Modern WisdomHow To Get Better With Books | Jim Mullane | Modern Wisdom Podcast 177
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 2:35
Get Better With Books: turning reading + photography into a fast-growing book page
Jim Mullane explains what his Instagram account “Get Better With Books” is and how it unexpectedly grew into a large community around self-help, business, and personal development reading. He and Chris discuss why book-centric content resonates globally and how social media can both spread and dilute “wisdom.”
- •Origin story: creative outlet combining photography and reading
- •Audience makeup and why self-improvement content travels internationally
- •Social media ‘morsels of wisdom’ vs long-form depth of books
- •Beginner readers asking for guidance and recommendations
- 2:35 – 6:15
Why book counts can be a trap: reading as a vanity metric
They challenge the obsession with how many books you read and how fast you read them. Jim argues that volume without retention or application is often just status signaling rather than genuine learning.
- •Estimated lifetime/annual reading numbers and why they can distract
- •‘Vanity metrics’ vs real comprehension and behavior change
- •The temptation to look wise without deploying wisdom
- •Reframing reading as value gained, not books completed
- 6:15 – 7:51
Stop forcing yourself to finish books you hate
Jim identifies a common beginner mistake: believing you must finish every book you start. He recommends treating books like movies—if it’s not connecting, put it down and move on.
- •Sunk cost and ‘saving face’ as reasons people power through
- •Confidence to say ‘this isn’t for me’
- •Reading should feel like leisure, not punishment
- •Dropping books increases the odds you’ll build a lasting habit
- 7:51 – 11:01
Most self-development books should be shorter (and that’s okay)
Chris and Jim argue that many personal development books are padded and could have been an article—or even a tweet. They use examples of popular titles that didn’t justify their length, and emphasize matching format to content density.
- •The ‘article/tweet/1%’ critique of self-help publishing
- •Recognizing redundancy once you’ve read widely
- •Jim’s hot take on ‘Start With Why’ and using talks/videos first
- •Popular doesn’t mean personally valuable
- 11:01 – 16:09
Taste matters: writing style, authors you ‘vibe’ with, and story-driven self-help
They explore why some books click beyond the ideas: voice and style. Jim shares authors he enjoys and explains how narrative and storytelling can make reading feel effortless compared to rigid, bullet-point self-help formats.
- •You don’t have to like what Bookstagram loves
- •Writing style can outweigh topic in enjoyment
- •David Brooks and ‘The Road to Character’ (virtues over status)
- •Robin Sharma’s storytelling approach in ‘The 5 AM Club’
- 16:09 – 18:46
Build the habit: read what you love first (plus the gym analogy)
Jim lays out the foundation for building a reading habit: start with your genuine interests so reading doesn’t feel like a chore. Chris reinforces with the gym analogy—don’t copy an advanced routine on day one; start where you’ll stick with it.
- •Be honest about interests; pick topics that pull you in
- •Use early wins to expand into adjacent subjects later
- •‘Read what you love until you love to read’ (Naval)
- •Gym analogy: avoid overreaching and build progressively
- 18:46 – 22:24
Make time and stay curious: exploring outside your usual genres
They discuss scheduling reading like any other habit and periodically trying unfamiliar genres. Jim tells a story about his uncle’s recommendations—one that captivated him and one he finished mainly due to social pressure.
- •Set aside consistent time for reading (like training)
- •Benefits of occasional ‘off-path’ recommendations
- •‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ as unexpected intrigue
- •Social pressure and book clubs can force finishing unwanted books
- 22:24 – 24:14
Morning vs night reading, and how format (audio/print) changes the experience
Chris shares how he embeds reading into a morning routine and prefers lighter narrative at night. They compare physical books and audiobooks, emphasizing there’s no single best method—only what fits your goals and retention needs.
