How to Read 30 Books in One Year

Reading a book can certainly be a struggle when TV shows, movies, and social media compete for our time and attention.

Reading the right book(s) can make you smarter, help improve your decision making and be a great source of entertainment.

As I study people who are successful in business and life, I look for common denominators.

I found that many successful people are avid readers; regardless of industry, upbringing, demographic, etc.

Leaders are readers.

Here are three ways to help you read more:

1. Have multiple books going at the same time

This keeps you in the flow of reading as your mood changes throughout the day/week/month.

I am typically reading three-to-five books in different genres.

I move around between: business, christian inspirational, documentary (biography), finance, and leadership.

Find genres that you’re interested in and keep a book open in each one. This way you don’t miss a day or reading, regardless of your mood.

2. Set a realistic daily goal

My daily goal is to read at least one chapter a day.

Most books are 12 chapters long. Therefore, if I read one chapter a day, I can successfully read 2+ books a month.

The key is to keep it simple. One chapter a day is a reasonable request in this ever-busy world that we live in.

3. Hardcover books + E-books + Audiobooks

I used to think there was a battle between which format would win out.

Instead, I changed my perspective and took advantage of using all three ways to consume content.

• Hardcover/paperback books: there is something special about having a tangible item in your hand. The crispness of the page turn, the ability to highlight and write in the margins (unless you’re a Type A which means you want the pages to stay nice and clean). I keep all my books in our home office and it’s thrilling to see a library come to life.

• E-books: I use an old school Kindle which works great (the newer version looks cool, too). What I love about e-books is the portability. It is brilliant to have all my books in one tiny location. As I decided on my next read, having the ability to download a sample chapter before I purchase is a beautiful feature. Taking a test drive with a book before making a purchase (saves so much time) is a beautiful thing.

• Audiobooks: I have found cardio exercising to be way more enjoyable with a captivating book coming through my earbuds. If reading is a struggle, this is a great alternative to consuming the content.

As Mark Twain once said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”

Be sure to take advantage of these useful tips to become smarter and improve your decision making!

Take a look at my library to see every book I have read since 2011.