Hello reader,

Probably the most important idea I've come across recently is the concept of slow reading.

In a world full of content of all shapes and sizes. It surely sounds counterintuitive to read slow, not fast. 

Usually, you'll want to listen to a podcast while reading an article while skimming the latest social media updates. Whether this will be short clips of people doing aerobic nonsense or extremely long, but surprisingly unactionable Twitter treads, it doesn't matter. We want more content. And we want it all the time.

But does the consumption of more content actually helps? Yes, you get to digest a large part of the internet all right. But are you actually understanding and applying the material?

Well, personally, I wasn't.

The addictive thing about consuming content fast is that you get to only consume the content. You don't actually understand it. You just move past an article, a book, a video. You feel satisfied because you've "completed" the content, but you never actually understand the content. Two completely different things.

I often catch myself doing this - surfing through text. And once I do, I deliberately slow down. Instead of trying to speed-read everything in front of me. I focus more on picking the right content and taking my time to read it and, most importantly, understand it. Yes, you get to read less, but you actually understand more and later can apply what you've consumed.

If you are, too, feeling overwhelmed by the volume of content coming your way, and if you're trying to tackle the situation by getting an extra pair of headphones so you can listen to a podcast and a video simultaneously. My recommendation is to slow down. Focus on consuming less but understanding more.

Actually, I wrote an article recently about this concept. It's intentionally long. Hopefully, you'll avoid reaching for your phone while reading it so you can fully comprehend the idea:

Slow Reading How-To Guide

• Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky: In this book, the two authors will help you divorce the attention-grabbing infinity pools – i.e., noisy sites and social media – and make you less busy and less distracted. A great read that will remind you what to prioritize plus show you how to design a life absent of wild busywork.

You can’t make good decisions without good thinking and good thinking requires time. Need time? Join my membershipand immerse yourself in high-quality thought-provoking reads.

Interesting books I recently added to my reading list (and hopefully will read at some point):

• A World Without Email by Cal Newport: The newest book by the author who published Digital Minimalism and Deep Work. It seems that Newport wants to force us to go back to the prehistorical era. This title focuses on helping you set up effective workflow systems without checking email.
• Projections: A Story of Human Emotions by Karl Deisseroth: The book is organized around patient stories. People with mental illness. The author aims to tell a larger story of how we can understand the physical and biological origins of human emotion in the brain.
• The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne: This seems like a good book that can help you treat any form of anxiety.

Interesting words from books and around the web:

• Alpas (verb): Set free or let go; To become free, to break loose.
• Magnum-muni (verb): To ponder, speculate, muse, or even meditate on something. This is a deep contemplation of something big.
• Hiraya (verb): "Fruit of one’s hopes, dreams, and aspirations", originates from the popular phrase "Hiraya Manawari," which generally means "may the wishes of your heart be granted."
  

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein was an Austrian-British philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. And while generally misunderstood, he is considered by some to be the greatest philosopher of the 20th century.

Big Idea: Relationship Between Language and The World

Wittgenstein suggests that there are things that can only be shown, but not said.

One of the most famous lines by the philosopher is, "What can be said at all can be said clearly; and what we cannot talk about we must pass over in silence."

In a way, this means that simply because you cannot clearly express something, a feeling, a belief, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. It simply means that you don't have "the words" for it. Still, this doesn't make it unavailable. Or in other words, there are things we should not say; they show themselves.

From my desk:

• 7 Ways To Use Systems Thinking in Your Daily Life: "If you’re looking for ways to make positive adjustments to your daily life. There is so much stuff you can do. From reading books to watching videos to actually doing the strategies suggested in the just mentioned mediums. But if you don’t have time for everything, like most mortals, focus on understanding one thing. Learn more about systems thinking."

From around the web:

• Why You Should Stop Being a Good Person: "In early childhood, we lack the ability to repress this emotional energy. When parents instruct their children to be “good boys and girls” they’re forcing them to push down negative emotions and impulses their environment doesn’t accept."
• The Polymath Playbook: "What is a Polymath? Despite the fact that the word has “math” in it, the term “polymath” has nothing to do with mathematics. A polymath is a person of wide-ranging knowledge and skills. Polymaths engage in extended learning across disparate fields, and apply their skills to connect ideas and solve problems in unique ways."

Perspective Taking

Perspective-taking in psychology refers to the ability to perceive a situation from an alternative point of view. We are not born with this ability. It develops throughout childhood. 

There are two broad types of perspectives that we learn in our lives even if we don't realize this. The first is differing physical perspectives. This means that you acknowledge that the view out of your neighbor’s window is different from yours. The second is conceptual perspectives. It basically states that people have different feelings or beliefs that in turn influence their perspectives. Considering these two when talking with others will make you a better communicator.

If you're a fan of art, or even if you're not, I'm positive that you'll find this short film exhilarating.

Thanks for reading!

Ivaylo Durmonski

Enjoying the content? Schedule time with yourself to think about how you can implement some of the ideas mentioned above in your life.