10 Practical Reasons Why I Love Reading

by Adrian Pantonial 

My passion for reading books began when my father died in 1997. That was the time when I was plagued with so many questions about life. Because I am the eldest among five siblings, I felt responsible for them and was forced to find the answers to these questions – so I turned to books to quench my thirst for wisdom. (Eventually, in 2013, my mom passed on as well.)

Photo from http://www.forbes.com

I vividly remember the first ever book on sale I bought from a book store. It was titled “Life Preservers” by Harriet Learner Ph.D., which a few years down the road, I gave to my Aunt Liza while we’re having our Conversational English Tutorial lessons.

That book started my insatiable passion for reading self-help books. There was even a time when I tried to stay away from book stores because, even if I don’t have enough money, I was tempted not to leave those places without buying a book or two. And as my personal evolution swept through time and space, my preference for literary reading diversified as well.

Here are the top 10 reasons why I love reading:

1.) Personal and Professional Growth – Reading helps me grow as a person, expanding my views in life, affecting my every personal and professional decisions.

2.) Leadership Booster – I believe that great leaders are great readers. The more you read and apply what you read in your life, the better you lead.

3.) Boredom Buster – It sets me free from boredom. I am able to use my time wisely and productively.

4.) Communication Skills Enhancer – Reading widens my expertise as a wordsmith, which I use in writing in and outside the workplace, for my online blogging, and for writing encouraging notes to family and friends.

5.) Success Toolkit – One of my lifetime goals is to be able to write my own best-selling book someday. And right now, reading different kinds of materials about my target genre and market, help me better conceptualize my masterpiece-in-progress.

6.) Learning from the Best – Through reading, I get to mingle and pick the brains of people whom I may never meet in person like my favorite authors.

7.) Virtual Traveling – Reading allows me to travel to places I have never been to. It makes me vicariously experience situations that I may either only dream of (or loathe). But however which way, I’d still gain invaluable insights.

8.) Counseling Aid – Through this helpful habit, I’m empowered to give better advice to people, especially when I don’t have a personal experience about what they’re seeking counsel for.

9.) Brain Enhancer – Our mind is the central processing unit of our body and the factory where all our hopes and dreams are formed. It’s definitely something we should invest on. Unlike rubber, our brain, once stretched (figuratively speaking), may never return to its original capacity.

10.) Keeps Me Fully Awake and Alive – Being a bibliophile is the only positive addiction I know so far which keeps my faith, hope, and love alive for the best things in life.

If the late Winston Churchill said, “Never, never, never quit!” I say, “Never, never, never stop learning!”

Question: How about you? What keeps you reading? 😉