About this quote

A single book can change what you pay attention to and how you spend your time. That change is often practical: you try a new habit, study a different topic, or rework a relationship. If you feel stuck, pick one book outside your usual list and read the first twenty pages with a pen in hand. Then ask yourself what small action you could take tomorrow because of what you noticed.

When to use it

• During my PhD I found one book that made me switch fields; I tell people, 'I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.'
• After reading a startup memoir, I quit my job and opened a tiny bakery — I still say, 'I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.'
• That recovery memoir pushed me to sign up for therapy and change my habits; when friends ask how it started I say, 'I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.'
• I read a parenting guide last winter and it changed how I talk to my kids; at family gatherings I laugh and say, 'I read a book one day and my whole life was changed.'