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#88188 05/05/20 07:12 AM
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Drew Offline OP
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Hi all,

Has anybody done their own PhotoReading challenge?

How did you measure your success?
What worked well?
What didn’t work well?
What could be improved?
What would have to happen to make it even better?
How did you record your results?

Is it something that you would commit it for say 21 days or 20-40 minutes a day for a month - no ifs, no buts?

Drew

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Drew Offline OP
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N.B. I am not affiliated with LSC. Mods if you want to take this down, edit etc. Feel free to do so. I am not a PhotoReading instructor. My photoreading experience has come from the old cassette course and an updated print version of the book.

I am not a student, I’m noy in formal further (advanced) study. I’ve a family. I work full-time. I have to constantly learn and then train others as part of my job.

My main book topics appear to be MS Excel, Money Management/Psychology. Productivity, finding easy solutions to difficult problems. This will be this will be my advanced study.

Without making reading or using The PhotoReading Whole Mind System (PRWMS)frequently (daily) in the beginning, you cannot master the PhotoReading or reading process. From studying I’m sure you know that A grade student study differently to lower grade students. If you are studying you are going to have to study and read as successful people do.

It might seem obvious, but no skill (The Photoreading Whole Mind Systems is a skill set) mastery happens after 1 exposure or sitting. It’s a journey.
You have to practice PRWMS until it becomes an automatic habit.

I have been a bit of a book hoarder/collector. I gather lots of recommendations, wish lists etc. I’ve a growing pile of to be/not read (yet) books. These need to be read.

I have been thinking about a PhotoReading challenge/goal for 2021. This is where I am at. Feel free to join in.

I’ll be starting this on Jan 5th 2021. It will be my 1st day back at work, allowing me to gather everything together.

My Challenge to Me/You is as follows.

1.Gathering all books in your house where you live, that you have not read. Physical and electronic.
2.Discard, bin, recycle any books that you no longer wish to read.
3.Do not gather/get any more books until you have applied the PRWMS to your existing pile. The only exception to this is if you have to read something i.e. for work, school or univ. or a particular book is mentioned you notice 3 or more times in quick succession.
4.Commit to using the PhotoReading Whole Mind System on each of these books. Including notes to review later.
5.Commit to using one or more from the PRWMS daily (yes, weekends if you can as well.)
6.Journal your experience for yourself and review as part of a weekly review. You need to notice how far you are moving forward, rather than just the end goal.

Notes that I have thought about.

Schedule time in your diary each day to use the PRWMS in your diary. Diaries can be flexible.

For how long should you do this challenge? You can set yourself a deadline. Personally, I’ve set myself a 12-week deadline. I’m seeing this as a mini project. The deadline date is already in my diary. It could be a semester, every day until your appraisal etc. You get to decide.

The other alternative is to do it until it’s done.

Notice your beliefs, self-talk as it comes up. Anything negative interrogate. List how many ways these negative thoughts are BS. Question these beliefs. This is something I shall write on further in a later post. You can always ask what is this happening to me for? What will it mean about you when you can use the PRWMS successfully? What will it mean about you if you stop? What will you do when others start commenting? How will I find the time to do this? How will I fit in listening to a paraliminal recording as well? This sounds like a good idea, but I’m not going to do it.. Why have I been holding onto all these books for so long? Why did I not complete any of the exercises in the books or audio recordings?

Success is different for everybody. How will you know that you have been successful?
Will you pass a test? Write a paper and truly know that you have done your best? Give a talk? Teach somebody else? Get an aha moment. Compare an on-line summary to my own notes.

For me it’s not actually mastering the PhotoReadnig Whole Mind System. It’s reading all the books that I have had lying around. PRWMS is the system that I am going to use to accomplish the goal.

Mastery for me is being about to list all the steps of the system, forwards and backwards. Understanding why other people love reading. (I certainly have not growing up). Being able to spend say 2hrs with a book and know that I have everything that I need from this particular book at this particular moment in time.

