How
fast can you think? Certainly much faster than you can speak. If you read as
fast as you speak (with full sub-vocalisation)
then you certainly read slower than your thinking speed.
Experts have no way of "benchmarking" human thinking speeds. Every one
of us 6 billion humans think at slightly different speeds. In fact, our
thinking speeds vary with the time of day, or stage of our lives. Nobody can say
for sure how fast we can think at any moment. But one thing is certain
- the act of reading forces the human brain to think at very slow speeds.
Your
brain is simply teaming with electrical energy right now. Those electrical
signals are moving at fantastic speeds, yet your reading process uploads
information to your brain at a few hundred words per minute.
You just cannot help but lose
concentration to more interesting thoughts.
In fact, the mind drifts elsewhere more often when reading a technical report or
during studying than when reading an exciting book. Late at night, concentration
span is far shorter than first thing in the morning, when you are refreshed.
Now, consider why a movie or television show can hold your attention much longer
than a book can.
The answer lies in the speed at which your brain can process information
(printed or imaged) and the speed at which you allow that information to be
downloaded to your brain. As an exercise to determine how quickly your brain
becomes bored, try watching the next action thriller movie, one frame at a
time. Or, try reading ONE WORD PER MINUTE.
Slow reading is
the reason your mind drifts to other, more interesting thoughts
while you are reading - it is just craving faster, more stimulating thought.
TurboRead seeks to increase the
speed at which you download words to your brain without skipping or skimming. In fact, increase to the point
where your reading speed is closer to your thinking
speed. Your concentration will improve because you can keep your mind
occupied with the
current information "download". Now continue to read about the other
bad reading habits.
TurboRead Copyright 2008
