How to Set Reading Goals Without Guilt

This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure here.

At the beginning of the year, I set a goal to read 60 books. 

It felt optimistic and exciting, a version of myself I wanted to believe in. 

The 60 book goal also felt realistic. The year before I had managed to read 27 books. So, picking 60 felt like a hefty (but doable) goal. 

The year started out strong but as the year unfolded, my time, and energy shifted. 

By the end of the year, I’d only read 23 books. 

Not horrible under the circumstances, but nowhere near that 60 book goal. 

Why I Changed My Goal

Instead of feeling disappointed in myself, I changed the goal. 

I adjusted it to 23 books and let that be enough. I knew I wasn’t going to cram any extra books before the end of the year, so I decided to end my reading goal on a win. 

Not to lower my standards, but to acknowledge reality. 

Reading isn’t something I want to associate with guilt. It’s something I want to return to with warmth. 

What My Reading Goal Looks Like Now

Like most people, this year was incredibly hard. I lost so much and almost lost my love of reading. 

So going forward, my goals are quieter: 

• Reading the books I already own
• Leaning more on the library
• Making intentional time to read
• Letting reading feel restorative again

If I read more, that’s great. If I don’t, the goal has still done its job. 

I want to stop chasing trends, reading what others say I should, and find joy in the simple act of snuggling up with a book again. 

Setting Reading Goals That Feel Supportive 

If you’re setting reading goals this year:

• Focus on how you want reading to feel
• Let goals evolve with your life
• Allow seasons where reading is slower

A good reading goal supports your relationship with books, it doesn’t strain it. 

Reading goals also don’t need to be a set number of books each year either. 

They can be making time to read, borrowing books vs buying, and reading something because you want to. 

Not because “booktok” says you should read it. 

If You Don’t Reach Your Goal

Not all goals need to be completed. And not completing a goal doesn’t automatically mean failure. 

It means your attention went where it was needed. 

Books will wait. Stories aren’t lost because time passed. 

Reading is not productivity metric. It’s a relationship. 

Final Thoughts

The best reading goal you can set is one that invites you back to books with kindness, no matter how long it’s been. 

I always set a goal at the beginning of the year, but I make sure my intention is clear:

I want to read, not compete or compare. 

So whether I read 20 books, 60 books, or 130 books, my goal is complete as long as I spent time throughout the year reading. 

You Might Also Like: My TBR Pile is a Mess (& Why That’s Okay)