I have a massive list of books to read. Each book I add to the list seems to spawn a dozen “if you like this book…” recommendations that inevitably cause the list to grow larger and more unmanageable. I’m lucky enough to have a library with a robust selection of audiobooks on Libby, and I like to listen while I’m walking or doing dishes.
I’ve successfully listened to a lot of what I would classify as “inspirational” books while walking around. They are usually full of success stories and case studies, and have an author with a compelling story of how they achieved some big accomplishment. It’s just the right mix – if my mind wanders for a minute or I say hello to someone on the street, I don’t feel like I’ve missed out.
I’ve been seeking out more books on creating frameworks and problem-solving, and I’ve been struggling to absorb the information through audio. I find myself stopping on my walks to pull out my phone to jot down haphazard notes. I then proceed to return home and never look at those notes again. I will find myself a couple chapters in feeling totally lost, and switch back over to a more “enjoyable” read.
This has made me examine my reading habits more closely. I love diving into an inspirational book, and living vicariously through the author. They are sharing about a goal or accomplishment achieved, and I’m feeling like I just closed a deal and secured funding for my project. I’m all for positive thinking and visualization, but I’m using these books as a distraction from actually pushing to the next stage and getting to work.
I’m trying to identify patterns that have caused me to stall on projects in the past, and this is waving a big red flag at me. It’s a similar trap I can fall into with learning in general. I tend to focus on gathering lots of information, and then I get frustrated during the building stage, which causes me to revert to reading about success stories so I can feel better.
I do feel guilty reading during the day, though. Reading is usually a leisure activity, and I feel like I’m not being productive enough even if it’s a work-related book. To combat this, I’ve started taking notes actively while I read at my desk, pretending that I will have to present all the information in a book report.
I still love my inspirational books, and I will continue to listen to them. It’s all about balance, and being accountable to myself about what purpose they serve – to inspire. I can’t ignore the advice being given – get to work, make my own mistakes, and draw my own conclusions.