Think about where you spend your free time or where you sit at home. Always have a book available on hand (physical or electronic.) Instead of reaching for the TV remote, reach for a book, even if it is only to activate somehow 1 chapter or the next 5 pages.

Turn off all notifications on your mobile phone, instead of reaching for FB, IG etc, reach for a book instead. Certainly, in the beginning.
Only watch the TV if you are watching something with somebody else. Box sets etc. can wait. How many binged The Queens Gambit or The Crown recently? They are not going anywhere.
YouTube – I will be watching some YT videos – certainly for my job, but I will limit my research to 30 mins maximum each time. I may even shorten this.
Podcasts – I have started to listen to these at 1.5 – 2.0 normally speed. Again, these are something I’ve been hording – I think I’ve been afraid I’m going to miss the silver bullet that will change my life. They can also act as an activation option.

I haven’t got the time – don’t think of this as a skill worth learning any more then. Make time for it. Read other notes on TV and scheduling in your calendar above.

How or Where to Start. – Some suggestions.

Start with the books that draw your attention.
If in doubt apply the 5-day test to each book. I believe you can do more than 1 day on each day. The goal is to become comfortable with the PRWMS and books. Perhaps the bigger goal of the PRWMS?

Group books into topic areas and use the system for each of the topic area. One of my books is about note taking which I wish to apply to all that I read. I think this will help when it comes to the synoptic reading process.

If you have questions – post them in the forum. The most successful way to study and learn has been proven is by asking questions. Asking questions is more successful that making mind maps,
If you are struggling, read the testimonial pages in the book. Read/listen to the following post (here) for inspiration.
How to PhotoRead on a Kindle or Iphone

Free MP3 recordings on Photoreading

How to use PhotoReading in college

Remember why you were interested in PhotoReading in the first place?
Then ask yourself why this is important to you. Each answer, ask again, why is this answer important to me? I think it is worth asking this question 5/6 times. Write your answers down.

Many things we want to learn are actually skills. Whilst you can learn lots from books, you will have to practice what you are learning – again add this deliberate practice time to your calendar.

Weekly review – When/where up to you. I personally like Friday mornings
What went well?
What could be improved on?
What will you do differently next week to improve my results?
What 3 things did I take from my books and started using, implementing, added to my calendar.
There are plenty of other questions you can ask yourself in your weekly review.

Drew

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Drew Offline OP
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Week1

Very motivated before starting this personal challenge…then….

The country I live in, ku was plunged into Covid lock down. Schools were shut. I had this grand idea I’d able to work and do my reading like a university student i.e. it would be easy to fit into my timetable.

This was not the case. I was overwhelmed.

I didn’t know where to start. I was thrown off. Then I remembered…

Gathered everything nad if in doubt start Previewing (Purpose) and PhotoReading.

So, I started there.

Things I’ve noticed. Some of these points might seem very obvious, but I needed an aha moment or question to answer to emotionally connect to the PhotoReading Whole Mind System, PHWMS.

Every time you read, have a purpose, even if the purpose is…to see if this book is worth carry on with.

Always look to answer questions. I generally write them down (pen/paper) as I go along. As a question pops up, write it down.

The Preview step is what you’d do when looking at a book in a book shop. It’s 3-5 minutes long.

With a preview, also look for what is missing.

Every time you come to read, get into state

With the whole of the system.....take your time.

I’d try and rush the preview stage.

Sure, the photoreading /flipping is the bit that we want to get to. It is just one piece of a whole system.

After previewing, you can always change, update or edit your purpose. Each time you read, you can have a different purpose.

Without a purpose or question to answer, your reading is directionless.

[PhotoReading]
I’ve never seen the blip page. Most of my reading is down on an iPad/Kindle.

You can take a break here.

Postview [(10-15 mins long)
Take your time postviewing.
Find trigger or key words. If in doubt look in the index.
Ask extra questions.

