Have you ever started reading a book and it wasn’t any good?  Maybe you were a chapter in and realized that the author was using dense paragraphs and using big words when a simple word would have done the job.

I read a lot of books.  Last year I read 85 books.  More than a handful were real crap, but I kept reading them.  Why?  Because I started the book and I like finishing things.  I like adding books to my “I read that” pile.  This need to finish reading every book I start is a big mistake and one I hope you’re not making it.

Finishing a crappy book serves no purpose.  Yeah sure it might end up being better and it’s a must-read book because a colleague or friend recommended it, but who has time to waste on crappy books?

I certainly don’t and I’m guessing you don’t either, not with all the demands of work and home and everything in between.  So what do you do?  Well, you have two choices in front of you…

2 Choices When Confronted with a Crappy Book:
1) Put the book aside and choose another to read.
2) Rapidly skim through the rest of the book.

1) Choose Another Book
If you love reading, there are probably dozens of books you want to read.  Why not pick up the next one on your list and read that book instead?  It’s bound to be better than the crappy book you’re currently reading.

2) Skim the Crappy Book
Sometimes books can’t be judged by the first few pages or chapters.  An author might just take longer to get warmed up, so skim through the rest of the book.  If you like what you see, finish the book.  If you’re feeling nauseous, put it down and do what option #1 says – choose another book.

Personally I’m working hard on putting aside crappy books and I hope you do as well.  There are literally thousands of great books out there and your time is limited.  Use it wisely by reading only great books. 

Great books will inspire you to do great things.  Crappy books?  Well, you know what comes from reading them.