In a previous article, I explained how the conscious brain is limited to processing just seven chunks of data at a time. Far too little information for someone to successfully speed read. You also discovered that the secret to super fast reading was your brain’s ability to process information on the unconscious level. In this article, I will reveal the secret for switching on your brain’s super computer so you can begin to experience the power released by speed reading.
Learning to switch on your unconscious brain is simple if you understand how it is functioning throughout the day. Imagine you are in a shopping mall around holiday time. There are thousands of people mulling about the mall. Suddenly, you spot a familiar face. Perhaps it is a neighbor, friend, brother or sister. Think about this. For your brain to spot the familiar face in the crowd, it also had to analyze and look at all of the unfamiliar faces. So how does this work?
When your brain spots a familiar face in the crowd, your brain determines that their presence is important to you. It is a purposeful encounter with someone who has significance to you. Once the significance of the encounter is determined your unconscious brain alerts your conscious brain. It communicates to your conscious brain that a significance individual has been spotted, and you need to go over and say hello. This same mechanism can be used while speed reading if you know a simple strategy. Let’s learn that strategy next.
The simple strategy that will engage your brain while speed reading is easy to learn. It fact it can be summed up by four words: read with a purpose. The key word in this grouping is the word purpose. Purpose engages the unconscious brain. It gives it something to look for and focus upon. It is related to how you spotted the familiar face in the mall example. People who matter to you are significant enough for your brain to search for all the time. In the same way, once you give your brain a reason for search for specific information in a text, this same neural mechanism is engaged. This is the mechanism that permits a speed reader to scan text at lightning fast speed to find important information. When important information is spotted by the unconscious it alerts you to take notice. Just as it alerted you to the presence of the familiar face in the mall. In fact, correctly taught, it is possible to use this mechanism to double your reading speed in just about 2 ½ hours time.
