On the Benefits of Reading

<p>Since there’s usually absolutely nothing to do on a yacht (well, you can drink, you can play bridge, you can watch the waves), the best way to spend your time is reading books.</p>
<p>Downloaded videos for offline viewing on YouTube quickly became boring, so in ten days at sea, I read eight books.</p>
<p>In this regard, I want to share an observation that I’ve enjoyed since childhood. When you read, your mind constantly drifts off into some empyrean (or thickets). Sometimes you struggle with one paragraph five times because your eyes get stuck in it like a jeep in the sand. And at that moment, instead of reading, new associations, thoughts, observations, images, and other distractions form in your brain.</p>
<p>So, the mental noise in your head - that’s exactly the benefit of reading! It’s for these thoughts that you need to read.</p>
<p>When you think your own thoughts, you don’t surprise yourself or come up with something new as much as when you follow someone else’s thoughts. It’s this unconventional mental ski track that leads to landscapes you wouldn’t have reached on your own or would have reached five years later.</p>
<p>Reading is useful for developing your brain. Well, or you can just ignore it and scroll through your phone, that’s a personal choice for everyone.</p>