If you have an active Internet connection chances are, you follow some of the most successful business people out there.
I’m sure you’ve surely come across a lot of them speaking and crediting most of their knowledge to reading.
Reading certainly does help us gain more knowledge and makes us sharper than the average person.
I’ve come across entrepreneurs like Warren Buffet and other successful business people that claim to read over a 100 books a year and, like any avid reader, it has always inspired me to take my reading habits to the next level.
With that said, this post will address the burning question that most people new to reading have, which is :
“How much smarter does reading 100 books in 1 year actually make you?”
so let’s dig in.
With the right focus and comprehension, reading 100 books a year can make a notable difference and would make anyone relatively smarter.
Provided of course that the majority of these 100 books comprise of usable material.
Its not rocket science, to become smarter you need to consume the right information which is usually found in books that discuss and provide new knowledge that is fundamental to everyday life.
Therefore, reading a 100 books will only make you smarter if the material you read actually begins to redefine and impact how you think as well as how you live your everyday life.
Because, in the end, what’s the point of having so much knowledge if doesn’t do much for you or impact you in some way?
Things to Consider
Below are various things to consider and discuss if we are to figure out properly whether reading a 100 books a year would one smarter.
Because we need to discuss the various things that are critical determinants in making this possible.
The Material
Ofcourse the first thing that will determine the extent to which reading a 100 books a year would make somebody smarter is the actual material they are reading itself.
If you’re looking to books as a general way of improving your intelligence, then the first thing you need are books that can give you this.
People fall for the trap of thinking any material they read will make them intelligent. This is a serious pitfall and you’ll most likely not get intelligence if you approach reading in this manner.
Not all material is worth reading, just as anything out there. You need to find material that is worth reading.
If you’re reading fiction novels for example, what you’re getting essentially is a break down of the authors plot. Which can ofcourse stretch your brain a bit, make it light up enough to give you pleasure and give it some good imagination material.
But when it comes to such books giving you knowledge, they pretty much fall short. You may get some useful information here and there but not enough usable material to impact your intelligence.
So this has to be heavily taken into consideration when choosing the material that you read. Especially if you’re looking to use the knowledge and actually learn something.
For books to make you smarter, they need to offer you valuable information that can improve and broaden your core ideas.
In this sense, such a book would not only improve your knowledge, but it would also change your overall thought process.
This would then lead you to better decision making, improved thinking and some intelligence.
But it’s worth mentioning that not all books will do this. Some books teach rather than impact ones core foundation.
Books that teach can also be very important for learning because essentially getting smarter is a matter of knowing more than the next person.
All in all, the point I wish to make here is that it’s not how much you read but the quality of the material that you read or consume. This is the only thing that can improve your intelligence and make you smarter.
Not reading just to read. Do away with the misconception of “reading makes you smarter”… adopt the “reading certain material makes you smarter” mentality.
The Reader
What matters more than the material you’re reading is You.
Yes, You.
The readers ability to read the right way is another factor that would determine whether a 100 books a year would equal intelligence or the smarts.
Let me illustrate this with an example,
Everyone that’s been through school knows that not every person performs the best. Some people do better than others. And that’s OK, we are all built different after all.
Both physically and mentally.
The teacher may do their best to impart knowledge in students but that doesn’t guarantee a 100% pass rate. Why is that?
It’s because the learning process is different for everyone and everyone human out there leads a different life.
These differences impact how we basically consume and comprehend knowledge.
So, using the example as reference we can boldly state that passing in class is highly dependent on the student.
This is also the case with reading..
The same book put in front of different people would be comprehended and interpreted differently. Which means the level of knowledge that each person would walk away with would be purely subject to them.
So you have to figure out what kind of reader you are and how you basically learn.
This process will take you some time to figure out. But you’ll get to know more the more you essentially read.
Once you have an understanding of what works for you. Only then can use that skill of reading to use books to learn and get smarter.
Action Taking
One other thing that has to be looked at for the purposes of this discussion is how much action a person takes.
Listen, reading books is great but if they are to make an impact as significant as making us smarter. We have to go in with that mindset and learn as much as we can.
This involves being an action taker. By this I mean not only doing practical things that we learn from books but also implementing the core foundational wisdom that authors communicate to us through their writing.
Knowledge is only good if it can be used to better your life.
This is the point I need to stress because reading a 100 books a year isn’t a guarantee of intelligence unless what you read is of importance and changes how you carry out and live your everyday life.
So remember this the next time you pick out a book to learn something new or pursue unique knowledge.
Whats important is how much value that book will give you and the extent to which it can impact your life both practicality and theoretically.
Comprehension
Another factor that would determine whether a person would gain enough knowledge from reading a 100 books a year to make them smarter is comprehension.
Comprehension Is simply understanding and I use it here because how much information you’re able to understand is directly correlated to the intelligence you cultivate.
Being smart is not a magic pill that you simply swallow and wake up the next day with a shiny IQ similar to that of Elon Musk.
You need to wield comprehensible knowledge to be smart and if books are your medium for learning then you have to ensure that you highly focus on your comprehension.
People often deceive themselves and think that just by reading they can become smart. The truth is comprehension is the magic pill or the pot of gold that will provide you the Knowledge to apply in your daily life.
Therefore reading a 100 books a year can certainly make you smart if you read the right material, know how to optimally read, know how to use what you read and can comprehend the material you read.
If you lack in these areas, no amount of books will make a dent in your intelligence.
Is it hard to read 100 books a year?
Reading 100 books a year means reading a book approximately every 3 and a half days. It is certainly not easy. The average reader doesn’t even through more than 10 books a year.
Therefore reading 100 books is definitely a challenge but it’s not something that can not be done.
The disclaimer obviously is that you need a high level of commitment as well as discipline to pull off 100 books a year because its not easy.
Your best bet is to probably cultivate a good reading attitude and habit first and then start off climbing the 100 books a year mountain.
Does reading more matter?
Reading more certainly matters, if the reader has the ability to comprehend and understand what they’re reading.
The truth is, reading is just a skill as any, the more you do it the better you become at it, and not only that….
The more stuff you read the better you become at recognising quality and its opposite. This way you’re able to almost judge a book by its cover.
You’ll be able to know the stuff you want to read, it’s value and where you can get it.
so definitely, reading more matters a lot.
Final Thoughts
Like I earlier stated, with the right amount of focus and comprehension, reading 100 books a year can make a notable difference and would make anyone relatively smarter.
The only catch is that the quality of the material in the majority of these 100 books would have to be high to make it usable material.
Because to become smarter you need to consume the right information which is usually found in books that discuss and provide new knowledge fundamental to everyday life.
Therefore, reading a 100 books will only make you smarter if the material you read actually redefines and impacts how you think as well as how you live your everyday life.
Related Articles You Should Read
Can You Be Smart And Not Well Read?
How Long Does It Take To Read A 300 Page Book?
Can Reading Books Make You Smarter?
How Does Reading Empower A Person?
Additional Helpful Resources
Why reading 100 books a year won’t make you successful
Can reading make you smarter? | Books | The Guardian
Does Reading Make You Smarter? 7 Things to Know [Health Line]
