Spend 80 percent of your time on books, and 20 percent on articles and newspapers.

You’re becoming a theory-slinging, expert-quoting, knowledge-throwing lovecat, and that’s what makes you stand out from the pack, and that’s why others keep calling on you.

Be constant. Stay focused. It’s as though every time you touch people in business, you are running for president of their heart, and you’ve got to keep your campaign promises.

Be specific. Too many times we just jot down, “She works for So-and-So.” That’s not enough. I’ll write, “Jane Doe was sitting next to me on a flight to Chicago while I was reading about brand leadership and she asked me why I was making so many notes. We started a conversation on personal atrophy and it turns out she’s a human resources manager. Sh

Books should be your diet’s staple because they are the complete thought-meal, containing hypotheses, data, research, and conclusions, combined in a thorough attempt to transfer knowledge. If they’re good, they contain that essential value prop, that meta-idea, or that statement of fact that gives the reader a unique perspective.

Don’t be afraid to buy three to five books at a time. Although this may end up costing you up to a couple of thousand dollars a year, think of it as an investment in your future. That two thousand dollars today could net you many hundreds of thousands of dollars tomorrow.

The more you read, the more you know, and the more knowledge you have to pass along.

Magazine articles are between-meal snacks. They are Ideas Lite. They

The review doesn’t have to be lengthy. Just describe the book’s Big Thought, how well the author conveyed that thought, and how valuable you feel the idea is. You might pass along your favorite quote, too.