#22 - Alex Wieckowski: How to Be a Better Reader
Listen Here: Apple | Spotify
My guest today is Alex Wieckowski. Alex has been running his popular book blog, Alex & Books, for more than four years. You may have seen him on Instagram where he has more than 70 thousand followers. Instagram is actually where Alex and I first met, and over the last couple years we've developed a friendship that transferred over to the real world - I love the connecting power of the internet.
In this episode, Alex told the story of the accident that led to him starting Alex & Books. He shared tactical tips to become a better reader. We talked about the intricacies of being a creator - from making money to daily schedules. Alex also shared interesting insights on the differing values of an audience on different platforms. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Selected links from the show:
Show notes:
01:15 - How Alex and I became friends
01:54 - Alex's most valuable online connections
04:53 - The invisible gratitude bucket
06:34 - The accident that led to the origin of Alex & Books
10:40 - How Alex made the money to meet Jordan Peterson
15:10 - How Alex transitioned his brand from book summaries to being a better reader
18:00 - Why don't teens read more during their school years?
27:32 - Alex's book and his course
31:08 - How to know what to buy in a book store
33:32 - Why Alex started his podcast, The Reader's Journey
37:23 - The biggest wins and frustrations of running a podcast
40:32 - The intricacies of being a creator
42:52 - Alex's daily routine
47:15 - Thoughts on growth over different platforms
52:45 - Every book is a self improvement book
56:42 - Alex's favorite biography
58:42 - Read more books or read fewer books repeatedly?
1:01:10 - The author Alex wishes would write another book
1:02:14 - Alex's questions for me
1:09:07 - The books Alex has recommended the most
1:09:41 - Alex's advice to a recent college grad
"The world is becoming a place where self education is more important than your degree...although you're done with school, don't be done with learning."
1:10:12 - Alex's favorite Twitter follow
1:10:57 - The kindest thing anyone has done for Alex
1:12:20 - Where you can find Alex
