I have a friend who wants to be a reader. He’s a great father, and he maintains a career. But at the end of the day, after all the paperwork is filed and the piggybacks are done, he has just enough energy to sleep. That’s why I think his reading system is brilliant.
He recognized that he would never become a reader with his current lifestyle. There’s just no time for it. So, he sets a book on his nightstand, and every morning, the first thing he does is to hold that book. He’s not allowed to put it down for ten minutes, even if he needs a free hand to wipe his backside or he’s busy making sandwiches for a school lunch. The book stays, but that’s only the first rule.
The second rule is that he can’t touch his phone during those first ten minutes, even if the house is burning down. By not acknowledging his phone and forcing himself to carry his book, he’s accomplished the unthinkable. My friend has become a reader.
The art of holding the book is genius because when it’s in your hands, you’re going to open it. And when you turn the pages, you’ll get curious about the words. He now reads for 60 minutes every morning with ease.
And then he checks his phone.
***
Hey, did you know I have a 30-day challenge to help you become a more focused reader? You can take the plunge in my private reading community.
Published by