Reading books the right way can change your life.

One of the most noticeable common traits among successful people is their love of reading; however, synthesizing information and applying book knowledge to real life is not a simple matter.

So the question of why we should read books has been answered, but what about how to read? Many times we finish a book, turn to the last page, sit down and think, "What on earth did I just read?" You need to remember, reading and using what you've read are two completely different things.

The basic characteristics of memory

Without purpose and intention, ideas that flash through your mind while reading will easily disappear. Learning how to retain them is also equivalent to understanding how our memory works. For the purpose of storing information, we can consider memory to consist of three parts:

• Impression

• Association

• Repeat

Read to be impressed (and to impress others).

When you are impressed by something, you are very likely to remember it.

This is also the effect that occurs when you read with a purpose. In a study published in the journal Memory & Cognition, two groups were given the same type of material to read – one group was told they would have a test at the end, while the other group was told they had to teach someone else about the material.

Finally, both groups had to take a memory test on the material. The results were surprising: the group asked to reteach the material performed better than the other group.

When comparing the results, those who were asked to reteach the material remembered more accurately, organized what they memorized more effectively, and had better recall of particularly important information.

Having a clear question in mind or a specific topic to focus on will greatly help you remember information.

Before reading

Read the reviews and summaries of the work. Restructure your reading process using knowledge related to the topic and perspectives on what is being said and how it relates to the overall theme.

While reading

Always keep the purpose you've set in mind. Don't let your mind become a river that washes away your thoughts while reading. And take notes on what's necessary; this will make you an active reader and help you retain information in your memory.

After reading

Write a summary or analysis of the main points you want to remember or use, research supporting themes and ideas and note how they relate to what you just read, and then present, discuss, or write about your final ideas.

Relate it to what you already know.

Association is a hook on which you hang new ideas, figures, and facts. When you read and encounter new thoughts, you'll want to connect and associate them with familiar memories as a means of creating a link between the old and the new. There are many different ways to create associations in the mind, from pairing new thoughts with familiar objects to creating acronyms.

Our brains function better with visual images than with words and vague thoughts. Connecting a memory to a place or image makes it much easier to recall.

Repeat, review, and reflect.

The final factor affecting your memory, and the most important for long-term retention, is repetition. Without reviewing and recalling the information you've read, your chances of remembering and applying that information in the real world are very low.

This doesn't necessarily mean you have to read a book multiple times (although that helps too). You just need to have a method for taking notes and organize those notes around the key sections you want to review later.

According to Young Intellectuals