The priceless “hack” that instantly tripled my learning speed
So lately I’ve been reading and listening to books at the same time (using Kindle’s awesome Whispersync for Voice feature, which highlights the narration with the words on the page so you can easily follow along).
I did this after hearing from several entrepreneurs I respect that it’s a more effective way to learn, since you’re using two senses instead of one.
Now I was skeptical about this at first…
But after trying it, it’s literally one of the single most valuable habits I’ve ever built.
When I’m listening and reading at the same time, I can listen at 3x speed without any loss in comprehension… which makes it a breeze to get through books.
Versus when I’m just reading, there’s a tendency to retrace over lines I’ve already read, and I find it generally less engaging.
So I’ve found that it’s MUCH more efficient to read and listen at the same time.
And I’ve found that you can actually train your listening comprehension for faster speeds.
I used to listen at 1.5x speed. Then I moved up to 2x speed, then 2.5x. And recently, I’ve moved up to 3x speed (and occasionally 3.5x).
At first, it’s uncomfortable, but then you get used to it and eventually you can listen at a much faster speed with very little loss in comprehension. And when you combine it with reading, it’s way easier to follow along.
Even when watching educational YouTube videos, I’ll generally put the speed on 2.5x or 3x and enable YouTube’s auto caption feature, which is surprisingly accurate, and mimics the “whispersync for voice” effect — allowing you to read and listen at the same time.
(My FAVORITE Chrome extension is “Video Speed Controller” which gives you WAY more control over video playback than default options. It’s enabled me to breeze through educational videos, podcasts, and online courses in 1/3 the time. It’s literally the best extension for productivity in the world, and now I couldn’t imagine not having it.)
Anyway, do what you will with this information.
But it’s been literally priceless for me.
I’ve tried a bunch of different learning strategies over the years, and nothing has come close to this in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and retention.
I’ve only been doing it actively for the last 6 months or so, but it’s made a dramatic difference in the speed and quality of my learning. Consuming (and retaining) information has never been easier.
And compounded over years, I predict this will be one of the single most valuable and profitable habits I’ve ever built.
So I highly recommend trying it out, if you so choose.
But you do you 😉
Beau D. Schultz
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