Last week, we started talking about tips for how to read a book. How do you pick up a book and find out if you even want to read it? Last week we talked about discriminate, which is to know what information you’re looking for; investigate, which is to look at the title, back cover and flip through to see if it fits what you’re looking for; and thirdly, to concentrate, where you focus and look for the truths and information you know the authors trying to share. Today we’ll cover the other four steps.

Integrate: What in the book stands out to you? I always read books with a pen. Some people will tell you to peruse through the first time before you bring out the pen. But I like to do it the first time, because when I’m reading a good book it’s like eating a good meal. I want to have a good fork and a good knife. So I go through and underline, mark and make notes in the margins.

The idea is to write down what you want to remember. And some things you want to actually move over to your journal. (If you don’t keep a journal, you should!) Personally, I even put different notes and ideas down in my prayer list if they really hit me in a way that makes me want to really think about the subject. So make sure you integrate the truths of the book.

Assimilate: This is where you take action on the points that stand out to you. Put the book’s truths into practice. Years ago I was taking golf lessons. The coach was right there with me and I was also being picked up by a camera. It was amazing how what I thought I was doing was totally different than what the camera was showing and what the coach was telling me. It wasn’t until I put the image and the advice together that I was able to assimilate.

You do the same thing when you’re reading information that will change your life—especially in the area of money, finance, business, and real estate investing. The only way you can assimilate it is to get in the game and begin to apply what you’re learning.

Articulate: Tell somebody else what you’re learning. One of the quickest ways to learn information is to actually teach it. When you share or articulate information, you have to be able to understand it. This is a great practice for making sure you truly grasp something. Are you able to articulate it in a way that the other person understands as well?

[tweetthis display_mode=”box”] One of the quickest ways to learn information is to actually teach it. [/tweetthis]

Resuscitate: This is when you go back to the book. I always say that you should read the really good books that impact your life once a year. They’re not just a one-time read.

So remember, it’s an old cliche. Leaders are readers. The more information that you get in you, the better you can learn, grow and become what God wants you to be. I want to encourage you to be a reader and a listener. There are a lot of quality audio programs out there you can listen to during your commute.

Be constantly feeding yourself information so you can learn, grow and change and become all God has for you to be. Thanks for watching.

Join me every Monday for tips on entrepreneurship and leadership.