Setting a goal of a certain number of books can be a great way to stay consistent with your reading (especially in the age of screens begging for your attention all the time). But sometimes lofty goals can be stressful and put undue pressure on something that’s supposed to be fun.
Here are three reading goals that aren’t just about how many books you can knock off your list in one year:
Start a Journal of Your Favorite Quotes From Books
Write down the quotes that speak to you with the date you read them, what they mean to you, and why you chose it. It’s quicker than journaling from scratch, super low stakes, and still gives you a glimpse into your past and present self.
Try a Genre Outside Your Comfort Zone
Reading is one of the best and cheapest ways to explore what you like and who you are, and you may be surprised at what you find when you wander outside your go-to genres.
Love historical fiction? Try out future fiction, like sci-fi. Can’t help yourself around self-help? Give romance a whirl. Maybe even pick up a genre you think you’ll hate, just for the heck of it.
Ask friends, consult staff picks at your local bookstore, or even ask us for recs in comments (we would love nothing more than to yap about books with you. It’s literally our favorite activity.)
Find New Joy in Old Favorites
Each time you reread a book, it’s likely you’ll find something new to love. It could be a description, a line of dialogue, or subtle foreshadowing that you didn’t recognize the first time around.
To see things from a fresh perspective, try a different method when revisiting an old favorite. If you listened to a book the first time around, try reading it analog and see if anything new jumps out at you. If you read the physical book, see if listening to it gives a different emphasis or tone than the narration in your head.