Tips For Setting Reading Goals & How I Met Mine in 2019

December is a great time for reflecting on the past year. The last few years, I’ve spent some time at the close of each December recording some of my favorite things from the last year, including favorite books. This year I’ve enjoyed keeping track of my favorite books in “real time” in my mini book review posts.

This was also my first year setting reading goals for myself, and I like how my goals helped challenge me as well as give me direction when choosing books. It helped prevent me from getting into reading ruts due to brain fog.

I’ve already started thinking about what reading goals I’d like to set for 2020. But first, I’m going to record how I did with my 2019 goals (read my post about setting these goals here). And, I have some tips for anyone who wants to set goals for the following year.

Here’s how I did meeting the five goals I set.

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Goal #1—Read at least 2 books in translation

Done! As I shared in this midyear check-in post about my goals, I checked this off my list earlier this year.

Goal #2—Read at least 1 Shakespearean play

I didn’t get to this one, but the purpose of setting these goals is to have fun, not put pressure on myself or stress about meeting these goals. But the benefit of setting this goal is that I purchased the play I’m most interested to read (The Taming of the Shrew), along with a modern take on it, so I’m all set for 2020. (Plus, I finally got around to watching Ten Things I Hate About You, so that almost counts, right?)

Goal #3—Join a Literary Society/Book Club

I’ve read all but one of the books we set for this year (and I’m partway through that one). And more importantly, my goal was to make it to at least one of the meetings in person, which is quite a challenge when you’re dealing with unpredictable health conditions. And—I made it to one of the meetings in October! I was also able to catch up with a friend via phone to talk about some of the books I wasn’t able to make it to meetings to discuss.

Goal #4—Read at least 2 classics I should have read in high school

Done! I had totally forgotten this goal until I wrote my mid-year check in post. I enjoyed the two classics I read so much, I decided to read a third. Here’s what I read:

Fahrenheit 451 (Mini review here)

The Lord of the Flies (Mini review here)

Frankenstein (Mini review coming)

Goal #5—Read more poetry

At first I didn’t think I met this goal because I didn’t read a book of poetry. But then I realized I’ve been subscribing to more literary journal e-newsletters, and I’ve been able to read poetry for free. I’ve been seeking out more poetry and been exposed to different styles, which is exactly what I was aiming for.

 

Tips for Setting Your Own Reading Goals

Here are some  of the things I’ve found helpful when considering what goals to set for the next year.

Stretch yourself—What genres do you normally stick to? What would you like to learn about? Think outside the box and consider trying a book that’s different from what you’ve been reading lately.

Think quality over quantity—I originally wanted to have one of goals be to read more books than I did last year. I realized this makes me tend toward shorter books and makes me feel obligated to finish books I don’t like in order to meet a quota. I decided to scrap this goal; If I happen to read more books, great. If not, I’ll at least be reading books that I enjoy.

What books are you holding off on reading?—Maybe they seem to intimidating, but you really want to read them. Go for it—reading them now!

Set up accountability—If I wrote about my goals on my blog, I knew I would check back in and make sure I was working towards them.

Find ways to discuss books with others—This is why I wanted to be part of a literary society. If you can’t make it to a meeting in person due to your health or other circumstances, consider talking about books via phone or joining an online book group.

Remember audiobooks are books too—Reading can be a challenge due to health and vision issues, but audiobooks are a great option, and the same as reading, according to our brains. I’m going to “read” an audiobook next year (this one sounds amazing).

Don’t be afraid to go big (or small)—I like to dive right in and set big goals. I knew tackling long classics would be a challenge for me because of the brain fog and attention issues that come with my health problems. But I decided to go for it, because that’s just me. Big goals motivate me. But, if that makes it hard for you to start, go small at first. After all, these are your goals. They don’t have to work for anyone except YOU.

Adjust as needed—I decided that I didn’t want to spend my Christmas season reading footnotes while wading through Shakespearean dialogue, so…I’m not. I’m not going to force myself to squeeze in one last goal before the new year. I adjusted my goal, and won’t let myself feel guilty for it. Reading is a joy! Have fun with setting your goals. If you find yourself not enjoying reading as much, reevaluate your goals and switch things up as needed.

Use your library—Don’t let the expense of books be what holds you back. Use the free resources at your library to get access to the books you want to read.

Find book recommendations—I share my favorites on this blog. Check with friends or authors you love. Anyone who loves books and has similar taste (or hey, dissimilar taste too). This is a great way to discover books that you might not cross paths with any other way.

I hope these tips help, and I’m excited to hear what everyone else is reading in the new year! Share in the comments about your reading goals!

Did you set reading goals this year? How did you do with achieving them?
What reading goals are you thinking of setting next year? Share in the comments!