I recently read a book called The Power Of Ignorance by Dave Trott.
It's a lot like the book Alchemy by Rory Sutherland in that it conveys wisdom through stories. It's like the Bible (i.e., teaching through stories and parables).
This made me realize there are two types of books:
- Practical (Improve your action)
- Theoretical (Improve your thinking)
Practical books either come with a prescribed process or many tactics you can apply. They help you do something, like grieve better.
While I respect these books, I believe they fall short in their ability to initiate change.
Change begins in the heart and ends in the mind.
To change, you need first to be emotionally affected; then, your rational brain kicks in to lead the change. But without touching the emotions, real change is a far reach.
Think about any book you read that had X steps to do Y.
Did it work?
The only book that comes to mind for me is the miracle morning. But even with that, I've tossed Hal's formula out the window. The main thing I retained from that book was the theoretical lesson that waking up early is good.
This leads me to my premise: Theoretical books have more potential to produce change.
This, at first, seems paradoxical. But it's not.
To change over time, you need to understand the basis for change. You need to grasp the fundamentals (principles) in whatever area you're in. And while many practical books dedicate a chapter or two to this, they lack in this department.
Let's use a notional example to bring this to life:
You want to begin eating healthier.
You buy a book that is called 9 Steps to Eating Healthier.
You follow the steps and begin eating healthier. But how long will this last if all you're holding onto is the steps and not the underlying reason? Maybe a couple of months?
Instead, imagine you bought a couple of books covering how our body reacts to food, organic vs. non-organic food, and what being healthy means and looks like.
It will take you more time to get through these books and digest their content. But you will be in a better position to follow through and become a healthier person when you understand the fundamentals.
While practical books have their place, theoretical books are where I'm starting to reap more significant benefits.
What about you?
Which out of the two is your favorite?
🧠 + ❤️ // JO