The Forgotten Power of Reading in a World That Can’t Focus

Reading books is becoming a forgotten art among the younger generation. Why spend hours turning pages when you can scroll through a thousand dopamine hits in just 10 minutes? TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts. Modern entertainment isn’t designed to inform you or improve you. It’s engineered to keep you hooked, distracted, and mentally weak.

And let’s be honest: it’s working.

Most people today can’t go five minutes without reaching for their phone. Sitting still feels uncomfortable. Doing one thing at a time feels boring. You try to watch a movie, but halfway through, you’re already checking your notifications. You start a task, but your mind is somewhere else before you even finish the first step.

This isn’t some natural flaw in human behavior. It’s a self-inflicted wound from years of consuming modern digital garbage.

“But Books Are Outdated…”

Sure, you can argue that reading books isn’t the most efficient way to consume information anymore. If all you care about is raw knowledge, you can Google any fact. You can watch an 8-minute YouTube video and feel like you’ve learned something.

But ask yourself this:

How much of that do you actually remember? And more importantly, how long can you stay focused before jumping to the next shiny thing?

Reading is Mental Resistance Training

Reading a book is hard. It’s slow. And that’s exactly the point.

In a world that’s constantly trying to make everything easier, faster, and more addictive, reading remains one of the few activities that actually makes you mentally stronger.

Think of it like going to the gym.

• Scrolling social media is like stuffing yourself with junk food.
• Reading a book is like lifting heavy weights.

You don’t grow stronger by doing what’s easy. You grow stronger by embracing what’s hard.

When you read, you train your brain to resist the urge for instant gratification. You stretch your attention span. You force yourself to stay present. And over time, you rebuild what the modern world has taken from you: your ability to focus deeply and think clearly.

How to Start Taking Your Focus Back

• Set a small goal: Read 10 pages a day. Build the habit before worrying about how much you read.
• Choose physical books: Remove the temptation to check notifications every five minutes.
• Fiction is fine: If non-fiction feels like a chore, start with a story that hooks you. What matters is training your mind to stay engaged over time.
• Make it a ritual: Read before bed instead of mindlessly scrolling. You’ll sleep better, too.

Take Back Your Mind, One Page at a Time

Your mind is the most valuable asset you have. Don’t let tech companies rent it for free and flood it with garbage. You’re not a slave to your impulses—unless you allow yourself to become one.

Put down the phone. Pick up a book. And start taking your mind back—one page at a time.