You can take a break here… then

Activate 20-30 minute chunks
Activation is spending time with a book. There is no right or wrong way. Here I think many of us hit a block as it’s the most akin to normal reading, which if you don’t like…sucks…

Ask yourself. How can I make this fun?

If there is an activation method that you are avoiding, spend your next 5 books, only activating using that method.

If nothing is happening…

What is your purpose?
Which question or questions are you trying to answer?

Note down any other questions that come to mind.
Remember to take break.

I’m activating one book, which is about note taking in a very specific order. I feel as if I’m not getting it. This is because I’ve noticed I am super-reading and dipping, to get through the book, not to answer a specific question. I'm also just dipping and skittering(ish).

If you’re not getting something I think it is OK to also read summaries or watch intro videos or YouTube videos, these are all activation options. Notice how much you have actually gathered already.

Then return to the book(s).

Remember this...doctors and lawyers go back to books often to find an answer or to confirm information and they still practice hands on skills.

I think with PhotoReading, we expect to apply the whole system to a book once and know everything. Some of my best books, I've read multiple times. Each time I do, I uncover something else or have an aha moment.

I’ve a process to get an overview of a new subject which I will do in a later week.

Activate books, that don't matter i.e. not having to take a test on. I've applied the system to a book that belongs to my child. The pressure was off.

What has gone well this week?
I started my challenge.
I had books digital and physical in every location where I’d want to rest.
I took notes, wrote down my purpose, questions, trigger words on pieces of paper, using felt tip pen. I noticed my written clarity is better with some colours and not others.
I (Previewed, PhotoRead, Postview) on the weekend too.

What could be improved
Take time when postviewing.
Remember to get into state each time, and take time getting into state.

What am I afraid of doing?
Spending time activating.

What do I want to do next week to improve
Commit to doing the whole system with at least 3 books.

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Week 2

I didn't fully activate my 3 books that I wanted to. Many reasons why. One book, was fully of exercises, which I wanted to complete. The 3rd book which I started to activate (skitter) late last night, has really caught my attention. I've already had an aha moment for me. That's in terms of understanding what I am reading and being able to apply the information to another scenario.

Not completing the 3 in my allotted timeframe, is basically perfectionist behavior in action. Note to self: something is better than nothing.
Yes, I have a goal for this week.

What's Gone Well?
Super-Reading and dipping hasn't done much for me recently. Thought I'd better do some skittering. This I had been putting off, as it was never in my original cassette course. I've read about various skittering patterns. The one that appears to work for me, i.e. I find the gist of a paragraph the quickest is. I generally read the first sentence in a paragraph, then move my eyes in circular motion around the rest of the paragraph. This seems to capture most if not all of the detail. If I catch something and I feel I am missing something, I circle over the paragraph(s) again to find what I think I have missed.

Rearising, you don't activate the whole book. You activate to find the answers to your questions that you have asked or have to answer.
Slow down page turning when 'PhotoReading'. It's great to go fast. I'm not sure if that's helping. Focus on the mantra whilst PhotoReading.


What Am I Delaying Rigth Now?
Applying the PhotoReading Whole Mind System to my long list of personal & phsycholology of money book. Then applying the information.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Finish activating my final book from week 1.
Prepare,Purpose,Preview, PhotoRead and Postview all my Excel books (33 - all digital). My day job is pretty much spent in Excel. Either, playing with Excel myself or resolving issues for others. I often have to do a lot of write in/of/about Excel. For me, this is all a layer of activation.
Add time to my calendar for PhotoReading as a task each day. If it's not on my calendar, it isn't going to happen.

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Week 3

What's Gone Well?
Activated the book that I didn't complete from week 2. - Many exercises to complete, yet I'm OK with that. Added to my diary to complete. (If it's not on my calendar it does not happen).

Prepared, Previewed, Photoread and Postviewed over 30+ books on Excel. Some were 1000+ pages long. I didn't always have a fixed purpose, other than just to download the information into my head for later use. As I started doing this collection of books. Every Excel expert was recommending another book. I can add them to “my to be read list” during the next few weeks.

