Let's go back to page 25 of the PR book. The most overlooked step in the entire system is your Purpose.

If you don't have a purpose for reading a book, then don't read it. That is a complete waste of your time and energy.

If you don't know why you're reading a book, you won't take what you need from it. Simply because you don't know what to take. You have to precisely define your reasons to get the most out of the system.

If you don't know how much time you're willing to spend beforehand, you'll be frustrated because it seems like you're spending too much time on each step, or consequently you may not spend enough time on certain steps. Time limits discipline your mind.


The phrase 'cut to the chase' applies here. When you Activate, cut out what you don't need to know and zoom in on what you want, to whatever level you want to take it to.

Most books have a few central ideas that can be fleshed out over a page or two of notes so even to say 10% is being liberal with many authors unless they write highly technical manuals like medical or UNIX texts.

It helps to have that overview so you know where to zoom, or if zooming is even worth the time.

Some books are not worth reading. Without that overview, you don't find this out until you're done reading, hours later. Life is too short for that; it only takes a few seconds to decide not to waste your time and put a useless book away. This step alone saves you hours.

Some books have skimpy information and are padded out with superfluous information. You don't need to memorize everything in those books. Don't waste your time overstudying a glorified pamphlet.

Some books are detailed but you only need certain details in certain areas. Either you know the rest, or you don't need to know it right away. Skim and superread past the details you don't need and dip into the ones you do. Zoom in on what you need and leave the rest for later. It'll still be there if you have to go back for it.

PhotoReading isn't memorization, it's strategic reading. Take what you need and leave the rest. Even then, take only what you need and can handle at one time.


PS. I find that self help books are short on actual info and spend lots of time telling stories and selling the author's credentials. That stuff is completely unnecessary and overstudying it doesn't help you in any way.