Over the last 20 years, I built a habit of reading books.

I read over 115 books in the last 10 years, and 16 new books last year alone.

A big part of my personal growth came from building knowledge through books and actually practicing what I learned.

When I started my company from the living room with my dad in 2006, I needed to build a lot of knowledge fast.

Whenever I needed to learn about a technical or business topic, I grabbed a book and tried to put it into practice.

That is how the habit started for me.

Why I like reading books

• Distraction-free focus on one topic
• Deep, condensed knowledge from someone who spent years, sometimes decades, thinking about a subject
• Blue light-free reading, especially with an e-ink reader
• A meditative effect that helps me slow down and focus

At first, I mostly read physical books.

After the Amazon Kindle ebook reader was introduced in 2007, I switched to it and have used it since then.

It gives me almost all the benefits of a real book:

• distraction-free reading
• no blue light because of the e-ink display
• light and portable
• easy to carry everywhere

What helped me build the habit

Get an ebook reader

For me, this was the biggest habit unlock.

It is light and portable, so I can take it with me to appointments, cafés, waiting rooms, and on trips.

Download 3–5 free book samples before buying

This helps you get a sense of the author's writing style before committing to a book.

It also makes reading more enjoyable because you are less likely to force yourself through a book you do not actually like.

Use notes and vocabulary features

Taking notes and learning vocabulary is built in and synced to the cloud.

I find this very handy when I want to go through my highlights later on the computer.

Replace small moments of scrolling

Whenever I can, I try to grab the reader instead of watching Netflix.

I definitely do not always succeed.

But every time I do, I usually feel better after reading than after watching random content.

Small wins form the habit over time.

Some of my all-time favorite books

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• How Not to Die by Michael Greger
• Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
• The Psychology of Money
• A Random Walk Down Wall Street

Happy reading!