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Hey all, Candace here. Today Dan will be guest posting about one of his intentions for 2020, which was to read fifty books. Dan is our Anatomy and Strength Teacher at Namaslay® YTT and Director of Partnerships for YBC®. Both are his side hustle, as teaching is his main gig. Since so many of you are readers, I thought it would resonate. If you enjoy, let him know your thoughts down in the comments below or on Instagram.

Setting the Intention

I struggle with setting goals. I enjoy making lists of goals each New Year, but then I lose focus and let them slip away. I usually have a financial goal, a fitness goal, and a few personal goals. This past year I wanted to prioritize my downtime. I felt that I was wasting too much time on my phone and not really accomplishing anything. You think about all the time you spend doing nothing, add that up, and you’d be surprised how much we waste the day away. The past few years I have found myself reading more than usual. As a teacher, it is my goal to show the students that reading is important. I never fully felt it was appropriate for me to tell them to read when I wasn't doing it myself. So, I decided to step up to the challenge. On 1.1.19 I decided to set a goal to read 50 books. These would be books that I would read on my own time. At first I thought 50 was too big a number, but now that I look back at the year, it was perfect.

I started out feeling good. I was reading at a decent clip. It usually takes me about four to five days to finish a book. I was able to read most nights just before bed. That seemed to be my best reading block. It was hard for me to read during the day or in the mornings. I kept track of all the books on my teacher account, @mrtschalkboards. I made sure to tell the kids about my challenge to keep me motivated. They would ask how I was doing, and what number book I was on. I had to finish because I did not want to let them down. Telling people about your goals is a great way to keep you accountable. The fear of failure is a powerful motivator.

“Telling people about your goals is a great way to keep you accountable. The fear of failure is a powerful motivator.”

— Dan Tavino

Starting the Challenge and Managing Roadblocks

As the weeks went by I started to fly through some books. I was a regular at Barnes and Noble because I prefer an actual book versus a digital book. However, books are expensive, and they take up a lot of space! Looking back I probably should have spent more time in the library.

Sometimes the reading felt like a chore. I had to force myself to read a few nights when I would rather have watched a movie or messed around on my phone. But after a few pages, you start to get sucked in to the book, and it makes for a better night.

I found myself reading books that I grew up hearing about. To Kill a Mockingbird, Brave New World, Animal Farm, Slaughterhouse Five, A Clockwork Orange; I feel like these books have been read by everyone except me! Each one was incredible and it is clear why they are such a part of our culture. Even a book like Lord of the Flies had eluded me my whole life until now. There were certainly some duds in there- it is hard to choose a great book. I would rush every now and then and make a poor choice simply for the sake of time. But finishing a bad book is really a testament to persevering and sticking it out.

The Top Three Best Books I Read

I tried to make a top three list from the year. In no particular order, the following were the best of the best: Only Killers and Thieves, by Paul Howarth, was incredible. This book is right in my wheelhouse. It was about these two brothers who live out in the bush in Australia. Their home was attacked, and they meet up with a renegade crew of hunters to help seek revenge. The writing is phenomenal, and I cannot wait for the next book by this author. Next up was A Clockwork Orange. I never even realized this was a book. I knew it was a movie by Stanley Kubrick, and even then I knew little about it. Needless to say, it was a great book. Rounding up the top three would be Animal Farm by George Orwell. This one took me a few hours to finish, and I wish it were 10,000 pages longer. The way the story unfolds and mimics history is incredible.

I finished the year with a Harry Potter book, the first in the series. As a 5th grade teacher I felt it was my duty to at least have an understanding of the series. The kids are always referencing it, and I needed to be in the loop. I was surprised by how well it was written, and I can definitely see myself reading more of them in the future.

Reflecting on the Goal

I am glad that the year is over. I want to continue reading without the pressure of the goal always looming. I think I will be able to read close to 50 books again this year, without really keeping track. When I look back on the year, it didn’t feel like I was reading all the time. I could certainly have read more if I really pushed it.

My new goal for 2020 is to solve a Rubik’s Cube in under 5 minutes. Each year our school hosts a competition for the kids and some of my students can complete the cube in a minute or two. I need to win that competition!

Below is the complete list of books: Let me know what your favorites are or if you have any must reads!

50 Books of 2019