How do I focus on and filter through what I’m reading? It’s entirely reasonable to read and profit from reading without answering this question. You even profit from books that you don’t remember reading. But some books (most notably the Scriptures) demand more from you. I used to highlight extensively when I read, but my filter for what to highlight was very simplistic. Something like What resonates with me? or What jumps out to me? This is fine for some books. But it doesn’t work for every book. And it doesn’t work well for great books. I needed a better set of filters for reading carefully and creatively.
How do I organize and apply what I’m learning? At one point, I was reading 75-100 books a year. I would finish a book and export hundreds of highlights into Evernote. But then, they would sit there collecting dust. When I did review my highlights, I was surprised to discover how often I didn’t remember why I selected them in the first place. Or I would have some sense as to why I chose them, but I wouldn’t know what to do next. I needed a better system for developing, connecting, and synthesizing my notes.
How do I communicate creatively and effectively to others? For almost 5 years, I was writing a 6,000-7,000 word sermon every Sunday, but I was very skeptical of the formulaic outlines recommended in homiletics textbooks. The one-size-fits-all approach just didn’t seem to work for the rich and diverse texts in Scripture. I saw the same problem with many modern books. Just a bunch of chapters lined up in a row. Maybe some end-of-chapter discussion questions thrown in. But there seemed to be less and less thought put into the structure (internal and external) of the book. I needed better inspiration for arranging and communicating ideas.