Reading The Economist: A Journey
I've always been a fan of magazines (and getting mail in general), so by December of last year, a subscription to The Economist had been on my mind for a while. I was even more convinced by our fearless leader's recent recommendation to subscribe. But if that wasn't enough, I found a Groupon deal for a year's subscription shortly after Christmas, which finally tipped me over the edge and made reading the magazine my New Year's resolution. Three months later, having experienced many successes and struggles of becoming an official reader of The Economist, I wanted to share my three takeaways so you may too embark on this tempting, yet intimidating journey.
Learn to pick and choose
Getting through a very text heavy 90 page magazine (while still having a social life) in six days can be tricky. The first issue I tried to read cover to cover and quickly fell behind upon receiving week number two. I've learned that for me, it's best to pick and choose which stories I want to read. I like to choose articles about geographies that might impact my clients (Japan and Europe), trends that could affect them (new regulations and politics), and stories that impact me (Millennials using cellphones too much and U.S. elections).
Find the "Aha!" moment
One of my favorite moments from The Economist so far has been when the cover/feature story was about activist hedge funds. This happened less than a week after I was added to an activist hedge fund account at Prosek! It was a great overview of the industry and gave me some wonderful insight into my new client that I could bring to my new team.
Embrace the look
Jen said it best, "if you don't actually read it, just carry it under your arm." I think that reading The Economist provides you with a win-win for intelligence boosting. Not only are you reading about the news that you might've missed from the week, you're appearing more intelligent as well. For that reason, and in case I find some time on the train, I always keep my copy poking out of my bag. Consider this my mini-ode to The Economist. I am officially a fan. Pick it up and give it a try for a week. Just remember to pace yourself, look for relevance and exude smarts. You'll be surprised what you learn, and you'll be hooked in no time. 