The Read Well Podcast | EP 117

Title: How to Retain and Process What You Read 📚
Host: Eddy Hood
Release Date: November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Eddy Hood addresses a common reader concern: how to deeply retain, process, and apply what you read—especially when life’s stresses and experiences stand in the way. Sparked by a heartfelt encounter with a military veteran, Eddy explores practical strategies for making the ideas in books truly useful, blending personal reflection practices with actionable advice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Question: How Do You Apply What You Read?

• Context: Eddy attended a Warrior Rising event for veterans turning business ideas into reality ([01:05-03:20]).
• Veteran’s Challenge: Despite loving to consume books (mainly via Audible), the vet felt initial inspiration faded quickly, leaving little lasting impact:
  "I feel like I'm inspired in the moment, but I don't have access to that knowledge after I've finished the book. Why is that? And how do I actually take the good stuff and apply it to my life?" ([03:40])

2. Affirmation: Audiobooks Count

• Eddy is adamant that listening to audiobooks is as valid as traditional reading:
  "Audible, listening to books, absolutely counts as reading." ([04:00])

3. Unlocking Meaning with “Morning Pages” ([05:00-09:45])

• Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, Eddy describes the “morning pages” technique:
  • What it Is: Write three full pages by hand every morning without stopping, regardless of what comes out.
  • Purpose: Pushes past surface thoughts into deeper self-reflection, often uncovering subconscious feelings or insights.
• Memorable Quote:
  "As you keep forcing yourself to write... you begin to write things that are deeper down in your subconscious, stuff that really matters in your life, stuff that will change who you are, once you understand that about yourself." ([08:55])
• Book Tie-In: Use your morning pages to process what you’ve read:
  "You might say, 'I just read this really good book...' Eventually you'll stop describing the passage and you'll start getting to the subconscious stuff about how the passage applies to you and why it's important for you." ([10:10])

4. Book Recommendation: Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones

• Reason for Recommendation:
  • Chosen for its exploration of hardship and trauma—resonating with the veteran experience
  • Book tells the story of the Atlanta child murders through the eyes of three children
• Eddy’s Reflection:
  • Draws a direct line between the trauma in the book and the hardships faced by veterans:
    "This is a dark book about a dark experience, and it's seen through the eyes of innocent people... These were young men, strong men who have given everything for us." ([13:00-15:10])
• Quote on Application:
  "If there's something in you that you want to unlock, you're a great person to do that. You grab the pen and the paper and you just write for three pages, and eventually some of that trauma will come out. Some of the stuff you learned from your reading session that morning will come out." ([15:28])

5. On Deep Reading vs. Light Reading ([16:00-18:30])

• Not every book needs deep processing—some are for enjoyment, while others demand reflection.
• Advice on Application:
  • Identify books that have potential to change your life and engage with them deeply.
  • After reading, use morning pages to explore your emotional and intellectual response:
    "Just write about what you read, how it made you feel, what you learned, what scares you, what excites you... all of the things that make you human in relation to the work that you've just consumed." ([18:12])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Audiobooks:
  "Listening to books absolutely counts as reading." — Eddy ([04:00])
• On the Practice of Morning Pages:
  "Most of the time, the stuff that hits that page is gobbledygook... But as you keep forcing yourself to write... you begin to write things that are deeper down in your subconscious." ([09:00])
• On the Power of Deep Reading:
  "Simply to read the book is only the first step to reading a book deeply. Not every book is meant to be read deeply, by the way... but every now and then, you'll come across a book that you really want to read deeply." ([16:52])
• On Self-Discovery Through Writing:
  "I pretty much guarantee that at the end of three pages, you're going to learn something about yourself that will hopefully help you in a coping mechanism, bring you some joy or at least some clarity." ([15:45])
• Eddy’s Core Philosophy:
  "It's more important to read well than to be well read." ([02:25])

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:05] – Attending the Warrior Rising event, meeting veterans
• [03:40] – Veteran’s question: using reading to improve one’s life
• [04:00] – Audiobooks count as reading
• [05:00] – Introduction to morning pages
• [08:55] – Morning pages and self-discovery
• [10:10] – Applying morning pages to what you read
• [12:30] – Book recommendation: Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones
• [16:00] – Deep vs. light reading; reading to change your life
• [18:12] – How to write about what you read for better retention

Practical Takeaways

• Affirm Your Reading Habits: Audiobooks are a valuable way to read; don’t let anyone discredit your method.
• Morning Pages: Try the three-page daily writing habit, especially to process or “unlock” insights from your reading.
• Target Deep Reads: Save time and energy for books that matter to you, aiming to read deeply and apply their lessons.
• Reflect in Writing: After reading, write freely about your thoughts and emotions regarding the material to better remember and use it.
• Relate to the Text: Connecting personal experience and emotion to books (especially difficult ones) can bring clarity, healing, and real-life application.

Final Words

Eddy encourages listeners to:

• Read slowly
• Take notes
• Apply the ideas

He reminds the audience that the act of reflection—especially through writing—is essential for growth through reading, and invites everyone to explore more resources at thereadwellpodcast.com.

Episode philosophy in a nutshell:
"It's more important to read well than to be well read."