Last year, I read 112 books, something that I never expected. At the start of the year, I set a reading challenge at 50, thinking 2024 would be a busy one. I like keeping my goals realistic, and 50 felt like the right number. So hitting 112 was a surprise, and honestly, a pretty great one.

However, that didn’t mean my reading enthusiasm stayed high all year long. Some books lost my interest. Some writing styles didn’t work for me. And life, as it tends to do, got in the way. I know I’m not the only one who’s been there. Every reader faces moments like these. Still, I kept going. And along the way, I found a few things that helped.

Here’s what worked for me:

1. Stay in the Reading Flow

Consistency is everything. I make sure to read every day, even if it’s just a paragraph, even if I only have a few minutes. Because once I break the rhythm, it’s harder to start again. But when I stay in it, reading becomes second nature. It gives me that little dopamine boost that makes me want to keep going. I treat reading like sleeping, eating, and moving my body. It’s essential, something my mind thrives on.

How to stay in the flow:

• Always have something to read. A physical book, an eBook, an audiobook, whatever works for me. Just like my phone is always within reach, my reading material should be too. I try to swap some of that mindless scrolling for pages instead.
• Read, no matter how short the time. A few pages or just a few sentences, it all adds up. The goal is to make reading feel as natural as checking your phone.
• Line up my next book before I finish your current one. I don’t leave space for indecision. If I’m almost done, I already have my next book ready to go. Thus, I don’t stall just because I’m unsure what to pick up next.

When laziness creeps in, we don’t need motivation. We need discipline.

2. Let Go of Books That No Longer Interested

Not every book is meant to be finished, and that’s okay. Losing interest is normal. I don’t owe it to anyone to push through (unless it’s for an assignment).

Forcing myself to finish a book I no longer care about drains my enthusiasm. Reading starts to feel like a chore instead of something I enjoy. But let’s keep in mind that reading itself matters more than any single book. With millions of books out there, why waste time on one that doesn’t excite me? I’d rather move on to something that does.

One way to avoid getting stuck is to read multiple books at once. If one book loses its grip on me, I switch to another, something with a different topic, a fresh perspective, or a different mood. And if that one doesn’t hold my attention either? I jump to another. Sometimes, after a break, I find myself returning to the book I set aside, feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy it again. Before I know it, I’ve read more than I expected without forcing a single page.

3. Choose Books That Spark Curiosity

Every day, we come across new ideas, questions, and thoughts. And chances are, there’s a book out there that explores exactly what’s on my mind.

Sometimes, curiosity leads me to my next read. Other times, the book I just finished does. Nonfiction, especially, has a way of leaving me with more questions than answers, nudging me toward another book. Many authors even include recommended reading lists, which often become the perfect jumping-off point for my next book(s).

By following my curiosity, I always have something engaging to read. And when I’m genuinely interested, staying in the habit feels effortless.

4. Keep Track of Reading Progress

If you care about the number of books you read, setting a reading challenge, like the one on Goodreads, can help you stay on track. It gives you a clear sense of your progress and shows how many books you need to read to hit your goal.

Falling behind? No problem. Seeing the numbers can be a great motivator to pick up the pace or adjust expectations. Tracking progress isn’t about pressure. It’s about awareness and finding a rhythm that works for you.

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I have to highlight that reading isn’t about hitting a specific number. It’s about making it a natural part of our life. The real takeaway isn’t how many books we finish, but the habit we build along the way.

A good reading habit doesn’t rely on strict rules or pressure. It comes from curiosity, consistency, and making time for what interests us. Some books will pull us in effortlessly, while others might lose our attention, and that’s normal. The key is to keep going, in a way that feels right for us.

Some days we’ll read more, some days less. What matters is that we keep turning pages. There’s always something new to learn, a perspective to explore, or a story to get lost in. So let’s read at our own pace, and most importantly: enjoy it!