Reflections on reading.

For two years, I thought reading was the nerdiest thing in the world.

From an early age, I was obsessed with reading, but I would only read fiction. I thought that non-fiction was extremely boring and completely useless.

Until the age of 14, I would read around 100 books every year, probably even more. From mystery to adventure, reading served as my substitute for watching movies.

Then, one day, I stopped. I asked myself, 'What am I gaining from reading fiction?'

Sure, it provided a few minutes of entertainment, but if I truly wanted to make progress in life, why would I be sitting here reading a book?

So, I completely ceased reading fiction. However, I also refused to start reading non-fiction because I foolishly believed that I could find all the information I needed through YouTube videos.

Now, I realize how wrong I was. I recently picked up a book that a good friend recommended to me, and just from a few pages, I learned more than I've learned from multiple videos.

I'm not saying videos are useless; many of the videos I watch recommend books they enjoyed reading for a reason.

But whether it's books or videos, knowledge is knowledge, and some knowledge is best absorbed through books.

The key lesson I've learned here is to maintain a balance. Reading is excellent, and you can acquire a lot of information through books that you won't find anywhere else. However, reading is just the first step.

Reading serves as a medium for learning, and after learning, the next step is applying.