Earlier this morning, my daughter made a resounding announcement that she wanted to participate in the Million Word Reading Challenge at school. It was quite a statement at 7 am from a 9-year-old. To be honest, I was delighted to hear it. At least I know reading isn’t scary for her.
I am quite the reader myself. Although I cap my reading at 5 books a month (at least I try; I don’t always succeed), I have always hoped my kids would become readers, too. So, you can imagine my enthusiasm. Following her big announcement, I replied: “This is quite the challenge you are taking on. Go for it!”
This gave me the idea for a post about reading challenges. Having participated in a couple myself, I began wondering: Why do we push ourselves in the world of reading and books? Reading lists feel exciting. Tackling a new goal or challenge creates motivation. Reading challenges have been growing in popularity on social media and YouTube, with more and more BookTubers creating them and inviting their followers to join the adventure. Yes, a reading challenge is an adventure, and anyone between 3 and 99 can join in.
But before we go any further, what are reading challenges? And where can they be found? Like any other type of challenge, reading challenges have a beginning and an end. Whether the goal is a number to achieve or a list to complete, readers know where to start and when the challenge ends. Goodreads champions this idea by inviting each member to set a number for the year.
Usually, reading challenges have rules set by the organizer and a series of tasks to accomplish, sometimes within a predefined timeframe and sometimes not. The goal may be to reach a number or complete a list. Sometimes, there is even a prize at the end, or an accolade with a series of milestones along the way. And when you finish a challenge, you can display a certificate with your other trophies on the wall, or keep a journal filled with memories, experiences, and impressions to revisit later. These become proof that you did it. You are one of the few who completed the task and kept going, like an exclusive club or a secret society.
Which leads us to the next question: why are we challenging ourselves with reading—or other things? When I asked her why she wanted to try, my daughter answered, “To win the big prize”—an answer that did not surprise me. She is 9, after all. And yes, rewards are certainly part of what motivates us to take on challenges. I mentioned the certificate earlier: the visible recognition, the badge on social media, the acknowledgment of having achieved one of our life goals. But for some of us, there is more to it. It is ingrained in our being. I took an archetype test online once, just out of curiosity. I came out as the Huntress: the one always looking for a challenge, pursuing goals, accumulating milestones, taking one more step, and eager to grow. For me, they are a way to tell myself that I am making progress in particular areas of my life, that I am not stalling, even in my reading. There are some authors whose books I enjoy reading and collecting, and I would eventually like to read everything they’ve written.
However, joining reading challenges also comes with risks we need to keep in mind. Maybe “risks” is too strong a word; perhaps “cons” is better. I could lose the idea of reading for pleasure and replace it with a to-do list or a task. That would defeat the purpose. The last thing I want is to turn my love for reading, which has been growing since I was a kid, into a competition or a chore. So, in my reading life, I try to combine the two. Maybe that’s why it takes me so long to complete a challenge. I read both for pleasure and to reach a goal. It is nice when they overlap!
However, the pros outweigh the cons. Participating is also a way to track my reading and add some diversity to my reading life. If I followed my natural inclinations, I would always read the same genre and the same authors. And there is nothing wrong with that. But I am approaching my fifties, and something inside me is saying I should try to broaden my literary horizons.
I like to keep track of things. It’s like leaving a mark, making recommendations, and making progress. Have I been like this all my life? Probably not. As a teenager, I kept a list of the books I read in a notebook. That pocket notebook was probably lost during one of my parents’ moves. I wish I still had it. There is something special about picking up an old reading journal and reflecting on our past tastes and choices. It’s vintage. It’s from our youth, a time when life was less busy, less complicated.
In life, we go through seasons, and tastes change. It is nice to pick up an old reading journal, reflect on our past tastes and choices, and see how they mirror our lives at a particular time. These books made us the readers we are today. We track our journey and reflect on our reading. Are they different from what I used to read? In what ways?
Or maybe it’s because, as I get closer to my fifties, I realize time passes quickly and there is so much more left to do. A challenge allows me to tackle my projects one by one.
Do you participate in reading challenges? Why or why not? If yes, which ones are you currently participating in, or would you like to participate in? Leave a comment below. Maybe I will join you in your next adventure!
Thank you, and as always, keep reading!
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