Reading Books: Why Quality Should Outweigh Quantity?

Successful people read X number of books a year.

You have probably seen a lot of similar catchy titles on the Internet. Some people blindly follow this advice and even make reading their New Year’s resolution. When looking at the stack of unread books in the living room at the end of the year, they usually feel disappointed. 

The wide choice of books these days is almost overwhelming, and so-called experts around say that we need to read as much as possible to stay ahead of the game. 

But let’s take a pause here and reflect on a subject. Does reading make you smarter? Does it really matter how many books you read a year?

You don’t have to feel guilty for not reading all books from your list because it’s not about numbers at the end of the day. It’s all about the quality of books you read. 

Consuming a lot of information is not an achievement, nor the way to develop your skill set and cultivate knowledge. You need to become a picky reader, and here is why:

Remember More

Finishing another book might be like a little accomplishment – you’ve learned something new, right? It can motivate you to start a new book and make you feel really good about yourself.

Although you can’t really memorize quotes (unless you want to impress someone), and after a few weeks, you won’t even remember the main ideas presented in the book you read. 

As stated by Jared Horvath, a research fellow at the University of Melbourne, when reading a book in one stretch, let’s say on a train, chances are your brain will never reassess it. He 

calls this thoughtless information consumption ‘a momentary giggle.’ 

According to his research, to retain information, you need to space it out. Sometimes the book we read is so interesting that we can’t stop; reading one page after another gives us a false feeling of fluency. 

If you want to remember more details afterward, it’s important to take breaks from reading, force your brain to recall previous chapters, and analyze them. It’s called ‘active reading.’ Consider reading less and taking the time to retain the bulk of what you read.

Think back to when you were at school. Most probably, you can easily recall the main characters, motifs, and plots of the books you read (no matter how long it’s been). There is no secret behind your unique memory. In a class, you read books actively by engaging in a discussion with your mates, watching film adaptations, and acting out scenes.  

Save Your Time

You can have over a hundred books on your list, but there is no chance they all will change your life for the better. How many times can you change your life anyway? 

Some books just are not good enough. Why spend so much time on mindless reading then? It’s ok to read one book a month or every two months as long as it has value. If your books can only help to kill time or make you fall asleep, reconsider your choice. 

Relieve Stress

As mentioned before, long reading lists can be overwhelming. If you don’t want to end up procrastinating, get rid of your list, and read one book at a time. This way, you will not feel pressured to finish as soon as possible and start a new book. 

Find Good Books to Read

Whenever you start a new book, follow the 50-page rule. It’s pretty simple: read the first 50 pages, and if a book doesn’t resonate with you, drop it and start another one. If you lost your interest in the very beginning, reading the whole book passively would be just a waste of time – you will not learn from it. 

To find good books to read, use this combination:

• The book should resonate with your current situation
• The book has stood the test of time
• The book should spark your interest

Also, consider doing some research before you get a new book. Besides reading reviews online, find out more about the author and other books they wrote. 

Other than that, answer the question: why am I reading this book?

Do you want to entertain yourself, become better at your job, or expand your knowledge on a particular subject? When you know what you want to get from the book, you will discover the magic power of selective reading.

The Bottom Line 

Some books are great soul meds. If you want to gain more, start being picky about the information you absorb. This concerns not only books but also social media posts, TV shows, YouTube videos, etc. 

When FOMO is taking a toll on the whole generation, and so-called successful people scream about the importance of reading 200 books a year, make yourself a cup of tea.Find a comfortable place where you can read and take notes. Slow down, zone out, and enjoy your book.