One thing that I have noticed in my reading the past couple of weeks is how often great writers, and I can really only speak to the books that I’m reading, reference other people. I have started to gather long lists of people that have motivated the people that motivate me in my own thinking and creativity.
This has lead me to be curious about what I could be missing out on “sticking to the basics” or those books that are the ones that people always talk about. Atomic Habits, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Think and Grow Rich all great books, and what can I learn from the people that inspired the thoughts of the people that wrote those books? I do believe it’s true that there are no new thoughts, however, the synergy that can come from taking two people’s thoughts and then throwing my own brain into the mix is very exciting.
Life is a journey and though we share a planet together, no two journeys in the same place look the same. We all see this world in different ways, which is the coolest part about being human.
I think that’s the main point of this. Yes, people do great things, but all of those great things are there because of the people that came before them. Whether it’s books, podcasts, YouTube videos, conversations, speeches, movies, a newsletter, you name it in our world it is always possible that 1+1 can equal 3, 4 or even 5.
It’s not just about reading a book, it’s about how does this thought play with the one from a week ago. How does this story blend with this story, and how can I dig deeper into this topic to make me better understand that topic.
The possibilities are endless.