Lesson 1 — Reading With Intention

Welcome to Lesson 1

The first step in the Read · Build · Grow process is learning how to read business books with intention.

Many people read business books the same way they read any other book, moving quickly through chapters and trying to absorb everything.

The RBG approach is different.

You are not reading to finish the book or adopt an author’s entire framework.

You are reading to notice ideas and think about how they might relate to your business.

This lesson introduces the mindset that supports the rest of the process.

Your Reading

Choose a business book you would like to explore.

If you are following the current reading cycle, begin with the assigned chapters.

Otherwise, simply start with the opening chapters of the book you are reading.

Read what you can.

You do not need to finish every page for this process to be valuable.

Identify One Takeaway

As you read, notice one idea that stands out to you.

Your takeaway might be:

• a quote
• a concept
• a strategy
• an observation

Sometimes the most useful takeaways are things that:

• resonate immediately
• challenge your current thinking
• feel incomplete or confusing
• don’t fully sit right yet

All of these are valid.

The goal is simply to notice what captured your attention.

Thinking Lens: Where Could This Apply?

For this lesson, focus on possibility rather than commitment.

Ask yourself:

Where could this idea apply in your business, even if you are not planning to use it right now?

You are not deciding whether to implement anything yet.

You are simply exploring where the idea might be relevant.

What Application Looks Like In This Lesson

Application during this stage is very light.

It might look like:

• identifying an area of your business that the idea relates to
• recognizing where the idea might work in theory
• noticing why it might not fit your current stage
• simply holding the idea for future consideration

You do not need to take action yet.

This stage is about awareness, not implementation.

Reflection

Before moving to the next lesson, write down:

• the idea that stood out to you
• where it could potentially apply in your business

This simple reflection helps reinforce the habit of reading with intention instead of passive consumption.

Key Reminder

There is no pressure to:

• apply every idea
• move quickly through the book
• fully understand everything immediately

The goal of this first lesson is simply to begin noticing ideas more deliberately.

That small shift changes the entire reading experience.

Next Lesson

In the next lesson, you will learn how to capture takeaways more clearly so ideas don’t get lost after you finish reading.