I stayed away from social media for a month and started reading every night. Almost immediately I began to notice changes in my sleeping schedule and ability to write, focus on school assignments, and approach problems differently. This new habit is changing my life. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to start reading more.

Time Stamps 1:02 - Attention Span 2:30 - Embodied Cognition 4:26 - Heightened Connectivity

Here's a major tip for anyone who can't focus and if your thoughts bounce around alot while reading and then you forget what you just read. READ OUT LOUD! Not only does it make you better at comprehending the material but it can make you a better speaker.

Now, reading and exercising regularly takes you to another level in well being. Exercising actually helps the brain a lot.

John: reads 1 book a week me: *reads 1 book a year*

this guy is everyone's ideal self.

guess we should Read more

Me watching the "Attention Span" title slide: "this slide is way too long, I'm 'bout to watch something else"

Tip for those who wanna start getting into it: Read fiction first

I read approximately 2 books in a week & I agree that it literally enriches attention, concentration and most probably helps me to write my own poems or story. Nice video...

I always like the effect of reading a book to feeling like you lived another life, or lived through a lifetime of knowledge. Even books that are purely informational feel like vortex’s, and I attribute the idea to the fact that books take tons of time/effort to write. Sometimes your getting 20 - 30 years of someone’s expertise condensed down into one book☝️

This is amazing. I’ve read 4 books so far during this month and it always makes me feel great afterward. Thanks for the motivation to read more.

1. Attention span 1:09 -Reading is very linear and start-to-finish (vs. digital which involves lots of short attention span context switching) -This trains you to do other difficult, linear tasks e.g. writing essays 2. Embodied cognition 2:38 -This heightened activity in central sulcus leads to empathetic connection/brain is literally putting yourself in the character's shoes 3. Heightened connectivity in left temporal cortex 4:35 -Improves your ability to use language/facts and your memory -Helps you find random connections between multiple areas, even after you're done reading (up to 5 days later)

I stopped reading fiction years ago. I thought to myself I was wasting time learning impractical things. I feel I kept two of these perks by reading scientific literature, academic works, historical recounts, and things like that. What I didn't keep was my attention span and I'm doing a lot worse at life now because of that. After this, I'm going back to fiction immediately. Thank you!

I started reading again last year (slowly but surely) I started a book club two months ago it took us a while to a read a small book. Then I challenged myself to read for 45 minutes a day and I will say it does elevate my mood and I believe it is changing my brain. When I was young I struggled with reading and it was so severe the school wanted to put me in a special needs class. One day something clicked I began to read more and more until I was at pace with my grade then before I knew it I was receiving an award for being a top reader in my grade. I was reading at a 12th grade level (if I remember correctly) I stopped reading as I got older and recently have found delight in books once again

I honestly think those who don't read are missing out a lot. I read almost everyday even just a few pages. I don't think my day is complete if I don't read something. I think it's so cool to learn something from a book and trust me, it does change your life.

give us ur most recommended books johnn

ive finally had the time and motivation to read more since the semester ended at university, and im so pleased i did. i got really fed up always saying i wanted to read more and never doing it, so i finally just began and i now spend a lot of my entirely empty days just reading for hours. ive read (soon to be) 20 books since mid-april - including the lord of the rings trilogy which was a goal of mine for a really long time - and i find that i am so much more rooted in myself than i ever have been, and my creativity and proficiency in writing has improved greatly. i definitely find it a bit ironic, though, since im an english major, that i never feel i get to read enough during the school because im so busy meeting deadlines and cant drive myself to read outside of the assigned material, but hopefully this summer will remind me that reading is an absolute joy instead of a punishment.

I have to say that one of the reasons I’ve started reading was because of John Fish. Reading has definitely changed my way of thinking. Also, its important to remember that it’s not about how many books you go through, it’s about how many books go through you

Three critical ways that book can affect your brain: 1. Increase attention span 2. Embodied cognition 3. Heighten connectivity

When I started reading again during the start of the pandemic, what helped me was treating reading like lifting weights. In the gym I didn't start out squatting 315 lbs, I gradually built up to it increasing the weight by a few lbs almost every session, and making sure I got good rest in between. With reading, I started out trying to get through 10-15 pages per day, then 30, then eventually I was able to read many more pages at a leisurely pace without losing concentration. I fell off the wagon with reading after some stressful events in my life but I'm trying to get back to the habit now. My brain is begging me for mental exercise.

