Lecture Notes: Reading and Note Card System by Kirk Barbar

Introduction

• Speaker: Kirk Barbar from Real Elite
• Topic: Reading and extracting more value while reading.
• Focus: Ryan Holiday's note card system.

Importance of Reading

• Reading equated to a contact sport; a highly active and involved process.
• Misconception: Listening to audiobooks = reading. Listening is passive, while reading is active.
• Comparison: Audiobooks vs. Visual Reading:
  • Listening (Passive): Like walking or driving to the gym.
  • Reading (Active): Like running uphill or lifting weights.

Ryan Holiday's Note Card System

1. Interact with the Text: Building Engagement

   • Use physical books.
   • Mark up books with notes, highlights, and tabs.
   • Writing in margins and dog-earing pages encouraged; books are tools, not sacred objects.
   • Emphasize owning physical books over borrowing.

2. Materials to Start the Note Card System

   • 4x6 note cards.
   • Organizational Trappers/Vaults:
     • Green tabs for categorization.
     • Scale up with more organizational tools as needed.

3. Structure of the Note Card

   • Front:
     • Title or topic at the top.
     • Quote, idea, story.
   • Back:
     • Page number and book reference.
     • Any additional notes for context.

4. Benefits of the Note Card System

   • Extraction of useful information for future use.
   • Ideal tool for speakers, writers, podcasters.
   • Historical use similar to Ronald Reagan’s commonplace book.

Practical Application & Encouragement

• Practical uses: enhancing public speaking, writing, teaching, or managing.
• Encourages others to create their own note card system.
• Offer to review first note cards from listeners/viewers as motivation.

Conclusion

• Reading should be a deep, interactive process.
• The note card system helps in actively retaining and using information.
• Call to action: Engage with books actively and share insights.