Read a great book five times: thoughts on Alex Hormozi’s approach

“You get more out of reading one book that’s great five times, than [you do] out of reading five mediocre books.” 
–Alex Hormozi 

My brother has a dedicated space on his bookshelf for what he calls “The Canon.” It’s an idea he came up with to highlight the ten most meaningful books to him at the time. In moments between other books, or in times of confusion, my brother would reach for a book from “The Canon” to reread, instead of chasing novelty with a new idea. Occasionally, when a book has run its course, my brother swaps in a new book to take its place. 

This is meaningful for two reasons. 

First, the books that speak to us do so for a reason. They’re aligned with the direction of our goals and our souls. The author speaks in a way that resonates with us. There’s no shame in reading a book again—there may be great wisdom in it. 

Second, in times of confusion, we’re often tempted to make a great change. We’re bored and disillusioned, so we chase the spark of novelty instead of relying on tested truths. This can lead us back and forth down multiple forked roads, instead of resolute down one path that we know is good. 

What’s in your canon? What are the books that speak to you? Maybe it’s time to read one of those again.