Less Extreme Reading Challenge

Welcome to the Less Extreme Reading Challenge

An idea suddenly hit me yesterday. It was triggered by a lovely message explaining from a reading challenge participant that she had to leave the reading challenge group because new responsibilities won’t allow her to read that much. I cannot remember a time when I didn’t enjoy reading. But not everyone devours books like I do. What would happen if there were two versions of the reading challenge? One where you read five books, and the other where you read only three books each month – the less extreme reading challenge. The thought didn’t occur to me before because I am very self-directed. I jump to the beat of my own drum. If I were participating in someone’s reading challenge, or other activity, I would do the best that I could, even if it was less than what was expected of me. I would read the number of books that I could. It wouldn’t occur to me to ask permission to read fewer books. I would simply decide for myself.

We live in a world of diverse people. And some people need to be told that there are other options for them to pursue. Not just the recommended one. Would people who could read five books in a month, read only three because they don’t want to push themselves? And if that’s the case, should I concern myself with that? No! We are responsible for ourselves. This less extreme reading challenge is for those who really want to participate, but think they may not welcome, because they cannot read five books a month.

What would a less extreme reading challenge include?

I started the Read the World Extreme Reading Challenge because I wanted people to become more culturally aware, as well as to develop career resilience. That would still be the case for the less extreme reading challenge.

Related Posts

Extreme Reading Challenge: Read the World, Read Broadly, Read to Push Yourself
Read the World Challenge – Join Us
Productivity: How is Your Note-Taking?
Tips on Note-taking: The Art of Writing While Listening
To Remember More of What You Read, Take Notes by Hand 
Taking Better Notes – Learning to Abbreviate Words

Requirements of Less Extreme Reading Challenge

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month One

1. Read a book written by an author, born in an African country.
2. Read a book about your industry/niche that will allow you to develop skills or give you a new understanding about the way the industry works.
3. Read a book that will help you to develop your personal brand, and position you as an expert.

Library Thing African Literature Reading List

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Two

1. Read a book set in Antarctica.
2. Read a collection of comics that relate to your job.
3. Read a book that helps you to perform your job better.

You can get ideas at Goodreads: Popular Antarctica Books.

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Three

1. Read a book written by an author, born in Asia.
2. Read a book that blend disciplines.
3. Read a book that you normally would not read.

Library Thing Chinese Literature Reading List

Library Thing Japanese Literature Reading List

Library Thing Indian Literature Reading List

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Four

1. Read a book written by an author, born in Australia/Oceania.
2. Read a book that will teach you a new, marketable skill.
3. Read a business book outside your industry/niche.

Library Thing Australian literature

Library Thing New Zealand Literature

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Five

1. Read a book written by an author, born in a European country.
2. Read a book about someone’s journey – inner or outer.
3. Read a book about your favorite hobby to become better at it.

Library Thing French Literature

Library Thing English literature 

Library Thing Spanish literature

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Six

This month we are reading North America, which includes the Caribbean and Mexico.

1. Read two books written by authors born in North America. This counts as two books for the month.
2. Read a book from another industry.

Library Thing American literature

Library Thing Canadian Literature

Library Thing Caribbean Literature

Library Thing Mexican Literature

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Seven

1. Read a book written by an author, born in South America.
2. Read a book specifically to solve a work problem that you are having.
3. Read a book about how to learn.

Library Thing South American Literature

Library Thing Latin American Literature

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Eight

This month we are doing something a little different, we are reading women.

1. Read an autobiography/biography of a woman. If it’s a biography of a woman, it must be written by a woman.
2. Read a classic written by a woman.
3. Read a book that deals with a serious topic that’s written by a woman.

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Nine

This month we are reading men.

1. Read an autobiography/biography of a man. If it’s a biography of a man, it must be written by a man.
2. Read a book that deals with a serious topic that’s written by a man.
3. Read a science fiction book written by a man.

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Ten

We are revisiting North America this month. There are so many books that you can easily access. If you were born in Mexico or live there, read a book from the USA, Canada or the Caribbean. The point is to read books by authors who were not born or live in the country you were born in or live in. That’s a pretty messy sentence, but you get what I mean?

1. Read a book written by an author, born in the USA, Canada, the Caribbean or Mexico.
2. Read a book that teaches you negotiation technique.
3. Read a book that teaches you how to be a better presenter.

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Eleven

This month we are revisiting Asia simply because two of the most populous countries – India and China – in the world are on that continent.

1. Read a book written by an author, born in India.
2. Read a book written by an author, born in China.
3. Read a book about Japanese philosophy.

Less Extreme Reading Challenge: Month Twelve

We are revisiting Europe and Africa because so many countries are on those continents.

1. Read a book written by an author from Europe.
2. Read a book written by an author from Africa.
3. Read a book about psychology.

Conclusion: Less Extreme Reading Challenge – How to Succeed

Imagine you have been participating in the challenge for 12 months, and if you were reading three books each month, you have now read 36 books for the year. Give yourself a pat on the back. What have you learned about yourself? How has the way you perform your work changed? To succeed on the less extreme reading challenge, you still have to develop the habit of reading every day. You have to diligently take notes to remember more of what you read. And you also you have to choose the right books, and find ways to apply what you have learned while reading the books.

Sign-up for the Read the World Extreme Reading. Participate in the Read the World Facebook Group!

Please take the conversation to my  Facebook page.

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