I’ve been using reading to keep thinking about things I want to focus on. Getting involved with some different thoughts around a theme eases my anxiety around it and allows me to have a more ordered "vocabulary of ideas" around those problems.
This leads me to read some "boring" books, some simple self-help stuff whose sole point is not to engage and make it extremely important in my life, but to think and organize those ideas.
I'll read other nonfiction books because the subject interests me, such as history or math/probability.
However, my approach is insufficient.
I bought a cheap course from a local intellectual in my country (math and philosophy) on "how to have an intellectual life". My main takeaway was that I lack a fundamental question (or a set of) that I should use to guide reading and studies. For you to research, think, and confront your fundamental question you should have a solid base and read many angles, tangential including, around your fundamental question.
This framework should guide the readings since if something is way above your head or skill, there is some base knowledge lacking and you should study those first. The way to organize all of this is through writing and reflection, where you summarize and intentionally spell out shortcomings and conclusions, even if sporadically.
So yeah, I liked the approach and have, during this year, slowly adding to my study routine.
This leads me to read some "boring" books, some simple self-help stuff whose sole point is not to engage and make it extremely important in my life, but to think and organize those ideas.
I'll read other nonfiction books because the subject interests me, such as history or math/probability.
However, my approach is insufficient.
I bought a cheap course from a local intellectual in my country (math and philosophy) on "how to have an intellectual life". My main takeaway was that I lack a fundamental question (or a set of) that I should use to guide reading and studies. For you to research, think, and confront your fundamental question you should have a solid base and read many angles, tangential including, around your fundamental question.
This framework should guide the readings since if something is way above your head or skill, there is some base knowledge lacking and you should study those first. The way to organize all of this is through writing and reflection, where you summarize and intentionally spell out shortcomings and conclusions, even if sporadically.
So yeah, I liked the approach and have, during this year, slowly adding to my study routine.
One final add is the latest Ali Abdal video which sort of talks about this https://youtu.be/AvKGYyowFK4?si=Ah_6SM-nhv9uQ55O