It's the same like studying just for a good grade instead of studying for knowledge. Like walking for tracking steps instead for our health. Like visiting instragrammable places and taking selfies instead of sitting on a bench, watching people. I think these are general problems we have nowadays: We always think about our life and ourself as something "to show others" (especially online), something that has to be created and curated. It's this misbelief that things aren't real if we haven't posted them, that things don't count if we haven't tracked them: magazines we've read, the walks without a smartwatch. I think tracking and counting is helpful to start a good habit, to push yourself, but not to really enjoy life.
So nice of you for sharing these incredible thought. I was in guilt for not sharing anything. Now I have different perspective to think. However Ruby shears to inspire us. I feel like sitting in garden and a beautiful girl, (we call it Pari in our language ) comes from heaven to play with words and motivate.
I completely agree. It’s much more important to read what interests you and to enjoy the experience than to try to reach a certain number of “books.” This way the length of the material, be it a book, article, poem, pamphlet or magazine does not matter, and provides much more freedom of choice.
As someone who has never set a reading goal, I quite agree with you, Ruby! I can see how setting a goal could help with motivation (and heavens, have I needed that sometimes), but I can also see how it might stop you from reading deeply and slowly. And I agree that reading different kinds of literature is just as valuable as reading novels. I'm happy to read anything and everything that gives me new thoughts to think and new ways of seeing the world.
It’s wonderful that you’re giving reading more intentionality. Your explanation of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation was enlightening! Reading challenges didn’t work for me, especially trying to keep up with my Goodreads friends, so I stopped. What helps me is to intentionally set aside time for reading each day. Making it a habit - without making it a competition - surprisingly improved my reading.
I could never put a number on the books I read. I have my commonplace, which I constantly write words I've looked up, quotes, location identifiers for other information that I want to look up. Such things are cafés, bars, and hotels mentioned. This means it can take two weeks to read a reasonable book. This began after being introduced to JP Donleavy. One of his novels takes place largely in Dublin. In 1983, I flew to Dublin and asked the taxi driver to take me to 'The Shelbourne Hotel', not knowing if it actually existed. It did. Now I love to visit places in novels.
During covid I read 50 books which was so many more than I had ever read before but I felt like it was a bit of a manic challenge I gave myself cuz the read was so stressful and I wanted something to escape into but still challenge myself. Now I'm a new mom and reading about 15 books a year and I enjoy reading much more without the pressure.
Thanks for this video Ruby! I set my reading goal quite low so as not to feel pressured but still feel accomplished. It has been working for me for the past few years.
My son suggested we get on Goodreads last spring so 2024 was the first goal I had ever set. I set it at 10 books because I had no clue what my goal should be! I read double that at 20, so this year I put it at 20 and I’ll see if I go higher then adjust it for the next year if I continue challenges. For me reading is truly for pleasure and an escape and I’m an information hound, so lots of nonfiction! So I guess we’ll see how this year goes. My son stopped using Goodreads about 5 months into it. We’ll see if I keep it up! Thank you for this wonderful thought provoking video, Ruby!
Very insightful Ruby, thank you. I don't consider myself a "reader" per se, I consider myself to be "curious". I want to hear what all these writers have to say, and I also subscribe to magazines on topics like science and news and theology, and I never really set a goal. You're so sweet!
What a wonderful video Ruby! Very thought provoking…I find myself stressed out about not reading hundreds of books every year but then I remember that yes my current read of Jane Eyre may have taken me 6 weeks, but what a wonderful 6 weeks it has been! I does not matter how long it takes you just have to enjoy it! :)
i agree with you a lot on this, ruby! i stopped setting numerical goals a couple years back too, and felt my reading became so much more intentional from it 🥰
I once heard an interview on CBC Radio in Canada. The person was a judge for the Charles Taylor Prize in non-fiction. He was required to read something like just over 200 books in a year, and do an assessment on each one before he could submit a short list. That is almost four books per week. Just imagine the reading schedule to accomplish that task.
Nice one Ruby. I once stumbled across an internet site (circa 2003) where the number of book pages read and the number of words read appeared to be the sole focus of the content creator. Assuming that he (and it was a bloke) read, say, 100 books annually the site was a blizzard of numerical data. Most peculiar.
