Nothing is more frustrating than not having the motivation to read when you deep down know that you want to or have to.
The truth is that every reader goes through bouts of zero motivation to read this is why I’m writing this article.
This article will teach you ways you to motivate yourself to read more.
I’ll also share some of the secrets about reading that most people overlook.
Let’s get down to it, here are the 10 ways you can motivate yourself to read more:
#1 Win without taking leaps
The biggest mistake I find most readers make is that they read inconsistently.
I know what you’re thinking “of course I’m inconsistent that’s why I came to this article”…
But listen… reading inconsistently is not only; not reading everyday it is also having unstructured reading sessions.
Most people want to take huge leaps in reading so they sit down and read 100 pages today and 50 the following day and 2 the day that follows and then they throw in the towel because they can’t just find the motivation to read 100 pages like they did 2 days ago.
This reading cycle is very dangerous because you expect yourself to take leaps everyday of reading A WHOLE LOT.
However, the secret to reading more is doing so consistently by reading a manageable number of pages every day and slowly increasing the number of pages you read per day gradually.
Why do you need to do this?
You can’t make lifestyle changes overnight, just like a drug addict can’t beat their addiction in a single day, and you simply won’t turn into a bookworm overnight.
The easiest way to do a lot is to start by doing a little each day and a little more another day until doing a lot becomes adjusted into your lifestyle.
Therefore one of the easiest ways to motivate yourself to read more is just to make an effort to read every day, even if you just read a page or paragraph per day.
Small steps soon turn into huge leaps.
Motivate yourself to read a bit every day. Over time, you’ll develop the habit of reading more.
#2 Turn reading into self-care
Self-care is important for your own personal growth. I’m a big believer in having time to work on myself and so should you.
BUT BEFORE YOU CAN DO THAT….. You need change how you view reading.
Reading books should not be a chore. It should be a hobby that you indulge in by choice. Once you start looking at reading this way, you’ll always be motivated to read.
So use reading as way to build yourself and grow personally.
Set aside a day that you dedicate to simply reading and improving yourself. This is not to say you only need to read serious non-fiction.
You can read fiction because it also plays a vital role in your mental development.
Dedicating a whole day to reading may seem like too much but you’ll get used to it the more you do it.
You don’t have to read the whole day. Just avoid your devices and try to spend as much time reading as possible on that day.
#3 follow your interest
You don’t need to be a scientist to know that we generally tend to focus more on things that we enjoy doing.
Therefore to get motivated to read you need to read things that pique your interest.
Research various books and find one that appeals to you because reading it will be way easier than reading a different book on a different topic.
If you have phone, tablet or computer then research books could be even easier.
The point is; the easiest way to get motivated to read is to simply read books that address something you like.
#4 Use the J.K Rowling Strategy
J.K Rowling the author of the Harry Porter series struggled to complete the fifth book in the series. She experienced a severe case of writers block and found it challenging to progress with the story.
To break free from her creative slump, Rowling decided it was time for a change in scenery.
She left her usual writing environment and booked a room in a Hotel in Scotland.
It was in this new setting that she finally managed to overcome her writers block and continued to write the book.
A change of scenery is important and I wanted to use Rowling’s experience as a way to emphasize this point.
Sometimes to get work done or perform some action like reading, a change of scenery is important because it resets your mental state and changes your mode of operation.
Therefore a good way to find motivation to read more is to simply try and read in a different location.
#5 Read after waking
The first thing you do after you become conscious; wake up and open your eyes in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Starting out the day in a positive light with reading a few pages of a book can make it easy for you to read more throughout the day.
I say this with experience.
I recently began reading 10 pages of the Slight Edge every morning after waking up and one thing I’ve noticed is that it has made reading throughout the rest of the day much easier.
One other reason why I think reading in the morning right after waking up is a great way to read more is that it makes reading easier because the daily hustle of life is at its early stage.
We all lead different lives but if you can spare 20 minutes in the morning to read a book, it can motivate you to read more at differing times.
#6 Have an accountability partner
Find somebody that likes to read and perhaps has the same reading habits as you and have them as an accountability partner.
An accountability partner is a person that holds you accountable for doing something you agree upon. You also hold them accountable for doing the same thing and this makes you partners in helping each other develop.
To illustrate the importance of accountability partners let’s look into the brief story of an esteemed Author group called The Inklings.
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien were close friends and formed the Inklings; a group of writers who regularly met to discuss and critique each other’s works; providing valuable feedback and holding each other accountable for their writing progress.
This mutual accountability helped shape their literary careers and masterpiece’s like Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”.
Having someone to hold you accountable for reading progress will help you find the motivation to read.
#7 Remember the benefits of reading
Remind yourself regularly of the importance and benefits of reading more and being a consistent reader.
Remind yourself why you picked up the books you picked up and remember the insight or entertainment the books provided to you.
Knowing what you’ll get out of a reading session is what you need to help you read more and for longer.
# 8 Read your favorite authors catalogue
When at times you lack the motivation to get yourself to read, an easy way to get yourself back to reading is to read the work of an author you love.
This has to be the easiest way to find motivation and get inspired to read again because once you fall in with an author’s style of writing, you’ll easily love everything they’ve written and published.
#9 Targets
Set goals and targets for reading and try to attain those goals little by little. Remember that you don’t need to take huge leaps. You just need to simply show up every day and do what you can.
Setting reading targets is an effective way of finding the daily motivation to read.
Depending on the goals behind your reading, set reading targets that inspire and motivate you to read.
One thing to remember here is that you should not be too hard on yourself.
Don’t set targets that require massive amounts of energy to fulfill and complete every day. Instead set reading targets that you can manage to meet every day.
Setting manageable targets is the best way to sustain extensive reading without boredom or fatigue.
#10 Join a Book Club
If you’re really serious about reading then joining a book club is a no-brainer because you’ll have all the support you need to take your reading to the next level.
Being in a book club can help you find the motivation to read by providing you with accountability, positive challenges and encouragement.
I know, for most people, joining a book just feels like overkill but it really isn’t. You don’t have to be well read to join a book club.
You can join one and get inspired by others to read more and this can change your reading habits so don’t overlook this point.
If you can’t find a book club to join then you should consider starting one and inviting your friends and family.
These days a simple social media post can easily get you book club members.
