Looking for nuggets

I always read a book with a highlighter or marker to underline the things I want to remember later. After I finish a book I go back through it looking for those thoughts that I want to file away for future reference. My favorite books are those that are really marked up.

However, not every book I read hits a home run. Sometimes there will only be a few nuggets of new information or thoughts. A book I am currently reading is like that. In fact, last week I seriously considered putting that book in my sale pile and starting on another one. I almost never start a book that I do not finish, but this one just did not seem to be worth my time. Then I started on a new chapter, and everything began to change. Finally, half-way through the book I found the gold mine I was looking for. There were nuggets on every page of that chapter, and the next chapter was the same way.

Those nuggets can be life-changers for a leader. It might be the illustration that really makes your message stick in the minds of your listeners. It might be the new idea that propels your church or organization to another level of growth. It might be the insight that helps restore balance to your life. It might be just the thing you need to share with the next person you coach.

I have to remind myself that gold nuggets are rare. That's what makes them so valuable, and that's what makes people seek them out. The same is true for the nuggets of wisdom you'll find as you read. There may be only a handful of nuggets in the book you're reading, but they will be valuable when you identify them and begin to use them.

As I've shared in other posts, I have a filing system where I record the nuggets I find when I'm reading. For too long, I would find a nugget and then forget where it was for later reference. These nuggets are too valuable to lose once they've been discovered so a good filing system is a must. Develop a good filing system that meets your needs, and you'll know exactly where those nuggets are located.