Agreed. Having a numerical number feels like I’m grinding just to reach an arbitrary number. Same thing when I play games to increase the hours I played for a character, so I agree with this attitude for reading and other hobbies in general
What a book mean to me is almost like part of the unknown. When I look at a book, its like there is that weird strike of curiousity because I don't know what is in the book. Could be knowledge, could be a folktale, could be a poem, better yet, someone's voice. I always go by the famous quote "don't judge a book by its cover". I don't even read the summary of what the book is about. I rather learn that for myself. Books are so important and beautiful.
thank you for the reflection on what literature is. I "read" barely nothing last year in terms of popularly loggable books, but I've been reading chapters from class literature as well as 1-2 research papers each week. not saying these are superior to a fiction story, but they are so much more demanding and I wish there was a way to count them towards a goal that's not just in an individual tracker or speadsheet. this really made me realise hoch much I've actually been reading, though it's not something seen as reading in the popcultural way.
I'm with you where I ultimately came to the conclusion that I could set a lower book total goal and then not shy away from the longer books or different literature. I have my book count goal, but ultimately my true goal is page count. This allows you to count everything that you are reading, regardless of the form that it is in. Happy New Year!!
I really don't mind the whole reading easy and short books at the end of the year thing. I don't have the ambition to only go for classics or philosophy books, as long as I am reading consistently I feel good about myself. And if I am reading a lot for fun, even if some of the books are garbage, I feel more confident when I am picking up a long or difficult book. I used to be so afraid of classics, especially because I am committed to read mostly in English, my second language. I also feel like I desperately need the gamification of it all, books are in constant competition with my other hobbies XD I really appreciate your commentary on the value of literature that is not on the tracking platforms. I don't track my reading of webtoons and manga, I feel like that doesn't count, but I don't really understand why I feel that way.
Such a thought-provoking video! I’m also changing my approach to my reading challenge this year. I didn’t reach my goal last year and rather than feeling disappointed, I was actually just like… ok… what was the purpose of this again? I’m very busy at the moment with my masters and so I really want to make reading as relaxing, enjoyable, and as possible. I’m challenging myself to pick up the longer books that have been on my shelf for years - the ones I was avoiding for fear they would make me ‘behind’ in my reading challenge (currently The Goldfinch, which I’m loving taking my time to read!) I’ve also chosen to really reduce the number of books I’d like to read so that inevitably I’ll have some sort of sense of achievement, which I think links in with what you were saying about the importance of motivation haha! I’ve also found that working from a handwritten TBR list in my journal, the kind I would have had as a child, has really alleviated the self-imposed pressure to be updating my progress on Goodreads and to sort of just feel more like this is ‘my’ challenge, a curated list just for me, made by me :) Edit: I’m so sorry this is so long!
i used to think being magnetic was just about looks or confidence, but i couldn’t have been more wrong. i read this book called Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it totally changed my perspective. it breaks down the energy and mindset behind true attraction in a way that just makes sense. once i started applying what it taught, i noticed people reacting to me differently almost instantly. it’s seriously worth a read.
My reading goal is simply a method of encouragement and a fun reflection for the end of the year. I DNF books, I let my mood dictate what I read, I don’t stress about it. If I was making content or getting paid to read books then I probably would be more strict about it or feel pressure.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on reading goals! I would love to hear about your research (and musings!) on re-reading. Since I do a lot of reading on my iPad, I’ve been tracking it there and one of my frustrations is that it doesn’t count books you’ve read before! I don’t let it stop me. My goal of 100 books a year is low enough that I have flexibility to read books that aren’t counted like books on paper and rereads. It just annoys me because I think we can gain so much with rereading whether it’s just the cozy feel good vibes of some books or being able to focus on different nuances of a book. Jane Eyre was a very different book as a young teen than it was when I read it at 40. I’ve found my goal of minutes of reading per day is more meaningful for me. It’s a gift I give myself, and I like to see how long I can keep up a reading streak of at least 45 minutes a day. So far it’s stuck at 89 days.
I think a book challenge can be helpful to help get people in the haaaaabit of reading. If you want to do it, but have trouble setting aside time, that extrinsic motivation can remind you to make time. Worked for me!
I personally have my reading goal for 10 books so then, I can only focus on what I’m reading instead how much I read. I also love the graphs on StoryGraph and the tracker on goodreads, but it’s like I use it as an achievement when I hit 50 books. I want to break that mindset too and I’ll also be doing the journal idea too!
