I knew the title of this article would get your attention. But it is just a bait. What I really don’t understand is why you would discard reading as secondary in your entrepreneurial journey. 

In my last article, I talked about the importance of knowing numbers. Well, I also know that the importance of reading is next to the importance of understanding numbers.

We all read these days; more so than at any other time in history—the guy looking at a small phone following Social Media platforms, actually reads a lot!

They probably read as much volume of writing as Warren Buffet!

So as an entrepreneur, don’t say things like: “I cannot read long things”.

The secret in unlocking hidden treasures in business lies in reading…..reading the right stuff.

I read very fast and very intensely at the same time—I TRAINED MYSELF TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS!

You can train yourself to do this—if you really want to, and if you are convinced it is what will set you apart—it is the most valuable of all skills.

Let me give you a simple tip; start reading enjoyable books to speed up your reading, through practice.

Even if it is just thriller novels—start there! Just read, read, read!

Even though I read a lot of very serious material every day, I'm very fast at it. I find that I have to filter out things that “crowd out” my reading time.

One day I sat down to find time for reading, and listening to entrepreneurship issues. I was shocked when I found out there was no time—then I removed myself from Social Media platforms that were simply entertainment and gossip.

The only emails that get to me are those that are important; which I then clear the same day!

I don’t need promotions to clog my inbox, or people sharing the latest political and social gossip.

What value is that to me?

Warren Buffet, one of the greatest investors in the world has stated many times that he reads 500 pages a day. 500 daily! Imagine that!

Warren Buffett is arguably the greatest investor of our generation, perhaps even in history. Buffett is also a champion of  leadership and personal development, sharing a treasure trove of advice to improve our lives.

One piece of advice is a rule Warren Buffett calls the key to his success -- a rule founded on a key principle of finance that he follows religiously.

What is the rule?

GO TO BED A LITTLE SMARTER EACH DAY.

That's the Buffett formula. As simple as it sounds, it operates on the power of compounding interest. Within a few years, it starts to yield results. "That's how knowledge builds up. Like compound interest," he once succinctly noted.

Over the span of your lifetime, the Buffett formula should give you an advantage, as it has Buffett. And the best way to launch it into daily practice is to do what Buffett does every day: READ. A lot.

Buffet's infamous reading habit is what he attributes as the foundational tool to improve knowledge. He is a voracious reader who spends 80 percent of his own day reading, and he suggests that anyone hoping to achieve similar success should read 500 pages per day.

That also means making the time to read. "I read and think," Buffett once said. "So I do more reading and thinking, and make less impulse decisions than most people in business. I do it because I like this kind of life."

He's not alone.

Bill Gates reads about 50 books per year. Mark Cuban reads more than three hours a day. Elon Musk? When asked about how he learned to build rockets, he said, "I read books."

Buffett doesn't limit building up his knowledge to books alone. He reads six newspapers a day, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times, USA Today, Omaha World-Herald, and American Banker.

Whether or not you have time for such an ambitious goal is largely irrelevant. The point of the Buffett formula is to make whatever progress you can. Few of us can actually squeeze in a 500-page goal with our busy schedules. But most of us, with some intentionality, can fit in 15 pages, maybe 20 pages each day, improving our level of knowledge in the process.

But whatever you do, make sure you read.

 Elekwachi is the Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Executive Chairman of Ikwuano Local Government.

He is also the Founder of Aaron Telecommunications, a telecommunications business.