FEATURE - Leaders are readers

Jamie Milne

I’m living proof that reading is how ordinary people become more intelligent, compound their thinking, and ultimately become more valuable to the world.

About 20 years ago I made one small decision: read five pages a day. Non-negotiable.

That was the advice given to me as a way to approach education. I had left school at 14 and knew I didn’t want to spend my life working at IGA or Bunnings — not that there’s anything wrong with those jobs. I just felt called to something different.

So I started small. Five pages. It didn’t matter if I was tired. Busy. Flat out. Five pages.

That single habit changed everything.

It shaped the way I think, the way I coach, and the way I lead. Over time it compounded. Five pages became ten. Not forced — just natural.

Today I read two to three books a month.

Most of what I know didn’t come from university or formal courses. It came from consistent daily exposure to better thinking. A small discipline with a massive return.

So here’s a question for you: Are you reading right now? If you are — what are you reading? And if you’re not, I have a challenge for you.

Read five pages a day for the next 90 days. Five pages minimum, from a book you’re genuinely interested in.

Because here’s the truth: Your future thinking is hidden in the books you haven’t read yet.

Start with five pages.