I didn’t set a reading goal this past year either. It felt so nice to just read what I wanted when I wanted. I truly enjoyed it📚❤️ Happy 2025 to everyone😊
I've set a goal of 100 for rhe past few years and only read 34 books last year. I've decided to not set a goal at all but keep track in bullet journal to hopefully get out of a reading slump I've been in for a while
I always set my goal at 100 books. For me that’s an easy goal, I tend to read between 150-200 books a year. I just love goals, lists, etc. It motivates me to read the books that feels intimidating😊
I didn’t set a reading goal per say but my biggest problem of 2024 was buying too many books for the speed that I was reading so my to be read pile grew and I ended up feeling, although through excitement to read the next book, rather than pressure to attain goals. I was still not entirely enjoying the reading experience, or reading slowly. My main goal for this year is to actually slow down on buying books and focus on the ones that I have, as well as, buying my own bookcase to decorate with all of these books!
Between my job, family, and other commitments I never read as much as I would like. I finished 45 books in 2024. I am always tempted to set a number for myself and then I feel stressed and anxious to keep up, however if I don't have any goal, I don't prioritize reading enough.
Such a great video, I set my first ever numerical goal in 2024 and went above it. However, I think what reading targets push us to do is read shorter and lighter books so we can read them more quickly and therefore tick them off and get closer to our goal. This means we pull away from reading classics and longer books which is such a shame!x
I feel quite different I think about reading, and I'd be really interested in hearing you talk about why "reading streaks" are important? I've always read a lot, but have recently have years where I've read a lot less. Like you I finished doing my masters summer 2024 and that definitely correlated with me reading less (mine was a science, didn't require reading books- just academic journals and medical research), but if I don't feel motivated to read a book then I don't try to make myself motivated. I read because I like reading so I'm intrigued about your thoughts and would be really interested in hearing your thoughts on why it feels important to be forcing motivation to read and the importance of reading streaks for you?
This is actually such an interesting question, and it's really got me thinking because why IS the reading streak important to me?? It feels so arbitrary when you put it like that. I think, in essence, it comes down to the fact that I feel happiest and most myself when I am reading regularly, which is why I dislike reading slumps so much. It's funny how we can deprioritise the things that mean the most to us & and are the best for us - and a good reading streak just means I keep consistent with reading, and never let it slack as a habit.
Looking forward to the book related videos! I have done a master's in linguistics, so I've always been more about the scientific side of language, but I'm finding I want to start getting into literature. I would love to read German and English/American classics, but it's quite difficult to decide where and how to start 😅
I did create my own reading challenge for the first time ever😂 I am trying to "regrow" my reading voice as adulthood has completely diminished it😭 and also build up my attention span&endurance for reading things when I do not want to for school.
My goal for 2024 was simply "read more" and actually I did really well. I think it was about reminding myself how much I love reading. I used to track how long I spent reading, initially to see how long it took to read X book, but seeing it in numbers that I was spending 10+ hours a week was pretty motivating for a while. I stopped when I realised the tracking had become an extra step that was putting me off reading. In 2015 I set myself the goal of 50 books, which I just about managed. But a few of those books I only chose because they were short. And I also gave up on a book I was enjoying because it was too long and it would've put me behind schedule. I've just recently picked it up again and am almost halfway through.
The reading project is tricky, isn't it. When I was at university, I developed a style of reading -- quick, analytical, dismissing parts in favor of gleaning ideas that could support my argument. It has taken me years to be able to slow down my reading, to read more deeply and more enjoyably. Now I have both reading styles at hand and can use either as needed. I'm always interested in how many books I've read in a year. But I don't care what that number is.
If you read a book at exactly the right frequency and exactly the right intensity of concentration, time comes to a dead stop and you can read infinite books. That was Kim Peek's genius.
You can also add those other forms of literature to Storygraph. If you add a book, there is a ticky-box at the end of the form for 'this is not a book' which is described as 'Not a book' status is for records that do not represent what is typically considered to be a 'book'.
Hey, since you've mentioned that you cannot track a lot of the things you are reading on Storygraph (like manuscripts, etc.), maybe you could use Notion to track these? I've already used Notion a few times to make my own templates and it's great! The most recent one was me going through free or partly free writing organisation apps like campfire, etc. and using them as inspiration to make my own template for writing a (fantasy) book, the perfect mix between all the free stuff out there and what I actually need/want. And obvioulsy without any limit to how many characters, etc. I can create :) And so far it worked amazing and I can only recommend to do this! Especially tracking is really easy to implement in a Notion page, as the recently added charts work just as well as any tracking-app to visualize different parts of your database. I'm also going to build myself such a tracking page as I'm not sure if I want to use storygraph, as it's another app I'd have to use each time I read something whereas I already use Notion for a bunch of things.
