THE THREE STAGES OF A YEARLY READING GOAL
Fannaâs back at it with a reading discussion even though this isnât a discussion postâitâs a post for us reading goal-setters to collectively feel the guilt. Wondering what guilt Iâm talking about? Oh, donât try to act innocent! We all know what the fate of a reading goal is and whoâs responsible for that fate. *intently looks at you.*
Stage 1: Excitement to accomplish the goal.
Stage one is definitely the best phase. Itâs filled with hearts and thumbs-up(s) that you receive in the comments to your reading-goal posts/TBRs. Itâs the initial excitement that everyone feels at the start of a new relationship; much like the start of a commitment to âreading moreâ, âreading dailyâ, âreading monthlyâ, and other such false promises.
This phase lasts for the first four months when the goal-setter easily moves on from the previous failures and walks into the fresh start of January, the romance-filled air of February, the light breezes of March, and the colorful vibes of April, only to realize they havenât actually read because they were busy âwalkingâ and actually âtalkingâ about their goals.
The year has just started! I have the ENTIRE year to read (insert a number almost approximating to infinity) books.
Stage 2: Wait, what? I have a goal to accomplish?
This is the stage of blissful ignorance. Itâs the time when closing your eyes to the commitments make it easier to live life to the fullest. Because thereâs a perfect balance of guilt from the past four months and hope in the next four months. No one mentions anything regarding a reading goal in this stageânot even those who had left hearts and thumbs-up(s) in the comment section.
This phase lasts for four months too (if you couldnât already do the calculations) and is characterized by the goal-setter doing any and everything that pulls them further away from their reading goal.
Some daydream about the book boyfriends when they should be reading about them.
Some watch the movie adaptations of books they were supposed to read.
Some anticipate the new releases while their backlist books disappointedly stare at them.
Some do pick up a book but then wonder how to read.
Stage 3: Oh, I have a goal to accomplish! Alas, thereâs no time left.
The last and final stage is marked by the sudden surge of emotions and memories from the past since the commitmentâreading goalâ starts flashing everywhere, thanks to some amazing readers who accomplished their goals before time. These amazing readers are usually those who had left hearts and thumbs-up in the comment section.
This phase lasts for three months because November becomes the last ray of hope. December 1st marks the beginning of another small term phase called âusing your failures as content for the blogâ. The goal-setter now, suddenly, not only knows how to read but also how to write and uses words like âalasâ.
December 31st marks the end of this vicious cycle, only for it to start all over again.
Disclaimer: This post doesnât intend to look down upon anyone who hasnât achieved their reading goals but is merely a fun take on my own disappointed reading goals. The inspiration for this post was my own 2018 reading goal on Goodreads.
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