"Don't raise your child to be a good boy; raise him to be a good man."
I heard this quote first from Rabbi Daniel Lapin, and it's one that's resonated with me greatly, and I've found it applies really well to my personal growth and learning.
There is no limit to the amount of information out there, and finding the right stuff is where it gets difficult. I've found that through my own journey, the books I've struggled with the most to understand have been the most profitable. This is the primary reason why I wouldn't say I like books written specifically for teenagers. I find the concepts and ideas fundamental and not super helpful in the overall long term. I go about deciding to read a book written for my age category by asking one question. Would I read this if I was 60? If the answer is no, I probably won't read it.
I am growing to become a good man, not a good boy. Reading material directed toward becoming a good man will have the side effect of making me a good young man. If it's not a timeless lesson, then it's not typically worth building.
Key takeaways:
1) Grow to become a good man, not a good boy.
2) Learning from books that center around young growth will give you just that
3) Ask "Is this a book I would read at 60?" to determine if it's a good one to read
4) You want to learn timeless lessons, not new ones