Imperativeness of reading and creative use of mind (2)

Continued from yesterday
LEADERS are curious, always learning. They are ever in search of new information, new points of view. Walk into their offices and you will find stacks of books, meet them and you will hear stories about their latest discoveries. They are ever learning and they seem to have minds that are more divergent than convergent.

Our reading habits closely equal our thinking habits. To become a good thinker, it follows that you become a good reader. What a person does on disciplinary and consistent basis gets him ready no matter what the goal is.

Leadership ability is dynamic, no matter your current position whether as a high-grade student or top execute, there is always room for improvement. For instance, while most leaders reach their peak while in office and expire or become irrelevant afterward, others continue to grow and shine even better, leaders like Jimmy Carter, Abraham Lincoln, John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Chief Bola Ige about whom Kunle Ajibade, author of “Jailed for life” commented in his book: “I suppose that extensive reading is the root of his cultural sophistication and substantial talent to make a quick connection between the quotidian and extraordinary, between the domestic and international.” These men continue to read until their very end, and when they speak, it is laden with great wisdom, little wonder they are often quoted. It was Aldous Huxley who said: “Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply his ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant and interesting.” It is what you learn after you think you know it all that counts.

People’s attitude to books and reading speaks volumes about their mindset, today if you see people with the attitude that they are already educated and rely on their past skills and knowledge, you will not be seeing them much longer, they will lose their career to intense global competition and new technology. Successful people in all callings, never stop acquiring specialised knowledge related to their purpose, business and interest. The truth is that people who expect to keep up in today’s world must expose themselves to life-long learning. You have to add value to what you are doing so that your customers perceive you and your products are superior to those of your competitors.

In fact, our real source of wealth in life is the information and knowledge we have inside of us for taking action. Henry Ford said: “My wealth is not in material possession. My wealth is in the information I know and the information I know how to get my hands on if everything were taken away and have no more possession or wealth. I would have it all back in less than five years because of the information I have.” Indeed, the poorest man is not he who has no money, but he who is without idea; in fact, of all forms of poverty, poverty of ideas is the worst. Good ideas can only come from reading, learning and acquiring knowledge and skills.
Concluded.
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