- Airplane Mode: More Signal, Less Noise
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- Stop Procrastination. Start Mastering Knowledge.
Stop Procrastination. Start Mastering Knowledge.
One reading mindset shift changes everything..
Connor Sell
February 11, 2024
Sponsored by
Welcome to Airplane Mode’s 28th Edition - time flies! Whether you’re returning from your travels over the last seven days we’ve been apart, or you’ve just joined us - I’m glad that you’re here. Why am I glad that you’re here? Fine question dear reader. As we age, our tastes become more refined. We can distinguish between what is extremely valuable, deeply valuable, and simply valuable. This growth in taste allows us to identify what excites us, what we enjoy, and what brings us passion and insight. Today's edition is something I’m excited about, and I believe will help free some of you from false notions of security, similar to elephants tied to a rope and stake at the circus. Sometimes we limit ourselves with flimsy restraints. That was me, flimsy, and restrained.
What is the problem you ask? What is the self-made prison? The idea that we have to finish all the books we start, from cover to cover! This is propaganda, this is noise, this is not true and is not how we achieve the highest signal to noise ratios possible. How do I know? Because I was there until two years ago. I painstakingly turned every page even when it didn’t get me anywhere, because every book just had to be finished or I was a failure and a fraud. Sound absurd? Okay, skip this edition because you don’t have this problem. Sound about right? This one’s for you!
Vote Now 🎯
Confessions of a Recovering Completionist 📚
Remember that stack of half-finished business books lurking on your shelf? Yep, me too. Used to be, 'DNF' (Did Not Finish) was a four-letter word in my vocabulary. I'd buy into the hype, only to hit page 65 wishing I could refund my reading hours. Sound familiar? But then, a sneaky little mindset shift changed everything.. A re-frame…
Pushback
Look, I get the pushback. Book lovers unite! Isn't abandoning a book like turning away food you paid for? Or worse, insulting the wisdom within its pages? And hey, doesn't chapter 23 hold ALL the business-changing secrets? Well, I'm here to tell you... not always. And you know it! Sometimes it pays to save that psychic energy for time investments that will pay much higher dividends, that fit more naturally with your nature and interests. Tim Ferris is worth a listen on this topic, saving mental energy.
Picking the Meat, Ditching the Bones
Think like a master chef. They don't eat every scrap from the fridge; they grab the choicest cuts, crafting culinary delights. We need to become knowledge chefs. Skim the menu (intro, summaries), target the ingredients that build you and your business, and relish those bites for all they're worth. The rest? Leave it on the plate and get back to work!
Why This "Sin" Pays Dividends
• Win Back Your Life: Imagine ditching weeks of trudging through mediocre chapters and getting 3x, 6x, 9x the valuable insights from well-chosen books. (Hello, more free evenings!)
• Memory Master: Our brains don't work like storage lockers. Strategically targeting what you read reinforces information for when you need it most. We only have a given amount of RAM and Hard Drive per se, use it wisely (Jim Kwik Brain-Health Specialist is worth checking out).
• Inspiration Ignition: Sometimes, the gem of a book isn't on page 300, but in the idea it sparks and the resources you then go devour. What do I mean? Just start reading. Pick a page, read it, get inspired.
Break the Completionist Spell
Here's your mission: Choose a book you've been putting off. Now, cheat a little:
1. Scan Summaries: Hit up an app or website that does book summaries (I'll point you towards some good ones below).
2. Pinpoint Your Gold: What ONE problem do you need to solve, or skill to learn, right now?
3. Lasers, Not Shotguns: Skim-hunt solely for the sections offering up solutions you can use TODAY.
Yours, the world is yours!
Book Corner: Get More Juice, Less Pages
• "Sprint" by Jake Knapp: Slash those endless strategy meetings, get ideas moving FAST.
• "The Art of Thinking Clearly" by Rolf Dobelli: See hidden biases sabotaging your best decisions.
Ace Update
Ace is the type of man who never felt guilty about skimming books and not completing them. He did this with piloting, sniper school, counter-intel, elementary school, and almost ashamedly - Sunday School! Ace told Neil Armstrong to “fly to the moon” at a cocktail party one night, and you think he gives a rip about book skimming? This man is a non-completionist if the world has ever known one. He’s got a ticket to ride… on his haters!
"If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter."
Thank you for reading Airplane Mode! Consider sending me an email with your thoughts, comments, or concerns - or don’t! Either way hopefully this newsletter brought some actual value, even if it’s just Ace. You can reply directly to this email or you can reach me at LinkedIn, Twitter, or [email protected].
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