How much do you know about what you do? And how far do you want to progress in your life and career?

These are questions that we must ask about our lives on the journey to the success that you and I desire.

The 21st century dictates that those who will be wealthy, successful, and leaders in their fields must be readers. Fortunately, the internet and World Wide Web have democratised unlimited access to knowledge and reading materials.

There is abundant literature on almost every subject you can imagine.

Books and journals that were often too expensive and difficult to come by can now electronically accessed with the click of a button, from the comfort of your living room.

But is Africa reading? Is Africa taking advantage of that unlimited gateway to expanding one’s worldview and horizons?

Not yet. According to Creative Africa (2017), except for Egypt and South Africa, reading culture on the continent is still very low.

A good reading culture, according to a Fabunmi and Folorunso (2010) study, plays a pivotal role in the social, economic, and technological development of any nation.

Low reading culture could, therefore, explain why Africa continues to lag globally on almost all social and economic indicators. You and I should change the ridicule about Africa and its poor reading culture. Today resolve to become a reader and reap the following benefits.

You will improve the quality of decisions you make 

Every day, we make decisions that affect our lives and those around us. They can be as simple decisions such as whether to carry an umbrella or not, to complex ones like career choices and marriage.

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But if you know that it would rain, indeed you wouldn’t hesitate to pick up that umbrella. That is the power of knowledge – the more informed you are, the better and quicker the decisions you make.

Reading books is one of the best ways to get informed about the life of others whose experiences you most likely identify with.

As the National Post says, even reading material as short as one page can lead to a significant improvement in decision-making, curtail snap judgments, and make you more comfortable in the face of uncertainty.

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In his book, Tales of Great Achievers, author Emmanuel Dei-Tumi chronicles some of the incredible benefits one derives from reading the autobiographies of great statemen and women.

The bumpy journey that characterises sacrifices and principles such accomplished men and women practised on their journey to greatness are lessons that can inspire everybody, especially those seeking to succeed.

There are many great mentors and coaches out there that can communicate to you, not physically, but through their writings.

The majority of these writers are people who have lived and experienced what they write about. In most cases, they’re the leaders in their respective fields. You’ll find out what works and what doesn’t based on their experience if only you take the responsibility to read. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, which in most cases, is costly when you can pick up a book and read.

You will increase your chances of success.

Billionaires Mark Cuban and Warren Buffett have attributed their success to one thing-reading.

“I read more than three hours almost every day…most people won’t put in the time to get a knowledge advantage,” Cuban writes.

“I still probably spend five or six hours a day reading,” Buffett says in HBO’s documentary.

So, if billionaires still invest their time in reading, what keeps you from investing more time to achieve your dreams of success?

Success follows people who are informed because their decisions are guided by evidence and limited risks. Supposing you read about investment; you are more likely to invest wisely and become a success than one who has never explored the subject through reading.

Helps you communicate better.

Communication is one of the critical ingredients of good leadership. Every entrepreneur or leader should be able to articulate his or her vision inspiringly to get the buy-in of followers. The more you read, the more you can improve and expand your vocabulary.

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Being articulate and well-spoken, helps an entrepreneur, as it influences self-confidence and boosts self-esteem, which is significant as a leader leading a team.

According to the JRE Library blog, the more you read, the more words you’ll be exposed to. And this consistent exposure and learning increases your mental reasoning and thus your ability to communicate effectively.

Improves your cognitive skills through reading.

When you become a leader or an entrepreneur, you have set yourself to solving problems. Problem-solving is a skill that requires analytical thinking and sharp memory. When you read, you develop these cognitive skills over time, and it smoothens your problem-solving abilities. You are able to not only understand the people you lead but also able to appreciate the basis for their behaviours and therefore relate with them better.

Conclusion

Sarah Shaffi, books editor at Phoenix Magazine says in her study that 30 minutes of reading every week will give you a 20 per cent greater life satisfaction than those who do not read. You are also likely to have a 10 per cent more chance to boost your self-esteem than non-readers.

With all these benefits, I know you will decide today to be a reader. I join hands with you so that we reach out to many others. As citizens of this continent, our great destinies can be attained if we embrace and improve our reading culture.

We must resolve today to end the insult that has been with us for so long that “if you want to hide anything from an African, write it in a book.”