Ruby, even if you read 98 books last year. It was still a lot. What you should realize that you were also very busy with your Master's degree because doing a Master's degree is like a full-time job.
I personally see little point in counting how many books I read, I prefer quality to quantity, and deliberately read slowly to enjoy more. I also think there is no such thing "as a book", do you reach a goal by reading 100 books each with 10 pages or 1 book with 1000 pages?
that reading journal sounds like putting pressure on yourself again - why are u comitted to finish it this year? If there is interesting, moving stuff you feel like you wanna note - note it. If there isnt dont push yourself to write something down just for the sake for writing it and fulling down a notebook "in time "
A great idea for a challenge would be to see how many Loeb Library books you could read in a year. There are 597 titles in the series as of January 2025.
I read a fair amount of books a year but I never want to create a goal that forces me to read so fast that the info doesn’t stick with me. I know lots of people who read 100+ a year but can’t have any in-depth discussions about the books because they can’t remember enough details. If you can’t remember much about a book a few months later I don’t know what the point is.
Instead of a number of books, you could set a goal to read a number of pages, for example 10000 pages. This way 5 books of 100 pages are equal to 1 book of 500 pages within the challenge. You could even count an article of 2 or 3 pages or a 1 page poem.
Love love that you took this idea and record a vídeo about it❤Thank you I also see and follow Ruby’s YT channel 😊 Cheers No reading channel = read 67 books in 2024 Reading channel = read 48 books/ 50 books challenge 😅
If you're reading books for entertainment then quality and enjoyment should be the priority and not quantity. A little bit of everything is healthy but too much of something is bad. If all I did was watch 365 tv shows a year then every other aspect of my life would be miserable.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
i remember this one time i felt like no matter what i did, people just didn’t notice me. i tried everything-confidence boosters, social tips, you name it-but nothing seemed to work. then i found this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it completely shifted how i saw myself. it’s not just about being noticed; it’s about understanding the energy you project. honestly, this book made all the difference for me. if you’ve ever felt invisible, you need to read it.
one night i was scrolling through my phone, feeling like i’d never figure out why some people just seem so magnetic. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and something about it caught my attention. reading it was like turning on a light in a dark room. it’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not; it’s about unlocking the energy you already have. trust me, this book is worth every page
there was a time when i kept wondering why some people seemed to naturally draw others in while i was just…there. no matter what i tried, i couldn’t figure out how they did it. then someone mentioned the book Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and i decided to check it out. the way it explains how your aura affects everything around you? it blew me away. it’s like having a secret code to unlock your magnetic energy. this book is a game-changer.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
It's the same like studying just for a good grade instead of studying for knowledge. Like walking for tracking steps instead for our health. Like visiting instragrammable places and taking selfies instead of sitting on a bench, watching people. I think these are general problems we have nowadays: We always think about our life and ourself as something "to show others" (especially online), something that has to be created and curated. It's this misbelief that things aren't real if we haven't posted them, that things don't count if we haven't tracked them: magazines we've read, the walks without a smartwatch. I think tracking and counting is helpful to start a good habit, to push yourself, but not to really enjoy life.
This is so well articulated - thank you for sharing this and bring this into the conversation
So nice of you for sharing these incredible thought. I was in guilt for not sharing anything. Now I have different perspective to think.
However Ruby shears to inspire us. I feel like sitting in garden and a beautiful girl, (we call it Pari in our language ) comes from heaven to play with words and motivate.
This is well-said. Very true!
I didn't set one this year either, for the first time in years. I already feel more enjoyment in reading, valuing quality over quantity.
Yes, it doesn't matter how many books you read, just enjoy what you are reading for each book itself.
For me is about enjoying what I read and get something meaningful out of it than how many books I read and the speed that I will read them.
I completely agree. It’s much more important to read what interests you and to enjoy the experience than to try to reach a certain number of “books.” This way the length of the material, be it a book, article, poem, pamphlet or magazine does not matter, and provides much more freedom of choice.
