I Love Reading, but Normally, I Don’t Like it
Reading is something of a discipline that I dedicate time and energy to every day.
I thought about what to do with my reading.
On Tuesday, I shared my reason for starting to read again, I kept seeing that the average CEO read 50 or 60 books a year. So, for the second half of 2017, I committed to 25. I finished 27 and decided it wasn’t too bad.
I used that as my benchmark. Annualized, that would have been 54. That’s right there.
And to me, I didn’t think I was dedicating that much time to reading or listening to audiobooks.
In 2018, I upped my goal.
I took the benchmark — 60 — and after testing it out for myself, decided that I could best my previous number.
I was no longer competing with anyone. While others may have been striving for a different number — be it 100 or be it 50 — I was focused on my goal.
Now, reading is something I discuss openly and feel as though I share often. People always have a favorite book or two. So, with that in mind, I like to ask others what books they like, what books have impacted them.
“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
That’s where I get most of my book choices from. I’ll look through various articles and lists that are shared and also, will ask most everyone I encounter their favorite or most impactful book.
This year, I am focused on 84 books, 7 a month, with 3 articles as well, often based on the books that I have been reading. So far it’s been about ⅔ audiobooks and ⅓ print books. I anticipate that breakdown continuing
I read books about faith, psychology, business, and communication. I particularly enjoy reading biographies.
As a friend of mine, Joseph Talarico, shared recently, he enjoys biographies because “biographies let us peek behind the scenes and see what makes a person tick.”
I agree.
That’s why I focus most on those 4 types of books. I like understanding people and seek to do better communicating each day.
The difficult thing is, no matter how well you understand people, you never know their true thoughts unless they vocalize them. You can study all you want, but unless their thoughts or feelings are verbalized, you can never be completely certain.
The same goes for studying biographies or personal development books, you can do all you want to learn to overcome challenges and learn from what others have done. You can study all you want, but unless you are in a position yourself, you can never be completely certain of the way you will react and respond.
I love reading now.
I don’t love it every day that I read, but I love reading in general.
I love the mission I have set out for myself, I crave the end result, so the work to get there is not a challenge for me.
It’s time to share what I’m learning at a deeper level also. I’m going to begin to share the notes I take from each book I complete and share them as well; tomorrow I’ll share a piece about the first book that I read this year.