Hey, what's up with your reading goals for 2016?

For the record: I love cats

Less is more. That's the philosophy guiding my reading goals for 2016. As much as I relished the challenge of reading 40 books in 2015, I decided that this year I would have to step that down. The plan is to read less books, do more thinking and take more deliberate action. My main focus in 2016 is on understanding, not knowledge.

In December, I made a list of 25 books to read. Then I changed my mind again in January, with the idea that I may end up reading more or less than 25. I decided that I would just go with the flow. That whatever number I would arrive at  in December 2016 would be good enough. But now, I realize that is not a good idea; it's not a smart way to think. If I want to achieve anything worthwhile through reading in 2016, I have to be deliberate about this whole thing.

Mind you, I haven't decided on a number yet. But what I have done is to make a list of categories of books I'd like to read, based on the areas of my life that need the most attention. There are at least three books under each category, each of them has been selected based on strong recommendations from people.

But that's enough about me. Now, let's talk about you.

Why do you even have reading goals in the first place?

If you're serious about setting and/or accomplishing reading goals in 2016, then you need to be deliberate about this thing. Don't just pick any book to read, narrow your scope and make sure you have an objective for this.

Why do you want to read the number of books you want to read in 2016? Is it so that you can gain mastery in a new subject? Or so that you can acquire new skills that come from practicing the things you will read? Or is it so that you can tweet about all the books you have read and show off to people? Make sure you get your motives right. In the course of the year, you will face obstacles that will obstruct you from achieving your reading goals. What will matter most, what will keep you going, will be the objective(s) for setting those goals.

Narrow your scope

When pursuing your goal, one thing you will notice is that there are so many books in the world you want to read. Some great titles won't pop up until late in the year and they will tempt you to veer off course. Sometimes that is okay, other times it's not.

So it is important for you to narrow your scope. What kinds of books do you want to read this year? Why do you want to read them? By the time you answer these questions, you will be better prepared when delicious books - that aren't already on your reading list or aren't in the categories of books you've scheduled for the year - come your way.

So far this year, I have read hundreds of articles about content marketing, and I finished one book and read another half way. I finished reading StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath and read half of Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit.

Now I'm reading The 50th Law by 50 Cent and Robert Greene. I don't intend to finish all the books I start. What's most important to me is gaining valuable knowledge from them. Once I sense that I have gotten the main point of the book, I will move on to the next one. Just like that!

Photo Credit: LUNARIX-PIX via Compfight cc

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