I love reading. So when I made a New Year’s resolution in the beginning of 2016 to read 50 books by the end of the year, I was pretty sure I could do it. This basically came down to four books a month, one a week. No problem.
Each month, I chose four books, mostly non-fiction since I could tear through a fun, fictional read in about a day or two. I chose the books based on my resolution topics, such as marriage, money management, growing my faith, etc.
Each day, I set a goal: read 10% or one chapter. Since these were pretty easy to meet, I started reading two books concurrently. If I could only get a book in the audiobook format from the library, I’d listen to one of those as well.
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It wasn’t long before I was running through 6 or 7 books each month. Even while I was in the hospital after my daughter was born, I still did my reading quota. I will forever remember the smells of the hospital mixed with her new baby smell and the words of Richard Swenson as I read Contentment.
By the end of the year, I had read 80 plus books. I say plus because there were times that I wanted to revisit a book I’d already read. I didn’t count these re-reads, even though I did actually read them, cover to cover (or the equivalent term for e-readers…1% to 100%?).
Having accomplished my goal, almost doubling it in fact, was something I was proud of. I even added reading 50 books to my 2017 resolution list. But would I chase it with the same verve as I did this last time?
No way.
And here’s why. Each day, I decided how much I would read based on when I would finish and move onto the next book on my list. This didn’t make me rush or skim, but it did steal some of the joy of reading. Instead of getting lost in an engaging book, I was meeting a quota. Once I met it, I would set the book aside for whatever was next.
By making reading, my absolute favorite hobby, into an item on my to-do list, I sucked the fun right out of it. With my next book already planned out, I couldn’t let my curiosity take me where it may. I scheduled out my next moves so there was no spontaneity, no excitement, and no engrossment.
While my reading goal gave me the opportunity to enjoy some amazing books (you can check out some here), more in that time frame than I ever had before, it limited part of what I love. This year I intend to go about it a little differently. I’ve made a list of books I’d like to read and have been adding to it as I come across more. I’m reading a lot slower, sometimes missing days at a time. But with no daily reading goals, it doesn’t matter.
Will I make it to 50 by the end of the year? I’m not sure. And that’s okay. I’m a big reader, with or without a resolution. I’m not in any danger of not reading anything for the entire year. But reading at a more leisurely and natural pace gives me the chance to read on when the subject has caught my attention. It allows me to pick up another book on the same subject if I want to delve more deeply. And it gives me the freedom to grab something off the shelf at the library if it catches my eye.
As much as I pursue productivity and advocate time management, when it comes to the things we love, it’s sometimes better to just go with the flow and let that passion carry us through.
Have you ever pushed yourself too hard with something you loved, only to burn out? It’s hard to imagine we can ever get tired of a good thing, but I’m sure it’s happened to us all. What did you do to reignite your passion? Leave me a comment below.
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