In this information-overloaded world, reading non-fiction is not merely a matter of gathering facts—it’s a matter of becoming. For me, non-fiction reading is not a spectator sport; it’s a participative process of becoming. The books that I read are not trophies, but blueprints, mirrors, and maps. Every book is a seed, if well cared for, growing into action, concepts, and occasionally even revolutions.

Here’s how I read non-fiction, not in order to gain knowledge—but to transform, and perhaps, in the process, lead my readers too.

1. Take notes while I read: Record the Spark while it Still Glows

I always keep a pen close at hand or a note-taking app open when I open a book of non-fiction. Why? Reading isn’t a spectator sport.

Note-taking isn’t line copying; it’s the capturing of insight. Swami Vivekananda once described the world as the great gymnasium in which we come in order to become strong. For me, books are one of those gymnasiums. I underline, jot, ask questions, and even argue with the writer. This participatory process keeps my mind active and helps me create a personal bond with the subject.

International productivity coach Tiago Forte refers in his book Building a Second Brain to this as “progressive summarization.” It’s not a matter of reading alone, but of capturing thoughts as raw material for future creativity.

2. Summarize in My Own Words: Make It Mine

I stop after reading a chapter or a rich paragraph. I paraphrase the main idea in my own words. This exercise serves two purposes—it checks my comprehension, and it helps me own the idea.

It is similar to the words Dr. Abdul Kalam told the students: “Learning gives creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking gives knowledge, and knowledge brings greatness.” When I summarize, I’m not merely absorbing, but challenging my mind to think.

I’ve just re-read Atomic Habits by James Clear. Rather than merely echoing his “habit stacking” idea, this is what I said instead: “Pairing a new habit with one that already exists is akin to putting a new cart in front of a seasoned rickshaw—it knows the way.” This is my metaphor. This is my memory trigger. This is how things stick.

3. Make Processes from Chapters: Convert Wisdom into Workflow

Great non-fiction isn’t merely instructive—it’s prescriptive. When I read a chapter, I don’t wonder, “What did I learn?” I wonder, “What will I do differently?”

Reading a book on leadership, such as Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek, helps me build processes. “Schedule weekly 1:1s,” “Recognize silent contributors,” or “Ask team members if they’ve set personal goals.” These aren’t notes—they’re instructions to me.

Chanakya, the historical Indian master strategist, said in the Arthashastra, “A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first.” Translated into business values, this line instructs me to ground my idealism in strategy.

I build rituals and habits based on the things I read—translating words into practice.

4. Brain Dump Problems in the Morning: Start with the Mind, Not the Mirror

Every morning, before the world wakes up demanding my attention, I spill all the issues churning in my mind onto paper. This practice, inspired by Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages, is not therapy—it’s a treasure trove.

Why? For problems are the raw material for purpose. The more I unload, the more patterns become apparent. Problems repeat themselves. Struggling is echoed. And in all of that chaos, there’s a story worth being told.

A good example? In trying to walk the tightrope between personal development and professional requirements, I wrote, “I feel torn between who I am and who I must become.” One sentence evolved into a blog post strongly identified with by readers who also battled dual lifestyles.

5. Solutions Become Story Ideas: Transformation is Contagious

Reading non-fiction teaches me more than facts—it teaches me answers. And each time I read an answer, a story awaits to be told.

Viktor Frankl, in his Man’s Search for Meaning, speaks of discovering purpose in suffering. This thought saved me during a period of personal crisis. The realization? “You don’t get to choose your pain, but you can choose your response.” I used it as a motivational post, one that inspired a wave of sympathy from readers enduring in silence.

While reading, I don’t search for quotations—instead, I search for catalysts that transform my life’s chaos into worthwhile messages.

6. My Thoughts Count: I am not a student, but a Thinker

Books are not sacred—they are a beginning. I’ve learned to disagree with bestsellers, doubt data, and even contradict “experts.”

Reading Robin Sharma’s The 5 AM Club, I admired the structure but wondered how practical it was for new parents or night shift workers. So, I penned a post, “Success Isn’t Always Found at Sunrise”—which resonated. That’s when I realized: My voice matters.

As we used to say, “Bura jo dekhan main chala, bura na milaya koi. Jo dil khoja apna, mujhse bura na koi.” (I went in search of the bad, but couldn’t find any; when I searched within, I found the worst in myself !!!!)

Books assist me in looking inward—but my own thoughts inform what they teach me.

7. Share Everything: The River Flows, or It Stagnates

Knowledge, being water, has to keep moving. Which is why I tweet, blog, teach, and discuss what I read. Others hoard their insights as treasure; my insights are the equivalent of seeds in my hands—I throw them around indiscriminately.

Generosity is at the heart of the “Guru-Shishya” model in Indian tradition. It doesn’t hoard learning—it’s shared. Globally, authors such as Seth Godin talk about shipping your work, not continually polishing it.

So I share—even when the idea isn’t flawless. For in sharing, I gain clarity. In teaching, I learn. And in giving, I grow.

Less Seeking, More Being

Ultimately, my practice of reading is one of alignment. I don’t read in pursuit of the next big idea—I read in a search for becoming sufficiently calm enough to notice what already matters. Less searching. More being.

As the Bhagavad Gita reminds us, “You have the right to perform your duty, but not the fruits thereof.” I read. I learn. I live. I share. And I let the rest unfold.

The next time you read a non-fiction book, don’t ask what it can teach you, but rather how it can change you.

For it’s there that the magic dwells.

Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh). 
MBA in Healthcare & Hospital Management (BITS, Pilani), 
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru). 

Senior Professor and former Head, 
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery. 
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India. 

My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius.  I want to be a person with a bundle of experience. 

My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!

My Values:  Creating value for others. 

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