Read books that contradict your beliefs
Sometimes, the most valuable book you can read is the one that goes completely against what you believe. A book that challenges not just your views, but also the way most people around you think and live.
For years, I was deeply invested in hustle culture—working hard, setting ambitious goals, tracking everything with KPIs and OKRs. That was my framework for life and work. Then I came across a book called Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le Cunff, and it shifted my perspective in ways I didn’t expect.
The book gave me a completely different way to approach life. It wasn’t about discarding everything I believed, but about seeing that there are other ways to live and grow that don’t always align with constant striving.
I won’t go into the details of what I learned from the book here; that’s a topic for another article. But the real point I want to make is this: don’t set strict boundaries for yourself when it comes to reading. Don’t limit yourself only to the books that confirm what you already believe.
You don’t need to take immediate action on every idea you read. Just being open to ideas that contradict your worldview can be enough to spark change. Sometimes, that small shift in perspective can alter the way you see everything - just as it did for me.
And if it doesn’t? That’s okay too. As someone wisely said, “not every book needs to be finished.”