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

One of the reasons I admire him is he is able to follow and fulfill the goal he set for himself instead of quitting in the process.

Man I remember those times when I was a smol boi and used to binge read R.L Stine and a lot of fiction books. My brain picturizes everything I read and creates it own interpretation and I would get entranced in the book. I miss that feeling. I think instead of forcefully getting yourself for the betterment of yourself, you should for enjoyment.

hey! here's a video suggestion: do a video on the mindset you put yourself in when you are reading different genres, like: fiction, non-fiction, classics, modern, sci-fi etc. i feel like I can only read YA contemporary books (I'm 14 hehe) and find it really hard to get interested in Classics and Non Fiction (But I don't want to miss out!). I hope you give some insight. ✨💞😊

Dear John, I saw your 1st video last year about how reading books can be so impactful in life. Like you, I took a new year's resolution this year to read books. It's changing my life too. I have a curious mind and books are feeding my curiosity and giving me perspectives on life that normally I would fail to have. I started with the book 'Flow' and till now I have read 10 books. Really thankful for inspiring me. Keep up the good work. Regards,

Unpopular opinion: reading from a young and loving books then is different from reading when older

the first time I watched this video I was struggling to recover my reading habit after a 5 year unintended hiatus. I’m so happy that I’ve been reading consistently for 6 months now. 💕 my attention span and my sleep are so much better, and even my anxiety has lessened a bit.

I've been away from Instagram from so long. I know how it fucks up with my mental peace. And that is why I love reading. This year I read 16 novels and I am so proud of myself. Still I sometimes find myself struggling to fight that urge to get back on Instagram. But i still manage to somehow stay away from it and spend my time for better things. Honestly it's totally worth it. And i hope I keep up the self control that I've gained

I'll never be tired of your videos about reading. That always reminds me "it's time to read!".

I totally agree, I always get excited when I find a connection between two totally different books.

Hey John, I've been watching your channel for a few months now and you are one of the people who've inspired me to read more. I've haven't read much in the past (about 5 books a year) and I've always been interested in economics, business, philosophy and psychology but I've always learned these topics online and I've started reading books about the topics and I've really enjoyed! thank you for making such good videos!

i'm kind of in a reading slump right now, and you've totally motivated me again!!!

this man is a genius

I’ve started doing a chapter a day. I’m so blessed to be able to read. And grateful.

This is soooo true. Reading and letting myself fall into stories actually helped me with my anxiety; becoming calmer.

Attention span is definitely true. Explains why I'm addicted to TikTok lol

I can testify that reading books made me way better at concentrating and most stuff in general. I was horrible at concentrating and doing anything in school till I hit about the 5th grade and finally picked a book up outside of the classroom. It was The Hobbit, the first book that was actually interesting to me at all and didn't feel like a slough to read. Led me to start reading books outside of classroom and during class through the entirety of middle school, so much so that I would walk home reading books and would only stop to look up at roads. It was like 3 or 4 books a week, depending on the page count, probably about 500 pages a day. I remember I started essentially binge reading entire series in a week or two, the longest of which was The Wheel of Time which I read in 3 weeks. I read so much I actually used to get in trouble with teachers for not paying attention. My grades also skyrocketed, which I'm pretty sure was because I read in class, so screw you crappy middle school teachers. Only thing that suffered was my social life because I would never talk to anybody outside of lunch or talking about books. Still worth it though. Improved my behavior, concentration, memory, and grades.

3:40 THIS, right here, was what KILLED my relationship with reading in my early years! F*** THOSE "Accelerated Reader" TESTS! I can not tell you just how frustrating it is to go through a forced schedule and criteria for reading books, only to be "assessed" by how well I can remember some arbitrary events no one would talk about from these "AR" tests. I am SO glad I was able to restore a passion for reading books, especially with self-help, productivity, and most especially biographies.

