The #7 method to learn to speed read, which I almost did not include because it is truly an advanced speed reading method. However, it is also extremely powerful. If you can master this method, you will be able to free up so much time. I know that in your business, time is money.

When we learned to read, we did so by sounding out the words phonetically. This has created a sense that we identify words by their sound. Correct?

Sure it is correct – but you have been reading now for the vast majority of your life. Your brain has created an enormous catalogue of words that it recognizes not by how they sound but by how they appear.

For instance:

When you first glance at these words – these extremely common words – your brain instantaneously identifies them and their meaning. You did not actually have to “read” them and you certainly did not have to sound them out.

As a test, pick up a random article or document and see how many of the words you recognize instantaneously without having to “read” the word. Just how many words can you recognize at an instance with just one quick glance?

Did you know that the word “the” is the most common word in the English language? Your brain recognizes this word instantaneously – there is no reason for us to think “the” and there especially is no reason for us to voice “thuh” within our mind using our inner voice (subvocalization) – and yet most of us still do it. We get to the word “the” within a sentence and we think “the” and our inner voice says “thuh” and then we move on to the next word.

The word “the” accounts for almost 10% of the written English language. The word “of” is almost another 5% on top of that! If you can just train your mind to skip these two words – these ultra common words – then you will reduce your reading time by over 10% (Jarvis, wouldn’t it be 15%? Ie 10 + 5%?).

Now, please don’t think that by training your mind to skip these words that somehow they won’t be read or understood – your mind recognizes these words instantaneously. All we are trying to do here is to skip your “thinking” about the word and to skip your “saying” the word with your inner voice.

How do you accomplish this? Simply tell yourself to skip the word! I know that sounds simplistic, but it really is the truth. At first you will catch yourself subvocalizing the word anyway, but you will catch it sooner and sooner each time. Eventually your mind will recognize the word as always, but you will skip right over it in your speed reading. Your brain has already considered the word and processed its meaning anyway – by employing this method, you lose no comprehension.

The exercise for this method is to take a few minutes each day to practice it. Start with “the” and move on to “of” and then “and,” etc. This is a tough method to grasp, but WOW is it effective once you get it to work!

Now that you have read this on the 7 Proven Methods To Learn To Speed Read, I hope that you have grasped the huge potential of speed reading. Even if you cannot master all of the methods right away, the power of utilizing just one or two of these methods is enormous.