This is a reflection on the system I currently use to meet a goal of completing a book every two weeks. It’s been my most preferred system from reading 110+ books over the years.

My system:

• Pick a book you’re curious about. Seems obvious but I think many people read books others tell them to.

• Read every day after your morning journal. I make it an immediate to-do after on most days.

• Set a timer for 60 minutes. The point is to read for at least 60 minutes or how long it takes to read a chapter (whichever is longer).

• Set phone on airplane mode. No distractions. No laptop open either.

• Read indoors. Being outside is distracting because I tend to people watch inadvertently when thinking.

• Play rain noises on headphones to block out outside noise for solitude.

This has worked for me. When I execute it every day, I’ll finish most books within two weeks.

Sometimes 1 hour means I can’t even finish a chapter because of how dense the book is, the amount of marginalia notes I take, the amount of thinking I need to do etc… But I stress finishing a chapter so I can write a summary at the end of the chapter to close off on an idea. Leaving it mid-way leads to me forgetting most of it by the next day.

Some books I will breeze through… at rates of 40 pages an hour. That’s awesome. I can be little loose with this because there is no friction with the reading. But some are a little dull and I need to force myself to sit down and give it complete attention. These are the ones I immediately read after my daily journal so I don’t slack off on it.

Past systems that haven’t worked:

• Learning to speed read. I don’t retain much. What’s the point?

• Reading a book while listening to the audiobook. Thought taking up 2 sensory points would make it even more effective but I like to control my reading pace. I don’t read in a constant pace but its more of a rhythm of fast and slow. The voice is also distracting.

• Reading 10 pages every day. I end up ending with incomplete ideas.

• Asking myself in my end-of-day journal if I ‘read enough’ for the day and if I didn’t to read a few pages before bed. Too much friction. Wasn’t sustainable

• A goal of one book a month. It felt too distant and lack of daily practice pushed it further away instead of on top of mind.

• Going by feel. This is how it started with reading all the investing books out there. But it’s like a short-term drug hit that wasn’t sustainable.

My current system has by far been the best one I’ve had in regards to reading. I’ve felt amazing doing this. I love the pace, I love how I feel after reading an hour every day, and I love knowing I’ll be able to get through my stack of unread but pre-bought books.

Maybe this will be of value to you.

Disclaimer - I’m writing this for myself. For my past, present and future self. Much of what I write is my opinion. If it somehow ignites agreement in you then great, I’d love to hear about it. If it sparks disagreement in you, don’t reach out because I don’t care for it. There always are obvious exceptions and the flawed person in me hasn’t considered them all.