Leaders are readers.

Ugh. That is such a terrible cliche.

But here’s the thing with cliches. They’re generally true.

As you step into the leadership journey for possibly the first time, I want this to be the first book you read. But — this should not be the last book you read. Reading needs to become a part of who you are and something you do every day.

“But I am not a reader.”

Guess what?

Reading is not a talent.

It’s a skill.

And a habit.

You can learn to be a reader.

Studies from Pew Research (and other such places) tell us Americans don’t read the same way we used to. The general populous used to read books, because that was the way media worked in our society and culture. The format worked well. Small, transportable. Even when I was younger, people publicly read books as a pastime on various forms of public transportation.

We all know everything changed in 2007. The rise of the smartphone, followed by a glut of easily accessible digital media, meant books went out of style with parachute pants.

But here’s the interesting thing:

People are still reading.

In fact, people read all day long. It didn’t take long for digital mediums to change our cultural reading habits. Instead of books on airplanes, we read from the phone. And, I mean, why not? It’s right there. Easy.

Sometimes smartphones make us dumber. Shortened attention spans. Inability to focus on anything longer than a subheading. We are in the habit of skimming instead of reading. TL;DR is now commonplace. (That means “Too Long, Didn’t Read” in case you don’t know the lingo.)

Reading as a habit

Sorry. Another cliche line from a cheesy motivational poster: but if you want to grow as a leader, you must become a reader. I believe that.

Reading is core to developing a learning mindset. Not just because you get new “information”. Reading requires your brain to focus for more the 30 seconds at a time. The ability to focus will set you apart from the crowd.

I read about 60 books per year.

I know people who read more than that.

You don’t even have to read that much.

A book a month will put you ahead of most.

Get in the habit of reading. You will be better off.

Here’s how to do it.

How to Build a Reading Habit

Set small attainable goals

Don’t start with 10 books a month.

Start with one.

Or you could determine to read a certain number of pages per day.

Or set aside “read time” — a time in the day only for undistracted reading.

What ever works for you. Set reading goals but make them small and attainable. Once you get into a reading habit, you can increase them until you find a consumption rate that works for you. Don’t endlessly try to increase reading goals. Find your ceiling and stick with it.

Make reading your default activity

(Instead of Instagram or Twitter or TV binging).

This mindset shift will get you reading more books. Instead of defaulting to your phone, default to a book (or an e-reader, as we see in a moment). This will take a little forethought. Keep a book (in any format) with you at all times. If you’re waiting for a bus, read it. When you have a few minutes between meetings, read. Any time you feel yourself reaching for your phone, grab a book instead. Rather than watching yet one more episode of some rerun on your streaming service, grab your book. Read a chapter. Or a paragraph. This will both break some potential bad habits and will build a great reading habit.

Use technology (audio books/e-readers/Etc.) with wisdom

While I rarely read on my phone, I am not an anti-smartphone Luddite. In fact, digital technology can help you read more! Use what works for you to read long form writing. I typically have the following formats going at any point in the month:

• A book on my e-reader

• 1-2 audio books (you can pay a subscription or get them free from your local library!)

• 1-2 old-fashioned analog books.

I enjoy reading on an e-reader (this is often my “airplane book”).

I prefer reading analog.

I love listening to a story (I have a high audio learning style).

Variety keeps me going. Use the formats that work for you.

Be Analog (read a book with a pencil)

Whichever combination of book formats you decide to use, be sure analog is one of them. There is something magical about the tactile cracking open of a book, so I always have at least one physical book going at all times. I travel with a book (along with my e-reader).

The genuine power of a physical book is the ability to take physical notes and underline in the book itself. What a magnificent invention!

No book is sacred. Not even the Bible, Torah, or Koran. They invented paper for writing. Get the most out of your physical books by reading with a pencil. Make notes. Underline. Ask questions. The more your brain interacts with the text and its author, the more you learn.

Follow What is Interesting (and put down what isn’t!)

When first developing a reading habit, read what interests you. Into the history of obscure holidays or the science of cryptozoology? Cool. There are books for you to read! Find them. Read them.

The topics you read about don’t have to be related to your job. Don’t make it hard! Read the books you want to read. Once you have the reading habit, you can venture into subjects more challenging.

Here’s another secret:

You do not have to finish every book.

I have mastered the art of skimming. In the genre of business and leadership books, there are too many published books that should have been a blog post. When I get into the middle of one of these, I skip all the repeated and filler bits, note the main points I want to learn, and walk away.

Treat Yourself!

As with any goal, completion should equal reward. Sometimes, this might be the simple dopamine rush of marking another book as complete. Using a service like Goodreads or The Story Graph, you can track the books you’ve read in a social setting. As I write this, I’ve used Goodreads since 2010. Although, I am trying to ween myself off of mega-corporate entities named after large rivers, and am now playing with The Story Graph.

You can also simply reward yourself with a cookie or a spa day — or — heck. Just buy yourself another book.

Reading should be fun.

But reading is also critical to your success as a leader. It’s how we learn and grow. Use these tips and you will soon develop a habit that you can’t run away from if you try.

Build a Hobbit Habit: Read!

• Set small attainable goals until you reach a pace you’re comfortable with

• When you go to pick up your phone to scroll Instagram, grab a book instead.

• Wisely use technology to read more! (Have a lot of books going at once!)

• Always be working on an analog book and keep a pencil with you while reading it.

• Stick with what’s interesting, drop (or skim!) what is not.

• Give yourself a reward when you finish a book or accomplish your goal!

With just a little effort, you can become a reader.

It’s a habit that will serve you well on the journey.

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I am a consultant, coach, and trainer with Growability® Consulting, specializing in non-profit and cross-cultural business and leadership. Check out the Growability® Podcast at all your favorite podcast places.