Last week I shared some of my favorite reads in 2019. There were a lot of books to choose from. This year was my high-water mark for books read. I normally read around 30-50 books a year, so it’s not as though reading is a new passion. This year everything just seemed to line up: I didn’t coach one of my kids’ teams for the first time since they started playing sports and my reading was ramped up because of research for a few writing projects. I hit 85 at Thanksgiving and figured I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to hit triple digits for the first time.
Why Read So Much?
You might have the same reaction I have to ultra-marathoners: but why?! Just because you can doesn’t mean you should! Fair enough. I’m not about to tell you that you should read 100 books in 2020. I understand that not everyone is wired like me, but I believe that most of us would benefit from reading more.
The median number of books that Americans report reading per year is four.[i] Surprisingly, seniors read the fewest number of books and, unsurprisingly, educated women read the most. CEO’s read about 40 books a year.
To be clear, I don’t speed read and I don’t usually skim (unless I’m finding the book unhelpful). I think that readers gain more by digging into a great book than they will skimming over five books. The goal with reading isn’t to mark something off your list or to make you feel smart, it is for personal change and growth.
Here are five ways that I benefit from reading:
1) I grow in knowledge: as I read, my understanding of the world is widened and deepened;
2) I grow in empathy as I encounter different ideas and people and walk a mile in their shoes;
3) I am motivated: as I read, I feel the healthy push of those who are further along in their spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth;
4) I gain wisdom: I learn the most hard-earned insight of people I wouldn’t have access to otherwise;
5) I understand God better: I believe the more godly people I encounter, the more I learn about the limitless facets of our Holy God.
How Can I Read More?
Okay, maybe you’re convinced now that reading is worth your time. But how can you read more? Here are five tips that have worked for me and I hope work for you:
1) Set a manageable goal: I probably wouldn’t have read 100 books if that was my goal. My goal this year was 45. I blew past that in the summer and pressed on. If you’ve never read two books in a year, don’t aim for 20, aim for four. Goals do help, though. They give you a sense of how many books a week and a month you should be reading. Oh, and don’t be overly litigious about what “counts.” That’s silly. It’s your goal. For me, I probably read two dozen of the 100 books via audiobook this year. Some of the books I read were rather short. I counted them all.
2) Vary your reading: don’t try to read 100 books that are the same. That’ll wear you down. Create a healthy diet. For me, about seven years ago I forced myself to start reading fiction again. All I was reading was non-fiction, which is great, but it wasn’t a healthy diet.
3) Read what you like: you’re not going to read more if you don’t like what you’re reading. Pick up lots of books that you like. If you like mysteries, then crank up the mysteries! If you like biographies, then go at it! If every time I went to the gym, I only did all of the machines I despised, I wouldn’t go very often. Make sure you reward yourself with books you enjoy.
4) Read what you don’t like: if you only read what is your favorite, you’re not likely to grow in wisdom and expand your worldview. Many might get stuck in a rut of light fiction, which is fine on its own, but a diet of easy fiction won’t grow you intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually. Whether you are picking up a type of book that is outside of your comfort zone (for me that used to be fiction, now biographies probably are the genre I most avoid), or you are picking up an excellent author who isn’t your cup of tea (don’t waste your time with bad authors who aren’t your cup of tea), you will be challenged and grow from the exercise. Don’t fill your reading list with these books, but make sure that you’re stretching yourself regularly in your choice.
5) It compounds: the more you read, the easier it is to read. Some seem amazed I can read theology books at the pace I read them. It’s not really because I’m smarter than the average person, it’s just that I’ve read more theology than the average person. The more you read, the more familiar you will become with the subject matter and the arguments. Just like anything, the more you read, the easier it is to read, and the more adept you will be at reading at a faster pace.
I likely won’t hit triple digits again. But that’s okay, the number isn’t what matters. My hope for myself and for you is that books would serve as a tool for us to grow in our emotional and spiritual maturity. May 2020 be your best reading year yet!
If you’re looking for books to read, check out my overview of some of the best books I read this year.
Photo credit: Alfonso Morales/Unsplash
[i] https://www.irisreading.com/how-many-books-does-the-average-person-read/