Risk & Business Magazine Miller Winter 2019 | Page 12

READ MORE BOOKS
WHY I JUST STARTED A PODCAST
TO HELP YOU READ MORE BOOKS
BY: NEIL PASRICHA
I
just started a new podcast called 3
Books.
It’s the world’s only podcast by and
for book lovers, writers, makers,
sellers … and librarians.
On each chapter of the show, I uncover and
discuss the three most formative books
of an inspiring individual. And I’m doing
333 chapters for a grand total of 1,000
formative books over the next 13 years.
The show makes no money! Takes a ton of
time! And involves me flying all over the
place talking about books of all things!
Am I crazy?
The answer is yes.
But there’s a Game of Thrones quote I love
that says:
“THE MAN WHO READS
LIVES A THOUSAND
LIVES BEFORE HE DIES…
THE MAN WHO NEVER
READS LIVES ONLY ONE.”
I say we need to read books — real books
on real paper — more than ever before.
We’re spending over four hours a day
on our cellphones right now! We are
addicted. And research shows we touch
our cellphones over 2,500 times a day.
When was the last time you went to the
bathroom alone?
In a world of endless dings and pings we
need a giant and great big single task that
focuses our minds, challenges our
assumptions, shapes our values and fuels
our passions.
12
The Annual Review of Psychology
published an incredible report in 2011.
You know what they said? Books are
medicine! They create empathy and
intimacy and happiness. Why? Our brain’s
mirror neurons fire when we read about
experiences we have not lived. Our minds
think we’re there.
When we’re the boy in the boat, the man
searching for meaning, or lying with
Margaret talking to God … we develop
empathy, insight and contentment in our
lives.
Science magazine published a formative
study in 2013 which showed that reading
literary fiction improved test results
measuring social perception and empathy.
Translation: You become a better parent,
boss, student … and human being.
So am I the preacher, then? No, I’m the
parish, too.
Because for most of my adult life, I read
maybe five books a year. I had plenty of
excuses. Books are dry, boring, slow … and
heavy. College forced me to read too many
textbooks so now my brain is full. Plus, no
time! The classic one. Time, time, who’s got
the time?
But then I published an article that went
viral on Harvard Business Review last year
called “8 Ways To Read (A Lot) More Books
This Year.” I listed a series of small changes
I was making to dramatically increase my
reading intake. Cancelling cable. Installing
a bookshelf at the front door. Making a
public commitment. Quitting books with
no guilt.
And you know what happened?
I read a hundred books last year. And I
have never felt like a better husband, father,
writer and speaker.
So read more? Not a surprise I’m saying
that.
But then there’s another huge problem. And
you know what it is? There are way too
many books!
Over 1,000 new books are published …
a day. Over 500,000 a year! You have
no chance of finding the ones that will
actually shape your values the way you
know a book can … so you grab whatever’s
in a big pile at the airport and chalk up
your lack of interest in it to you.
But it’s not you!
It’s the book.
And that’s why I started 3 Books.
Because I want to uncover and read and
talk about the 1,000 most formative books
from 333 inspiring people.
So far I’ve interviewed Judy Blume, Seth
Godin, Dave Barry, Gretchen Rubin, Frank
Warren, and the world’s greatest Uber
driver with a 4.99 rating and over 5,000
rides!
I have no ads, no sponsors, no
interruptions, and no profit.
But I want the world to read more.
Much more!
I want to help myself and others who itch
to read more actually find those books that
will truly inspire and lift us up and into our
greatest possible selves … and help us live
our greatest possible lives.
Are you with me? +
* Originally written for the Toronto Star,
Reprinted with Permission