The 75 Soft Reading Rule: 10 Pages a Day, Explained
Why a reading rule in a fitness challenge?
75 Soft is a whole-person challenge, not a workout program. The reading rule exists for two reasons: it builds a daily mental habit alongside the physical ones, and it replaces 10–15 minutes of doom-scrolling with something that compounds. By day 75 you'll have read more than most adults read in a year.
What counts — and what doesn't
| Counts | Gray area | Doesn't count |
|---|---|---|
| Any physical book · Kindle/e-books · fiction or non-fiction · re-reads | Audiobooks (~15 min ≈ 10 pages) · long-form essays · textbooks for school | Social media · news feeds · work documents · comic strips (a graphic novel is your call) |
The 75 Hard version requires non-fiction self-development books; 75 Soft lets you read anything — a thriller you can't put down beats a business book you avoid. If you're doing the 75 Medium tier, non-fiction is the convention.
How to never miss your 10 pages
- Anchor it to an existing habit. Pages with morning coffee, or in bed before lights out — same slot, every day.
- Put the book where the habit happens. On the pillow, on the coffee machine. Friction decides habits.
- Use the 10-page minimum as a trap. Nobody stops at 10 pages of a good book. The rule just gets you to open it.
- Keep a backup on your phone. Stuck in a waiting room at 9 PM with pages unread? The Kindle app saves the day.
- Pick shorter books first. Finishing a book on day 20 is a momentum bomb. Save the 900-page epic for round two.
Track it in the free app
The reading ring sits right next to your water and workout rings, and the daily reminder at the time you choose is what rescues the pages on chaotic days. One tap when the 10 pages are done, and the day stays intact.
What 750 pages actually gets you
Ten pages a day sounds trivial. Compounded over the challenge it's 2–3 complete books — and if you keep the habit for a year, 15–18 books. Most people finish 75 Soft having read more in 75 days than in the previous two years. It's routinely cited as the rule people keep longest after the challenge ends — see what results to expect.
Frequently asked questions
Do audiobooks count for the 75 Soft reading rule?
Gray area — the common convention is ~15 minutes of listening equals 10 pages. Pick your policy on day 1 and stay consistent.
Does the book have to be non-fiction on 75 Soft?
No — unlike 75 Hard, any book counts on 75 Soft, fiction included.
Can I read more than 10 pages one day and skip the next?
No banking — the point is the daily habit. Reading 30 pages today is great; tomorrow still needs its 10.
Start Your 75 Soft Challenge Today
The free 75 Soft Challenge Tracker comes with every rule pre-loaded, daily reminders, streaks and Forgiving Mode — everything you need to reach day 75.