- •20-minute timer + morning routine as a practical entry point
- •Nonfiction by day vs story/biography by night to aid sleep
- •Audio for easier narrative; print for active learning and note-taking
- •Retention varies by person and by book type
- 24:14 – 28:53
Retention system: highlight, capture, revisit (analog-first)
Jim offers a simple three-step retention workflow centered on underlining, transferring key ideas to notes/cards, and regularly reviewing them. He explains why he prefers analog methods and how revisiting matters more than collecting highlights.
- •Read with pencil/highlighter; mark anything that triggers curiosity
- •At chapter/book end, extract highlights into notebook or notecards
- •Weekly review cycle to keep ideas ‘top of mind’
- •Analog writing helps encoding more than passive digital highlighting
- 28:53 – 31:11
Audiobooks vs podcasts—and what makes a terrible audiobook
They dig deeper into why audio retention can lag, especially when the content requires visual reference or active exercises. Chris cites ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ as a prime example of a book that fails in audiobook form due to its structure.
- •Audio can become passive when paired with chores/errands
- •Podcasts may stick better because engagement differs by listener
- •Some books require visuals/exercises and don’t translate to audio
- •Example: ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ is hard to follow as an audiobook
- 31:11 – 33:34
Starter pack for personal development: the ‘entrance ticket’ books
Jim recommends foundational self-development books that are easy to consume and implement. They discuss why ‘Atomic Habits’ is likely to become a modern classic and add an older timeless staple for communication skills.
- •‘Atomic Habits’—actionable, readable, identity-based habit change
- •Identity framing: ‘be a reader’ then ask ‘what would a reader do?’
- •The Lindy effect vs new classics (Atomic Habits as an exception)
- •‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’—digestible, evergreen lessons
- 33:34 – 37:26
Conversation and influence: ‘to be interesting, be interested’
They unpack why Carnegie’s advice works: people want to talk about themselves, and genuine curiosity makes you memorable. Chris adds a story about an experiment where a person was perceived as ‘amazing’ without sharing anything about themselves.
- •Perspective-taking in conversations improves connection
- •Key principle: ‘To be interesting, be interested’
- •Listening as a rare social skill in phone-distracted culture
- •How attention and curiosity create the impression of charisma
- 37:26 – 44:10
Next-level picks: motivation, focus, and underrated self-development gems
Jim offers additional recommendations spanning motivation and productivity, plus shorter, under-the-radar philosophy-style reads. They highlight why some books are better for ‘kick in the ass’ energy while others build long-term focus and thinking quality.
- •‘Can’t Hurt Me’—accountability, pushing mental limits (Goggins)
- •‘Deep Work’—the antidote to distraction and multitasking culture
- •‘As a Man Thinketh’—thoughts as a garden; mindset shaping outcomes
- •‘Economy of Truth’—aphoristic wisdom designed for reflection
- 44:10 – 48:19
Nonfiction page-turners: memoirs, business stories, and what they reveal
They shift into nonfiction recommendations, focusing on memoirs and business leadership stories that read like novels while still teaching lessons. Jim emphasizes recurring traits among successful leaders—work ethic, resilience, and vision.
- •‘Educated’—identity transformation through learning and self-belief
- •‘Shoe Dog’—Nike’s origin story and Phil Knight’s distinctive voice
- •‘The Ride of a Lifetime’—Bob Iger and patterns of elite leadership
- •Memoirs as high-retention, high-engagement learning vehicles
- 48:19 – 51:48
Fiction for meaning: Watership Down, allegory, and closing plugs
Jim recommends ‘Watership Down’ as a fiction pick that teaches virtues through story—courage, mission, and camaraderie—despite its premise about rabbits. Chris reinforces fiction’s ability to teach lessons self-help can’t, then they wrap with Jim’s YouTube plans and final plugs.
- •‘Watership Down’—virtues and hero’s-journey themes in fiction
- •Fiction as a unique vehicle for deep personal lessons (e.g., 1984)
- •Why narrative can unlock reflection better than direct instruction
- •Outro: @getbetterwithbooks, upcoming YouTube channel, final thanks
