I own loads of books that I want to read, but have only a little bit of time each day for reading. So isn’t it great that I’m using some of the time I could be reading to write a blog post about it?

Seriously… I know that writing and talking with other people often leads me to clarity of mind. So let’s get started.

First of all, I read for different reasons. One of the reasons is for enjoyment, entertainment, fun, or whatever you would call this. There are authors that make me smile, and worlds that I love to imagine. I also like to read to learn, or to be inspired, or to be more convicted about ideas. I think it’s my reading to gain knowledge that is causing my current trouble. More specifically, I want to study books about my Catholic faith in a methodical, focused way in which I start a book and then finish it before starting another one. Recently, I’ve been picking up a book when I’m in the mood and then not finishing it.

My “Currently Reading” list in the Goodreads app is proof of this. I am currently reading 11 books. One of them is an audiobook that Mary and I are listening to together. Of course, I will finish this and start another one. Another is a devotional book that I will finish. Two of them are fiction (for fun) books that I will gradually finish. The other seven are the “learning” books I picked up and left hanging. It’s interesting to note that three of them are rereads. For some reason, I picked them up again and didn’t finish them.

I know that this indecisiveness is the result of fear of making a wrong decision. I want to use my time wisely, so it’s important that I know which books are the absolute best ones for me to read. I also want to know the exact order in which I should read them. I can’t have any “holes” in my knowledge. This is clearly perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. I’m not using my time wisely when I research the crap out of stuff and avoid making a decision.

One night, I spent some time looking at book lists. And some of the books on them didn’t interest me. So there’s that. There were some nice book lists that had many of the books I owned on them. These were obviously books that I was interested in reading, because I either bought them, or received them as gifts. Somehow, I went from looking at book lists, to purchasing a book called How to Read Your Way to Heaven. (It was one of my snuggling with my phone in bed nights.)

For about two weeks now, this book has solved my “reader’s block” problem. 

I’m following the One-Year Program (Year 5 of the Five-Year Program) that will result in me reading the entire New Testament, Christian Prayer (Part Four) of Catechism of the Catholic Church, and 12 spiritual books that are related to prayer.

This is very doable. I haven’t timed it yet, but it’s supposed to take about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. I feel great that I started, and I have a solid plan for a minimum of weekly reading. I am sure that I can plug away at my Goodreads list on the weekends.

Indecisiveness and perfectionism comes up in other areas of my life, such as: what I will do for exercise, what meals to cook, what clothes to wear, how to decorate my home, how to organize stuff, and so on. Sometimes I think I just need to make a decision and get going on it. Making a decent decision (maybe not the best ever) is better than making no decision at all. I recently heard this advice regarding exercise: Instead of doing “all or nothing,” try doing “all or something.” I like that.