Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Purpose Statement Questions

Hello!

I purchased the PhotoReading home training kit a few years back and experienced an enjoyable degree of success with the system. However, in the following years I have fallen out of practice.

For many personal reasons, I've decided that it is time to get back into practice. As I think about the course again, I recall some familiar questions from the first time I did PRing, and now that I've found this board, I intend to ask them!

For this post, I would like to ask about purpose statements, for I know that the purpose statement is crucial to PRing. If you don't have a purpose for reading a book, then why try to save time and effort by PhotoReading it, when you could save even more time and effort by NotReading it?

I have seen Alex post the following "formula" for purpose statements:

"I am reading / learning about. [fill in blank] so I can use this knowledge / skill in my life to [fill in blank]."

Let's say that I am going to PR an Accounting textbook for a college class. The reason I am taking accounting is not for the sake of accounting, but for the sake of getting a degree. I want a degree so that I can get a respectable job. I want the respectable job so that I can provide a reliable income for myself and my family. I want to provide reliable income for myself and my family to secure our financial future.

With this chain in mind, I form my purpose statement as follows:

"I am reading 'Principles of Accounting' so that I can use this knowledge to help secure the financial future of myself and my family."

It feels more effective and meaningful (purposeful) to me than "so I can ace the next test." However, it assumes that my other-than-conscious mind understands the chain of causality that I described above. I believe that this is a fair assumption. After all, I am trusting that my other-than-conscious mind can preconsciously process an entire book, I'm sure I can trust it to understand a simple chain of causality.

First, am I right to assume this?

Second, is it fair to have two, three, or even four purpose statements for a single book? (I might want to actually use the knowledge I gain from the Accounting book for more than simply attaining my degree.)

Finally, is it better to have a close sighted, specific purpose, or a long sighted general purpose like the one above?

Thank you all for your help!

[This message has been edited by KosmikConundrum (edited April 05, 2006).]

If we are going by Alex's purpose example ...

The purpose that you laid out seems very vague (too distant in the future). There are several ways to go about getting a respectable job, and providing for your family.

I mean if you want to get really specific ... The purpose of reading the book Principles of Accounting, is to get an accounting position where I can apply the skills that I learn in this book.

Of course you could always just say, I am reading the book Principles of Accounting so I can learn the methods of accounting, so that I can manage my personal budget and balance my checkbook. (practical application, and much better than Acing my next test).

Another highly informative thread, but I must add this also. The establishment of a purpose can be confusing, and does nab alot of people before they can begin.

The trouble finds itself when you have no immediate future or long term plans for the application of the information you wish to PR. I really do not have any practical applications for this information as I do not wish to follow this up as a career, I just wish to get passed this year. Sure it aint a "great" purpose but honestly there is nothing else to fall on.I then find myself getting lost in an unnesscessary chain of purposes much like kosmik alluded to above.

I simply just want to pass my exams so I can achieve a degree-- well obivously more than a pass but they tell me that is not necessary to say in a purpose statement-- that is all.

[This message has been edited by hypertext (edited April 05, 2006).]

[This message has been edited by hypertext (edited April 05, 2006).]

There is nothing wrong with a purpose of finishing a course, "so I get the Degree."

If that is your motivator then the question is what do I need to know to succeed at that?

Answer that, then you know what you need to learn from the book/s and you'll know when you've got it.

Purpose can change with each activation., each book can be unique and yet still have an ultimate goal you are working toward. It usually starts global. I want to do this in my life so does this book help toward that goal. How, why and when?

More detailed becomes
I am reading this book to learn about X so that I can pass the exam (which is a required if I am to reach my ultimate goal of finishing this course and getting that degree ).

Don't try to get hooked up on one perfect purpose. You have many throughout the day. Moment to moment Like a journey there is the ultimate goal or destination and there are sub goals or destinations along the way.

E.g. Ultimate destination. Swimming at the creek with the tree next to it that has that rope swing about 2 miles away. You're planning to go for a swim with the game. In this case this is the ultimate goal. Your starting point is you home because that is where you are right now. Purpose to get out of the house so that I can meet the gang at the swimming hole.

Getting there will require a plan of action. Need mum permission to leave chores will require a means of getting there. The logical choice in this case is your bike which you happened to have loaned to your best friend.

Remembering that a purpose explains why you are doing something.

So why do you "Need?" to ask mum ... to save my behind later. (notice the purpose is focused on something even longer term than the ultimate goal?) It just happens to be the most immediate consideration toward your ultimate goal.

In case you need the see it with the formula
I need to grovel, whine and bug mum into letting me go so that I save my behind and stay out of trouble later.

It's two miles and you wanted to ride your bike to the water hole. Action you can take is varied. 1. Tell your friend to bring it over, 2. walk over there and pick it up, 3. beg mum for a lift to pick it up.

You choose 2. Your friend is planning to come to the creek. Looking closely your reasoning for taking that choice gives you a selection of purposes.

It takes 15 minutes to walk to your friends place and it will take your friend 8 minutes to ride the bike to your place and then you'll both need to walk back to his place to collect his bike and that will take the better part of 25 minutes (your friend walks slow.

So you could say I'm walking to my friends place to get my bike so that I can save 18 minutes and get to the creek 18 minutes sooner.

Asking mum to drive you means more groveling and there is the risk she will withdraw her permission if you push your luck

So you could say I'm walking to my friends place to get my bike so that I can make sure I'm gone before mum can change her mind.

Another purpose statement that explains the actions.

I am walking to my friends place to collect my bike so we can ride 2 miles to the creek so I can meet the gang for an afternoon of fun.

Reading studying, learning, doing something always has a purpose behind it. The idea of making a purpose for reading is so you can motivate yourself, know where you intend to go and know when you've reached the destination.

If you are confused or unmotivated about what you are reading yet for some reason know you need to read it. It just means you need to clarify your purpose for yourself. The purpose was there otherwise you wouldn't have started and wouldn't be contemplating it. Sometimes you need to give yourself the reminder by looking at the big picture because sometimes the original goal lost a bit of it's shine and you've forgotten why you are doing this. Other times you need to focus on something small because the big picture is overwhelming.

Sometimes like in hypertext's case the goal changed Hypertext no longer has the goal as a career. Hypertext has the goal to finish it (perhaps because successful people finish what they start, especially this close to the finish line. A purpose is there Hypertext just hasn't elaborated on it)

Ideally recognise there is a new purpose to be established because doing what was required for the original goal may not meet the needs of the new goal. Intuitively the old purpose might be too much work and more than necessary for the new goal. So you withdraw motivation.

When you know where you are going you have a way of measuring whether what you are doing is going to get you there. Your purpose or purposes add to that measure. You can have one overreaching big picture goal that can be explained with one purpose. And unless you reach that goal today, there will always be sub goals and a plans of action that have purposes behind them along the way.

The question is what motivates you best toward this goal. The big picture or knowing what you need to do right now?

Sometimes it's one sometimes it's the other. The more you look at why you are doing something the easier it becomes to see what is motivating you and helping you to move toward your goals. The easier it becomes to explain your purpose the greater your success.

Alex

Thanks , that was quite insightful and certainly definitive of the purpose.