If you know me by now, you likely know that I’m an avid reader. Or at least, I was.

When I first started reading, I felt like I had to get my hands on every self-help book I could find. I would read a book or two every week and easily hit 50+ books a year. That was until I realized a lot of what I was reading didn’t even stick.

Granted, I took notes and outlines on everything I read. But if you told me to recite a book from memory, all I could regurgitate was a watered down version that could easily be beaten with a five-minute cliff-note peek.

Another reason why I slowed down how much I read was because of a parable I heard on a podcast. They were talking about the exact problem I had—the overconsumption of books.

There was once a book merchant who loaded a sack of books onto his donkey as he was traveling to the next town on his list.

As he and his donkey made their way along a dirt path, someone walked by and joked, “That must be the wisest donkey in the world.”

The merchant laughed and replied, “He carries the books, but he does not read them.”

Right behind the man who said the first remark was an old scholar, who added, “Many men are not different.”

It’s a short story, but it highlights the fact that there are lots of people who are just like the book carrying donkey—myself included. We accumulate books, quotes, podcasts, and knowledge like people collect decorations. We might even read or listen to them all. But when you carry so much information at once, it simply becomes luggage, and not a tool to be used.

So take it from me, don’t feel as though you need to check every box when it comes to books, courses or classes. Focus on what you need now, rather than carrying it until you think you do.

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m still in the middle of rereading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. A philosophical oriented guide to life written by one of the greatest Emperors of Rome.

Quote Of The Week - “The mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” — Najwa Zebian