As someone who has never set a reading goal, I quite agree with you, Ruby! I can see how setting a goal could help with motivation (and heavens, have I needed that sometimes), but I can also see how it might stop you from reading deeply and slowly.
And I agree that reading different kinds of literature is just as valuable as reading novels. I'm happy to read anything and everything that gives me new thoughts to think and new ways of seeing the world.
It’s wonderful that you’re giving reading more intentionality. Your explanation of extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation was enlightening! Reading challenges didn’t work for me, especially trying to keep up with my Goodreads friends, so I stopped. What helps me is to intentionally set aside time for reading each day. Making it a habit - without making it a competition - surprisingly improved my reading.
I could never put a number on the books I read.
I have my commonplace, which I constantly write words I've looked up, quotes, location identifiers for other information that I want to look up.
Such things are cafés, bars, and hotels mentioned. This means it can take two weeks to read a reasonable book.
This began after being introduced to JP Donleavy. One of his novels takes place largely in Dublin. In 1983, I flew to Dublin and asked the taxi driver to take me to 'The Shelbourne Hotel', not knowing if it actually existed. It did. Now I love to visit places in novels.
Oh I love this. Wistful and curious (two of the most important things). Thank you for sharing
During covid I read 50 books which was so many more than I had ever read before but I felt like it was a bit of a manic challenge I gave myself cuz the read was so stressful and I wanted something to escape into but still challenge myself. Now I'm a new mom and reading about 15 books a year and I enjoy reading much more without the pressure.
Reading should never feel pressurising, you're so right!
Thanks for this video Ruby! I set my reading goal quite low so as not to feel pressured but still feel accomplished. It has been working for me for the past few years.
My son suggested we get on Goodreads last spring so 2024 was the first goal I had ever set. I set it at 10 books because I had no clue what my goal should be! I read double that at 20, so this year I put it at 20 and I’ll see if I go higher then adjust it for the next year if I continue challenges. For me reading is truly for pleasure and an escape and I’m an information hound, so lots of nonfiction! So I guess we’ll see how this year goes. My son stopped using Goodreads about 5 months into it. We’ll see if I keep it up! Thank you for this wonderful thought provoking video, Ruby!
This was a very informative video, Ruby! I wish you luck on your reading journey in this new year! 🙏
Very insightful Ruby, thank you. I don't consider myself a "reader" per se, I consider myself to be "curious". I want to hear what all these writers have to say, and I also subscribe to magazines on topics like science and news and theology, and I never really set a goal. You're so sweet!
Oh I adore that
What a wonderful video Ruby! Very thought provoking…I find myself stressed out about not reading hundreds of books every year but then I remember that yes my current read of Jane Eyre may have taken me 6 weeks, but what a wonderful 6 weeks it has been! I does not matter how long it takes you just have to enjoy it! :)
i agree with you a lot on this, ruby! i stopped setting numerical goals a couple years back too, and felt my reading became so much more intentional from it 🥰
I once heard an interview on CBC Radio in Canada. The person was a judge for the Charles Taylor Prize in non-fiction. He was required to read something like just over 200 books in a year, and do an assessment on each one before he could submit a short list. That is almost four books per week. Just imagine the reading schedule to accomplish that task.
Nice one Ruby. I once stumbled across an internet site (circa 2003) where the number of book pages read and the number of words read appeared to be the sole focus of the content creator. Assuming that he (and it was a bloke) read, say, 100 books annually the site was a blizzard of numerical data. Most peculiar.
Agreed. Having a numerical number feels like I’m grinding just to reach an arbitrary number. Same thing when I play games to increase the hours I played for a character, so I agree with this attitude for reading and other hobbies in general
What a book mean to me is almost like part of the unknown. When I look at a book, its like there is that weird strike of curiousity because I don't know what is in the book. Could be knowledge, could be a folktale, could be a poem, better yet, someone's voice. I always go by the famous quote "don't judge a book by its cover". I don't even read the summary of what the book is about. I rather learn that for myself. Books are so important and beautiful.
thank you for the reflection on what literature is. I "read" barely nothing last year in terms of popularly loggable books, but I've been reading chapters from class literature as well as 1-2 research papers each week. not saying these are superior to a fiction story, but they are so much more demanding and I wish there was a way to count them towards a goal that's not just in an individual tracker or speadsheet. this really made me realise hoch much I've actually been reading, though it's not something seen as reading in the popcultural way.
