Setting a goal to read 1 book a week for a year sounds impressive...
But the 52-book challenge is actually terrible for you.
Here's why (plus a better reading challenge for you):
But the 52-book challenge is actually terrible for you.
Here's why (plus a better reading challenge for you):
The 52-book challenge is a popular challenge and at first glance seems great:
• Easy to measure success
• Encourages people to read more
• Gives people a big goal to strive for
However, the incentives of this challenge aren't properly aligned and have a ton of flaws...
• Easy to measure success
• Encourages people to read more
• Gives people a big goal to strive for
However, the incentives of this challenge aren't properly aligned and have a ton of flaws...
There are 4 main negative incentives from this challenge.
It encourages:
• Quantity over quality
• Punishes long books
• Forces finishing bad books
• Values reading over reflection or action
Let's dive into each:
It encourages:
• Quantity over quality
• Punishes long books
• Forces finishing bad books
• Values reading over reflection or action
Let's dive into each:
1) Quality Over Quantity
On the 52books subreddit, users commonly brag about reading 100 or even 200+ books a year.
Do these people actually enjoy reading all of those books?
Or are they virtue signaling, seeking validation, or trying to look "better" than other readers?
On the 52books subreddit, users commonly brag about reading 100 or even 200+ books a year.
Do these people actually enjoy reading all of those books?
Or are they virtue signaling, seeking validation, or trying to look "better" than other readers?
People tend to believe that the more books someone has read, the "smarter" they are.
But that isn't the case.
Reading shouldn't be a competition to get through as many books as possible. There's no prize for reading 100 books.
Instead, focus on how many books get through you.
But that isn't the case.
Reading shouldn't be a competition to get through as many books as possible. There's no prize for reading 100 books.
Instead, focus on how many books get through you.
2) Punishes Long Books
The 52 challenge discourages people who want to read longer books.
It rewards people for reading books and doesn't count metrics like time spent reading or pages read.
Such incentives alter a person's reading list.
I know this experience well...
The 52 challenge discourages people who want to read longer books.
It rewards people for reading books and doesn't count metrics like time spent reading or pages read.
Such incentives alter a person's reading list.
I know this experience well...
One year I wanted to read the Bible.
BUT since it's 1,200+ pages long, I knew reading it would decrease my chances of hitting the 52-book goal.
It also stopped me from reading the Pulitzer Prize Frederick Douglass's biography since it was 900+ pages long.
BUT since it's 1,200+ pages long, I knew reading it would decrease my chances of hitting the 52-book goal.
It also stopped me from reading the Pulitzer Prize Frederick Douglass's biography since it was 900+ pages long.
3) Forces You To Finish Bad Books
The 52-book goal discourages people from quitting bad or boring books.
It forces people to finish books they aren't enjoying because they want to say they've read it and count toward their 52-book goal.
The 52-book goal discourages people from quitting bad or boring books.
It forces people to finish books they aren't enjoying because they want to say they've read it and count toward their 52-book goal.
For example:
If someone's 30% or even 60% through a book but they aren't enjoying it, they shouldn't have to feel forced to finish it.
Instead, they should be able to switch to a different book and be rewarded for being a reader in general.
If someone's 30% or even 60% through a book but they aren't enjoying it, they shouldn't have to feel forced to finish it.
Instead, they should be able to switch to a different book and be rewarded for being a reader in general.
4) Values Reading Over Reflection or Action
Reading books is great BUT...it's only part one of improving your life.
In the 52-book challenge, here's no incentive to:
• take notes while reading
• reflect on new ideas/insights
• take action and apply the lessons learned
Reading books is great BUT...it's only part one of improving your life.
In the 52-book challenge, here's no incentive to:
• take notes while reading
• reflect on new ideas/insights
• take action and apply the lessons learned
What's the point of reading 52 books if you aren't remembering or applying what you've learned?
People should be rewarded for spending time taking notes on what they've learned, organizing valuable insights, and applying advice to improve their life.
Here's a better solution:
People should be rewarded for spending time taking notes on what they've learned, organizing valuable insights, and applying advice to improve their life.
Here's a better solution:
The 25 x 250 Reading Challenge ⭐️
Spend 25 minutes a day doing one of three tasks for 250 (or more) days out of the year:
• Reading
• Learning
• Growing
(free worksheet below)
alexandbooks.gumroad.com
Spend 25 minutes a day doing one of three tasks for 250 (or more) days out of the year:
• Reading
• Learning
• Growing
(free worksheet below)
alexandbooks.gumroad.com
This reading challenge rewards people for:
- reading books
- taking the time to remember what they're read
- and for taking action on the lessons they've learned
It also solves all the bad incentives in the 52-book challenge...
- reading books
- taking the time to remember what they're read
- and for taking action on the lessons they've learned
It also solves all the bad incentives in the 52-book challenge...
The 25 x 250 book challenge isn't about competing for who can read the most books.
• It's not about reading more, it's about reading BETTER.
It's about quality reading, not quantity reading.
• It's not about reading more, it's about reading BETTER.
It's about quality reading, not quantity reading.
It doesn't punish you for reading long books.
Nor does it force you to finish bad books.
And it motivates people to go above the passive consumption of reading by encouraging people to spend time applying the knowledge they've gathered.
Nor does it force you to finish bad books.
And it motivates people to go above the passive consumption of reading by encouraging people to spend time applying the knowledge they've gathered.
Here's how it works:
I created a simple one-page worksheet that shows all the days of the year.
(You can print it out or use the digital file)
Each day spend 25 minutes reading, learning, or growing, and mark that date with a check or highlighter.
I created a simple one-page worksheet that shows all the days of the year.
(You can print it out or use the digital file)
Each day spend 25 minutes reading, learning, or growing, and mark that date with a check or highlighter.
At the end of each month, tally up how many days you spent reading, learning, or growing.
Then repeat the same process every month till the end of the year.
Aim to spend 250 days (or more) reading, learning, or growing.
Then repeat the same process every month till the end of the year.
Aim to spend 250 days (or more) reading, learning, or growing.
You can learn more about the 25 x 250 challenge and get the worksheet for it for FREE here:
alexandbooks.gumroad.com
alexandbooks.gumroad.com
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