The transitions between topics is extremely soothing and smooth

I would like to thank you because by watching your videos I took a liking to reading. I have never been a great reader, I am 21 years old and I had read only ten books but since the beginning of June I have chained the count of monte cristo (1400 pages), the iliad and the odyssey (1300 pages), the miserables (1300 pages), Hobbes' Leviathan and I really like that. Sorry for my bad english

You're explaining exactly what I've been experiencing! When you were talking about feeling your brain rewiring itself and knowing that there are actual neological changes happening, I've felt my brain rewiring itself just as I've been growing up. For me, it's hard to explain feeling an actual change or rewiring in my brain. I notice it in the ways that I look at problems or situations or... just anything. It's cool to have someone know what i'm talking about or to relate with

This is my favourite KZfaq channel. Every single one of your videos are awesome and helps people a lot with very valuable lessons. Keep up the good work John. Cheers from Argentina!

Thanks for describing your love of reading. I used to love read when I was a kid, but at some point in middle school I stopped. The point you made about recalling stories and understanding them by making connections with other readings is something I can relate to. I think I experienced this when I read Romeo and Juliet in high school, and making connections of their relationship to Gatsby and daisy’s. I’m trying to love reading again. I miss books.

I really love your philosophical / essay videos and the ones in which you give advice, but I just noticed that I also would be very interested in more videos like this where you talk about a topic that you've researched (more or less) scientifically. Great content as always! :)

so relatable, i sometimes squeal in excitement when i discover some connections between books and other pieces of art or just content on the internet. At the same time I feel so lonely with this feeling - nobody I know reads books nor does anything with their lives really, just work work work and kids they had because of social expectations, having time for nothing and paying off mortgages for things way out of their financial league. It's so nice to watch your videos, John. You are like 7 years younger than me, but you are already so smart, educated and on the right path in life. It's really great and a huuuge advantage on the dating market, cause it's just rare as hell xDD. Curious to see where you will be in 10 years when you also collect more of street-wise experience and skills you will be able to add to everything you've learned so far.

I finished a book just this past month and starting a new one for this month. I noticed that I am more in tune with myself and I can actually follow through my daily routine.

The last point you made about how fulfilling making connections between what you read and other books you've read or moments in your life is so spot on. Truly is one of the most gratifying experiences in life to not only remember what you've learned, but to see how it relates to other facets of life.

"why the curtains are blue?" really hit me! I agree that reading for school/university can be a whole lot different than reading for leisure.

You legit uploaded this right after I finished the reading section on my practice SAT test.

You are by far my motivation to become a better version of myself everyday! God Bless you!

I love making connections like this as well! The more I read, the more I find myself being able to cross-reference other books I've read before!

I don’t know if this is just me, but I like to read books without a bookmark. This then challenges me to remember the page I am on, resulting in a memory test of some sort

John better be making a fire mixtape on that record back there

I started getting into reading couple years ago and I just realized that it started from watching your videos. Thanks dude it change my life a lot. (Your fan from Thailand)

I just simply want to thank you. Saw your 2018 video and put myself trying reading one book per week. I could’nt do it but i did it after 2 weeks. One thing that im sure is im not going to stop. Reading can change your vision even your perspective of how and why you’re living for. Thanks man. Wish you the best

Lol I lost focus whilst watching this, I need to be reading

1:55 John Fish: It's hard to sit down and do a linear task; Me: Doing 4 things as this video plays

When I need a Pick me upper from week's worth of digital detox I always go back to your videos and I always go back to just picking up a book when Im in a room and just read away instead of tinkering with my phone. The most I do after connecting to the wifi is to just update my apps from the google playstore. I dont know what your magic is that is affecting me but please keep sharing your thoughts about books and life. Also be safe and healthy wherever you are! 🙋🏻‍♀

Thanks to the pandemic and a furlough I decided to read more than 1 book this year with the goal to create a daily reading habit. I started this journey in June and to my surprise, I just finished up my 38th book of this year. It's been incredibly valuable.

The list goes 1. John Fish 2. Timothee Chalamet

When he began speaking about #2, it made me realize how powerful my visualization skills are because sometimes I’ll be so into the fictional book I’m reading that later on I’ll be confused whether one of the scenes was from a movie or book. Also I struggled to read quickly cuz I’d get so stuck trying to perfect the scene in the book, which would slow me down. Ex. The books says “she walked to the bar and a hand quickly grabbed her wrist”, I’ll imagine how she walked and get annoyed when my mind would mess it up and make me imagine her sneakily walking to the bar so I have to fix it but it keeps playing back😩😭😭😂

All your videos about reading are so good, and they have helped me so much to turn to a reader myself!

