Here’s a Tool that Can Help You Be Smarter, Think on Your Feet, and Be More Socially Aware – and You Probably Already Have It in Your Home

Everyone hopes that there is a get-rich-quick scheme out there that can help them be successful. We pray and we dream about a magic pill, or one endeavor that can make us millions and can make others look up to us. We hope to inspire people. We hope to help people. We also hope that it will be easy. While there isn’t a magic pill that can magically make you successful (Ginseng is pretty close though), there is one thing that everyone has in their home (or at least 99% of you) that can almost guarantee success. What is it? It’s a book.

No there isn’t a specific book that will ensure success. Instead of picking up one book that may help you, why not read voraciously? Why? Because every book that you read adds to your knowledgebase. Not only that, it also:

1. Keeps Your Mind Stimulated. When we get home from work, sometimes we just want to sit on the couch and relax out in front of the TV. Why? Because we want to be entertained, but we don’t want to have to do a lot of…thinking. Right? If this sounds like you, then I believe you may have two options that can suit your needs without costing you brain cells (watching TV really isn’t good for you, after all).

If you’re tired and just want to relax, why not spend a half an hour reflecting on your day in a hot bath or in your favorite easy chair? It will engage your mind so that you’ll be actively cataloguing the entire stimulus that has bombarded your brain throughout the day. If that doesn’t suit your needs, why not pick up a book instead. You can still sit in your favorite chair (or even hop in a warm bath) and relax. You’ll be entertained and your brain will be engaged.

2. Helps Keep Your Memory Sharp. As we get older, our brain and certain brain functions begin to deteriorate. I don’t claim to know how old you are but I do know that no matter what physical age you are, your memory will benefit from the exercise that it gets from reading.

When you read a book, your brain has to remember the various story lines, characters, backgrounds, and other details that are involved in that book. That’s why reading is a form of a memory exercise – like that card game that you used to play as a kid except more entertaining as an adult.

3. Helps You With Your Writing Skills. In truth, it helps you with communication in general. It adds to your vocabulary, and shows you examples of various social situations without leaving the comfort of your easy chair. Personally, I love to read while I’m on the treadmill. I usually just play a book on tape but if I’m going at an easy pace, I can also set my Kindle on a stand next to the treadmill.

However, in particular, reading helps writers by influencing them, opening their eyes to new types of writing styles, and observing other unique writing quirks (like cadence, word choice, and structure).

These are only three of the thousands of ways that reading can help your mental (and physical) health. It also helps you succeed by keeping your brain active and engaged – so you get smarter.

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