Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Initial Activating block

Hi,

I've come to a mental block while beginning the activation process on the book of my choice to start the Personal Audio Course on Tape 7B.

I chose a book of the right size from the bookshelf in the garage titled 'Guide to Vitamins and Minerals' by Rayner Soothhill. THe purpose of reading the book was reasonably broad in 'To gain a good grounding in Vitamins and Minerals to better care for my family'. I previewed the book in the previous tape and picked out 25 keywords as instructed.

Starting tape 7B, I asked to start a mind map with a one sentence summary which I think would be 'Informative Guide to the Pro's and Con's of Vitamins and Minerals'. I then need to list, in order of importance, the questions I have based on my purpose for reading the book.

Well, I'm kinda stumped as I really don't have any questions at this stage as I've not really absorbed any content to have any meaning. Am I missing something here? Is my thinking headed down the wrong track maybe?

Any help or pointers/guidance would be really appreciated.
Cheers
Martin

Your "purpose" isn't a purpose. Yep. You'll get stuck with activation on that one.

Also first you have a broad goal and then go into detailed expectations.

Only thing you're missing is a purpose.

Alex

Umm, well, I just don't get it then.

That was the purpose of reading the book. I knew nothing on the subject and wanted to know more which would benefit my family. Why isn't that a purpose ?

Where do I go from here as far as activation goes? I'm not sure I understand your reply, Alex - appreciated as it certainly is.

Martin

Purpose is what you are going to do with the information. It isn't enough just to say "I want a good grounding in..."

what on earth for?

How do you measure it?
When will you know you have a "good grounding" (interesting when you think about it that expression can mean punishment.)

Why would you need a good grounding?

Purpose is the point.

What's the point of reading the book?

Alex

I'll share something that I discovered from my experience with photoreading and setting my purpose.
Another way of looking at your purpose is to view it as your intention. Intention is more action driven. Knowing what stocks to invest in and actually investing in the stocks are two totally different things. Can you see the difference?

When setting your purpose (intention) what do you want to do with it? Do you want to know what is the best value vitamin to buy your family? Do you want to know what vitamin will help you with a health condition?

Knowledge is trivial unless it serves an end benefit. Does knowing that Vitamin C may sometimes be called ascorbic acid do anything for you? Probably not. Knowing that Vitamin C can help curb your sugar cravings and help you lose weight or that it can speed up your recuperation after working out so that you will have more energy faster can serve your intent of better health.

Does that help?

Hmmm, so you're telling me I just can't pick up a book I have no knowledge in and absorb the contents of the material to be better equipped to converse in the subject?

I can't just gain a better overview on a subject if it interests me and I believe it will be beneficial to myself and others at some point in the future?

I must have a serious mental block here as I'm just not seeing even this initial activation point.

Thanks for your patience
Martin

Purpose is the part of the first step of the whole process (prepare). If you're vague about what you want from the book that's exactly what you'll get from the book by the time you get to activation. Vague. That's what people get from passively reading books and many of those books are the ones that get dumped within the first three chapters of traditional reading.

You prepare before every step of the system.

You're about to spend X amount of time out of your life reading a book. You're not going to get that time back back so doesn't it make sense to know what you are expecting to get from your time investment?

And stop calling it a "serious Mental Block". Do you really want to give yourself such a powerful affirmation?

The only thing you're proving in your failed activation attempt is that you don't really have a purpose for the book. You're probably not that curious about it and you selected it because that happened to be on your book self and matched the criteria for size in the PhotoReading assignment for session 7B.

Find a book you are interested in and can see yourself using in the near future.

Alex

[This message has been edited by Alex K. Viefhaus (edited May 14, 2006).]

OK, the mental block comment stems from my frustration in not understanding the 'purpose'. I'd like to know more on a great many subjects such as Fung Shei, finances, different areas that might assist me in gaining employment, learning several programming languages, interests such as vitamins and minerals that are part of daily life and many other things.

Scheele states in the course manual that purpose can include a general overview or detailed chunks. I've quite a few books that I've avoided reading due to time involved hence my PhotoReading interest. The purpose for these are going to be generalised as far as I can see - wouldn't this be the same if you went to the local bookshop and bought the last best selling novel? What's a purpose here other than generalised enjoyment?

As for the Vitamins and Minerals book, yes, it did fit the criteria. That's what I was told to find. Yes, I do have a curiousity on the subject and would like to comprehend the pro's and con's of the vitamins and minerals my family consumes on a daily basis. I still don't understand why this isn't a valid purpose for reading a book.

I'm trying to be positive when I approach my Photoreading though I do get frustrated when I'm unable to grasp some concepts. ( As much as I ask, my tape player isn't answering back )

Cheers
Martin

Frustration is no good. So I will continue in my attempt in confusing you. Before you get annoyed at that have a look at page 125 of the PhotoReading book and see what frustration is doing to you. And why I want to move you to the direction of confusion.

In what way is a "grounding in vitamins and minerals" a broad or narrow overview of the subject? HOW will you know WHEN you have a grounding?

You keep asking me why it isn't a purpose. My simple answer is, because it's not getting you anywhere. If it was a purpose you'd know exactly WHEN you got what you were asking for.

If you want to insist that it is a purpose you tell me how you measure your grounding?

Alex

Thanks Alex. Page 125 clarifies the need to stop being frustrated.

How does anybody set a purpose to gain an overview of a topic?

What sort of purpose do you set for reading a novel i.e. 'reading for enjoyment'. What sort of clear concise measure do you put on this?

If I wanted to read a programming language book to gain the basics of that language, what sort of purpose would I be aiming at?

I'm confused in the way to best formulate a clear purpose for a wide range of different materials.

Cheers
Martin