Thanks for all you videos encourage me a lot!

I hate to read. However, I love having read.

Anyone else also enjoys John Fish's reading videos? So inspiring

You craft your videos so perfectly!

So I’ve been a lifelong avid reader and I notice that whenever I take a prolong break, I almost feel a little slower and dull minded. It’s kind of like my mental lens has fogged up. Then I’ll get back into reading and it almost feels like a healing or cleansing process takes place. It’s hard to explain lol

John: How reading changes your brain Me: How staying up until 1 watching duck videos changes your brain

I spend my entire youth 13-22 years reading 5-6 hours a day. Thank god. In most situation my friends struggle I always find ways and solutions. My mum and dad took a big role in my habit of reading. I can just recommend it to everyone. Also you’re the only channel I give a like and then watch. You’re such a bliss on KZfaq. Thank you!

All the points you made makes sense. And now I will be looking into the study you are citing.

I'm glad attention span was the first one on your list cause I forgot I was watching your video while scrolling in yt reccomendations, you proved your point now im going to start reading

does John have a Goodreads account? he needs to make one if he doesn’t, i need all of his book recs and what he’s reading in one place🤩

Last year I got back the habit of reading since I left it once I started high school and now I'm so happy with myself. Last week I read 6 books for a readathon and I just had so much fun! As you said one of the things I find more interesting is to remember other books while reading about similar topics or reciting a book when having a conversation! I'm so happy I got back to it. Actually today I was reading a crazy fantasy book and in just a few pages (5 ou 6) we get 6 people killed and I was just in the characters shoes reading it. I couldn't believe I was scared. I just thought "HOW ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS???" and it felt amazing Haha. Last week I read Pi's Life (is that the English title's name?) And there were a lot of moments where I felt similar things... reading brings us life

LOVE your book videos!

Love the new editing style. Love your videos too

Read ride the tiger: a survival manual for the aristocrats. Edit: Also houellebecq

the thumbnail is a cursed image: look at the fringe

You are an inspiration to me! Your sincerity is touchable

I love both analyzing what I read and living through the characters.

John, you should read a book by Kevin Horsly. It’s a memory book and it’s amazing. You should give it a go and see how far you get. You can remember thousands of digits of pi and you can easily remember things first time.

Right when he started talking about attention span and jumping tab to tab I literally opened another tab to check Twitter unconsciously... oops

Thank you John

His videos are so profound and knowledgeable that sometimes i want to printdown his subtitles , so that i can read it again

Honestly I’ve loved reading books ever since I was a little kid. I feel like life nowadays is so immediate and about instant gratification that we forget about the long processes that we all love but can’t really take part in. This video has inspired me to pick up a book again. We will start with the Autobiography of Malcom X to learn more about the struggles of the black community in today’s world.

Does reading the dictionary in a week help with neurological benefits?

It is sooo cute when John smiles when he talks about something he is interesting in or about something that amazes him... Best person ever! Thank you for your hard work! And hi from Russia

I used to read a lot when I was in school but I stopped when I got into college. I remember being happier during the my school life though my life was way more chaotic and I was living in a toxic home. Start reading again is my this year's resolution. ;)

Is listening to audiobooks as effective as reading physical books?

that thumbnail is gonna haunt me in my sleep

I have been feeling much more motivated to keep reading more books a year after watching your videos on the topic.

I love this video. Thank you John Fish.😊

Drink every time he says "interesting" You'll get mad

Haha empathetic connection with 50 shades of grey

Reading has changed my life as well I really started in my senior year of high school and ever since I’ve been reading books that I’m actually interested in I haven’t stopped.

I love your videos. Thanks for doing them.

John: read 1 book a week Me: reads 16 books a week

Any Ali Abdaal's fans here?! 😂

I have started to read about my passions a lot more over the past couple years. The re-wiring of the brain is spot on.

i started to reading last year around february (thanks to you ) and i read 54 since then.