I used to push myself to
finish every book I started because I felt guilty stopping halfway. I tried to
finish Yuval Noah Harari’s Nexus, James Patterson’s Private Games,
and Martin Lings’ biography of Muhammad (BM), among others, but I eventually
lost the drive to continue. Instead of enjoying the process, reading became a
burden. But reading James Colley’s article in The Guardian (30 Nov 2018)
a few years ago helped me rethink that pressure.
He points out that there
simply isn’t enough time in a lifetime to read every book. That means each
moment I spend forcing myself through a book I’m not connecting with is a
moment lost from reading something that might truly move me. Most of us know
that feeling. You are hundreds of pages in, you do not care about the
characters, and you keep flipping to the back just to see how many pages are
left. Colley argues that this reflects sunk cost thinking. Because we have
already invested time, we do not want to “waste” it, even if the book is no
longer rewarding.
What struck me most was
how freeing it felt to see putting down a book not as defeat, but as a choice.
Letting go of a book I do not enjoy means clearing space for one that brings
joy, insight, or connection. It is a small act of self-honesty and that is
valuable not only in reading, but in life ❤️#ServeToLead
#LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain
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