The Problem With Unlimited Books
It was the first time in months that I struggled to pick my next read.
I finished a quality book, and I always rely on my “Read Next” collection – a selection of books I’ve hand-picked.
The problem was simple – I had a book I wanted to read, but it was outside of the Kindle Unlimited catalogue. Rather than making the most of this subscription, I felt like I was wasting it.
This was the moment I recognised that more choice isn’t always better.
💻Why I’m Cancelling My Kindle Unlimited
Over the last three months, I have trialled Kindle Unlimited, which boasts a library of over 5 million books, thousands of audiobooks and a selection of magazines.
Sadly, all this choice means very little if you can’t find and read the books that you want. For all of the choices, too often I found myself picking my next book outside of the Kindle Unlimited catalogue. Sometimes, I would even feel guilty about the cost of a monthly subscription that wasn’t being fully utilised.
In this instance, having the unlimited choice of books left me feeling confused and frustrated. For the full breakdown of why I’m cancelling, check out my video here:
🐣The Adoption Method For Reading
If you’ve ever read a great non-fiction book that was bursting with ideas relevant to you, but you then forget it after a few weeks, you’re not alone.
The problem isn’t that you’re not smart or that the book isn’t good enough. Instead, it’s because you haven’t given the book the time to fully land.
The adoption method is about integrating a chosen book into your life. From experience, these books will find you, and help to fill the gap between who you are now, and who you want to be in the future.
For my full breakdown of the adoption method, here’s the link to my video:
📖What I’ve Been Reading
I’ve adopted three books in my life so far, but my current read, Atomic Habits by James Clear, is definitely pushing to be added to the list.
I’ve read books before on habits, but this one stands out above the others. The ideas and stories are communicated clearly, providing practical advice for integrating the concepts into your own life.
Habit stacking is a concept that has really stood out, latching new habits onto existing ones. Combine this with trying to keep new habits under two minutes, so they are easy to implement, and it proves a great way to make small improvements to your life.
💭A Thought for This Week
This week, I’ve pushed myself to consider selective thinking outside of just reading.
Outside of books, we are constantly surrounded by a huge number of choices. That could be on streaming subscription services, shopping online, or in shops.
That can lead to a strange feeling of overwhelm. When faced with so many options, how do you make the best fit for you?
I knew that something had to change when I went into a shop to buy a drink and struggled to make a choice from the selection available. All of the pros and cons went through my head as I weighed up the consequences of what to buy. Taking far longer than felt truly necessary for this decision.
The solution has been to take comfort in accepting the experience of your decisions. Make a choice, and whether it’s good or bad, acknowledge the experience of the outcome. The good news is that even the bad experiences can become a learning opportunity or a conversation topic.
❓A Question For You
Have you had a moment where narrowing your focus has led to a better outcome? I'd love to hear what choice you made and how it worked for you at Hello@charliesamways.com.
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