The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates, Jack Ma and Elon Musk ; Entrepreneur, July 31, 2018

John Rampton, Entrepreneur; The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates, Jack Ma and Elon Musk

"Maybe you’re thinking: Who has the time to sit down and actually read? Between work and family, it’s almost impossible to find free time. As an entrepreneur and a father, I can relate -- but only to an extent. After all, if Barack Obama could fit in time to read while in the White House, what excuse do you have? He even credits books to surviving his presidency.

President Obama is far from the only leader to credit his success to reading. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, Mark Cuban and Jack Ma are all voracious readers. As Gates told The New York Times, reading "is one of the chief ways that I learn, and has been since I was a kid."

So how do they find the time to read daily? They adhere to the five-hour rule."

Writing, Reflecting, Capturing: Three Less-Discussed Leadership Skills | Leading from the Library; Library Journal, 5/26/16

Steven Bell, Library Journal; Writing, Reflecting, Capturing: Three Less-Discussed Leadership Skills | Leading from the Library:

"JUST GET STARTED

These are good ideas for getting started, but the hardest part for many leaders is deciding what to write about when it’s time for reflection. Adler recommends trying a trigger question. How are you feeling at the end of your day? What made you feel best about being a leader? Did you have a new idea today? What made you happiest—or perhaps angriest. Just let it out. The highest level of reflection is achieving new knowledge as the outcome of a process of inquiry, where conclusions arrived at are based on evidence, thoughtful interpretation, and compelling understanding of an issue. Not everyone will think of reflecting, writing, and capturing as leadership skills, but I do. It’s unlike those skills we use in a more direct way as we practice leadership, such as good listening or coaching. Think of it as a more foundational skill that allows leaders to learn how to improve at those other practices. As Adler puts it, “Using a journal regularly will give you the courage to see the world differently, to understand the world differently, and to lead in new and needed ways.” What more encouragement do you need?"