I love diving into older podcast episodes. I don’t follow a system – I simply search for keywords that resonate with me at the moment and explore the archives. It feels a bit like opening a treasure box: you never know what insights or surprises you’ll uncover.
That’s how I stumbled across a Coaching for Leaders episode from 2020. In this episode, Bonni Stachowiak and Dave Stachowiak talked about Readwise – a tool that helps you revisit and reflect on your reading highlights. For anyone unfamiliar, it’s like having a digital flashcard system (it reminded me of the Leitner System from my school days!). I still use a physical flashcard box on my desk for learning and remembering, so this concept felt familiar yet exciting. Or perhaps Readwise is more like Niklas Luhmann’s Zettelkasten – a system for collecting and connecting ideas? Who knows.
After signing up, Readwise sent me highlights from my Kindle. One quote that particularly stood out was:
“If I can provide a certain type of relationship, the other person will discover within himself the capacity to use that relationship for growth, and change and personal development will occur.” – Carl Rogers (On Becoming a Person, 1995)
So, who is this “I” in the quote? For me, my reading in this context felt as if Readwise was speaking directly to me. It was as though it was saying, “I offer you the relationship of revisiting these highlights, and through that, I invite you to discover growth, change, and continued learning.” This insight made me pause and reflect on how Readwise is not just a tool for gathering highlights – it’s a way to re-engage with the ideas that resonated with me at the time of reading, helping me continue my learning journey.
Thank you, Bonni and Dave, for the work you do – and for inspiring moments of connection and learning.
Ps: As you can probably tell, alongside my passion for coaching, I also love thinking, reading, and reflecting. If you’d like to chat about podcasts, books, or coaching, feel free to get in touch – or visit my website: candidajavaid.co.uk.
Candida Javaid Coaching & Mentoring 