I'm with you where I ultimately came to the conclusion that I could set a lower book total goal and then not shy away from the longer books or different literature. I have my book count goal, but ultimately my true goal is page count. This allows you to count everything that you are reading, regardless of the form that it is in. Happy New Year!!
Sometimes you just have to set aside the numbers, the statistics and let yourself flow with the moment. It's not about keeping up with the Joneses
I really don't mind the whole reading easy and short books at the end of the year thing. I don't have the ambition to only go for classics or philosophy books, as long as I am reading consistently I feel good about myself. And if I am reading a lot for fun, even if some of the books are garbage, I feel more confident when I am picking up a long or difficult book. I used to be so afraid of classics, especially because I am committed to read mostly in English, my second language. I also feel like I desperately need the gamification of it all, books are in constant competition with my other hobbies XD I really appreciate your commentary on the value of literature that is not on the tracking platforms. I don't track my reading of webtoons and manga, I feel like that doesn't count, but I don't really understand why I feel that way.
Such a thought-provoking video!
I’m also changing my approach to my reading challenge this year. I didn’t reach my goal last year and rather than feeling disappointed, I was actually just like… ok… what was the purpose of this again? I’m very busy at the moment with my masters and so I really want to make reading as relaxing, enjoyable, and as possible.
I’m challenging myself to pick up the longer books that have been on my shelf for years - the ones I was avoiding for fear they would make me ‘behind’ in my reading challenge (currently The Goldfinch, which I’m loving taking my time to read!) I’ve also chosen to really reduce the number of books I’d like to read so that inevitably I’ll have some sort of sense of achievement, which I think links in with what you were saying about the importance of motivation haha! I’ve also found that working from a handwritten TBR list in my journal, the kind I would have had as a child, has really alleviated the self-imposed pressure to be updating my progress on Goodreads and to sort of just feel more like this is ‘my’ challenge, a curated list just for me, made by me :)
Edit: I’m so sorry this is so long!
i used to think being magnetic was just about looks or confidence, but i couldn’t have been more wrong. i read this book called Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it totally changed my perspective. it breaks down the energy and mindset behind true attraction in a way that just makes sense. once i started applying what it taught, i noticed people reacting to me differently almost instantly. it’s seriously worth a read.
I feel that when I no set a reading challenge I am not have purpose read but keeping the goal makes me very stressed. I loved the video!! 💜
It’s such a hard one… I think it’s useful to use a reading challenge as a springboard, but the danger is then any obsessing over it!
I enjoy Robin Waldrun too, but have watched Jared Henderson's channel? He's similar to Waldrun.
SUCH a good video! I've never vibed with reading goals, they always made me feel rushed and a bit anxious. You articulated why so well. 💜💜💜
My reading goal is simply a method of encouragement and a fun reflection for the end of the year.
I DNF books, I let my mood dictate what I read, I don’t stress about it. If I was making content or getting paid to read books then I probably would be more strict about it or feel pressure.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on reading goals! I would love to hear about your research (and musings!) on re-reading. Since I do a lot of reading on my iPad, I’ve been tracking it there and one of my frustrations is that it doesn’t count books you’ve read before! I don’t let it stop me. My goal of 100 books a year is low enough that I have flexibility to read books that aren’t counted like books on paper and rereads.
It just annoys me because I think we can gain so much with rereading whether it’s just the cozy feel good vibes of some books or being able to focus on different nuances of a book. Jane Eyre was a very different book as a young teen than it was when I read it at 40.
I’ve found my goal of minutes of reading per day is more meaningful for me. It’s a gift I give myself, and I like to see how long I can keep up a reading streak of at least 45 minutes a day. So far it’s stuck at 89 days.
I think a book challenge can be helpful to help get people in the haaaaabit of reading. If you want to do it, but have trouble setting aside time, that extrinsic motivation can remind you to make time. Worked for me!
I personally have my reading goal for 10 books so then, I can only focus on what I’m reading instead how much I read. I also love the graphs on StoryGraph and the tracker on goodreads, but it’s like I use it as an achievement when I hit 50 books. I want to break that mindset too and I’ll also be doing the journal idea too!
