Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Photoreading Newbie's experiences so far

Just thought I'd drop by and say hello. I'm currently working through my 5 day test, using "the art of speedreading people" as my test text (a book I've been meaning to read for ages)

I'm on day 3 and it seems to be working, although I'm unsure as to whether it is a case of emperor's new clothes so far (I am so enthusiastic about this working for me and what it could do for me). I've been working on improving my "purpose" each day - making it more specific and to cover both what I want, why I want it and how it will benefit me in the long term.

This morning, something odd had happened. Yesterday I couldn't remember the four temperament types in the book. I could get three of them, but the fourth eluded me. As per the book I made a conscious effort to recall the missing temperament type.

Off I went to bed and this morning I picked up "The Art Of Speedreading People" to find the elusive temperament. However as I skipped through the pages describing the ones I already knew, I suddenly realised that I had gone through all four without seeing one -- I didn't know. Somehow I knew that information without knowing how I knew it.

Is this the common way that information seeps in to the conscious mind??

Hehe well I guess you are right there, if anyone should know it should me.

The trouble is, I am a fairly efficient conscious absorber of information, my job requires me to assimilate books, papers, reports etc very quickly and my personal interests drive me to read lots, so a lot of the concepts such as mind maps are wired in already, so perhaps I am a little eager to "get a sign" that it works!

Still I will persevere with the 5 day test before unleashing this approach on the piles of printed material sitting on my desks at work and at home.

I am intrigued about the comment in the book (p102 3rd ed) suggesting that spiritual and self-improvement books need not be activated (!) this is a major behavioural change, but makes perfect sense. After all I spend time trying to wire new behaviours in to my not-conscious mind, so why not bypass the middle man and send that stuff straight in!

Well having just finished my 5 day test I would say:

1. In 2 1/2 hours I have got 80+% of what I could have hoped for from the text
2. I do find staying focused in photofocus hard, i guess this will improve with practice
3. I found the "purpose" definition hard but when i started thinking about the end result in an nlp fashion I found it much easier, ie:
a. in what way will the information I learn help me towards my goals
b. so in that case what level of information do I need
c. are there any specific points i need to get (ie the key questions to consider that I have formulated in prior previews or postviews)
d. how will i know when I've got what I want?
e. wow, that sounds cool, ok let's go for it!
4. I used "art of speed reading people" as my book and from knowing very little I have been able to fairly accurately identify my test subjects' MBTI in a few seconds. In fact in one case, my "hunch" was spot on and it was only when I consciously analysed it did I get it slightly wrong!
5. Mind maps are great for extracting the information. I mind map a lot anyway and so it is very convenient to use this approach.

So my conclusion is that this certainly works for me, but I need to practice, and I need to put as much effort in to the prepare stage as I do in to the photoread stage.

I think I'll photoread the Photoreading book next and continue using it with every work document I receive.

I am keen to try it out on fiction but I don't yet see how this really works...?