The Internet and social media have made everyone’s life pretty much accessible.
Now more than ever, it is difficult to maintain a private life or stay completely anonymous.
But thanks to this open-source way of living where access is at our fingertips we are able to dig deep into the lives of some important figures in the world.
Billionaires and other opulent people are some of the most sought after people and the good part is almost all information about them is available online.
Most wealthy people are known to be avid readers and one question that was interesting to me was asked recently by one of my close friends.
The question is “Do Billionaires read?”
This post will discuss this and provide some context around it.
Having spent some time around wealthy people I have a general understanding of their lifestyle.
With that said, Do Billionaires read?
Most Billionaires are well read people and actually do read books. However, not all Billionaires read, contrary to the popular misconception.
Why some Billionaires don’t read as much
The reason why most Billionaires don’t spend as much time on reading as most people think, can be summed up into these two points below.
Work ethic
Being a billionaire is obviously no joke. Having accumulated all that wealth comes with a lot of responsibility as well as work.
While these kinds of people may want to spend much time reading. Their particular work may be demanding enough.
Time to allocate toward reading then becomes almost unavailable.
However, some Billionaires do read especially if their line of work demands certain knowledge contained in various books.
Therefore it would be wrong to assume that just because somebody is a billionaire, they won’t have time to read.
It’s certainly a possibility and most billionaires actually do admit that their work demands almost all of their time and energy.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of somebody running a billion dollar empire is a very complex lifestyle.
There’s just too many moving parts.
For example, somebody with that amount of wealth is obviously going to have busy and involving days filled with meetings, social gatherings, more meetings and a whole lot of other engagements that can keep them occupied for days.
In such situations, It would actually be difficult for somebody with that kind of lifestyle to be an avid reader.
Why do most Billionaires read books
inspiration
Most Billionaires read and use books as a means for inspiration.
History books are filled with various great men and women whose contribution toward the development of the world cannot be ignored.
Such material can be inspiring and can be a source of good ideas as well as motivation. Furthermore, Most books written in the early times have a great significance because they offer context of how the human has evolved over time.
This can be great information for a person with wealth.
Problem solving
We all read books for different reasons but one of the reasons why most wealthy people read books is to solve problems.
I interviewed somebody that is running a million dollar company and they were very open to tell me that books offer great reference material.
Which makes a lot of sense.
For example, a wealthy person who’s business is complicated may need to refer back to the books every now and then.
The ability of books being able to offer various lessons and information is the number one reason why most Billionaires out there read books.
Curiosity
Reading books is not always about attaining some goal or solving some complex problem.
Sometimes books are just a great source of entertainment and sometimes we are just tempted by a book title.
Genuine curiosity is another reason why wealthy people read books.
There are some great books out there that people recommend and we all know the urge of wanting to read a popular book.
Billionaires also have the urge to read books just out of there own curiosity to know what the book is all about.
Most people that have attained that level of wealth know the importance of books and just how valuable they can be.
How the wealthy people read
You want to read like a wealthy person?
Well, keep reading these two things I discuss below will help you get a better perspective about reading and how you can read books better.
Book selection
Wealthy people don’t take their time for granted and we can all agree that you don’t get to billionaire status without being able to handle your time efficiently.
Which is why wealthy people take a lot of time to pick the right book.
Choosing the right book is very important in any form of reading for any reader.
You want to make sure that you pick a book that you think will offer you the most genuine value.
If you randomly select books to read You waste your time each time you figure out that a book you picked isn’t necessarily what you wanted to read.
Reading speed
Most people think speed reading is the best way to read. This is not the case.
Contrary to popular belief most wealthy people read books slower than the average reader. This is done to understand and consume the book better.
Rushing through a book is a recipe for poor comprehension.
Therefore, if you’re looking to read better and improve your overall reading. Check your speed reading and see if it matches your comprehension.
It probably won’t.
Perfect your reading by choosing the right material and take your time to read it so you understand it better.
Popular book genres read by wealthy people
Below are some popular book genres that wealthy people have spoken about and like to read.
Philosophy
most wealth people speak about reading Philosophy.
Philosophy is one genre that most people like to read especially wealthy people.
The reason for this is pretty much simple.
Philosophy opens the door to deep Philosophical inquiry that can make the reader begin to know how to think about things that revolve them and their life.
Science
Science is another popularly read genre by wealthy people.
The reason for this is because Science is how we understand the world and it offers good explanations about our existence.
Math
math is another book genre popular around the wealthy people.
Complex math like game theory is something that is talked about a lot by wealthy people.
They like to read it because it gives them problem solving abilities which are essential in dealing with people and everyday life.
History
History is another genre that most Billionaires read. Mostly because of the lessons that History has to offer.
It is also a means of inspiration as well as a reference point for heavy subjects like finance, technology and science.
Related Articles You Should Read
Can Reading Books Make You Smarter?
Can Reading Books Make You Rich?
Do Business People Read A Lot?
Can Reading Change Your Personality?
Additional Resources
Billionaires And Their Reading Habits | TDT library
Bill Gates and Other Billionaires Say This 1 Habit is the Secret – Inc
5 Self-Made Billionaires On The Importance of Reading – Baos.pub
What Kind Of Books Do Billionaires Read? – Zksnyder.com
I Studied Millionaires for 5 Years, and I Found That They Read – Business Insider
The Reading Habits Of The Wealthiest People In The World – Blinkist
7 ‘rich habits’ of highly successful people – CNBC
10 Favorite Books Of Billionaires Every Entrepreneur Should – Alejandro Cremades
