The Chopstick of Speed (2/2)
Have you ever written a poem? I have not. At least not before last week. But that is the beauty of writing this blog – I can write about whatever I want and however I want. It was hella fun to write last week’s post (part 1) and an awesome and mysterious way of introducing an important topic of this blog: learning how to read better. So, allow me to shed some light into the chopstick of speed and address how we can read faster.
And Faster We Go!
How do you read? With your eyes – obviously – but where do you sit, how’s the light, is there music in the background? All these factors and many more have an impact on our reading speed. That is how fast we can read a page without sacrificing comprehension.
Some read faster than others. Just like some run faster than others. But just how you can learn to run faster than others, you can also learn to read faster than others.
I wanted to use the poem to introduce a device that I have been using for the past couple of years to increase my reading speed: a chopstick.
Yes, a chopstick. A long ass sushi chopstick! And I love it. I take it everywhere and I don’t carry a second one – so eating sushi with it is off the table.
But why?
How A Visual Pacer Helps Us Read Faster – The Power to Speed
Maybe you were one of the people who – when they learned reading in elementary school – used their finger. A common method for beginners that is quickly abolished by more advanced and older readers. It looks funny and stupid. Like you don’t know what you are doing.
But using a visual pacer like your finger – or a chopstick – is a great way to increase your reading speed by up to 100% (that’s double the speed!).
We have all been there while reading. You lose track of the line you were in and need to go back. It sucks and it wastes time and causes bad comprehension. A chopstick works great because our eyes are attracted to visual motion. It’s easier to follow the words when using a visual pacer and we wander around and regress less.
Speed reading critics argue it leads to less comprehension of the read material as we simply go faster and process more information in the same time. But the opposite is true. By reading faster we are more likely to gain a good understanding of the text.
Let me ask you a question, when are you more focused: when going 50kph on a highway or when going 180kph? Very likely when you go 180kph. Going faster requires you to pay more attention and avoid other distractions. The same is true for reading.
“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them”
Mark Twain
(the same can be said about woman – but Mark Twain must not have been aware of that quite yet)
A Self-Assessment of Reading Speed
I want to give credit to Jim Kwik for the following paragraph. It’s from his book Limitless and describes a method to determine your reading speed. The assessment allows you to compare your reading speed with and without a chopstick. And I highly recommend you try it out and observe the power of the chopstick on your own:
- Set an alarm to go off in two minutes.
- Read at a comfortable speed and stop when the alarm goes off (put a mark where you left off).
- Count the total number of words in three regular lines and divide that number by three. This is the average number of words per line.
- Count the number of lines you read (only count those lines that at least make it halfway across the page)
- Multiply the number of words per line by the number of lines you just read (multiply your answers from steps 3 and 4)
- Divide this number by two (because you read for two minutes) and this is your words per minute.
So, what is your reading speed? Let us know in the comments how much speed you gained when using a chopstick.
Limitless by Jim Kwik
Limitless by Jim Kwik is an extraordinary book about upgrading your brains power and becoming a more efficient learner and reader. Many more posts on this blog will be inspired by his book – just like this one – and his podcast. I highly recommend both to you. His podcast gives 10-minute episodes that cover tips and tricks to hack your mind and get more out of it.
The Chopstick of Speed Holds the Power to Lead
My friends and family think it looks funny when I whip out my chopstick and start reading. And while it might be true, it is still extremely helpful. Please, try it out. You will save loads of time, which you can then use to eat sushi.
And faster we go!
One paragraph should be dedicated to an apology to my mum: for stealing about three chopsticks of hers already. Sorry mum, but I am not going to stop. They are in good hands.
Get in Touch
What are your experiences about reading speed? How fast do you go? How did you get faster? Let us know in the comments or contact me directly. I am happy t get in touch with you!
