#TopTenTuesday Reasons I Fail At Reading Challenges

Posted on by whatcathyreadnext

Top Ten Tuesday new

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

The rules are simple:

Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want. Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post. Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists. Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

This week’s topic is Favourite Bookmarks but as someone who reads a lot of books on a Kindle (and therefore has no need for a bookmark) and who, when reading a physical book, will use any bit of paper to hand as a bookmark, I’m doing my own thing this week.

As we approach the end of the year, I’ve been reviewing progress against the reading challenges I signed up for this year with the consequence I need to face the fact I’m really bad at completing reading challenges!

Here are ten reasons why:

  • I sign up for too many challenges
  • I set targets that are too ambitious
  • I’m wildly over-optimistic about the number of books I’ll be able to read in a given time period
  • I don’t learn from previous experience
  • I don’t make things easy for myself, e.g. rarely taking advantage of the freedom to change lists or swap out books
  • I get tempted to read other books that are not part of reading challenges
  • I fail to take into consideration other review commitments such as blog tours
  • I make insufficient allowance for the fact that sometimes life gets in the way of reading
  • I convince myself there’s still plenty of time…when it’s already November
  • I’ll do the same thing all over again next year!

Are you good at completing reading challenges and, if so, do you have any tips?  Or, like me, do you perpetually fail?

Some of my 2019 reading challenges

Ongoing:
Goodreads Reading Challenge – 118 out of 156 books read (okay-ish)

When Are You Reading? Challenge, hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words – 6 out of 12 periods completed (still possible)

What’s In A Name 2019, hosted by Andrea at Carolina Book Nook – 5 out of 6 categories completed (now we’re talking)

TBR Pile Challenge 2019, hosted by Adam at Roof Beam Reader – 0 out of 12 books read (dismal)

Nonfiction November hosted by Kate at Doing Dewey and others – 2 out of 5 books read so far and one in progress (I can do this!)

Over:
20 Books of Summer 2019, hosted by Cathy at 746Books – 8 out of 20 books within challenge period (failure, once again)

30 thoughts on “#TopTenTuesday Reasons I Fail At Reading Challenges”

  2. Lol, I set my standards much lower [my friend and I co-created a 30 book challenge]. It helps ease pressure, allow for lots of other releases/random finds throughout the year if you choose, and compels us to get really creative in the challenge prompts.
    Although you don’t need any advice, you know exactly why you’ve not succeeded. I wish you luck and the satisfaction that comes from completing a good challenge.

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    1. I’m definitely going to start swapping books where it’s allowed from now on. In fact, I’ve just revised my list for one of the challenges to include books I’ve read that meet the criteria. I’m trying to learn from my mistakes 😀

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  5. I also went of script this week because I only own free boomarks, which I barely even use. Most of the time I go for random papers too. Or household items 😂 With the challenges, I’m exactly the same. I don’t set a lot of yearly challenges but any tbr or readathon goal I set, I fail miserably (see todays tbr update post as proof haha). Too much of a mood reader. The only thing I’m winning at is the Goodreads challenge 47/52 😋

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  11. At least you’re well aware why you fail, Carla! That’s half the steps toward resolution.

    I actually do quite well in my challenges because I only join those that fit my reading patterns😏 It is a rare day that I’ll choose a book to read to fit a challenge.

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  12. I only do small, monthly challenges put together by one of my favorite Goodreads groups. Usually the books I would read anyways fit in. I did make it my goal to get as many books off my TBR as possible this year.

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  13. I used to sign up for reading challenges, but then reading and blogging started to feel like a job. I struggled to keep up, and stopped blogging for a while because it was too overwhelming. Now I sign up for the Goodreads challenge, but that’s about it. Great post!

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  16. Love this! Currently I only participate in my own Goodreads challenge and the Popsugar Reading Challenge, but I’ve been very tempted by all the other challenges I’ve been seeing on everyone’s blogs. I may be in your boat this time next year. 😉

    My TTT

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  17. I’m with Books and Bites. When I started blogging, I did a lot of book challenges. But they started feeling like work (in addition to all the other work that book blogging entails.) Several years back I decided that if I was going to blog for the long haul (I’m in year 9!) I needed to stick to things that I enjoyed. I did love the camaraderie of the challenge, so I miss that. But overall the right choice for me.

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  18. I totally agree with all these reasons. My biggest one is that I get tempted by other books, thinking there is still a lot of time. I am definitely cutting back on challenges and blog tours for 2020.

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