I've been challenged to read two magazines a day for a year (I can take weekends off). 50% of the titles should be within my area of knowledge, interest, and/or expertise. The other 50% should be totally outside the realm of anything I'm familiar with.
Why?
To spot upcoming trends. To be future-focused.
I've begun to try this and am seeing a subtle change in my thinking. I'm seeing some of the same article topics spread across numerous titles (and they are not about the avian flu). I notice a sense of "group think" that I find interesting.
I challenge you to give this a try.
You are skimming more than reading. A book counts. A seminar counts. A podcast counts. And magazines are free, or they can be. The internet, doctor's offices, Starbucks, airlines (at least for the time being -- with the exception of Delta), hotels, the library, etc. The point is not to count up the number of titles read or seminars attended, but to broaden our thinking through an introduction to the broader world.
And, the ideas you get from this effort could be a primer for your own publishing efforts.
In this hyper-competitive, ever-shrinking world that we live in today, we must find ways to be future-focused. To get to the idea before the other guy. Or we'll be consigned watch from the sidelines while others are having all the fun.
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