Many people want to read more but struggle to make it a habit.
You might feel like this:
- You want to read but are too busy to keep up.
- You want to build a habit of learning through books, but reading feels like a chore.
- You read slowly and never seem to finish a book.
I don’t think these problems are about weak willpower or lack of focus.
Most of the time, the struggle happens before you even get to the reading itself.
In this article, I’ll share the one simple thing I did that made reading a natural habit,
so you don’t have to rely on sheer willpower.
The short answer?
I bought a lot of books.
Before you panic: this doesn’t mean you need to read every book you buy.
Some books might never get finished—and that’s okay.
The key is to create an environment where reading naturally happens.
Who this article is for
This article is for people who want to make reading a habit.
Especially if you’ve felt any of the following:
- You want to read, but can’t find the time.
- You want to learn, but reading feels painful.
- You read slowly, so finishing books feels impossible.
My experience with reading 10 books a month
My first job was as a human resources consultant at Deloitte, one of the world’s largest professional service firms, part of the “Big 4.”
I joined a newly established team, where potential mattered more than experience.
The company invested heavily in developing its consultants after hiring, and one of the key requirements was:
Read 10 books a month.
Consultants serve experienced business leaders.
Sometimes, their thinking and experience surpass ours.
Knowledge becomes the weapon.
Being familiar with theories and case studies in your field gives you an edge.
So, the company encouraged heavy reading as a fundamental part of our growth.
Reading under extreme time pressure
I worked more than 12 hours a day as a new consultant.
Short hours rarely produce enough results for a beginner, so I made up the gap with long days.
In consulting, there’s a saying: Up or Out.
If you don’t deliver results, you won’t get projects, and eventually, you leave.
Even in this intense environment, there was one clear rule for new consultants:
Report the number of books you read and your notes on them to your manager.
You couldn’t fake it.
Weekends were spent in cafés, reading as much as I could.
One surprisingly simple tip
One day, I asked a senior colleague:
How can I read 10 books a month without burning out?
The answer was simple:
Just buy a lot of books. That usually solves the problem.
It sounded almost too easy, but it worked.
Buying books directly addressed the main reasons people don’t read enough.
Why buying books works
Buying books helps solve the main obstacles to reading:
Problem: Not enough time
Do we really have no time to read?
Think about your daily routines:
- scrolling on your phone
- watching TV
- gaming
- commuting
Even 30 minutes a day adds up to about 3.5 hours a week.
The real issue is that reading has a low priority.
Spending money on books can raise that priority—just like paying for a gym membership encourages you to go.
If you invest in books, you’ll naturally start reading them.
Problem: Reading feels painful
Reading can feel like a chore—but what if you choose books that suit your taste?
Even within the same topic, writing style and tone make a huge difference.
Finding books that fit you requires exposure to many books—which is why buying more helps.
Digital previews make this even easier.
You can sample the first few pages and decide if it’s right for you before committing.
Problem: Reading slowly
Reading slowly can make finishing books difficult.
A useful strategy: read multiple books on the same topic.
Many ideas are repeated across books.
You can skip parts you already understand, reading more efficiently.
In consulting, this approach is common: read 10 books on the same topic and you’ll naturally organize the knowledge in your own way.
Making reading a habit
To make reading a habit, you need to buy a lot of books.
For me, reading 10 books a month meant buying at least 20 books, sometimes 30.
Yes, it costs money, but over time you learn to select books wisely, and buying fewer is enough.
Libraries can help if you want to save money.
Just remember: highlighting and taking notes improves learning,
so buying books is often more effective than borrowing.
Why reading is more valuable than ever
Fewer people read books today, thanks to the internet.
For those who do, this is an advantage—you can stand out.
Online content is designed to grab attention.
It’s rarely comprehensive or nuanced.
Books, on the other hand, are purchased upfront.
They don’t need to grab attention, so they often provide more balanced and complete information.
The internet is useful, but relying on it alone isn’t enough.
A combination of books and online resources creates a stronger foundation for learning.
Buying books—and creating the environment where reading happens—is a simple mindset shift.
It helped me go from struggling to finish a few books to reading 10 a month, naturally.
That’s my personal experience.
I hope this article will be helpful to you.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a DM or leave a comment.
Sayonara
