“If I told you reading this book, means every tree you cut down for the rest of your life, takes half the time, would you read it? Now, pretend every tree is a book. Learn to read FAST.” - David Kirkpatrick

BOOKS? Or Audiobooks?

“I've never listened to an audiobook before, and I have to say it's a different experience. When you read a book, the story definitely takes place in your head. When you listen, it seems to happen in a little cloud all around it, like a fuzzy knit cap pulled down over your eyes”

― Robin Sloan, an American writer

The fundamental issues with audiobooks

Most people use audiobooks because they are faster...

If so, then why does Bill Gates read 50 books a year??

And not 50 audiobooks a year. Why do billionaires spend more time reading physical books, than listening to audiobooks?

Because all the research shows that audiobooks are killing your success, your time, your focus, your comprehension, and your retention!!!

That last sentence might have gotten some of you a little angry. Haven't you always wondered though. Why do the elite read physical books, and aren't die-hard audiobook heads? well that's because the speed and efficiency ceiling is way HIGHER when you read a book. That's why they choose to read.

Imagine listening to an audiobook at 4x speed. Well that's around the speed of college professors and the average high level executive according to Forbes magazine, an article titled, "Do You Read Fast Enough to Be Successful."

I've personally witnessed the transformational influence of reading books in my work as a reading coach. And let me tell you, it's really incredible. But in today's hectic environment, more and more individuals are using audiobooks as a portable kind of "reading." Multitasking and split attention follow us everywhere. Is it beneficial to only concentrate on one issue at a time? Cal Newport from "Deep Work" would say stop multitasking if you want to be successful.

I genuinely believe that reading books is the best use of your time, although audiobooks have their place.

Books are just SO much better!

Audiobooks simply cannot compare to the many advantages of reading books. Let's start with comprehension and memory. Reading a book allows you to actively engage with the content with depth, which is just not possible with audiobooks. Your brain is digesting the information in a level that simply cannot be matched by listening, establishing connections, and remembering it. More learning styles and senses are involved when reading from physical paper.

According to research, those who read books comprehend the subject much better and retain it for longer periods of time.

When you were in school, did you ever avoid the textbook, and find an audiobook version of that textbook?? Unless you wanted to fail, you'd avoid the audiobook! You wanted to maximize your comprehension and retention! So why aren't we doing the same with critical business and self-help books that could change our lives forever!

It's not just about retaining information. Reading books can help improve focus. When you're reading, you're fully immersed in the material, with no distractions. This level of focus and engagement can help you retain information more effectively and can even lead to increased creativity.

And let's talk about SPEED. You might think that listening to an audiobook would be faster, but you'd be wrong. When you're reading a book, you have complete control over the speed at which you're consuming information. You can skim, slow down, or speed up, depending on your needs.

With an audiobook, you're at the mercy of the narrator's pace. And while you can adjust the speed of the narration, it does not compare to the speed and control you have when you're reading. I like to compare it to running a race. When you're reading, you're in the driver's seat, pushing yourself to go faster and faster. With an audiobook, you're along for the ride, at the mercy of the narrator's pace.

When you're at the mercy of their pace, it's easy to lose out on key elements.

The long term benefits of traditional reading

It is essential to consider the long-term consequences of your reading habits. While listening to an audiobook may appear to be a quick fix at the time, it's crucial to consider the time you're spending and the impact it may have over time. Reading a book allows you to effectively absorb and retain the knowledge in it, unlike a fleeting memory of an audiobook.

Reading books over listening to audiobooks also gives you the potential to read much faster. Research has shown that the average reading speed for adults is around 200-300 words per minute. When you consider that many audiobooks are recorded at a slower pace, the speed advantage becomes even clearer. 

By reading consistently and practicing just the basic speed reading techniques you have the ability to increase your speed to as much as 600 words per minute, which is twice as fast as the average audiobook playback speed. This can significantly cut down on the amount of time you spend reading, allowing you to fit more books into your schedule.

It's all about time when it comes to reading. When you consider the long-term impact of your reading habits, you can see that time spent reading is time well spent. Imagine the difference between spending 20 hours listening to an audiobook, versus reading the same book in just 10 hours. That's an extra 10 hours you could have spent on other activities. Over time, the extra time saved can really add up, making reading a much more efficient use of your time.

Just like relying on a crutch, relying on audiobooks to do the heavy lifting of reading can be detrimental in the long run. By reading a book, you're strengthening your brain and improving your focus and retention. On the other hand, listening to an audiobook can sometimes lead to multitasking and a lack of full immersion and engagement with the material.

In the end reading books is the ultimate use of your time. Whether you're looking to improve your focus, increase your comprehension, or simply enjoy a good story, reading books has it all. Audiobooks MAY have their place, but they simply can't compare to the benefits of reading. So, put down the audiobook, pick up a book, and experience the power of reading for yourself. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

Cheers to Your Next Chapter,

David Kirkpatrick

SOURCES

Book can increase information comprehension & retention:

Here are a few sources that support the claim that reading books can improve comprehension and retention of information:

A study published in the "Journal of Educational Psychology" found that students who read texts in print scored higher on measures of reading comprehension than those who read the same texts on a screen. (Source: "Print is Not Dead: What Empirics Tell Us About Reading Printed and Digital Books" by Anne Mangen, Margit M. Joensen, and Jean-Luc Velay, Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 107, No. 3, 2015)

A meta-analysis published in the "Psychological Bulletin" found that reading books is positively associated with cognitive and language skills, such as vocabulary, general knowledge, and verbal reasoning. (Source: "Print Exposure and Children's Language and Literacy Development: A Meta-Analysis of English-Language Empirical Studies" by Andrew K. Kang, Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 140, No. 3, 2014)

A study published in the "Journal of Educational Research" found that students who read texts in print tended to recall information better and show deeper understanding of the material compared to those who read the same texts on a screen. (Source: "The Influence of Reading Mode on Comprehension: A Meta-Analysis of Research" by Anne Mangen, Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 109, No. 3, 2016)