How to read 52 books in 52 days
Each year I wanted to do a 52 book challenge, one book a week for a year. For ten years I convinced myself I'd chip away at my collection of unearned trophies (the books on my bookcase), one week at a time.
For a decade I lied to myself. Every year I’d say that I'll read a book a week, and each year I'd get bored of my resolution sometime in February.
If I was to succeed, this needed to be a trial by fire. If I wanted to get through this, it needed sacrifice.
I was once in Canada, and there was a church on a hill, a long stone staircase leading to the top. The most devout worshippers climbed those stone steps on their knees, suffering for salvation. After hours of devout pain, they’d meet God on the way up.
On a bet, I once did a plank for five minutes without any previous training, just will power. Somewhere after the fourth painful, shaking minute, I saw God.
To finish this book challenge, I’d need to climb the 52 steps on my knees. I would need to dance with the heavens to cross that finish line. Sacrifice comfort to earn my book trophies.
I'd only get through 52 books if I did it in 52 days. A book a day keeps the demons away. It wasn't a resolution, it was a spiritual journey.
Some days were effortless: you caught a beautiful page turner, like a fish on the hook of your first cast. The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho (I rated it 9/10). Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (9/10). But some days were a long fishy battle. The Art of Strategy (4/10).
Shorter books helped. Funny books helped. Biographies of people I admired. A sprinkling of self help. A dance with a topic I'd only flirted with before.
I hit the wall at book 43, what a stupid challenge, not even worth it! But eventually book 46 (Never Split the Difference, 9/10) pulled me out of the funk and fueled me across the finish line.
After 49 days of being an insufferable husband and aloof friend, I got to the final stone step.
On February 19th, 2022, I earned my 52nd trophy.
So here's the list of 10 ideas:
For a decade I lied to myself. Every year I’d say that I'll read a book a week, and each year I'd get bored of my resolution sometime in February.
If I was to succeed, this needed to be a trial by fire. If I wanted to get through this, it needed sacrifice.
I was once in Canada, and there was a church on a hill, a long stone staircase leading to the top. The most devout worshippers climbed those stone steps on their knees, suffering for salvation. After hours of devout pain, they’d meet God on the way up.
On a bet, I once did a plank for five minutes without any previous training, just will power. Somewhere after the fourth painful, shaking minute, I saw God.
To finish this book challenge, I’d need to climb the 52 steps on my knees. I would need to dance with the heavens to cross that finish line. Sacrifice comfort to earn my book trophies.
I'd only get through 52 books if I did it in 52 days. A book a day keeps the demons away. It wasn't a resolution, it was a spiritual journey.
Some days were effortless: you caught a beautiful page turner, like a fish on the hook of your first cast. The Alchemist by Pablo Coelho (I rated it 9/10). Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (9/10). But some days were a long fishy battle. The Art of Strategy (4/10).
Shorter books helped. Funny books helped. Biographies of people I admired. A sprinkling of self help. A dance with a topic I'd only flirted with before.
I hit the wall at book 43, what a stupid challenge, not even worth it! But eventually book 46 (Never Split the Difference, 9/10) pulled me out of the funk and fueled me across the finish line.
After 49 days of being an insufferable husband and aloof friend, I got to the final stone step.
On February 19th, 2022, I earned my 52nd trophy.
So here's the list of 10 ideas:
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