Reading Is Fundamental for Success

Reading is fundamental: students should read well beyond what was assigned at school, it pays.

Personally, I observed something very common among my colleagues in school. Many seem not to enjoy reading outside what was assigned at school. They don’t want to read and process nor do they want to follow and analyse situations as they unfold. All they wanted is to read academic textbooks and pour back to the lecturer for grades.

Reading, today, has become a difficult task and boring exercise that many of my friends (mostly students) avoid. Many of my colleagues in school during leisure prefer to play games, watch movies, follow TV shows and party to reading books on personal development and gain little extra knowledge that will liberate their entire life. Students of this generation are losing track of this vital value that is fundamental to intellectual development.

When I think back, neither of my parents read but are very influential in my love for reading(though my parents are driven by excellent academic performance only). My love of reading beyond what was assigned at school came from a church brother (Tobi Odelabi) who at some point started a small book selling business. It appears that I am very lucky to have (or for me to find) someone who will allow me to buy books on credit. Also, part of his job after buying on credit is to encourage me to read and grow in personal knowledge (little did I know those exercises were cumulative).

What most students fail to understand is that nobody will beg you to be disciplined, intentional, consistent and excellent. Only by reading good books can you develop those qualities.

For the longest time, I have always had a dogged attitude and mindset about reading and it came one day when I heard Bishop David Oyedepo say the following:

– Reading Is Understanding The Promises Of Life.

– Reading Is Escaping The Traps Of Average Living.

– Reading Is Refusing Existence But Embracing Living Life.

– Reading Is The Process Of Planting The Seed Of Life Into Your Good Heart On Purpose. You Nourish The Seed By More Reading, More Reading For Watering, More Reading For Cultivating And More Reading For Harvesting.

Every time I think about this, I say to myself that, “Eyitayo, never be lazy to read, it’s an easy way to help yourself.”

This statement is weighty and can be a scary one to say to yourself, but it changes everything.

The day you deeply understand that one of the easiest ways to help yourself is to read, then your actions, choices, and decisions will change.

You will stop giving up easily because of petty reasons and you will stop leaving your personal development in the hands of school or blaming people for the challenges in your life. You will have a stronger resolve to win more than the excuses that come with playing small and swimming in mediocrity. But all of these can only come when you read and process. Read and analyse. Read and project.