Reading has always been a hobby I drift in and out of, whether that’s an all consuming thriller on holiday that’s followed by the “I must read more!” right up until i step off the plane and daily life takes over. Or reading for professional development where I immediately see & reap the benefits but somehow finding the time and holding myself accountable becomes the biggest challenge. As a consequence my ‘pages read’ tends to fall off a cliff the moment something else comes up.

So with the ringing in of a new year comes a new resolution… to read more. Something I want to make habitual, something I need to hold myself accountable with, and this is where the blog comes in. Part accountability tool, part learning journal, part opportunity to give back to the amazing Agile community that has helped me so much.

When looking for a good holiday read, there are hundreds of reviewers so I can maximise my fix of crime/intrigue. However when looking to improve an Agile skill or overcoming a challenge at work, finding a helpful reading list is a challenge. So The Agile Book Club was born.

Recently I read Atomic Habits by James Clear, a goldmine for information and a welcome reminder that habit formation is built on consistency. Clear popularised the concept of ‘The Four Laws of Behavioural Change’ and thinking about my new years resolution, here’s mine:

Make It Obvious

The importance of making our goal/habit visible, this blog & post should just about do that.

Make It Attractive

Creating a link for new habits with something we find rewarding, so the knowledge gained helping me grow in my role is definitely attractive.

Make It Easy

Reducing the effort needed to complete our habit. I’ve created a visible backlog of books (mostly physical, my preference), but I’m ready at home and on the go.

Make It Satisfying

Who doesn’t love data & moving items to done on a dusted off Kanban board of reads & reviews?

That’s all from me for now, but I have a couple of reviews ready to post so they’ll be up (if not already) shortly. Occasionally I’ll share updates on my habit formation & hopefully end the year with a much smaller ‘to read’ pile. If you do have any feedback or book recommendations, please share them. They are very welcome!

Thanks for reading and welcome to the club.