(Essay 9/30) Micro read. It sticks.
Micro habits are important for creators.
They build muscle memory to ship things faster.
In my opinion, two foundation habits are - writing and reading.
Atomic writing is a forcing function to reduce fluff.
A path to clear thinking.
But more importantly,
It's a small bet that reduces inhibition in sharing.
It gets you in the groove to build better in public.
To write useful content, one needs to read useful content.
I'm not talking about reading one-off post, here & there.
I'm talking about setting up a system for daily micro-reads:
Reading an essay type article or long form in your niche, taking notes & journaling synthesized ideas.
A daily micro-read system goes hand-in-hand with your writing habit.
How ?
It shapes point of view. You reflect authority in your writings.
You stack up a body of knowledge.
Build curious mind for better ideation.
Become a ‘dot connecting’ machine.
So, how to get started with micro readings?
Choose your source wisely.
Content that sticks:
Evidence based content that expands your curiosity.
Practical content written by peers who walked down your path.
How to build a micro read system ?
A micro-read system is a simple routine of reading useful content 30-40 min everyday.
Goal is to ingest ideas while preventing habit wobble.
That's it.
No framework B.S.
Somethings to keep in mind:
- Pre-decide time, place & duration.
- While tweets, Youtube videos are good. Long forms are better.
- For timeless knowledge. Read books. Hardcopy books over digital books.
- For current knowledge. Read niche newsletters.
- For actionable current knowledge. Read personal essays by experienced leaders in your niche.
- Index active reading over passive reading. Bookmark & take notes.
- Journal your learnings & synthesized ideas in a storyline.
Makes you better storyteller, thinker, copywriter and dot-connector.