You know what? I'm just going to say it. Matching cup and curtains!!!!! ❤💚❤💚
I didn’t set a reading goal this past year either. It felt so nice to just read what I wanted when I wanted. I truly enjoyed it📚❤️ Happy 2025 to everyone😊
I've set a goal of 100 for rhe past few years and only read 34 books last year. I've decided to not set a goal at all but keep track in bullet journal to hopefully get out of a reading slump I've been in for a while
I always set my goal at 100 books. For me that’s an easy goal, I tend to read between 150-200 books a year. I just love goals, lists, etc. It motivates me to read the books that feels intimidating😊
Your videos about books help me with my reading slumps! Motivating thank you!🙏🏼✨
I didn’t set a reading goal per say but my biggest problem of 2024 was buying too many books for the speed that I was reading so my to be read pile grew and I ended up feeling, although through excitement to read the next book, rather than pressure to attain goals. I was still not entirely enjoying the reading experience, or reading slowly. My main goal for this year is to actually slow down on buying books and focus on the ones that I have, as well as, buying my own bookcase to decorate with all of these books!
Between my job, family, and other commitments I never read as much as I would like. I finished 45 books in 2024. I am always tempted to set a number for myself and then I feel stressed and anxious to keep up, however if I don't have any goal, I don't prioritize reading enough.
have always enjoyed setting reading goals... it's fun :) luv ur room! soooo cozy
Such a great video, I set my first ever numerical goal in 2024 and went above it. However, I think what reading targets push us to do is read shorter and lighter books so we can read them more quickly and therefore tick them off and get closer to our goal. This means we pull away from reading classics and longer books which is such a shame!x
I feel quite different I think about reading, and I'd be really interested in hearing you talk about why "reading streaks" are important? I've always read a lot, but have recently have years where I've read a lot less. Like you I finished doing my masters summer 2024 and that definitely correlated with me reading less (mine was a science, didn't require reading books- just academic journals and medical research), but if I don't feel motivated to read a book then I don't try to make myself motivated. I read because I like reading so I'm intrigued about your thoughts and would be really interested in hearing your thoughts on why it feels important to be forcing motivation to read and the importance of reading streaks for you?
This is actually such an interesting question, and it's really got me thinking because why IS the reading streak important to me?? It feels so arbitrary when you put it like that. I think, in essence, it comes down to the fact that I feel happiest and most myself when I am reading regularly, which is why I dislike reading slumps so much. It's funny how we can deprioritise the things that mean the most to us & and are the best for us - and a good reading streak just means I keep consistent with reading, and never let it slack as a habit.
Looking forward to the book related videos! I have done a master's in linguistics, so I've always been more about the scientific side of language, but I'm finding I want to start getting into literature. I would love to read German and English/American classics, but it's quite difficult to decide where and how to start 😅
you can turn off the feature on storygraph that tells you if you are on track with your reading goal :)
Can you! Oh I didn't realise! I'm going to do that :)
love you ❤️ you are the best part of this awful day. thank you
I did create my own reading challenge for the first time ever😂 I am trying to "regrow" my reading voice as adulthood has completely diminished it😭 and also build up my attention span&endurance for reading things when I do not want to for school.
That's so wonderful to hear!
My goal for 2024 was simply "read more" and actually I did really well. I think it was about reminding myself how much I love reading. I used to track how long I spent reading, initially to see how long it took to read X book, but seeing it in numbers that I was spending 10+ hours a week was pretty motivating for a while. I stopped when I realised the tracking had become an extra step that was putting me off reading. In 2015 I set myself the goal of 50 books, which I just about managed. But a few of those books I only chose because they were short. And I also gave up on a book I was enjoying because it was too long and it would've put me behind schedule. I've just recently picked it up again and am almost halfway through.
The reading project is tricky, isn't it. When I was at university, I developed a style of reading -- quick, analytical, dismissing parts in favor of gleaning ideas that could support my argument. It has taken me years to be able to slow down my reading, to read more deeply and more enjoyably. Now I have both reading styles at hand and can use either as needed. I'm always interested in how many books I've read in a year. But I don't care what that number is.
If you read a book at exactly the right frequency and exactly the right intensity of concentration, time comes to a dead stop and you can read infinite books. That was Kim Peek's genius.
You can also add those other forms of literature to Storygraph. If you add a book, there is a ticky-box at the end of the form for 'this is not a book' which is described as 'Not a book' status is for records that do not represent what is typically considered to be a 'book'.
