Many great lawyers, politicians, and professionals draw new ideas from reading. Benjamin Netanyahu is known for reading extensively and using books as a source of insight. Bobby Fischer famously mined chess books and periodicals for new ideas. Joshua Foer has noted that at elite levels, a chess player’s improvement is tied more to studying grandmasters’ games than to time spent playing.
Joshua Foer also emphasizes the importance of leaving your comfort zone. Over time, professionals often operate on autopilot, practicing only what they already know. He points out that top figure skaters are not those who practice the most, but those who fall the most in practice—because they are attempting new skills.
Reading is one of the best ways to generate new ideas and continually improve advocacy skills. Modern resources such as podcasts, seminars, and YouTube can help, but they should supplement reading, not replace it.
I will note the number of good trial books out there are limited and are tough to find, but I generally try to read them when I find them.
