This blog won’t be much different than the one I wrote last year on how I read 64 books in 2020. Well…the difference is about six books.
In my coaching conversations, I’ve heard many people say they want to work on their reading habit.
Let’s start with that last word.
1) I make a habit out of it. (i.e. I read every day.)
Even if it’s just two pages.
In a session yesterday, my client said, “.1 is more than 0.”
Something is better than nothing. Let’s put that into perspective.
If we read 10 pages a day, every day for a year, that’s 3,650 pages.
That means we could read Infinite Jest, Moby Dick, five 200-page novels, five 100-page stories…and still have 408 pages left.
I like reading for 10-30 minutes as part of my morning routine. Sometimes I’ll read as I wind down before bed.
Not everybody has the luxury of working for themselves like I do. People have jobs and families. But I find it hard to believe a person never has ten minutes to themselves for a bit of reading.
In short, it’s about consistency, not speed. I’m a wildly slow reader. Reading practically every day compensates for that.
2) I don’t read shit I don’t like.
If continuing to read something feels more like a chore or an obligation, I put it down.
I’m not saying other people should do this. I have friends who feel accomplished when they stick with dense and challenging reads all the way through. That’s great.
But personally, that’s not why I read. I want to enjoy myself. I’m not in school anymore and I’m not looking to challenge my brain. I want to be entertained, to be intrigued, and to learn things I can use in the real world.
Time reading something I don’t like is time away from something I could possibly love.
3) I keep book notes.
In my Notes app, I keep simple, bulleted takeaways from what I read.
I try to put them in my own words to make it easier for me to remember and apply them.
I’m not certain this allows me to read more, but it definitely makes me feel more engaged with what I’m reading. It also allows me to go back a year from now and revisit what I got out of a book.
4) I log what I read on GoodReads.
To anyone who cares about a reading habit, I strongly encourage making a GoodReads account.
There, one can…
• set reading goals • see what their friends are reading/have read • get recommended new books • keep track of everything they’ve read
Be sure to follow me. 😊
Conclusion.
The most important two things are to read consistently and to enjoy it.
Reading because it’s “what someone should do” feels dull and pointless.
I got to enter many different worlds this year. Here’s to 70 more in 2022!