100 books in a year: Lessons from a failure

It seemed like a worthy goal for the year. Read a hundred books in a year. While contemplating this aim, a question jumped at me. How do I keep track of the books that I have read? In hindsight, I should have asked a different question, but the mind works mysteriously. Luckily for us, the mysterious ways lead to experience, for which there are no shortcuts. It is easy to track what you have read. GoodReads have a way of monitoring books you read in a year and reminding you how you are faring in your resolution.

We can set goals, and then we can measure our progress. But there is something between setting and measuring — the plan to achieve the goal. While I prepared myself, I forgot the middle part. To read a hundred books a year, you have to finish a book in less than four days. So, I should have asked a different question. How soon should I finish reading a book to achieve my goal? This inquiry would have shed light on the various shortcomings behind my decision.

What kind of books should I choose to complete in less than four days? There are three main criteria to base this choice. The first is the number of pages, and the second is the genre of the book. Still, I have yet asked another critical question. How much time do I have in a day to read a book? After a month into the new year, I realized that I will have to apply for leave to complete this resolution. When we set ambitious goals, we tend to forget about our time at our disposal.