“Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and nooks”.
(Dr. Seuss)
Who knew Dr. Seuss was so wise?
My love of reading started when I was young. This may have come about because my hometown is so small and reading provided unlimited adventures for me. I cannot remember a time when I did not have a book in my hand reading about things that enlightened my world.
My love for reading kept me in my junior high school library daily looking for new books. Books about the old west were some of my favorites back then. Learning about warriors Sitting Bull, Geronimo and Cochise was my go-to section within the library—I read other stuff, but the wide west was an era that fascinated me. Mrs. Wiggins, the librarian, gave me unlimited access to books and allowed me to check out as many as I wanted. I left school on Friday afternoons with a new stack of books and read them over the weekend so I could return on Monday and get more books. Did I mentioned I love reading! 😊
High school saw me gravitate to a larger library with even more adventures waiting for me to discover. I spent so much time in the library, Mrs. Chandler let me check out books to my fellow students. I did not work there but she made me useful and took breaks while I ran the library for her. I still see Mrs. Wiggins and Mrs. Chandler when I am back in Jasper—they still bust my chops for always being in their way.
Fast forward to 2021 and I still have a thing for reading—guess I am a lifelong learner.
I write out my yearly goals each January and make sure I list a reading goal for the year. My 2021 reading goal is to read 2 books each month. That does not sound daunting, but my reading progress can be impacted by life (work, travel, etc.). Work has proven to be the biggest obstacle to my reading program since we have so many new things going on at the same time. Yes, that is an excuse so had to work my way out of my reading funk and get back on-track.
My saving grace is one of my coworkers. He is an avid reader, and his yearly goal was a bit more aggressive than mine. He would come into work on Mondays and tell me about the book(s) he read over the weekend. I am a bit competitive so knew I had to get myself in gear or he was going to leave me in his dust (reading wise). Life inspiration is funny—positive peer pressure got me back to reading.
Proud to say I have been in a groove and have started to crush my reading goals. I joined Amazon Prime so I could get free shipping and 2-day delivery for my book purchases. Sounds like a small thing but getting books delivered faster actually keeps me focused. I routinely have two or three books on standby as I complete my current title. Amazon provides book recommendations based on previous purchases, so I am always on the lookout for my next buy.
I read four books in April and three in May—this put me back on pace to meet my yearly reading goal. My increased reading volume puts me on pace to read 40+ books this year which would be the most ever for me in a year. Funny thing is I am still super busy at work but made reading a priority and the pages are turning now.
I am not limited to a single topic when selecting my books. I do not read much fiction but try to find subjects I can learn from and apply in my daily interactions. Some of my books are just entertainment and enjoy turning pages while sitting on the beach in between naps.
Here are a few of my latest reads:
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK / Mark Manson
- Ocean Prey / John Sanford
- The Hero Code / Admiral William H. McRaven
- Make Your Bed / Admiral William H. McRaven
- Outliers / Malcolm Gladwell
- Start with Why / Simon Sinek
- Think Again / Adam Grant
Looking to get The Bomber’s Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell soon—the reviews are great and love his writing style. I am sure there will be other titles added to my reading journey—just need to figure out what I want to read about and put my Amazon Prime membership to work.
What are your reading goals? Who is your favorite author and why?
“There is more treasure in books than all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island”.
(Walt Disney)
Walk Into the Future 