed or grated) for strong flavor
• Lemon Peels (1lemon) 
• 1tbs lemon zest (it contains many antioxidant ingredients.)
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 2 tsp. of honey

Directions

1.Using a medium  saucepan  combine all the ingredients  and simmer for 6min. 

2.Strain the tea and add more honey as needed.

Serve hot!

5 Lifestyle Habits of Optimistic  People

#1 — Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
You’ve heard the phrase, “choose your battles wisely” — this is more important than ever when steering clear of additional drama and headaches that may taint your mood. If it’s not going to affect your health, livelihood, marriage or family, chances are it’s a molehill and not a mountain.

#2 — Breathing Space
Having a space to decompress after a long day or sometimes mid-way through the day is essential in focusing your energy on the right things. We must center ourselves and make certain we have a full tank before we continue to extend ourselves to others. When you run on empty, resentment, anger and frustration are sure to follow.

#3 — Who’s Your Squad?
Who are the people you can go to at a moment’s notice and they rally around you with positivity and encouragement? It may be a special co-worker, a long-time friend, your spouse or maybe a parent. Identify your biggest cheerleaders in life. They make deposits into you, not debits. These are the people who will remind you of your worth when you can’t do it for yourself.

#4 — Let It Go
We all know the catchy tune from Disney’s Frozen about not holding onto things. This can really be applied to everyday life. Much like my point in number 1 about choosing battles, even when something occurs that is worth your energy — don’t let it fester inside of you, draining you of all your capacity to function. Choose an appropriate amount of time to handle the situation and then move on. With the exception of grieving an extreme loss, such as the death of a loved one (in which case I strongly advise you to seek spiritual or professional counseling), most things are a blip on the radar in retrospect once you look back.

#5 — Encouragement Breeds Gratitude
They say giving is better than receiving and when it comes to kindness, this couldn’t be more true. Giving words of encouragement and praise to others is great way to boost yourself. You’ll be surprised at how awesome it feels to push someone else forward with kind words. 

-Tina B. Ladson

Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

 Oven Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

1 lb. -2 lbs Yukon gold or  red potatoes. Can use russet potatoes too, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 medium onion, cut into small chunks
• 1/4c olive oil
• 2 tbs dried rosemary
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled & cut into third
• 1/2 tsp garlic  powder
• 1tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper

• Instruction

  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees f. Cover the baking pan with foil paper. I like to spray my pan with cooking nonstick spray.

  Wash the potatoes  (I like to scrub mine with  a kitchen brush)

  In a separate bowl quarter the potatoes into a large bowl(do not peel)

  Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and toss to coat the potatoes.

  Place the potatoes on your  foil covered baking sheet, spread out into a single layer to ensure even cooking.

  Place into a 425 degree F oven and bake for 35-40 minutes depending on the  size of potatoes you use.

  Serve with steamed Brocolli and grilled teriyaki chicken. 

  Visit our blog for more recipes.
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Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

1 packages  Bacon (not turkey bacon)

1 lbs Asparagus 

1/2 stick butter

1/4cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wash them and cut the  bottom of the stems.

Wrap 2 -3 asparagus stems with one bacon Strip.

Place them on a foil covered cookie sheet.

On a saucepan heat  soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and butter stirring frequently to prevent  burning. Continue until the sugar is all dissolved. The end product should be a thick brown sauce.

Using a  pastry brush, baste the bacon Asparagus.  Turn the asparagus and baste the bottom side  as well. 

Place  in the oven for 12-15 minutes  or until the bacon is slightly crispy on the outside.

 I like to serve them with  parmesan Mashed potatoes or Mushroom Risotto.  

 See other recipes on our blog.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

3 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled

• 1 tablespoon  2 teaspoons  salt
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  A Sprig of cilantro 
  and/or Chives  chopped
  
  

  Directions

  Place the potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in a pot  with cold water to cover. 

  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer covered, for  30 minutes, until the potatoes are  tender, drain and transfer in a bowl.

  
  

  In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half and butter.

  Using a potato masher mash them up. 

  Add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes, Fold in the sour cream, Parmesan cheese and season the potatoes salt and pepper;  

  Garnish with chopped chives or cilantro.

  serve immediately.