I Read 300+ Books & How They Have Changed Me

I have always been a curious person. I learn things just for the sake of learning. Although, in these times, everyone asks us to focus on a specific topic, I would argue that not everything has to have a utility. If we follow the former idea, we have to stop doing 90% of our endeavors

Books led me to places I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise without reading. The drive to know made me aware of human nature, psychology, and philosophy and appreciate our puny human life. Reading, without exaggeration, opened a true and real side of life.

When I was young, I used to experience sudden bursts of anger. I wasn’t aware of the source of why I was feeling the way I was feeling. It seemed a mystery. Once I started reading books on trauma and human nature, I became conscious of origins. Repressed emotions will find a way to show up and ruin everything we ever had.

Not just emotions; as I was peeling off layer after layer of myself, I was forced to deal with insecurities, vulnerabilities, and my worst fears. Without realizing, I was on the path of self-discovery. The moment I made peace with the dark side, opportunities began to surface in unexpected and interesting ways.

I understood my natural tendencies and how they interact with the things I do. Creative inclinations became strong as I was growing up. I asked myself, what is something that comes so naturally to me that others find it work? I discovered that I love writing. Started off with short stories as a practice, and I have published three books so far. All thanks to books.

Reading pushed me to be realistic and grounded. Almost in all aspects of life, we will be a bit dramatic and exaggerate things. Whether it is invisible potential, future plans, grandiose thinking, or even how important you think you are in the grand scheme of things. The future is never guaranteed, potential may never exist, and the universe doesn’t care about you.

You and I didn’t ask to be born. But we are here anyway. Contrary to what we believe, our time is so limited, hardly 4000 weeks. How rich we lived was decided by how much impact we made on society, either by creative disruption or social service. Principles, ideas, and values you followed will be carried by the people who got influenced by you.

Another aspect of reality that books taught me is that success or failure does not solely depend on hard work, discipline, and perseverance. Several factors influence us: where you were born, what childhood experiences you had, what trauma you have been through, the character you developed, the genetics your parents passed on, with whom you hang out, the lifestyle you follow, and so on. For most people, they all sound like lame excuses. But you cannot expect a Somalian national to become a billionaire by reading self-help finance books. You know what I mean.

There was a time I arrived at a crossroads. If there is no inherent purpose, and all our desires are manufactured, and expectations are placed on us so that we fit in, is it worth the effort? Is it worth following a path? Why not just give up and resort to off-grid living? No matter how dark and nihilistic life is, we can develop meaning in what we do and leave something behind us.

Of all, good books shatter illusions that we are influenced by people and society. And most people don’t come out of them, as the truth brings discomfort and uncertainty. Unlearning of ideas and beliefs, however, has to be done at whatever age a person is. The closer we are to the truth, the more meaningful and content we become with our existence.

Life cannot be lived again. As long as we are here, we need to know who was there before us, why things work the way they do, and what meaningful impact we can create. We shouldn’t just limit ourselves to the conventional path. To make human life ‘complete,’ we all have to be driven by curiosity. Because I see human life as a ticket. A ticket to experience the richness and beauty of the world.

I can go on with my rumblings, but I will conclude with this: the world needs more readers. More than ever, empathy, curiosity, and creativity are needed. The best way to develop these is to read. Read anything you are interested in. Consume and contribute. You will be remembered.