Understanding how to get the most out of your time reading starts with understanding why we remember things at all, and then figuring out the best way to use that information. Without purpose and intention, the ideas sparked while reading easily slip away. Learning to hold onto them means understanding how our memory works. For the purposes of reading retention, we can think of our memory as being basically <a href="http://www.oldandsold.com/articles06/memory-17.shtml">made up of three components </a>: When you're impressed by something, there's a <a href="http://www.spring.org.uk/2014/08/how-to-learn-anything-better-by-tweaking-your-mindset.php">much higher probability </a>that you'll remember it. This could mean a phrase or quote that catches you off guard or changes the way you think about a certain topic. Or an interesting fact that you'll want to teach someone later on.

Just like a teacher is able to master a subject because they know they'll be teaching it later on, attacking a book with the same level of purpose means you'll be able to recall information a lot quicker. A recent study in the journal Memory &amp; Cognition <a href="http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/27160.aspx">showed the effect </a>that reading with intention and purpose can have. Two groups were given the same material to read-one was told they'd have a test at the end, while the others were told they'd have to teach someone the material. In the end, both groups were given the same test. Surprisingly, the group that was told they'd have to teach the material (rather than be tested on it) performed much better:

Read to teach

Here's the rundown: <ul><li>While reading, write detailed notes in the margins and then fold the bottom corner of any page you've written on. </li><li>After a week or two, come back to the book and transcribe the notes you're still impressed by onto 4×6 cards. </li><li>Each card gets a category or theme in the top righthand corner (or you can use color-coded cards). </li><li>Organize the cards by category (or by chapter if you're working on a book project). This way you can move them around as you please and connect random ideas (the basis of creativity). </li> </ul>

Taking notes while reading

If you read <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/">Brainpickings.org </a>, you'll quickly realize that Maria Popova either has a freakishly good memory or has devised an incredible way to store and organize thoughts. Turns out it's a little bit of both. Maria relies on making her own indexes of books in order to quickly scan what's inside and connect it to what she's writing. Here's how it works: <ul><li>While reading, highlight any passages or quotes you find interesting (making notes in the margin). </li><li>In the back (or front) of the book, create an index listing each page you've highlighted and what category the note should be under (This could be "C" for creativity, or even the title of your latest project). </li> </ul>

A random sampling of the world's most successful people will show one common trait: a love of reading. Reading is the easiest way to continue the learning process, increase empathy, boost creativity, and even just unwind from a long day. But books can also change the way we think and live.

Reading with intention can change your life

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