One of the things that I’ve noticed lately, yet again, is guys wanting to do more reading. There’s nothing wrong with reading, you get knowledge, entertainment, comprehension, and in some cases, an escape from the doldrums of life.

I totally get it. I love to read. There’s so many books to read and not enough time to do it. If I had to count all of the books that I have, both physical and digital, and then spend the requisite time to read them, I would be reading for ten hours a day, every day, for the rest of my life.

And I probably wouldn’t get through all of them.

I’ve seen guys lately asking about “what to read next.” Honestly, the next book on stoicism isn’t what you need. The next book on how to “get the gurlz” isn’t what you need.

What you need is to get off your ass and go do something.

Stoicism isn’t going to save you from a boring life. Neither is a book on pick up. You would probably get more from stoicism if you actually went out and lived it instead of reading about it. Definitely the same for pick up. You will learn more about seducing women and women’s nature by actually going out and interacting with them instead of reading a book about them.

You’ll learn more about handling, maintaining, and shooting a firearm by actually going out and doing all of those things instead of reading Guns & Ammo.

You’ll learn more about Karate or boxing if you go out and learn those systems of fighting instead of reading about them.

The same can be said for just about any other topic under the sun. Going out and doing it, whether you succeed or fail, will give you more experience with that subject, than reading a book about that subject.

Marcus Aurelius didn’t become a Stoic by sitting on his ass thinking about Stoicism. He actually lived his life and then wrote about it after the fact. I consider his material to be more of a memoir than either a “how to” manual, or a 12 Rules For Life. He was able to put so many thoughts down because he actually went out and experienced the joys and hardships of life.

It’s kind of hard to be a Stoic if all you do is sit on your ass and avoid life.

Are you reading because you want to learn a new skill? Are you reading for entertainment? Are you reading because you are exhausted from fully living your life? Great! By all means, read!

Or are you reading as an excuse to not go out and do shit? “My life is shit. I know what I need to do! I need to read yet another book on how to unfuck my life!” No man, you don’t need to read yet another book. You probably need to clean up your diet and get some exercise. Get out of the house.

“I’ve been learning about how to get the girls! Once I’m finished with this last book, I’ll be ready to go out and slay some pussy!” Said the guy who has read every book that has ever been written about pick up. No man, you need to go out and talk to some women and see what happens.

“My life is chaotic and unraveling around me! Stoicism is the answer!” No man, reading Aurelius or Peterson isn’t going to change your life. You have to do that yourself. That requires you getting off your ass and doing something, not another book written by another dead philosopher.

Some of the most fucked up individuals that I have met have read the 12 Rules For Life. And that’s all they have done. They haven’t implemented anything and they definitely haven’t taken any action or done anything other than reading the book, quoting Peterson, and being insufferable. Do more than that.

I love reading and I love books. I’ve spent at least half of my life with my nose stuck in a book. There’s more to life than just reading yet another book. There’s life itself, and it will pass you by in the blink of an eye if you aren’t careful.

I can remember vividly what my Mexican girl’s skin tastes like. I swear it tastes like chocolate with a hint of mint. She claims that she hasn’t put lotion or perfume on. I have no idea why she tastes like she does, maybe it’s just a chemical reaction from her skin to my taste buds or vice versa. I remember that well. I remember that even though it’s been a minute since I’ve tasted her skin. It’s been more than a minute actually, it’s been several weeks.

But I couldn’t tell you what I read two days ago, other than it was a work of fiction. It was good, I remember that. But it wasn’t chocolate with a hint of mint good.

I vaguely remember reading some bits and pieces of Aurelius, but it all goes out the window when I sit on my motorcycle and I fire it up and go. You want to get your head straight and turn the volume down on all of those critical voices that are yammering at you 24/7? Learn to ride a motorcycle. They don’t call it “Wind Therapy” for nothing. That’s a skill that you won’t get from a book.

Maybe another book isn’t what you need. Maybe you just need to go outside and sit in the sun for half an hour.

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