The Point of Reading Goals
At the turn of the new year, I took a look at my reading habits. I have participated in the Goodreads Reading Challenge for the last five years. You set a goal for number of books read, and then document each book you read with a date finished, rating and maybe even a review. Here is how I have fared.
2013: 12 books read out of a goal of 40
2014: No challenge accepted
2015: 56 books read out of a goal of 50
2016: 55 books read out of a goal of 60
2017: 49 books read out of a goal of 52
I saw some interesting patterns and trends here. First, I was very unsuccessful the first time I participated in the Reading Challenge, so much so that I failed to document a goal for 2014 (I'm sure I read). Second, the only year I met my goal was in 2015. That is a success rate of 20%, if you define success as meeting an arbitrary benchmark. Third, my average number of books read for the past three years is 53, or one book per week. Knowing that the top 1% of earners read at least one book a month on average, I am looking forward to my future financial wealth.
This last point is my attempt at humor, but there is truth here as well. Habitual readers tend to find success in life, both personal and professional. They are typically more knowledgable about the world and have greater empathy for people in other cultures. The books I read vary in genre, author, length, etc., which broadens my perspective. Some books are for kids, such as the ones I read aloud to my children, but many are for me. Reading is a selfish act that also inspires selflessness and a desire to affect the greater good.
I keep track of my reading because it is important to me and the community of readers I know online and offline. I don't set reading goals to hit a number or see how many more books I can read than others. My list of books read provides me with a literary history, a chronology of my reading life. If I don't reach my goal, what's the big deal? I'd rather know whether I have an imbalance of fiction and nonfiction. These are points worth stressing in our classrooms so our students don't miss the forest for the trees.