Home
>
Success
>
Reading For Success

Reading For Success

We live in the information age, dominated by the development of the internet and computer power to levels that were unimaginable even a few years ago. Because out world is changing so rapidly, knowledge today is doubling approximately every two to three years. This means that you must double your knowledge in your field every two to three years just to stay even.

Becoming a well-equipped and proficient reader today is not optional. Building a personal library and becoming an excellent reader is mandatory for success in any field. It is no longer something you can choose to do or not to do. It is absolutely essential and indispensable for your success.

There is an unwritten law that says, to earn more, you must learn more. The future belongs to the competent. And the race is on. America today is not divided into the lower, middle, and upper classes. Rather, America is divided into those who know less, those who know more but do very little with it, and those who know a lot more and do a lot with it.

The most powerful factor of production not just in America but in the world today is not money or real estate. The most valuable factor of production in the world today is knowledge. Money and opportunities flow to the people who have the most knowledge.

So why don't people read more? One of the main reasons people often give, is that they don't have enough time. They are so busy with work and family that they barely have time to read the daily newspaper, let alone books or magazines. So if lack of time is a major factor for people not reading enough, let's look at how you can read more in less time.

You possess the most powerful computer in the universe, right between your ears. To be able to read faster we have to understand how the brain actually assimilates information. Even though we have this phenomenal bio-computer inside our head, we plod along, reading at an average of two hundred words per minute. But recent research has shown that the eye/brain system is much more powerful than we've ever thought. How can we read and assimilate information so that the brain can function at its peak, creating and remembering more data?

The eye is like a camera: it focuses on something, stops its movement, photographs, imprints, and moves on to the next thing. If you actually diagram the way the reading eye moves, it looks like a series of little hops over the words. Most people's focus skips, regresses, and wanders off the page, limiting the reading rate to one or two words at a time.

The average person reads about two hundred words a minute. The average comprehension is about 70 percent. And the average recall of what has been comprehended is about five percent after two weeks.

Think about your own education, of all the books you've read; How many book titles do you remember. How many authors? Formulas? Bits of information? How would you do on a test, if you were asked to take one right now? Most people have forgotten nearly all of their education. So reading has somehow not produced the kind of results that we've expected it should have. If we look at the way the eye works and the formulas for reading, we find that there are easy ways to improve both reading speed and comprehension.

Most of us were told in school to read "slowly and carefully" to improve comprehension, but if you actually try to read that way, your attention will wander, the information will become fragmented, disjointed, and you'll comprehend less. For example, have someone read the last sentence of a paragraph to you, very slowly, and you'll see what I mean. The slower you read, the worse it gets.

When you look at someone who reads faster than the average person, you'll find that their eyes move in the same way as everyone else, stopping on the words, photographing, move and stop, photograph. But the person who reads at an above average speed uses a very simple formula.

Reading studies have shown, that it is the brain that sees, while the eyes just act as a "limb." The brain needs larger chunks of information so it can process them at the speed of its natural thought.

In order to read faster, you need to focus your brain's attention to see three, four, five, or more words in phrased clumps, instead of the normal one or two words that most people see. In this way, you can take in larger amounts of information at once. At the same time, you have to shorten the time your focus pauses on each set of words. Instead of focusing on two words at a time and stopping for a second, you should force yourself to focus on four words and stop for a half a second.

Another secret to help you improve your reading speed is to eliminate back-skipping and the regressions that characterize the reading of the average person. To do this, you simply use a pointer or a pen to point at each line, following the rows of text at rapid speed.

The eye is designed to follow movement because the brain uses the eye as sort of a scanner of your environment. So, if everything is still, the brain subconsciously registers the idea that everything is peaceful and in harmony, thus eliminating the need for increased brain activity. But the moment there's movement, the brain's processes change. It activates instinctively and concentrates on the stimulus, processing a visual input.

When you put a pen or some sort of pointer (do not use your finger because it tends to block too much of the page) underneath the line of the text and move it to the right, you pull your eye along. At the end of each line, move your pointer to the beginning of the next line.

Always read line by line. Although it may not seem faster, consider that, with an average of 12 words per line, multiplied by your new rate of a half second for every three or four words, you can read each line in two seconds. When you do the math, you find that you're up to 460 words per minute. By using a pointer or a guide, you can increase your reading speed two, three, or more times.

And your comprehension increases when you input information rapidly into your brain without lingering over it.

With practice, you will achieve this positive, synergistic relationship between your eye and your brain. So, when you read, just remember to photograph, using your pointer or guide to move your eye along. The more you read this way, the more you will learn, the more you will remember, and the more you will be able to create.

You need to read an hour or two each day just to keep current with your field. You need to read nonfiction books that are both educational and motivational. Read newspapers, magazines, newsletters, correspondence, and other materials. But you don't get ahead with regular reading. You must invest in the future while keeping current with the present. If you want to get ahead, you must read things that give you new ideas and insights, not merely things that confirm what you already know.

Becoming a proficient and persistent reader is the key to your future. It may not be easy do, but it's certainly possible. Just as you can expand your vocabulary by practicing and application, you can become proficient in reading. The future belongs to the competent. Those who know more will always win out over those who know less. The true mark of a high achieving man or woman is that he or she is better educated and more knowledgeable than the average person. And the more you read, the better you get. The more you learn, the easier it is for you to learn. The more you challenge your mind, and the more you draw your intelligence, the smarter you get.

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. If you want to move ahead and be successful, start building your personal library today. Dedicate yourself to lifelong reading. With knowledge, and the skills that come from applying that knowledge, there is no limit on how far you can go.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe's work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

tidy up service Glenview ..

In The News:

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.