Wait that’s so clever! I had no idea! Thank you so much!
hi ruby! love your videos! they really help me at uni 🌸💗
Loved this video 😊
Hey, since you've mentioned that you cannot track a lot of the things you are reading on Storygraph (like manuscripts, etc.), maybe you could use Notion to track these? I've already used Notion a few times to make my own templates and it's great! The most recent one was me going through free or partly free writing organisation apps like campfire, etc. and using them as inspiration to make my own template for writing a (fantasy) book, the perfect mix between all the free stuff out there and what I actually need/want. And obvioulsy without any limit to how many characters, etc. I can create :) And so far it worked amazing and I can only recommend to do this! Especially tracking is really easy to implement in a Notion page, as the recently added charts work just as well as any tracking-app to visualize different parts of your database. I'm also going to build myself such a tracking page as I'm not sure if I want to use storygraph, as it's another app I'd have to use each time I read something whereas I already use Notion for a bunch of things.
Ah that's a really good idea! Thank you for that :)
hey ruby!
Hello!
Ruby, even if you read 98 books last year. It was still a lot. What you should realize that you were also very busy with your Master's degree because doing a Master's degree is like a full-time job.
I personally see little point in counting how many books I read, I prefer quality to quantity, and deliberately read slowly to enjoy more. I also think there is no such thing "as a book", do you reach a goal by reading 100 books each with 10 pages or 1 book with 1000 pages?
that reading journal sounds like putting pressure on yourself again - why are u comitted to finish it this year? If there is interesting, moving stuff you feel like you wanna note - note it. If there isnt dont push yourself to write something down just for the sake for writing it and fulling down a notebook "in time "
Oh I think I didn’t explain that correctly! I don’t plan to fill the whole notebook, only to jot down at least one takeaway from each thing I read
A great idea for a challenge would be to see how many Loeb Library books you could read in a year. There are 597 titles in the series as of January 2025.
I read a fair amount of books a year but I never want to create a goal that forces me to read so fast that the info doesn’t stick with me. I know lots of people who read 100+ a year but can’t have any in-depth discussions about the books because they can’t remember enough details. If you can’t remember much about a book a few months later I don’t know what the point is.
Room and study vlogs plss
Instead of a number of books, you could set a goal to read a number of pages, for example 10000 pages. This way 5 books of 100 pages are equal to 1 book of 500 pages within the challenge. You could even count an article of 2 or 3 pages or a 1 page poem.
That’s actually a really good idea!!
Hi Ruby❤
Love love that you took this idea and record a vídeo about it❤Thank you
I also see and follow Ruby’s YT channel 😊
Cheers
No reading channel = read 67 books in 2024
Reading channel = read 48 books/ 50 books challenge 😅
That's so interesting! It's so funny how the challenge can actually be a hinderance!
@RubyGranger8 oh sorry I meant reading challenge not channel 🤓🤣
Türkçe altyazılı da ekleyebilirsen çok sevinirim. Türkiye'den selamlar🇹🇷
If you're reading books for entertainment then quality and enjoyment should be the priority and not quantity. A little bit of everything is healthy but too much of something is bad. If all I did was watch 365 tv shows a year then every other aspect of my life would be miserable.
📖💌
Inextricably not Inextrecably.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
i remember this one time i felt like no matter what i did, people just didn’t notice me. i tried everything-confidence boosters, social tips, you name it-but nothing seemed to work. then i found this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it completely shifted how i saw myself. it’s not just about being noticed; it’s about understanding the energy you project. honestly, this book made all the difference for me. if you’ve ever felt invisible, you need to read it.
one night i was scrolling through my phone, feeling like i’d never figure out why some people just seem so magnetic. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and something about it caught my attention. reading it was like turning on a light in a dark room. it’s not about pretending to be someone you’re not; it’s about unlocking the energy you already have. trust me, this book is worth every page
there was a time when i kept wondering why some people seemed to naturally draw others in while i was just…there. no matter what i tried, i couldn’t figure out how they did it. then someone mentioned the book Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and i decided to check it out. the way it explains how your aura affects everything around you? it blew me away. it’s like having a secret code to unlock your magnetic energy. this book is a game-changer.
Were you in Harry potter?
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.
i remember feeling like i was always the one fading into the background while others stood out effortlessly. it was frustrating and made me doubt myself a lot. then i came across this book, Magnetic Aura by Takeshi Mizuki, and it showed me things i’d never even considered. it’s not just a self-help book; it’s like a guide to understanding your own energy and using it to connect with people. if you’ve ever felt like you’re not seen, this book might change everything.