Reading goals that fit your year

“Read 52 books this year” works for some people and quietly makes others feel guilty by March. Stacked goals are more flexible: pick the time frame, then decide whether you’re counting books, choosing them, or both.

Pick a time frame

A goal can cover:

• A month — good for a reading sprint or a holiday.
• A season — spring, summer, autumn or winter, about three months at a time.
• A year — the classic.

You can have goals for different periods at the same time, so a yearly number can sit next to a smaller plan for this month.

Count books, choose books, or both

There are two kinds of target, and you can use either or combine them:

• A number. Twelve books this year, three this month. Every book you finish in the period counts.
• Picks. The specific books you want to get to, chosen from your shelf. Finally read Middlemarch. Finish the series. Read the book my sister gave me. Each pick is ticked off when you finish it.

Combining them works well: a number keeps you moving, and a few picks make sure the books you actually care about don’t get lost in the count.

Goals and your next read

When you ask Stacked for your next read, it picks at random from Want to read, but books you’ve picked for a goal are more likely to come up. It’s a gentle nudge toward the books you said mattered.

Share your progress

Every goal can be shared as a card. Save it to Photos and post it, or send it to the friend who’s doing the same challenge.

Make it stick

• Start small. A season goal is easier to reach than a year, and finishing one feels good.
• Mix picks with a number. Three picks inside a twelve-book goal keeps it honest.
• Pair it with a streak. Goals are about the destination; streaks are about showing up a little each day.

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See goals and streaks on the Stacked site, or join the beta on TestFlight and set your first goal.