Up until recently, I’d read books cover to cover without a thought of making note of anything. I’d tell myself if there was an important concept covered, I’d remember it somehow. And then I found myself reading dozens of books a year, barely remember any of them along the way. The worst example was when I read halfway through Robert Greene’s Mastery, without realizing I had already it read less than a year prior.
I realized this was an issue when I started getting requests for recommendations, and I couldn’t even form an opinion about most books, let alone summarize the key points.
I recently made a conscious effort to incorporate note taking back into my reading, and I’ve come to love the process. Bookmarks, notes and marginalia make reading an active experience. If your goal is to simply read and enjoy, you may not need this. But if your goal is to understand. To absorb the knowledge. Then it may be worth a try.
It’s more work. It’s slower, but for me at least, it’s helped me ensure I never squander an opportunity to learn a new concept.