50 for 50 Idea #5: Listen to an audiobook in the car

posted on: February 12, 2018
author: Brian Lomax, Ed.D.

What do you listen to when you are in the car or commuting to work/school? Spotify? The morning show on a local radio station? Talk radio? NPR? Perhaps nothing at all! I used to listen to music and various sports radio shows while driving, and I more or less did that without even thinking. At the time, it never occurred to me that I might be wasting an opportunity to learn something and improve myself by changing this mindless habit.

In 2009, I read an article that suggested you could turn your car into a “university” by listening to audiobooks, podcasts, books on CD, etc., on topics that were informational, uplifting, and relevant to your career or passion. The same article compared the media that we consume to the food that we eat, and that the information we listen to and watch is basically nutrition for your brain. And some of that information is basically junk food! That really hit home with me. When I examined what I was listening to, the majority of it was garbage, especially sports radio. If you’re familiar with Boston sports radio, then you know it’s toxic. There’s nothing uplifting or truly informative about it. Listening to it is the equivalent of eating a deep-fried twinkie – zero nutritional value!

Soon thereafter, I changed my information diet to accommodate my new career in positive psychology and sport psychology. I listened to CDs from Success Magazine to learn about entrepreneurship. I used the Audible app on my phone to listen to books about mindfulness, psychology, business, and motivation. For at least 30 minutes a day, I listened to something educational and uplifting, and what a difference that habit has made!

Those hours in the car, listening to quality information (good nutrition), have been hugely impactful on my life and my career. Many of the concepts included in my training program for athletes have come directly from “the university of my car.” Through their spoken words, the authors of these books have become mentors for me, and I feel a deeper sense of connection with them and their material. When I have a long drive ahead of me, I look forward to it because I know I can listen to something interesting, fun and informative.

If you want to get started with audio books, I recommend visiting audible.com and/or your local library. Both are great resources to find books that interest you. Additionally, through iTunes and Google Play, you can search for podcasts that pique your interest. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like the Tim Ferriss Show because he interviews high performers in a variety of categories.

Dedicate a little time each day to consuming some educational and uplifting content that is interesting to you, and you’ll be amazed at the results. Let me know how it goes!