At the start of each new school year, I would confidently advise my university students: "Becoming a fluent reader in English is like learning to play the piano -- it requires constant practice.
"Memorizing lists of vocabulary items and translating passages word for word -- tasks that you dread -- will not be required in my class," I would say. "Instead, you will be reading extensively on topics of interest to you, with materials that are appropriate to your ability level."
Then one day I realized that, hypocritically, I was failing to follow my own advice in my study of Japanese. Reading extensively? Why, I was hardly reading anything in my target language!