Speed Reading with the Right Brain

1. Reading is comprehension, not just word recognition

You haven't read anything until you've comprehended it.

Reading is understanding. The act of reading goes beyond merely recognizing words on a page. It involves grasping the meaning behind those words and integrating that information into your existing knowledge. Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading, not just the ability to pronounce or identify words.

Comprehension precedes speed. Many speed reading techniques focus on increasing the rate at which eyes move across text, but this approach puts the cart before the horse. True reading speed improvements come from enhancing comprehension first. When you understand more quickly, your reading naturally becomes faster.

Measure information, not words. Instead of focusing on words per minute (WPM), consider information per minute (IPM) as a more meaningful metric. This shift in perspective emphasizes the importance of extracting and processing information rather than simply moving your eyes quickly across text.

2. Visualize and conceptualize to engage the right brain

Visualizing is just thinking about it with your right brain, the parallel-processing hemisphere that has its own very effective way of rapidly understanding large amounts of information.

Tap into right-brain power. The right hemisphere of the brain excels at processing visual information and grasping big-picture concepts. By actively visualizing and conceptualizing what you read, you engage this powerful part of your mind, leading to faster and more effective comprehension.

Create mental images. As you read, try to form mental pictures of the concepts being described. This doesn't mean creating detailed, perfect images for every word, but rather quick flashes or impressions of the ideas. For abstract concepts, think about what they mean to you or use metaphorical imagery.

Conceptualize abstract ideas. Not everything can be visualized concretely. For abstract concepts, focus on understanding the essence of the idea and its relationships to other concepts. This process of conceptualization helps you grasp and retain information more effectively than simply memorizing words.

3. Read in meaningful phrases, not individual words

Reading with the right brain is almost like learning to write with your other hand.

Chunk information. Instead of reading word by word, train yourself to take in groups of words that form complete ideas or "thought units." This approach allows you to process information more efficiently and understand the relationships between ideas more quickly.

Identify meaningful phrases. Look for groups of words that convey a single concept or idea. These might be short phrases like "the big dog" or longer ones like "in the midst of the great Kansas prairies." By focusing on these units of meaning, you can grasp ideas more quickly and naturally.

Practice with formatted text. The book provides exercises with alternating black and gray text to help identify meaningful phrases. This visual aid can help train your brain to recognize and process larger chunks of information at once, eventually leading to faster and more effective reading.

4. Pushing speed hinders comprehension; focus on understanding

Pushing your speed beyond your comprehension leads to nothing more than exhaustion and frustration.

Comprehension first, speed second. Many speed reading techniques advocate for pushing reading speed and expecting comprehension to catch up. This approach is fundamentally flawed. Instead, focus on understanding the material, and increased speed will naturally follow as your comprehension improves.

Avoid mechanical speed increases. Using techniques like metronomes or forced eye movements to increase reading speed often results in poor comprehension and retention. These methods may appear to increase words per minute, but they don't improve actual information processing.

Let speed come naturally. As you improve your ability to comprehend and conceptualize information quickly, your reading speed will increase organically. This natural speed increase is sustainable and doesn't sacrifice understanding for the sake of appearing to read faster.

5. Flexibility in reading speed is key to effective comprehension

Reading is like slot car racing. Speeding along through simple and familiar reading material is like racing down a straightaway. But coming into more difficult material or complex writing style means you've got to slow down, otherwise you'll find you are reading along, when all of a sudden nothing more is entering your mind.

Adapt to content difficulty. Your reading speed should naturally vary based on the complexity of the material and your familiarity with the subject. Just as a car slows down for curves and speeds up on straightaways, your reading pace should adjust to the content.

Start slow, build context. When beginning a new text or chapter, start at a slower pace to establish context and understanding. This initial investment in comprehension will allow you to read faster as you progress and become more familiar with the material.

Be aware of speed variations. Recognize that your reading speed will naturally fluctuate based on factors like:

• Complexity of the material
• Your prior knowledge of the subject
• Writing style and sentence structure
• New or unfamiliar vocabulary
• Your current mental state and focus

6. Relaxation and proper mindset enhance reading performance

Relaxation clears your working memory, erasing that mental white board.

Prepare your mind. Before beginning to read, take a moment to relax and clear your mind. This mental preparation helps create a receptive state for new information and improves your ability to focus and comprehend.

Set clear goals. Understand why you're reading a particular text and what you hope to gain from it. Having a clear purpose helps maintain focus and motivation throughout the reading process.

Stay patient and positive. Improving reading skills takes time and practice. Maintain a patient and positive attitude, recognizing that progress may be gradual but consistent effort will lead to significant improvements over time.

7. Practice conceptual reading to develop lasting skills

Learn to swim, and then swim.

Consistent practice is key. Like any skill, improving your reading ability requires regular practice. Set aside time each day to practice conceptual reading techniques, gradually increasing the complexity of the material as your skills improve.

Focus on technique over speed. During practice sessions, concentrate on applying the techniques of visualization, conceptualization, and phrase-reading rather than trying to increase your speed. Proper technique will naturally lead to increased speed over time.

Use diverse reading materials. Practice with a variety of texts, including fiction and non-fiction, to develop versatility in your reading skills. This diversity will help you adapt to different writing styles and subject matters more effectively.

8. Debunking speed reading myths and unrealistic claims

The truth may be a disappointment to some, but in the end, reality is always easier to handle than delusion.

Be skeptical of extraordinary claims. Many speed reading programs make unrealistic promises about reading speeds of thousands of words per minute with perfect comprehension. These claims are not supported by scientific evidence and set unrealistic expectations.

Understand human limitations. The human brain has physical limits on information processing speed. While reading skills can be significantly improved, claims of superhuman reading speeds are generally unfounded.

Focus on achievable goals. Instead of aiming for unrealistic reading speeds, focus on meaningful improvements in both speed and comprehension. Doubling your reading speed while maintaining or improving comprehension is a significant and achievable goal for many readers.

9. Consistent practice and patience are essential for improvement

All practice is good and never a waste of time. The only wasted time is the time wasted before deciding to start improving your reading.

Commit to regular practice. Set aside time each day to work on your reading skills. Consistency is more important than duration; even short daily practice sessions can lead to significant improvements over time.

Be patient with progress. Improvement in reading skills is often gradual. Don't become discouraged if you don't see immediate results. Trust in the process and continue applying the techniques consistently.

Track your progress. Keep a record of your reading speeds and comprehension levels to monitor your improvement over time. This can help maintain motivation and identify areas that may need additional focus.

Last updated: May 11, 2025