How to build and optimise a reading habit for career growth

Executive overview

Most people don't read consistently because they treat it as optional rather than scheduled. Jeff Brown, host of the Read to Lead podcast, built his entire career trajectory — from radio employee to independent podcaster — through deliberate, habitual reading. The book Read to Lead outlines how to form the habit, get more from what you read, and read faster without sacrificing comprehension.

Reading is a career accelerant: the knowledge gap between readers and non-readers compounds into visible, promotable expertise.

Building the reading habit

• Schedule reading like any other appointment; default to protecting that time
• Read at least 30 minutes every morning; treat it as non-negotiable
• Use noise-cancelling headphones and a focus music app (Focus@Will, Brain.fm) to enter reading mode faster
• Use the Pomodoro technique: 25 or 50-minute reading blocks, then break
• Always know what your next book is before finishing the current one
• Share what you're reading on social media to create accountability and conversation
• Abandon books that aren't working — or consider yourself done once you've extracted what you came for

Getting more out of what you read

• Read a full chapter first, making only simple margin marks (star, quote cue, question mark)
• In a separate session, take full notes from those marks — don't interrupt reading flow with note-taking
• Combine audio and physical book simultaneously: play the audiobook at 1.5–2x speed while following along in the print edition
• Read nonfiction non-linearly: use the table of contents to start with the chapters most relevant to you
• Teach the material to someone else — this forces synthesis and deepens retention

Speed reading techniques

• Eliminate sub-vocalisation: stop sounding out words internally; train your brain to interpret word groups visually, like reading a stop sign
• Use a pointer to guide your eyes across the page and maintain pace
• Skimming method: read introduction and conclusion, then all headings and subheadings, then only the first and last sentence of each paragraph — captures the core of most nonfiction chapters
• Read in focused blocks; avoid interrupting reading with note-taking during the first pass

Reading multiple books at once

• Having two or three books active at once is fine if it keeps you reading
• Assign a primary book; dip into secondary books in leftover reading time
• If you're not finishing anything, consolidate to one book until momentum returns