I've noted down where I might want to spend some time playing with various ideas, techniques etc. from some of the books.

One day this week I had to crack out some Excel items for somebody else. I knew which book I wanted to go to and following alone with to complete several tasks. The speed to complete certain tasks was also fairly quick.

Just doing the above on all the books has helped. I would not have got to the books anytime soon. The PRWMS is as much about spending time with books and getting comfortable with them as much as anything else.

Rule 1 If you don’t' like a book change it, unless it has been assigned to you. In which case, how fast can you use the PRWMS to get the information that you need at the level of comprehension you want (where have you heard that before?). Make it a game.

I now would rather apply the first steps of the system to books, rather than binge watch..... That is a massive change for me.

Growing up I would actively avoid reading (fiction) books. I got zero enjoyment out of it. I remember being in school as a teenager and we had "reading time". I took the same book in each week for months, never going any further in the book. The teacher did not seem to notice, I didn’t care.

The PRWMS is for people that didn’t or don’t like reading, but ‘have to’. If you’re a straight A student. You either like studying and/or reading. Even if you don’t you know why studying and learning is important to you.

For the rest of us, studying is nothing more than a chore that we’d rather not do or get done as soon as possible. I liked school, but I was far from a A grade student (I should academically gone to uni.). I was never taught how or told why to study.

I remember an A grade student, getting top marks on a piece of work because he had copied it from a book. I remember looking at it and going how can that be? He’s just copied the work (I know – I had the book!).

In my head copying was such a bad thing to do. You didn’t do it, yet here he was getting an A. He was an out and out grade A student, super bright…but even so. I didn’t question or speak to the teacher. Copying was cheating to me.

Things I noticed
I am not sure how many books you should do in one sitting. I seem to remember reading somewhere no more than 12. My goal was at least 9 a day. If I could also wait 24hrs before coming back to do any formal activation, so much the better.

I think this might be based on your energy levels, interest in the topic and goals. Applying the first stages of the PRWMS to some books which were, 1000+ pages, would be zapping Some times applying this system I would almost receive more energy and it was easy to keep going. It was not a chore.

I think. If the information is important to you, you are going to revisit the material often anyway. PRWMS is not about having perfect recall or assimilation of the material.

I sometimes feel like I'm running out of time. Yet I've plenty of weeks to go. I said I’d write here for 12 weeks. This is normally, (4 weeks in) when I stop the latest goal, habit, thing. Writing here is selfishly keeping me accountable.

On a digital device, some of my books are very picture heavy. Flipping the pages, some pages couldn't refresh fast enough and appeared white. I gave up fussing about this. Given 4-11% of the information is the actual meaning. I felt my mind would pick up what I needed. If I felt I needed something else, that's what activation is for and remember activation happens in layers and multiple passes through the material.

The advantage of applying the stages to more than 1-3 in one go is, you soon forget about every little nuance and just do it.

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
Reading and applying all my personal finance and money psychology books to my own life. It may make very uncomfortable reading/applying.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Take longer postviewing i.e. 10-15 mins. You can pick up a lot from postviewing. I read several books by the same author. They were virtually identical. (Nice job if you can get it.)

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Week 4

What's Gone Well?
Started Prepare, Preview, PhotoRead, Postview my list of personal finances and psychology of money books.

Some books I loved - they were quick and easy to go through. Others felt like mud.
I didn't think I'd applied the PRWMS to that many books this week, then I looked down and saw the physical books I'd gone through. Much of this challenge has me going through digital books.
Some books were very Q and A heavy. I faced up to it and started going through the exercises. Discovered one or two things about myself. I had a shift too in terms of the words (and emotions felt): marketing and sales. That was a great aha. I term them differently now, but, more importantly I feel differently about the two words. This makes it easier to use those terms and/or skills sets.

