1. Read at least 10 pages every day of a non-fiction book in various fields: science, history, literature, music, art, science fiction, theology, economics, etc. Increase it by one page per day until you get it up to 20 pages per day. R. J. Rushdoony read at least one book a day—“underlined, with a personal index in the back cover—six days a week for 25 years. He then followed suit with another 25 years of the same schedule.” Go and do likewise. In ten days, you will have read a 200-page book. That’s more than 35 books per year. In ten years, 350 books. In 40 years, 1400 books. Increase the number of pages per day, and you will have read in a lifetime more books than most people have seen in their local public library.[1]
2. Learn how to skim a book to determine if it’s worth reading all of it. Learn how to speed read to mine books for information.
3. Keep a notebook of insights, facts, well stated truths, and new vocabulary words. I use “Moleskine Notebooks.” I carry one with me everywhere I go. You can’t trust your memory.
4. Each year, read at least one book in a category that you find difficult and even boring so you are able to discuss five principles about that subject. Think of yourself stuck with some guy at a party who is fascinated with celestial mechanics. You will make a friend.
5. Take the initiative and ask questions of people who know more than you do. If you’re young, that means almost everybody you meet. Listen more than you speak. If an answer is not clear, ask for clarification. Learn at least ten new things every day.
6. Be able to do a job interview without using the word “like” more than three times unless the word is absolutely called for as in “I would like to work for you” and not “Like, I would like really like to like work for you.”
7. Be able to give a talk for 12 minutes without using notes. If ever called on to give an impromptu talk, be ready to give one that lasts for about 3 minutes. Less is often more. When someone asks you to speak and gives you a time limit, DO NOT go over. You want people to say, “I wish he had more time” rather than “When will he shut up?”
8. Start your own business so you will know how much work goes into running a company and how difficult it is to make a profit, hire and fire employees (most of whom aren’t qualified for the work), market, fill out forms, pay taxes, fill out forms, pay taxes, fill out forms, pay taxes.
9. Don’t be afraid to fail. Some of the best lessons you will ever learn come from failures, but only if you decide to learn from them.
10. “Power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Sometimes (most times?) God uses your weaknesses over your strengths to turn you into the person He wants you to be.
Endnotes:- This list is the first of many that I’ll be publishing. [↩]
Gary is a graduate of Western Michigan University (1973) and earned his M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary in 1979. Author of countless essays, news articles, and more than 27 book titles, he also hosts The Gary DeMar Show, and History Unwrapped—both broadcasted and podcasted. Gary has lived in the Atlanta area since 1979 with his wife, Carol. They have two married sons and are enjoying being grandparents to their grandsons, Calvin and Paul. Gary and Carol are members of Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA). 
An excellent list!
I actually believe high-quality fiction/literature can sometimes teach as well or better than nonfiction. I am not talking about reading fiction to the exclusion of nonfiction, but reading good fiction (not necessarily Christian fiction) in moderation.
Please note, I'm not talking about those overly preachy books published by no talent of the author's in which, "Sam get's off the bus. Sam finds Grandpa. Sam says 'Grandpa, today I just want to get even with my friend. Tell me a story with a life lesson applicable for today." I'm talking about fiction written by men and women like N. D. Wilson, C. S. Lewis, John Bunyan and Larry Huntsperger to name a few.
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Alexander did fail miserably because HE DIDN”T INVENT THE ELECTRIC LIGHT!!!! He invented the telephone! Thomas Edison invented the electric light! (Sorry). This is a great idea Gary because most people don’t know is college will never teach you any of these things yet people throw huge somes of money or worse go into huge debt to send their children to “get an education” so they can get a “JOB”! This means they always make someone else rich and we as Christians become mediocre pawns and the rich pagans/atheists grow rich (Buffet& Gates) on our backs. When this topic comes up in church discussions,the excuses I’ve heard are “we don’t need money” or ” we’ll be a witness to them”. Yeh suuuure we will! We all read daily on how corrupt big corps have become or how they impose their “beliefs” on us and our kids via political correctness training(ie brainwashing). This is why our churches are becoming empty and we are losing our children! We have no plan to exercise dominion as Rushdoony touted but the rich do! Our churches of todayare small wood or tin buildings while the public schools and colleges are great big concrete and steel temples for all to see. Our kids look at that and then at us and easily decide who has the power and money! Its just like girls who fall for cops…they know who has power! We sit back and wait for the “rapture” while the pagans clean our clocks and make us their slaves! Keep up the good work and keep these ideas coming as we as a church are sadly lacking leadership in these areas!
#5 was to me, right? l -)
I think one critical thing was missed: becoming inundated in the Word of God. Other than that, good list. What would some resources be for speed-reading?
Excellent list. I especially like #8 start a business and learn a lot. As a CPA, I have advised several teenagers who started their own small business (I call them micro businesses). They might think they are doing it to earn some money, but they learn so much along the way, including what future career path they might choose.
I am working on a curriculum series to help teenagers start a micro business, hopefully launching in Spring 2011, and this fall I have 16 students I'll be teaching in a live class. I don't know who is more excited, them or me!
Thank you for this excellent list!
I would differ slightly with #2, however. Speed reading is not only for skimming. With enough practice, you can actually get higher comprehension and higher speed.
I personally have read 289 books in 2010 through speed reading and, while I still need lots of practice, it really does work.
I am looking forward to learning more from your future articles!
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Gary, You might want to try Levenger products over the Moleskine. Their Circa line is incredible! (I'm not associated with Levenger in any way other than that of being a very satisfied customer.) http://www.levenger.com
It would be nice to have some specific examples of good books for each of the catagories mentioned.
The part about not being afraid to fail is crucial. If Alexander Graham Bell hadn't been willing to fail, we probably wouldn't have electric light. While no one likes to fail, it's an absolute crucial part of the learning process.
Rushdooney has to be the most well-read Giant I ever came across!!! Certainly a man to emulate!!! So thankful to be able to read all the godly wisdom he had to impart, so faithfully!
Very nice challenge!! Thank you.
11. Learn what makes your boss successful, and then figure out how to help her/him at it.
12. Volunteer for every opportunity that comes along (but only as many as you can actually accomplish). If you see something that needs doing, just do it.
13. Remember that if you don't care who gets the credit, you can get a lot done–and I guarantee those who count will figure out it was you. If you give away the credit to others, it will come back to you in multiples.
11. Master the art of effective research through a combination of effective Internet search techniques and traditional Library use. Consider your Public Library as a powerful Information tool and learn it as if you were about to become employed there.
12. Master the art of communications through writing and speaking; the world's highest paid employees are required to effectively and eloquently communicate with customers and co-workers.
As a side note, I overcame my fear of live audiences by speaking before my Christian congregation in a segment where students would give Bible presentations.