Why you should read the books you already have first

I have several rules for reading. 

The first is: “Read the books you have first.” 

I have four reasons for this rule.

1. It saves me from fooling myself

That attacks the self-deceptive impulse to fight ignorance with expenditure. 

(When I realise I don’t know something, or don’t know it as well as I should, I buy a book and feel confident I have tackled the issue because I will, once the book arrives. It’s all subconscious of course, but I have enough unread books to see a pattern. So I try to ask first, what do you have here that you haven’t read, or which you can re-read, which may help. Then, we can think of other books. 

2. It helps me jump right in

For me at least, the best time to crack open a book (especially on something complex) is the moment inspiration strikes!

‘I wonder what that’s all about’ is a powerful drive to plow through dry and dusty topics.

That energy is wasted when I spend it on Google. Many of my unread books were bought when inspired but came when I had moved on. This rule limits that.

3. The books I have are good enough to start

Another reason this rule is helpful is that it helps with the basic task of orientation, which is the first thing we all need when we try to understand anything complex. 

By orientation I mean, standing in the mall and seeing the map that says “you are here”. 

If I am interested in a subject and I have what I’m told is a good book (I’m sure that’s why I bought it) but it’s an old book, a new book, a Caribbean book or whatever, the book is usually able to help me get a sense of the topic, the language, the countries where there may be more relevant information. 

4. My procrastination hates it

In sum, it helps me to fight procrastination. 

Procrastination always says, “let’s search for the right book”.  I then spend hours doing that, rather than twenty minutes trying to read what I have.

‘The best book,’ is a trick. Often in that search I can get distracted and never get to the topic. 

Starting with the book I have helps me to do the work I need to understand the topic (rather than busily studying and buying ‘the best’ tools needed to understand the topic).