Everyone knows they should be reading more books but they aren’t because, let’s face it… Who has the time?
I bet you have some books sitting on a shelf making you feel guilty you didn’t get past the first chapter. You bought it in an airport shop with the best of intentions but you fell asleep on the plane never to pick it up again.
Regardless of if you bought the book at a conference, on a vacation, or because of a new year’s resolution, the reason you purchased the book is a good sign. You made the investment in the book because you believe that reading is a primary key to personal growth.
Stop being so hard on yourself. You already believe reading matters…you’re reading this blog aren’t you? So be nicer to yourself.
I frequently get asked by other pastors and leaders how to read more books so I wanted to share with you a few things that have helped me.
1. Set a Goal
YEARLY
How many books do you want to read this year? Don’t make it a competition with someone else. Make it a competition with yourself. The goal isn’t to just get through a book, it’s to grow through a book. When the goal becomes just about quantity you’re going to miss some great content.
Still I need some type of a gauge to keep from getting lost in the forest. I want to know what I should shoot for. I once asked Bill Easum how many books a year I should read to stay sharp as a pastor. He told me that if I read 2 books a month I would be far ahead of the majority of other pastors.
So I made 24 books a year my baseline goal.
MONTHLY
Often people will set a big yearly goal and then forget about it. When October rolls around they are overwhelmed by what they need to do to catch up and then give up. If you want to accomplish your yearly goal divide that by 12 so you will stay on track each month.
DAILY
A daily reading goal is the real secret to reading more. If you set a goal of at least 10 pages a day you’ll get through a 300 page book every month. Most books are around 225 pages.
When I first started reading my goal was 10 pages before I went to sleep. I then increased my goal to one chapter a day…two chapters a day…50 pages a day. Do what works for you, for some books 10 pages a day is quite an accomplishment.
2. Eliminate Stuffing
You have a daily reading appetite capacity. Once you satisfy it you can’t or won’t read any more.
It works just like your appetite around mealtimes. Once you’ve satisfied it you’re done. You can fill that appetite with junk food or you can fill it with quality fuel that will keep you at peak performance. Dinner could consist of only chocolate chip cookies and ice cream OR protein and vegetables. Your appetite doesn’t care which you choose, but your body does. Both will satisfy your appetite, but one is just stuffing.
It’s easy to quench your reading appetite without putting anything of quality into your mind. We mindlessly surf Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter reading all of the comments and news articles. We read the sports stories or People magazine and then we’re full. We’ve filled up on junk food.
You’ve got to get the good stuff in first before you reach your appetite capacity. I bet you are already doing a lot of reading, just not the type that will help you grow.
This one change alone will help you read more books.
Didn’t your mom always say you could have dessert after you finished your vegetables?
3. Read What Interests You
Just because someone else says a book is a must-read doesn’t mean it’s a must-read for you. People I highly respect have recommended books to me as “life-changing” and after I read them I’m left scratching my head wondering what I missed. What I’ve learned over the years is those books spoke to a specific season they were going through. The same is true for anyone who makes a list of best books (myself included).
I’ve heard Andy Stanley say numerous times that adults learn on a need to know basis. He’s right. You probably won’t read a book on being an awesome grandparent until you have grandkids.
What season of life or pressure point are you facing right now? I’ve found that when I read books in those areas I have a hard time putting them down. I grow with every page.
When you find a book that interests you, turning off the TV doesn’t seem like such a battle.
Let me also give you permission that you don’t have to finish every book that you start either. For some of you that’s hard because you feel like you’ve already invested time into it and you don’t want to be a quitter. The longer you stay in a book you don’t enjoy, the faster you are going to lose interest in reading altogether. Cut your losses and jump into another one. It’s the author’s job to hold your attention, not yours.
4. Always Bring a Book with You
I bet you’ll have to wait somewhere this week. You’ll have to wait at practice, the doctor’s office…piano lessons… Instead of filling up on Facebook why not get those 10 pages for the day in?
Audiobooks are a great way to fill the drive time. I’ve written more about it here.
5. Record Your Win
Every year I keep a simple word document and when I finish a book I put it on the list. If I really liked the book I put it in bold. Nothing fancy, it just lets me track progress and see momentum. I love putting books on that list! Right now, I have 16 years’ worth of lists.
When I get to the end of the year it’s easier to reflect on what I read and what my best books were for that year.
Another way I keep track of my wins is my bookshelves. I love looking at the physical books I’ve read over the years. It’s a trophy shelf of sorts to remind me of what I learned and how I grew. Instead of mocking me for being unfinished they motivate me to keep reading.
6. Pray
I’m sure you weren’t expecting this one, but don’t click away just yet.
When I finished college I knew that as a pastor I would have to read lots of books for research and to stay current. My pastor growing up did a great job modeling this. The one problem was I hated to read. The fact that every great leader and pastor I knew was a voracious reader discouraged me even more because I disliked reading that much.
I prayed a simple prayer…God if you really want me to be a pastor I need you to give me a desire to read. I picked up a book and started reading just 10 pages a day…and I’ve never looked back.
I feel like God honored my prayer, but He expected me to do my part.
So what book are you reading tonight?
