How To Get Clear On What To Read (And What To Avoid!)

The average CEO reads 60 books per year. Warren Buffett spends 80% of his workday reading. Bill Gates devours 50 books annually.

Why? Because they understand what most people don’t – not all reading is created equal. Some books will launch you forward like a rocket, while others will drain your time like a leaky bucket.

The Reading Paradox: More Books ≠ More Wisdom

We live in the most information-rich era in human history, with over 2 million new books published each year. Yet most people report feeling more overwhelmed than enlightened by their reading habits. The brutal truth? You could spend your entire life reading mediocre books and end up no wiser than when you started.

“The person who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the person who can’t read them.” – Mark Twain (paraphrased)

The 4 Types of Books (And Which to Avoid)

Through analyzing hundreds of productivity systems and reading habits of highly successful people, I’ve identified four distinct categories of books:

1. Foundation Builders (Must-Read)

These are the books that create seismic shifts in your thinking and productivity. They’re often referenced by other great thinkers and stand the test of time. Examples:

Atomic Habits by James Clear (the science of habit formation)
Deep Work by Cal Newport (mastering focused attention)
Essentialism by Greg McKeown (the disciplined pursuit of less)

These books have what author Shane Parrish calls “timeless wisdom” – principles that will be just as valuable 50 years from now as they are today.

2. Skill Accelerators (Read Selectively)

Books that help you develop specific high-value skills relevant to your goals. For example:

If you want to improve writing: On Writing Well by William Zinsser
For persuasion: Influence by Robert Cialdini
For business: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

The key is ruthless specificity – only read what directly moves your current projects forward 10.

3. Mental Models (Occasional Reading)

These books expand your thinking frameworks but don’t necessarily lead to immediate action. Examples include philosophy, biographies of great thinkers, or books about how the world works like Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari.

4. Time Vampires (Avoid)

The dangerous category – books that feel productive but actually drain your time and focus:

Books about productivity that don’t offer new systems (just rehash old ideas)
Trending business books with catchy titles but little substance
Any book you’re reading just to say you’ve read it

As Greg McKeown warns in Essentialism: “If it isn’t a clear yes, then it’s a clear no”.

The 5 Filters for Choosing Your Next Book

How do you practically apply this framework? Use these five filters from top performers:

The Recommendation Filter: Is this book recommended by someone whose judgment I deeply respect? (Example: Make Time was transformational for medical student Maggie)
The Timelessness Filter: Has this book remained relevant for at least 5-10 years? (GTD by David Allen remains powerful after 20+ years)
The Actionability Filter: Can I apply at least one idea from this book immediately? (The 12 Week Year forces immediate implementation)
The Depth Filter: Does this offer original research or insights I can’t get from a summary? (The Power of Habit combines neuroscience with practical application)
The Enjoyment Filter: Am I genuinely excited to read this? (Your engagement determines retention)

“Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” – Edmund Burke

The Dark Side of Reading: When Books Become Procrastination

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: reading can become its own form of procrastination. How?

Constantly searching for the “perfect” productivity system rather than taking action
Reading about success instead of building something
Using reading as avoidance from difficult creative work

As Tim Ferriss warns: “Being busy is a form of laziness – lazy thinking and indiscriminate action”.

The solution? Implement the “Read Then Do” rule: for every hour spent reading, spend at least 30 minutes applying what you learned.

Your Personal Reading Roadmap

Now, let’s build your personalized reading plan:

Identify Your Current Priority: What’s the #1 area you need to grow right now? (Career, health, relationships, etc.)
Select 1 Foundation Book: Choose one timeless book in that area using the filters above.
Add 1 Skill Book: Pick one book to develop a specific skill related to your priority.
Schedule Implementation Time: For every reading session, block equal time for application.
Create a “Not To Read” List: Actively identify trendy or irrelevant books to avoid.

Remember what Seneca said: “You must linger among a limited number of master thinkers, and digest their works, if you would derive ideas that shall win firm hold in your mind.”

The Ultimate Reading Hack

Here’s a counterintuitive secret from top performers: they re-read the best books. Naval Ravikant reads The Bhagavad Gita annually.

Charlie Munger revisits Influence constantly. Why? Mastery comes from depth, not breadth.

Your challenge: Pick one foundational book from your list and commit to reading it twice this year, with spaced implementation periods in between. You’ll gain more from this than reading 20 mediocre books.

Scannable Key Learnings-Summarized

How to Get Clear on What to Read (And What to Avoid)

Key Concept	Takeaways	Actionable Tips
The Reading Paradox	More books ≠ more wisdom. Quality over quantity matters.	Focus on books with timeless principles, not just trendy titles.
4 Types of Books	1. Foundation Builders (must-read) 2. Skill Accelerators (selective) 3. Mental Models (occasional) 4. Time Vampires (avoid)	Audit your reading list—eliminate “time vampires.” Prioritize books that align with current goals.
5 Book Selection Filters	1. Recommendation 2. Timelessness 3. Actionability 4. Depth 5. Enjoyment	Apply these filters before starting any new book. If it fails 3+, skip it.
The Dark Side of Reading	Reading can become procrastination if not applied.	Follow the “Read Then Do” rule: Spend 30 mins applying ideas for every 1 hour of reading.
Personal Reading Roadmap	Align books with your top priority.	1. Pick 1 foundation book + 1 skill book. 2. Schedule implementation time. 3. Create a “Not to Read” list.
Ultimate Reading Hack	Re-reading > binge-reading. Depth beats breadth.	Re-read your top 1-2 books annually with spaced implementation.
Final Wisdom	“It’s not about how many books you read—it’s about how many books read you.”	Focus on books that change your behavior, not just your knowledge.

Bonus: Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

✅ Read These:

Foundation Builders (Atomic Habits, Deep Work)
Skill Accelerators (Influence, On Writing Well)
Mental Models (Sapiens, biographies)

❌ Avoid These:

Books that rehash old ideas
Trendy titles with no substance
Books read “just to say you did”

Pro Tip: Use the 5 Filters like a bouncer at a club—only let the VIP (Value-Impact-Potential) books in!

Reading Is a Superpower – Use It Wisely

In our distracted age, the ability to focus on truly valuable reading is becoming a rare superpower. As author Ryan Holiday observes: “The things you read will fill your head with ideas. Make sure they’re good ones.”

Now you’re armed with the filters to separate the wheat from the chaff. Your next step? Take that list of “must-reads” gathering dust and turn it into a “must-do” plan for transformation.

Because in the end, it’s not about how many books you read – it’s about how many books read you. Choose wisely.