Reading. &. Purpose.

One of the best things I learned to do growing up was to grab a book daily and read through its pages. That’s one of the oldest exercises in the universe and one of the few that will never go away, nor will it ever lose its potency and value for those who dream of a higher becoming and aspire to a greater outcome and more meaningful life. I discovered this path through a classmate and since that day, it’s become my own; it’s one of the best I’ve walked and, even though I’m young, I’m confident that there’s nothing of any greater benefit than this – because anything one may think of achieving and any points one may aim to reach inevitably derives, runs through, and ramifies from purposeful reading.

Reading is a powerful tool of construction.

Life is a random occurrence that we mold and craft into a fun experience as we walk the journey laid by our purpose and that we enjoy as we unfold our meaning. This journey unfolds as we intentionally drive down the road of life, in the dark, unfolding a few meters at a time pressing on the speed pedal. If we stop, the road ends, but if we keep going, more miles will unfold as our headlights shine on. Along the way, we don’t just discover the road ahead, we pass by other cars and drivers, some we accompany for a few miles, some others we pass right away; some we check out because they look familiar, and some other ones we pay attention to. There are a few things we consider to determine our behavior and reaction to the cars we encounter – speed might come first in our mind, but what I’m thinking is information. You see, driving is a very incredible skill that too many underestimate. Speed control is just a fraction of the amazing puzzle that forms the art of driving. Life is driving. Driving is processing a certain amount of information to determine, in a fraction of a second, the right action, an action that is either preserving or destructive of your life and others. (That’s why it’s highly advisable to drive in pure sobriety. It’s also very demanding to become a great driver, however simple it sounds.) I know for a fact that the information you process to make the decision on the road was garnered little by little, over time, with fear and anxiety, just like we go through life... Just how life evolves through purposeful reading.

I’ve read a lot of books, just like I’ve passed a lot of cars on the highway. I learned at a very early age that reading is one of the very few things that we do that just conveys positive benefits. I’ve never heard of any disadvantages of reading! Moreover, my experience as a reader taught me something even deeper and way more profitable: We read to be and to become something and someone. Our becoming unfolds as we read and it’s that of a powerful telescope through which we observe the world in its immensity as it shrinks into our grasp as our brain expands into the reach of the universe. Reading is the most powerful visualizer of our future for it carries the three undeniable facets of our success story-building process: 1. The Information. 2. The Meaning. 3. The Journey.

Some authors convey information through their work. Information primarily constitutes our knowledge, which through mastery determines our aptitude and confidence. Some others convey meaning. Meaning is what I call the activating ingredient of any information or the propeller of anyone. When I discovered “Living Without Losing” by Pastor Don Polston, it brought meaning to what I knew and turned it into what I should be. Meaning activates your becoming through informative learning. The third group of authors I called the friends – they lay down a path that they intend to accompany you on. They share a story that you’ve lived and build a life that you’re building. Legendary of Tommy Breedlove, Born A Crime of Trevor Noah, and Will of Will Smith are among the few books and authors that relate to the deepest meaning of transformative reading. In summary, some authors inform you, some others enlighten your path, and some others transform you. But in the end, all of them combined create the harmonious journey of your becoming and perfect the art of driving… through life.

Let me clarify a few things from the previous lines. Understanding the importance of reading is an incredible advantage, but engaging in purposeful reading is even more of an outstanding value. Many are those who read without a purpose; they pile up information that later dies down the drain of unfulfillment. Information boosts confidence but doesn’t necessarily add character and value to it; the carrier of the information does, and for this to happen, one needs to develop meaning. These two combined create a path for an enjoyable journey, sustainable growth, and more importantly, a resounding impact on your surroundings. That’s what I mean by purposeful reading. John Wooden said: “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.” I agree and it’s a good thing that we can, not only develop our abilities in skills through reading but also uncover meaning that paves the way for character development.

A Compound Activity

Far from being passive, reading is one of the most inspiringly propulsive activities, whether it’s intentional or not. When one reads unintentionally, it shapes, crafts, and forms a hem of ideas and visions to create an actionable, purposeful pathway that potentially ramifies to great, sometimes life-changing discoveries. When one reads purposefully, it unlocks the unlimited flow of the mind. Either way, there’s a compound effect happening that is very transformative.

Moreover, reading is a bold act and is precursory to a lot of bold moves. Reading is what I call a compound activity, the first of a series of dominoes in anyone’s life-building journey. I experienced this when I started reading as a teenager. Reading leads to self-confidence and provides a canvas for dream and goal crafting, which eventually and inevitably inspires leadership and action-taking. As we read, our mind transforms. We garner information that is designed to make us whole. Information is powerful for it shapes our conception and dictates our perception. It’s like working out for the brain and mind. The same transformation we can observe in our bodies happens in our minds as we go through pages. Over time, we feel good about ourselves. That’s the power of holding a book that some people fail to grasp. Moreover, reading fuels persistent growth as it inspires and enlarges our spectrum of vision. We learn to dream as we see the world and our dreams grow as we grow into more possibilities and uncover more seas and continents. Reading launches the boat; purposeful reading sails it.

Lastly, a Revolutionary Tool

One of the best things I’ve experienced in life was how revolutionary reading can be. Reading can turn the most passive mind into the greatest warrior, especially when it’s purposeful. We can trace the seeds of every single social change and great revolution of any scale throughout history from the respective era’s contemporary authors’ pen and through the minds of those who read them. Reading isn’t just an act of ingurgitation of information, it’s also one of transformation, creative expansion, and self-recreating conquest. Most, if not all readers, over time experience an urge to produce and share some sort of meaningful content and end up writing themselves. It’s impossible to be a passive meaningless reader. You can start as a meaningless person, but each page you go through seeds an inevitable impactful revolution within your mind and trails a contagious urge to lead a change. In her book, "I Am Malala, she stated this compelling quote: “Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are the most powerful weapons. One child, one book, and one pen can change the world.” I’ll say along the lines that reading is the most constructive path, the most rewarding way, and the most revolting stance you can take for your life, your community, your country, and the world.

Read on.