I'm looking for time to read or making choices so that I can read, rather than do something else. Even slotted one book (Prepare, Preview, PhotoRead,) whilst cooking.

Things I noticed
I got very angry very quickly. This is a highly volatile area for me, that...I've been avoiding/facing up to for a long time. Every time anybody disturbed me....it was lets say...frustrating. It was also in particular the first real time, I've plucked chapters, skittered them and then thought that's enough. I don't need any more information. Remember, you can always come back to a book.

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
Applying all that I have read to create an "automated money management system". Although I've downloaded all of my bank statements, just to see where my money has gone in the last year. I tried importing my statements to an "accounts/personal finance" software and could not get along with it. Then using my Excel skills (Week 3), I've created a spreadsheet which for me is much quicker and easier.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Read more about Synoptic Reading and apply as I want to gain an overview for a new topic area, that I want to get a firm understanding of.
Have my automated money system in place.
Finish my money book list.
Set up a Zettlekasten or Smart Note capturing system (week 1 book).

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Week 5

What's Gone Well?
I caught up on some of the books from week 4. Not as many as I would have liked. Some where very exercise heavy, which I am going through. Although uncomfortable, it's worth it. Several of the books are read a page a day-so that is what I am doing. I'm not sure how many times I should PhotoRead (flip) the book.

Things I noticed
I didn't do or complete the tasks I set myself at the end of the week 4 post. I need to do the 5 Why exercise which I learnt about during my week 4 books.

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
A specific work task.
Therefore everything I delayed on the previous week's task list.
I struggled to do any PRing over the weekend. The weekend is my "catch up zone".
Starting a YouTube channel.
1 specific money book. - going though it seems/feels very heavy. It's not as bright and breezy as the others I've applied the PRWMS to. Therefore, there is probably some good stuff in there for me to do/face.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Week 4 tasks.
Apply the PRWMS to all the books I have by the author Peter Hollins (12).

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Week 6

What's Gone Well?
Sorted out automated money management system.
Previewed the first 6 books from Peter Hollins. Give or take they were nearly identical. I gave up. I thought my time could be better spent.
Completed one hell of a work week, with a massive presentation at the end. All went well, but....
Still completing various day by day, heavy, heavy exercise based books, thankfully not shying away as the ahas are worth it.

Things I noticed
Having nearly identical books threw me off my stride. I thought what a waste of my time.

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
Setting up a Zettlekasten or Smart Note capturing system
Starting a YouTube channel.
Meditating twice a day.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Apply the PRWMS to a book, that is totally left field for me. i.e. on my list, but not logically attached to anything I am doing or investigating right now.

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Week 7

What's Gone Well?
This week was tough. The kids have had a week on holiday aka no school. We all came down with colds, sniffles, feeling unwell, needing much more sleep etc. Basic work got done. Therefore no PhotoReading took place. I managed to work, then I'd be gunning for dinner and bed. The weekend was just one mammoth sleepathon catchup.

I did managed to set up a YouTube channel as previously mentioned in past weeks.

Things I noticed
-

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
Setting up a Zettlekasten or Smart Note capturing system. - Need to do some investigation as to why this is still on my todo list and not happening. From previous books I've applied the PRHMS system to over the first 6 weeks. I know exactly what to do/ask.
Meditating twice a day.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Not sure yet on this one. Still need apply the PRWMS to a book, that is totally left field for me. i.e. on my list, but not logically attached to anything I am doing or investigating right now.

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Week 8

What's Gone Well?
Managed to squeeze in some books this week before Sunday evening.

Things I noticed
Just previewing the books can just be enough to get the information you need. I got a shock when 1 book I previewed seemed a summary of many of the books I read growing up.

What Am I Delaying Right Now?
Changing my working from home environment so that I can easily record videos and show myself in the videos.

What Do I Want To Do To Improve Next Week/ What Am I Going To Do Next?
Performing all of the PhotoReading steps to more books consistently throughout the week rather than a mad dash on the weekend.

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