| This is a fine guide for beginner and intermediate self-learners. To extend it, consider how to "go beyond the text". It is not enough to read in order to think better (upgrading mental models). The wise read in order to live better. "How can I connect the concepts in the text to an image, action, or experience?" "How do ideas in the form of words advance the progress of one's life and work?" Knowledge (concepts, ideas, theory, language) is valuable insofar as it shapes the practice of life. When there is a clear path from learning to doing, attention, focus, and engagement are naturally piqued. And without a clear means of applying knowledge, it's natural for attention to flow towards "distractions", because at a deeper level one knows that this knowledge, while perhaps generally valuable, isn't specifically valuable in the present moment. With the goal of extending the value of information beyond the sanitized realm of theory, reading becomes more fluid and joyful, and what were once "distractions" or "intrusive thoughts" become "flashes of inspiration" and "connecting the dots". With earnest intention to apply newly acquired knowledge to life beyond language, one simplifies the process of integrating new knowledge with old. |