The One Habit That Changed My Career: Reading Business Content with Purpose

Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, or early-career professional, one of the highest-leverage habits you can build is this: read more often, and more intentionally.

This morning, I was reading an article by Rachel Greenberg that reminded me why I consider reading one of the most important habits of my career. If you’re in the business world, building a startup, or exploring entrepreneurship, you need to know about Rachel’s work. She publishes through the Entrepreneur Workshop on Medium, and her recent piece—“The Startup Lawsuit as PR Stunt”—is sharp, thoughtful, and worth every minute.

But this post isn’t just about one article. It’s about a bigger mindset shift: using reading as a growth engine.


Why Reading Is a Career Advantage Most People Overlook

The average professional spends over 11 hours per day consuming content, yet according to a McKinsey study, only a small fraction of that is geared toward deep work or strategic thinking. Most of us are stuck in a cycle of short-form content and reactive inputs.

Meanwhile, top performers do something different:

  • They seek out long-form, thoughtful content.
  • They read case studies, founder stories, and strategic breakdowns.
  • They apply what they learn—often immediately.

Over time, this turns into a massive competitive advantage.

When I look back on my own professional growth, from early roles in operations to leading organizations and advising founders, I can trace many key breakthroughs back to something I read. A book, a blog post, a case study… even a single sentence can sometimes trigger a shift in how you see the path forward.


My Framework: Reading as a Core Leadership Habit

In my book, I talk about the GAIN Principles—Go, Assess, Identify, and Next—as a framework for navigating growth cycles. Reading fits into this naturally because it helps you:

  • Assess where you are and what you’re missing
  • Identify patterns, blind spots, and new perspectives
  • Decide what’s Next

I treat reading the same way I treat fitness or leadership practice: as a daily discipline, not a luxury. It’s one of the only “free” tools that can upgrade your thinking, expand your perspective, and make you sharper in meetings, pitches, and strategy sessions.


The Best Business Writing Goes Beyond Trends

There’s a lot of noise online, especially in the world of startup and business content. What makes someone like Rachel Greenberg stand out is her ability to unpack complex dynamics, challenge conventional wisdom, and explain the “why” behind headlines.

Her work reminds me of other favorite writers like:

  • Ben Thompson of Stratechery
  • Morgan Housel of The Psychology of Money
  • Tomasz Tunguz on VC trends
  • And classic business thinkers like Jim Collins and Clayton Christensen

Each of them brings a unique lens to how business and leadership really work. And when you read consistently across these voices, you build what I call a career honeycomb—a network of insights you can tap into when making your next big decision.


No Budget, No Problem: How to Start a Professional Reading Habit

You don’t need a subscription to every paid platform or a $2,000 business course to build a reading habit. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1: Set a Weekly Reading Goal

  • Start with 1–2 long-form articles per week
  • Use platforms like Medium, Substack, HBR, or LinkedIn Articles

Step 2: Curate Your Feed

  • Follow great thinkers in your industry
  • Create a separate reading email or folder

Step 3: Reflect and Apply

  • Jot down 1 insight per piece
  • Ask: “How does this change how I think or work?”

Step 4: Share What You Learn

  • Start conversations on LinkedIn
  • Build your credibility as a thought leader by sharing what you’re reading and why it matters

Read Like Your Career Depends on It—Because It Might

We’re heading into the “back-to-life, back-to-reality” season. The summer slowdown is over. Calendars are filling up. Projects are ramping. It’s a perfect time to recommit to your professional growth—and that starts with what you consume.

So here’s my nudge:

📚 Add reading to your weekly routine.
🧠 Choose content that challenges your thinking.
🚀 Watch how your mindset (and career) start to expand.

Because sometimes, your next breakthrough won’t come from a meeting or a mentor—it’ll come from a single sentence in an article you almost didn’t read.

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