How To Quickly Read And Remember 150+ Books Per Year

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2 Apr 2024

Every year, I read over one hundred and fifty books.
People often ask me, “how do you remember so much of what you read?” And recently, I’ve been asked in the comments of my YouTube channel:
“How do you get so much out of your books when you read?”
“Could you make a video on how you learn things?…I watch and read a bunch of books on self-improvement but have no idea how to apply them.”
This article will answer these questions. In this article you will learn the 4 crucial steps to apply to both read and master 150+ books per year, without needing large amounts of time.
These principles will help you read more books, transform your mind, and remember FAR more of what you read.
Let’s get started.

Really quick: there are actually 3 ways to enjoy this article:
1. Watch this YouTube video: How I Read (and Remember) 150 Books per Year — 4 Tips for Reading More — YouTube
2. Listen to this episode of the Dr. Benjamin Hardy Show (available on any podcast streaming service)
3. Continue reading this article (includes bonus content not available anywhere else)

1. Listen to Books

“Your input determines your outlook. Your outlook determines your output, and your output determines your future.” — Zig Ziglar

I use the Audible app to listen to about 90% of the books I read. I increase the speed substantially beyond the base narration, which is usually very slow.
As you develop reading skills, you will be able to comprehend and enjoy continually faster levels of listening speed on Audible.
If I find a very, very, good book, I will then get it on Kindle and comb through it, looking for specific quotes and sections.
Where do I find time to listen to so many books?
I listen to books on my commutes. I listen to books while walking around my neighborhood every day. I choose to spend my time on books, far more so than any other form of input.
Research shows that most people spend 5+ hours on their phones every single day scrolling through social media or other inputs.
Garbage in, garbage out.
If you spend your time consuming junk media, your brain’s performance will be affected accordingly, just as your body would in response to junk food.
I invite you to let go of at least 80% of the things you’re listening to. By the 80–20 rule, 80% of the inputs you are consuming are beneath your standard and not helping you progress.
When you raise your floor and do this, you’ll instantly have that time to devote to audiobooks instead.
You’ll begin to have higher thoughts, goals, and ambitions.
You’ll begin to spend time with higher-quality people.
You’ll have a higher sense of purpose and personality.
Your standard is that which you are most committed to. Your standard is how you raise the floor.
You literally train your brain and mind with the inputs and worldview you give it. When you raise the floor and increase the quality of what you consume, you train and optimize your brain for completely different things.
Different ways of thinking.
Different goals.
Different identity.
Why books specifically?
In The Rise of Superman, Steven Kotler explains the inherent value of reading written, published, books, as opposed to other forms of information and content. He explains that books are far more valuable because they are far more refined and edit than the typical YouTube video, podcast, or even blog post like this one.
Books are far more compressed in wisdom and depth than any other form of content. The barriers to entry to write a book are much higher. The effort required is much deeper.
Books are worth probably 5–10x as much as an article like this, or any other form of short-form content you’ll find on the internet.

2. Focus On Books Relevant To Your Goals

“People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It’s as simple as that.” — Earl Nightingale

I don’t study books that I think I “might” use 5–10 years down the road from now.
I study that which will help me now.
“What am I trying to understand and apply right now?” guides every decision with regards to what I read and listen to.
This usually leads me to a few key books during any particular period of time.
Going really deep into a few key books goes a really long way.
As an example, one book that I have studied very thoughtfully and thoroughly over the last 1–2 years is Antifragile by Nassim Taleb.
This next time I read it, it will be with a different lens and a different perspective. I am working deeply in the concept of “raising the floor” shared earlier in this article, and that’s one of the core principles of Antifragile. I’ll be writing about raising your floor in my next book. I’m also training concepts on this concept in my leadership trainings and keynotes.
Thus, reading this book multiple times is very interesting to me and very useful and relevant to my current goals. I’ll be going through this book looking for just this one idea and filtering everything I read from that specific perspective.
What are your current goals?
What is the pathway to getting there?
It is very powerful to understand a concept deeply. I’ve gone through many books multiple times, just looking for one idea.

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” — Bruce Lee

This is mastery rather than the shallows.
When you go deep in one idea, you will develop mastery in that concept or idea.
Our brains are really powerful. They can filter for specific things.
Even reading this article looking for a singular idea and from different angles will transform the way that you read and learn.
This is how you develop innovativeness in your thinking.
A final thought: sometimes it’s very useful to occasionally go WAY outside your typical sphere. As an example, I’ll sometimes read fiction, even though usually I’m reading books in deep conceptual psychology, systems theory, business, and leadership.
Going way outside your typical reading space will get the gears of your mind churning in a different way. It will lead to new ideas and new insights.

3. Drop Books That Don’t Meet Your Standard

“It doesn’t take long to figure out if something is worth reading…Quit books quickly and without guilt or shame. Life is too short to waste it on average books. The opportunity cost is too high. There are so many amazing things to read.” — James Clear

I’m often asked, “do you finish all of the books that you read?”
The answer is NO.
If I’m not captivated by a book within the first hour of listening, I usually toss it.
I have no regret throwing away stuff when I know that it’s just not a good fit.
Continuing to read a book that doesn’t help you is to fall prey to sunk-cost bias. Sunk-cost bias is when people continue to invest in something just because they’re already somewhat invested into it. This leads people to continuing on bad paths, even when they know it’s a bad path.

“[Sunk-cost bias is] our tendency to continue investing in a losing proposition because of what it’s already cost us.” — Dr. Margie Warrell

Don’t force yourself to finish books. There is absolutely no compulsion to finish a book just because you started it.

4. Teach And Experiment With What You Read

Speaking and writing are output forms of learning, forcing your brain to act in much more creative ways than simply listening or reading alone (which are inputs).
While I’m listening to a book, I’m thinking about how I would actually use it in my life. I write my thoughts down, and then I try to explain them to other people.
Talk about and teach what you’re reading. Take notes as you listen and as you read. Use what you are leaning in your life. Above all, combine what you’re learning with new ideas.
Creativity simply means the combining of concepts and ideas in a new way.
Think through what you’re learning and think through it in different applications.
As an example, while listening to Hidden Potential by Adam Grant, I immediately learned new ideas directly relevant to my work.
In his book, Grant shares the stories of different educational systems. He states that in superior educational environments, the “floor” is very high. There’s a smaller range of variance between the ceiling and the floor, or between the competence of students. Both the floor and ceiling of expectation are very high, with a smaller gap in between them. Whereas in bad educational environments, the ceiling may still be high due to some outliers, but the floor or minimum expectation required is very low.
I starting sending audio clips regarding this concept to different people in my life. I also started writing on my whiteboard how the different ideas Grant was sharing in his book apply to the “floor” concept I’ve been studying.
If you proactively test new ideas and knowledge, you will get very far in life. You’ll remember far more of what you read.

Conclusion: You’re One Book Away

One of the best books in the last year that I have read is The 80/20 Individual by Richard Koch. It’s a book that I wish I had read while writing 10x is Easier than 2x.
By simply reading that one book, I have learned countless ideas that have helped me train leadership teams of large organizations. Through one book, I learned that you are only one “Who” away from going 10X. This one idea has been transformational in my work.
Books can give you that one idea. Books hold power.
I challenge you to read (or listen to) more books, and to weed out 80% of the media that you’re consuming.
80% of how you’re spending your time is likely a waste of time. Reading really good books, especially if you’re applying and digesting the ideas shared towards your goals, and trying to use the ideas you learn, is one of the best uses for your time.
You can make leaps every year. If you apply these principles, in a year from now your mind, your knowledge, your vision, and your understanding of your field will be in a totally different place.