VIII Reading

Reading

• How much attention have you paid before you start reading to your ultimate purpose? Do you generally have a good idea of what you are looking for? Are you priming yourself for information that is relevant? PRIMING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF SETTING OURSELVES UP TO REMEMBER. By having a strong purpose and direction about why this information is important, you set your brain's radar to be on the lookout.
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Action: Finding Purpose and Direction

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• 1. Think of a problem or challenge that needs to be solved.
• 2. What do you gain by solving it? What is your purpose?
• 3. Choose a factual book that you think has some information that could help.
• 4. Reaffirm your purpose.
• 5. By simply reading the table of contents, identify whether this book is relevant, if it isn't, move on.
• 6. What level of detail do you need to understand?
• 7. How much time do you think you will need to commit?
• 8. Mind map your thoughts.

Double your reading speed

• GUIDING
• Use a guide (a chopstick is a good choice) to guide your eye across the page. Let your eyes take in groups of words at a time. As you move the chopstick smoothly from line to line, do not back-skip or regress to things you have previously read. For the start, move the pointer slightly more faster than is comfortable.
• PERIPHERAL
• This is a technique that focuses on the 'mind's eye' (a mental point at which a person looks at mental images or thoughts). This is so you become more aware of the world around you...
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The Tangerine Technique

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• From Paul Scheele's 'Photoreading'.
• This could be a tennis ball or any small object.
• 1. Imagine that there is a tennis ball or tangerine in front of you; see it in every detail (think back to the sense memory exercise).
• 2. Now reach forward and pick it up; examine it.
• 3. Now place it at the back of your head (on the top of your crown).
• 4. As you let go, become aware that is it still there.
• 5. As you focus on it, notice that it drifts back about 15 cms (6 inches) upwards at 45 degrees.
• 6. Imagine that you are now 'seeing from this point'- your mind's eye.
• 7. See the page in front of you from this point.
• This will feel strange to begin with and take some practice, but you should notice your field of vision opening up.

Subvocalization

• Part of the objective of speed reading is not to say every word in your head while reading. Having said that it can be very effective to vocalise particular words that spring out and catch your attention: these tend to be the most relevant.
• SILENT READING
• 1. Bring the last few actions together. Use a pointer, find your mind's eye and read the next section without subvocalizing. Again, move the pointer faster than is comfortable.
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Belief

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• Belief has a big impact on performances, whether it is a belief about what we can remember, how good we are at sports or how fast we can read. By imagining yourself going faster or performing better than you thought was possible, you create positive references that support beliefs about what is possible.
• Imagine yourself reading faster than you ever have before, effortlessly gliding across sentences at a time, instantly making sense of everything you read. IF YOU MAKE THIS REAL ENOUGH IN YOUR MIND, YOUR BRAIN WILL START CREATING REFERENCES THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE.