“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

This is a very apt saying in the context of life. Reading is one of the best constructive habits one can inculcate in his life. One can find a lot about the world around him and more about himself by reading more and more.

Reading induces a perennial thirst for knowledge, which is the best thing one can have. It is true that ‘the more you know, the more you grow’, and reading helps you in doing just that.

Beneficial in all walks of life

Not only from the perspective of learning new things, reading can be a great tool to sculpt one’s personality. Reading develops a unique way of thinking for each individual, so it is equally important to read the right material as it is to read more.

By reading books which bring about a positive outlook, the positivity ultimately reflects in one’s lifestyle and personality. This is beneficial in all walks of life, irrespective of a person’s age or profession.

The most obvious advantage that everyone gets from an active reading habit is the command over language. If your command over English is not that good, reading appropriate books will slowly but steadily build your confidence, improve your grammar and sharpen your skills. Add a little bit of spoken English practice, and you’ll become an English language master in no time.

Important tool in UPSC preparation

If you are an UPSC aspirant or a planning to prepare for Civil Services exams, you know that the syllabus for Civil Services exam is very vast. So clearly, reading habit can go a long way to help you in your desire to become a Government servant. Reading habit results in fast reading and retention, so you can finish more in the same time and retain all of it.

Not only the syllabus, choosing the right books to read can help you gain more and more knowledge of the relevant topics and issues, which can help you a great deal in your Personal Interview. As it is a face to face, verbal round, you can impress the Interviewer with your content, choice of words and fluency.

Tips to develop a reading habit

• Start slow. You can start by reading magazines and newspapers. Don’t get demoralised if your pace is slow, as long as you are covering everything thoroughly.
• Increase the quality gradually. Move over to fiction or whatever genre you feel interested in. Try to observe word patterns and usage of figures of speech.
• Carry your book with you and read as much as you can whenever you get time to read.
• Don’t stress on finishing the book and reading hastily. Everyone has his own speed of reading – maintain yours.
• Reading before bed is a very good habit, and ensures that you have both – the time to read and also staying away from your electronic gadgets. It also helps in sleeping well.

Reading made Einstein formulate the Theory of Relativity, it made Elon Musk build a rocket, and it is constantly sparking new ideas in the minds of people all around the world. You never know when your idea can change the lives of so many people. And from a UPSC aspirant’s point of view, it is all about making the lives of people better.