Asymmetric Returns

Day 295 / 366

Reading is an activity with asymmetric returns. To know what that means, you should first understand what activities have symmetric returns. For instance, exercising has a symmetric return, you exercise more, you see more gains. Studying has symmetric returns, if you study for x hours, you will get proportional results.

Reading a book, on the other hand, can have asymmetric returns. There may be books that you read for weeks and it adds no value to your life. But on the other hand, there can be a book that you read in a day but it changes your life forever.

I have had many such books in my life, going right back to my school days. I read the book “You Can Win” by Shiv Khera when I was in 4th class, and it taught me how to think positively. I still quote stories from that book decades later. More recent examples would be some Murakami books, like Wind-up bird chronicles that made me get off my ass and start taking control back into my life.

Meeting new people has asymmetric returns as well. You may have a 15-minute conversation with someone who would eventually become an important part of your life.

It’s a shame that I don’t read that much anymore. I should change that soon. I would love to have some more asymmetric returns in my life.