Readers are sexy. Period.

According to this study, women found intelligent guys sexier than those with average intelligence. In
fact, intelligence was rated as one of the most sought after qualities women look for in men according to
another study .

In the era of technology, we hardly have time for books. The kind of lifestyle we are living in, everyone’s
rushing to meet the deadlines.

For me it became monotonous. I wanted to pick a new hobby and that’s when I decided to READ.

In the year 2016, I took my diary and made a plan —

First 3 months —

Weekly target — 10 pages a day which means around 70 pages/week

2. Monthly Target — 1 book/month

Based on a study, it takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to create a lifestyle. I was half-past my
2nd month, I started to realize that books started to become an addiction for me. I stopped watching TV,
unnecessary scrolls on the internet or social media, all I did — Reading after my office work.

By the end of 2016, I finished reading 14 books. By the end of 2017, I was on my 44th book and it grew
exponentially.

Now I’m reding my 467th book and simultaneously writing one ….

So how I became an avid reader and why should you start reading books?

Booklover (Image source and credits: Bookstr)

Opened the door to the world — I really liked the way it boosted my imagination, intelligence, and
creativity

It felt like I gave life to the words that are written in the books. I re-mapped and re-imagined the sights,
sounds, and smells of the story. It made me very imaginative and pragmatic at the same time. Reading
became the best way to learn and retain information in my case. I learned that people are living
completely different lives in fascinating cultures and there is a lot to learn about how people live all over
the globe. You learn about far-away places and more in-depth knowledge about different cultures and
ideologies.

Reading changed my life

Some books have the power to change your life and perspective. You learn the art of reflection. Books
like “When Breathe becomes air” and “Wild: Journey from Lost to Found” made a huge impact on my
life. These books connected with me on a deep level. I got access to many more lives through
biographies and fiction. They got inside me and changed who I am. Yes, that’s the power of reading — it
changes you, and like many journeys, you’re never the same afterward.

Improved my thinking skills and inculcated empathy

Reading enhanced my analytical and thinking skills exponentially. You become curious and can spot
patterns quickly than others who don’t read. It also improves your writing skills like they say good
readers are also good writers as it improves your writing confidence. Reading doesn’t just improve IQ
but also EQ. It’s a great way to get inside the writer's head and find out their thoughts and feelings.
Instead of living an insular life where you can only see things from your own viewpoint, you can open up
to what others see. As an avid reader, you welcome other’s opinions where your own opinion can be
different.

It helped me prioritize my goals, discipline and time management

Reading opens you up to a new world of possibilities and ideas. I started to live and learn in worldly
views and since reading became a commitment I started prioritizing my goals, work, and deliverables.
Like they say reading can make you question what you actually want and re-organize your priorities and
commitments. You learn the art of time management.

It improved my mental health, focus, and concentration

In the world which is full of chaos, we are almost always busy multi-tasking. Reading demands full
concentration otherwise you lose the plot. It improved my ability to focus and concentrate which
directly led me to read more books. Studies have shown that mental activities like reading can slow
down the progress of Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss, and dementia. A book can make you feel happy
with its twists, plots, and endings.

Created new friendships and bonds over books

I met so many people who shared the same passion for books and different topics of life. You find that
your ability to start conversations become easier. I made so many “book” friends like my trekking friends
group which is growing every day. You find new people, interesting conversations, their life stories,
different opinions from different parts of the world. It broadens your awareness and perspective on life.
You grow with like-minded people around you.

Discovered ME and became a wisdom seeker

So many times I lost myself in a book. I got so deeply involved and invested that I forgot about the
world. You can learn a lot about yourself by reading. Books filled my head with knowledge, facts,
opinions, and stories. With all the information I built inner wisdom as I learned from people's life
lessons, stories or experiences and understand the inner working of this world. I got surprised/amazed
at so many things.

Got an idea to write a book on my life’s adventures

All my life I had so many different adventures by traveling to different countries, meeting people from
different demographics and cultures and survived in the harshest situation. There are so many things to
tell and write. So I designed my own book cover page, detailed outline and now writing 167th page of
my book.