10 Ways to Read More Books Than You’ve Ever Read Before
People are often shocked when they find out I read seventy books every year.
And these aren’t “beach reads” either. I read a lot of business and leadership books, as well as philosophy, psychology, classic literature, and modern fiction. Here’s my full list of books from last year.
Naturally, the question people tend to ask me is, “How do you read so much?”
There are many answers to that question. The simplest is that I make time for it, and you can make time for it too. But here are ten specific tactics I’ve used to read more:
1. Write a “Like List” and a “Love List,” then stop doing the things you like.
“This is the main question, with what activity one’s leisure is filled.” -Aristotle
I read so much largely because I’ve cut a bunch of other things out of my life. I don’t watch much TV, I don’t have an Instagram account, I don’t give a rip what TikTok is, and I don’t pay much attention to the news.
I found clarity on what was important to me when I realized that a bunch of things I like to do (watch movies, surf social media, etc.) cannibalized time from the things I love to do (read, have deep talks with friends, etc.).
Once I separated what I love to do from what I like, I found it easier to prioritize reading time.
The most pernicious distractions are those that appeal to our sense of pleasure and entertainment. We’re impeded by activities that are not bad, per se. Our biggest enemy to accomplishing our goals is spending time on things that are fun, but will ultimately not move the needle.
Write a list of what you enjoy. Then narrow the list to five things you love. Make it your goal to stop spending time on the like items because they will keep you from your love items.
If reading makes it onto your love list, make time for it.
2. Set reading goals.
“At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assist you.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
For almost a decade, my goal has been to read seventy books each year. That breaks down to about six books each month, or two every ten days.
If I’m twenty days into a month and I’ve only read two books (instead of four), I know I’m behind my goal. When that happens, I try to carve out a little more time to read.
Your goal will be different than mine. Perhaps it’s five books in the year…or a hundred. You set your own pace.
For example, one of my friends told me partway through 2019 that he had already read four books — which was more than he had read in all of 2018. That was a huge win, and he was elated. The important part is that you set the right goal that works for you.
3. Read multiple books at the same time.
“The genuine love for reading itself, when cultivated, is a superpower. We live in the age of Alexandria, when every book and every piece of knowledge ever written down is a fingertip away. The means of learning are abundant — it’s the desire to learn that’s scarce.” -Naval Ravikant
This is one of the best and most non-intuitive tactics I’ve found. Many people think that you can read more by plowing through an entire book until it’s finished. But then what happens if you’re not in the mood to read that book that day?
For example, I was reading a business book last week, but then I began to crave something different. So I picked up a novel and enjoyed that for a bit. If I had only been reading one book at a time, I would have dropped the business book and jumped into a different (and probably lesser) form of entertainment like social media, TV, etc.
I keep at least two books going at all times: one fiction book and one non-fiction one. Often, I add in a third book as well.
By keeping a few books going at one time, you’ll have books for each of your moods and preferences throughout the course of a given week.
4. Set aside solo time every day.
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” -Blaise Pascal
I read every single night after my wife goes to bed. Evenings are my time to be productive.
It’s important for everyone to have solo time. For you, that time may be early morning before your kids are awake, or during lunch at work, or right after you get home.
Find the time that works for you, then jealously protect that time. Make it a priority.
5. Build an anti-library.
“Collect books, even if you don’t plan on reading them right away. Nothing is more important than an unread library.” -Austin Kleon
Author Nassim Nicholas Taleb talks about the importance of building an “anti-library” — a collection of books that you haven’t read.
My personal library is packed with countless books I haven’t read yet. Every time I look at my bookshelves, I’m reminded that I need to get my butt in gear because there are so many books I want to read.
Sometimes when I’m looking for reading inspiration, I walk into my “library” to gaze at all of the wisdom I want to soak up. Then I grab the next book and dive in.
6. Visit bookstores more often.
“Don’t give up on books. They feel so good — their friendly heft. The sweet reluctance of their pages when you turn them with your sensitive fingertips. A large part of our brains is devoted to deciding whether what our hands are touching is good or bad for us. Any brain worth a nickel knows books are good for us.” -Kurt Vonnegut
Similar to the idea of building an anti-library, I visit bookstores to further ignite my reading passion. Sure, walking into a bookstore doesn’t equate to actual reading time, but it definitely offers inspiration and motivation.
Every time I walk into a bookstore, I leave with a sense that I need to prioritize reading even higher because there’s so much out there to learn.
7. Don’t let cost be too great an obstacle.
“The literature available at your average library amounts to millions of pages and thousands of years of knowledge, insight, and experience.” -Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Sometimes people tell me they’re surprised I could spend so much money on books. What they don’t realize is that it doesn’t actually cost much to have an epic reading appetite. In addition to free avenues like the library, there are dozens of cheap places to buy books.
For years, I used to visit thrift stores to find inexpensive books. Goodwill, Savers, Value Village, you name it. Every decent thrift store has a reading section, and the books generally cost somewhere in the range of $0.50 to $4.00. I’ve walked out with armfuls of books more times than I can count.
Then I stumbled upon the website ThriftBooks.com, which is an online thrift store that contains thousands of used titles — many of which are priced at $3.99. The site also offers free shipping if you buy $10 worth of books.
By finding inexpensive places to quench your reading habit, you can ensure that cost never stands in your way.
8. Keep a list of what you’ve read.
“My alma mater was books, a good library…I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.” -Malcolm X
I’ve tracked my reading list since 2009. In the past 11 years, I’ve read 687 books comprised of 206,618 pages.
I take a lot of pride in that list, and it motivates me to keep pushing — to continue learning more and more.
It’s fulfilling to look back upon the literary ground you’ve covered. If you haven’t done so yet, start keeping a journal or online document of the books you’ve read.
9. Bring a book with you, everywhere.
“You can do so much in ten minutes’ time. Ten minutes, once gone, are gone for good. Divide your time into ten-minute units and sacrifice as few of them as possible in meaningless activity.” -Ingvar Kamprad
If I know I’ll need to wait somewhere later in the day (getting a license at the DMV, bringing my car in for an oil change, etc.), I bring a book.
Those random minutes add up, and you want to take advantage of them. By thinking ahead, you can ensure those little pockets of time don’t go to waste.
10. Don’t give in to the social pressures of grabbing your phone or watching TV.
“Reading takes time, and the glass teat takes too much of it. Once weaned from the ephemeral craving for TV, most people will find they enjoy the time they spend reading. I’d like to suggest turning off that endlessly quacking box is apt to improve the quality of your life…” -Stephen King
For some reason, it seems like it’s more socially acceptable for people to whip out their phones than to pull out a book. For example, I’ve noticed that when my wife and I are hanging out with family during the holidays, people tend to turn on the television or surf the web on their phone once the conversation starts to lull at the end of the night.
I feel like a weirdo for grabbing my book, but I’ve decided that I’d rather be a productive weirdo than an unproductive lemming.
If you want to do something on your phone, that’s totally fine, but don’t give in to the social impulse to jump onto a device just because everyone else is doing it. Have the courage to pick up a book.
These ten tactics have been game-changers for me. I went from reading hardly anything to reading thirty books per year. Then fifty, then seventy. Last year I hit eighty books.
By making a few changes in your life and re-prioritizing how you spend the little gaps of time in your day, you too can become a voracious reader.
