Reading can be like exercise and eating right. We know if we were better with both those we would be a better person. In fact, if we were really good at them we could likely be transformed.
Like the two disciplines above that have been the resolutions of millions, most people aren’t where they want to be with their reading. For many (like me), an expanding book list can be just as troublesome as an expanding waist-line.
There are a lot of things that keep us from what we want and know are in our best interest. It’s no different with reading. The other reality is that despite the endless variety of “stuff” that keeps us from making progress with the reading we want, only about a 1/2 dozen reasons make the biggest difference.
If you’re serious about wanting to make progress with your reading, you need a reading system that works. And what I’ve found over the last two years is that by getting conscious about and implementing the following four things, you can make amazing progress:
4 Keys To Crush It
- Know your “Why”. What is the overarching purpose you
have for reading in the first place? Some read for information, others amusement or escape and most read for combination of reasons. There are a lot of reasons to read and it’s up to you to figure out yours…and then keep it front and center. - Know your “What”. This deals directly with the books you you choose to read. It may be what’s on your really long book list right now, at least before you cull it after figuring out your “Why”. Use the pyramid concept to help you decide: Is it for amusement or information, gaining practical skills, to get better in work and life or become more enlightened?
- Know your “How”. The how will be determined by both your “Why” and your “What”. There are essentially 4 types of reading you can use to get the job done; make sure to select the right one. Having a 1-size fits-all approach is the second biggest mistake when it comes to reading.
- This is the most important Key. Block time in your schedule to read consistently and then engrain it as a habit. Failing to do this is by far the biggest mistake you can make when it comes to reading.
Simple…..And Easy Not To Do
Seems too simple, right? If it’s so simple then why don’t more people do it? I’m not sure. Perhaps the best overall answer that what’s easy to do is also easy not to do. What I do know is that after I put that fourth and most important key in place, I read 50 books that year. What did it look like? Simply reading 30 minutes 6-days a week as the last part of my morning ritual. And that was before I was even conscious and intentional with the first 3 keys. By incorporating the other three keys I was able to double my reading this year (no joke).
What would your reading list look like in 30 days if you simply read for 30minutes a day? Think big and imagine what your reading list would like if you put all 4 keys in place and “baked-in” a reading habit over the next 12 months. What would it look like then?
If this topic resonates with you then go ahead and make a risk-free experiment: put at least one of the keys in place and see what happens.
Once you do, please leave a comment, I’d love to hear about it.