Overcoming a Personal Reading Plateau
In this post I wrote about how I had set a goal for myself to read a book a week. Some weeks I’ve been hitting it. Some weeks I haven’t. I think I’ve been averaging about 2 books a month.
As you may have noticed, though, I wrote very little in the month of June. Only about 3 posts. This was also because I wasn’t doing as much reading. I’m not sure what happened exactly, but I know that I felt quite bored with the things that I was reading. I always have plenty of church growth, leadership, business-type books to read, and I think part of me was beginning to just loath those topics. I was bored. I was “over” them. It’s kind of like the feeling of eating the same food over and over again. Over time you become sick of it. I feel like I could not read another John Maxwell book for a long time and be just fine. My apologies to Maxwell.
So here’s what I did. I branched out to a completely different topic. I borrowed the book Freakonomics. It’s a book dealing with social and economic issues. The review will be forthcoming.
But when I began to read the book, I felt like I “woke up” again. I enjoyed reading the book. I enjoyed thinking about the different issues and topics.
So I know that for my reading life to stay healthy, I have to start adding a broader variety of books: history, biographies, economics, etc. It worked for me, anyway, and I believe it will help me to keep my reading fresh.
What about you? Have you reached a similar plateau in your reading or life? What helped you break out of it?
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rodlie…i feel your pain…for me sometimes i'll be reading like three different books at the same time, it's good and bad, good because it keeps me reading something of a different nature…the bad obviously trying to finish all three
… right now i'm trying to read up on two issues: transitioning a church (any recommendations?) and Daniel/Rev.- i'll be doing some meetings in late October…though not traditional type meetings…
I've tried the three books at one deal and it never seems to work for me. I think it creates a kind of paralysis. So I just try to focus on one at a time. Concerning transitioning a church there are several books out there. One is called "transitioning" by dan southerland. He transitioned his church from a very traditional church to a modern-missional church. He now works in coaching other churches. There's some good ideas in there. Also, there's "Direct Hit" by Paul Borden. He was like a "ministerial secretary" for a conference in california, and under his direction most of those churches began to see a turnaround. What kind of turnaround are you thinking about exactly, though?
no doubt…i didn't say that the three book deal is really working but i recently was doing it and finished one, about to finish the second (Jon Paulien book…Armageddon at the Door) and the other was really just a fun book…but i normally do focus on just one, especially if im doing research or course… transition type, right now i'm trying to think things through prayerfully!…actually the book you mentioned by Dan southerland i've heard before through Catalyst, i'll have to check that one out…
Man, I am reading about 30+ books right now… I'm sick, seriously, I need some help, counseling, something…. I have a problem with buying a book that I really want to read (usually about 5 books at once) and bringing them home. Over the past few years, I've developed a few different areas around the house with stacks of books based on their priority. Now I have two stacks on my bedside table (the really important ones) with about 30 books that I'm chipping away at… a few chapters here, a few chapters there… skipping between books. There is no rhyme or reason to the madness. I'll even add a new book here or there… if it's something that really looks interesting, I might even read 1/3 or 1/2 of a new book and then throw it on the pile for "later." Haha… at this rate it's going to take me a lifetime to read all the books I want to read – but at some point, you'd think I would be able to finish a couple hundred within the same year since I start reading more books than I finish. Please, someone call DR. PHIL and get me help… NEED SELF-DISCIPLINE LIKE RODLIE, want to be more like Rodlie… Seriously though, I totally know what you're talking about… I read a ton of books on generational trends & sociology and was so fascinated and then got bored of it. Then I read tons on leadership and the same happened… then it was church growth… and church planting… some of the books I'm currently reading include — Albert Einstein's "Relativity : The Special and the General Theory," Thiroux's "Philosphy: Theory and Practice," Pope Benedict XVI's "Jesus of Nazareth," and Irvine's "Heresies Exposed." I am also on the last chapter of Ruckman's "Why I Am Not A Seventh-day Adventist," which is a really short read. It would have more effect if he were more respectful and scholarly but he's not. On the flip side… I've been watching a lot more movies lately! See, if you read less you will have more time for movies. Haha. But we are doing a summer series called BEHIND THE SCREEN, giving a Christian perspective on today's summer movies… so people are now spotting me at the theater doing sermon research.
I have experienced this to some extent. I have been reading some books recently, and I have stopped reading them. I don't like to admit this, but one book I am tired of reading is the Bible. The Bible is kind of boring and tiresome for me to read. Have you ever had an experience like this?
All I can say is that you're hilarious! ahh…i needed that. You should write on a blog, Chris. Seriously. All those books you're reading….you should share what you're reading and what you think about them. That would be awesome. So i guess is that method working for you? Are you satisfied with it? As long as its working for you. But you should definitely write about it. I would be your first subscriber! Enjoy the flicks!!
Hey Andrew. I can feel you on that. Yeah, i don't often sit down to just ready the Bible like a book. Sometimes I do. But for my personal devotions I prefer to just meditate on a small portion of Scripture and work on memorizing it. THis helps me to internalize it and apply it to my life. I was doing a lot reading through the Bible, but then I stopped about a year ago cause I realized I wasn't getting much out of it, so I started spending more time meditating. Also, to change things up you may want to think about getting an audio "dramatized" version of the Bible to listen to. I've listened to portions of the "BIble Experience" and have been quite blessed by it.
Been there my brother. Read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell! Another one that is a little outside of your typical genres, but still has some thoughts useful to you as a leaders/Pastor.
Thanks, Chad. Yeah, I read that book. It's good. I also recommend it. I think I need to get into some histories or something. Some really different stuff. Let me know what else you might recommend!
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By the way those sound like some really cool books you're reading. How do you pay for all of them, though? That's my issue.