Recently, the former Union Minister and former top UN diplomat Mr.Shashi Tharoor was asked the secret of his exceptional English vocabulary. While he joked initially, he then gave the secret of his amazing and enviable vocabulary: Reading. Yes, the open secret to a strong and deep English vocabulary is as simple as that- a lot of reading of good English books.

Mr.Tharoor dispelled the notion that he moves around carrying an English dictionary. In fact, he claims that he has seldom used a dictionary. According to him, the more he read, the more he came across the same words again and again. By relating the context of the usage of the word, the meaning of the word becomes entrenched in one’s head.

The benefits of reading regularly in career and personal development

Reading has several benefits besides enriching one’s vocabulary. It opens one to many different worlds and perspective and stimulates one’s intellectual development. Listen to any personal development expert and he/she will suggest reading good-quality books as one of the approaches to developing yourself. Is it any wonder that one of the great habits of almost all successful people in the business and professional world is reading?  Equally important is  the knowledge one acquires with reading that serves as a great tool in social and professional communications.

In the knowledge economy that we live in today, knowledge is an important differentiator. Of course, the ability to apply that knowledge effectively is very important --- that can happen only by equipping oneself with the requisite knowledge. Therefore, getting into the reading habit can serve to be an important career development tool. 

How to build the reading habit

Building the habit of reading good English books isn’t as complicated as it may sound. Like any habit, it is the result of regular and consistent practice. The first step, of course, is to get started even if you don’t have an interest or are not in the mood. Being disciplined and pushing yourself to read at least a few pages in a day is the key. You can start by reading a book on a topic of your interest and subsequently move on to other topics.

Read a variety of books by different authors. This will ensure that you are exposed to a variety of ideas, different vocabularies and a mix of writing styles. Variety is the spice of reading – and it certainly helps to expand your reading repertoire. You’ll be richer for the trouble you take to read and understand different authors, not to mention the positive effect it will have on your English vocabulary.

Obviously, there are lots of digital distractions that can put you off course in your attempt to build the reading habit. This is where self-discipline plays such an important role. Resist short-term temptations and think of the longer-term benefits of reading books.

Putting your English vocabulary to use

Learning new words is just the beginning of your journey to improving your English vocabulary. You have to become adept at using those words regularly and correctly, such that they become an integral part of your language. Only then can you confidently say that the newly-learnt words have become part of your vocabulary.

The old adage, “if you don’t use it, you lose it”, holds true as always. Even if you may use the words inappropriately a couple of times and may cause some embarrassment, it is certainly worth the try.

So, if you are keen to improve your English vocabulary, take a leaf out of Mr.Tharoor’s book and start reading regularly now!

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 Chander  Madan