Build a Personal Reading System
Added 2026-11-02
Move from what to read to what remains after reading; do not just grow the list.
I read a lot but retain little. Build me a simple reading system: 1) input — three rules for deciding what to read; 2) process — what to note while reading, two categories at most; 3) output — what must remain after finishing: a one-line conclusion and one reusable idea; 4) review — how to keep notes usable three months later; 5) warn me which reading habit is consumption rather than learning. Do not recommend complex tools.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
阅读系统的产出是笔记，不是书单。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for one diagnostic question first to locate where you are stuck.
- Replace "explain it" with "give three progressive exercises; correct me after I answer".
What you should get
- A diagnosis of exactly where you are stuck
- A small set of self-checkable exercises
Common mistakes
- Asking it to explain from scratch, and still not knowing where you went wrong.
- Memorising the explanation as the answer, then failing on any variant.
How to check the output
- It names exactly where you are stuck instead of re-explaining everything.
- Exercises are graded and self-checkable.
Where it works
- Good for: diagnosing where you are stuck, then giving the smallest exercise instead of a lecture.
- Watch out: ask it to flag uncertainty rather than memorising a confident but wrong explanation.