18. Blas Moros: Lessons From Reading 600+ Books & Connecting Big Ideas With The Latticework

The Reader's Journey

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways “Everything you learn comes back to help you in some way, shape, or form” – Blas MorosHow does Blas read 5-10 books a month while handling a full-time job, an 18-month old baby, and sleeping 8 hours a day?He sets aside an hour every morning just for reading and rarely misses it“That consistency day in day out is for me what’s made the biggest difference” – Blas MorosIf your phone is more attractive than a book you’re reading, you may want to find another book:“If a book doesn’t draw my attention enough for me to be willing to put down my phone then it’s a problem with the book or my interest in that topic” – Blas MorosDon’t feel guilty about quitting a book or feel the need to force yourself to finish a book you aren’t enjoying. The world is filled with amazing books, quit bad books and move on to better ones:“There’s a bit of sunk cost in that but much, much better to move on to something else that really does pull you in” – Blas MorosBlas recommends readers to sometimes take a break from jumping from one book to the next and instead take some time to reflect on what you’ve read “For me, taking a moment to step back and pause and get a big picture overview…has been more beneficial than reading the marginal book” – Blas MorosEvery now and then, instead of reading a new book, reread a book that changed your life“Rather than finding that new shiny thing…Revisiting those classics is often as beneficial if not more so” – Blas MorosIf there’s a book you loved, reread it by listening to the audiobook version of itJust as no man steps in the same river twice, no man reads the same book twice. When you reread one of your favorite books, you may spot parts that weren’t interesting to you the first time around.

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org

My guest today is  Blas Moros, a talented writer and the creator of a very popular blog called The Rabbit Hole, where he's shared 600+ book summaries, along with dozens of essays and other educational resources.

In our conversation, Blass shares advice on how to choose what book to read next, the value of taking notes and writing summaries, how to find time to read more, and more great reading tips.

He also talks about the importance of playing infinite games, explains the opportunity paradox, and shares details about his newest project, The Latticework–a multidisciplinary learning roadmap that curates, organizes, and interconnects valuable ideas.

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:55] - How Blas discovered his love for reading[05:10] - How Blas chooses what book to read next[06:10] - How to find more time to read[08:48] - Blas's note-taking & book summary process[10:48] - Ebooks vs audiobooks vs print books[11:52] - How Blas uses his book summaries to grow as a person[13:51] - What makes a book worth rereading[16:55] - Helpful reading tips for people just getting into reading[20:00] - Lessons from Blas's essay The Infinite Game [25:50] - Lessons from Blas's essay The Opportunity Paradox[31:30] - Why more discipline equals more freedom[33:24] - Blas's newest project: The Latticework[36:00] - What is  first-principle thinking & how did Elon Musk use it to build SpaceX & Tesla[40:10] - Explaining second-order thinking[41:40] - Two books that had a huge impact on Blas

Resources:

Twitter: @BlasMorosWebsite: blas.comThe Latticework

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