How To Read More Books This Year

Here’s how I’m trying to read more books in 2020.

1. Reading = Your Identity – The first step in becoming a reader is to believe that you are in fact a reader.  Reading is part of who you are.  Once reading is part of your identity, it will pain you to not read.  This trick works for good and bad habits.  Fitness fanatics and cigarette smokers are obvious examples of people who have told themselves that those habits are who they are.  Stopping their habits is tough because that’s what they do.  They wouldn’t know how else to spend their time.  Tell yourself that you’re a reader, and coincidentally, you’ll make time to read.
2. Buy Books on the Spot – If you see a book you want to read, buy it.  The price you pay for a book you put into action is only a fraction of the value you could receive.  I’d gladly spend a lot of money on a book if it meant saving my relationship or getting in better shape or becoming richer.  Don’t wait for a better time to buy the book. Don’t wait for the local library to have the book in stock.  Get the book while it’s on your mind.
3. Stop Reading Books You Don’t Like – Reading will become a habit if it’s enjoyable.  Just because your friends told you “Goldfinch” was great doesn’t mean you have to like it.  Put down books you don’t like and pick up the ones that peak your interest.
4. Audiobooks – Ear buds and iPhones have made listening to books so accessible.  I find audiobooks are easier than print books to consume because you have to actively choose to stop listening by pressing a button on your phone.  Physical books are the opposite.  You have to choose to keep going on.  Start listening to audiobooks. Pick books that are worth listening to more than once so the information can really sink in.
5. In-Between Spaces – People spend a lot of time commuting, doing choirs, and waiting around.  Instead of listening to the radio or scrolling through the Gram, why not use those spaces to read.  Always carry a book (or audiobook) with you, and when the opportunity presents itself, knock out a few pages. 
6. Ask People You Admire What Books They Read – There’s a good chance that the successful people you know have read books that put them on the path to success.  Ask the people you look up to what books changed their lives.  You’ll find that there are some books that get repeated.  If you don’t know any readers, look online for book lists by famous people.  Most successful people have a short list that every person should read.  Find those books.
7. Put Your Phone in Another Room – While you read, put the phone out of reach. Instagram and email can wait, so just get rid of that distraction.  Get away from your phone and into the book.
8. Just Do It – The bottom line is you need to start reading.  You have access to information that could change your life expectancy, save your marriage, or make you wealthy.  So, start. Read books you’re interested in.  Read books that give you a new perspective.  Read books that will help you get out of your own head.  Read books.  Period.