I am sure that many people look back often with regret. I make it a point not to do that but I thought about the question as I read an article that asked someone if they had anything they had any regrets in life. I believe that if I could have some of my youth back I would like to convince myself to read more.
It wasn't until later in life that I started reading more and more. Right now I have 4 different books on my shelf that I am currently working through. I am actually starting to develop quite a library now. I believe that if I would have given myself the opportunity to learn what is in some of those books early on, the compound interest on that knowledge may have made me a better person earlier in life.
As I mentioned, I don't regret the path that my life has taken. Far from it. In fact, I was probably much more present and enjoying the day to day, minute to minute way back when. Perhaps it just comes with maturity, but the more I read now, the more that I find out I don't know. The more that I learn how much that I have to learn. Each day passes with the same time as the day before..right to the second. When you are busy and consumed, that day seems to pass more quickly. When there doesn't seem to be enough time to get done what you want to get done, that time speeds up somehow again.
I wouldn't have picked up Winston Churchill's biography when I was 25 years old unless I was going to use it as a door stop to keep the patio door open at a pub. Even if I did, maybe what I was reading wouldn't sink in. Maybe it takes a bit of aging in the bottle before that wine is truly ready to be enjoyed. The books that I did read were more technical as well back then. Books on training methods to hone my craft as a strength and conditioning coach. I kept up with all of the trends like the Atkins diet, etc in order to be able to speak to it. I read journal articles on training methods and kept on the cutting edge. I was hyper focused on that. Those were great and helped me become who I am today, but some more balance could have come into play upon some reflection.
These days I do have more balance in what I am reading. I am currently reading "How To Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie; The biography of Winston Churchill; "About Face" by General Hackworth; and "Gates of Fire" by Stephen Pressfield. Quite a broad spectrum there. I also have a few songwriting books that I am going through every morning as there are writing exercises in them so more of a text book than a read for enjoyment.
What is even crazier to my younger me is that I have also begun to re-read books. That's another level right there. Why on earth read it again once you have already done it!? You wouldn't believe the things that you actually pick up on that you may have missed, or remind yourself of that you have forgotten by re-reading a worthy book. I re-read "The 5 AM Club" about two weeks into my journey into getting up earlier. The first time I read it I thought it was ridiculous. I tried getting up then. It didn't work out. I kept going to bed at the same time and expecting that I could just get up early. I also didn't pay attention to what the rest of the book was about. It's arguably not a book about getting up at 5 AM. It's a book about a multitude of habits that can help create some great habits. I have several pages now earmarked that I didn't catch when I read it the first time. I have several now on my list to "re-read" and am looking forward to the visit with them.
I believe that for some time I had some sort of mindset that unless it was the most current information then it couldn't possibly be good. That today's society had to be much smarter than say even ancient civilization. Today stoic philosophy is still taught as a gold standard for behaviour modelling. The bible and teaching in whatever religion one may follow is filled with life lessons from elders. The elders in the indigenous communities are often revered and respected passing down lessons learned from generation to generation. The original authors are long gone, but we still learn from them.
I enjoy sitting with a book these days...who knows I may even visit a public library again.