The average person reads 250 words per minute. My good friend (he really is a good friend) Howard Berg, who is in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the world’s fastest reader, says that “turning the pages” is what slows him down the most about reading!

So how do you read faster? Here are a few tips:

1. Don’t move your mouth or verbalize the words. You would be amazed at how often you do this but are not conscious of it.

2. There is something called visual regression where the reader will actually go back and read the words more than once. For example the sentence, “The boy ran to the store,” would be read:

The
The boy
The boy ran
The boy ran to
The boy ran to the store.

To keep your eye from going back and reading the words again, put your finger under the words and push your finger along the page forcing your eye to follow your finger.

3. Go faster than you think is possible. Trust your brain that it will comprehend it!

4. Read the table of contents, preface and book cover before reading the book. This will give you bullet points of the main ideas to look for when you read.

There you have it. These are some tips on reading faster. Interested in learning more? Check out the Super Special offer below that includes a bonus copy of my Speed Reading program!


1. Because He Said He Would by Ron White
It was a family get-together a few years ago, and in my absence my family began to speculate if I was going to show up. Some said, “Probably.” Others didn’t think so. Then my aunt chimed in, “He’ll be here.” Everyone turned and looked at my aunt because of her matter-of-fact tone. My grandmother said, “How do you know that?”

My aunt replied, “Because he said he would. Not only that, he will be on time!”

That was that, and the conversation shifted to other matters and preparing the food. The lunch was set to begin at 1:00. At 12:57, there was no sign of me, yet the look on my aunt’s face was as relaxed as it could be (she has nerves of steel—not a good idea to play poker with her).

Then at 12:58 the doorknob began to turn and I walked through the door. As soon I stepped foot in the house, my aunt threw up her arms as if to signal the game-winning field goal. She said, “What did I tell ya?!” My aunt has never been above gloating and savors every opportunity.

I soon realized that her happiness was the result of more than simply me joining them for lunch. That reaction from my aunt caused me to think. It forced me to pause and realize how valuable it is in life and business for others to trust what you say and feel comfortable depending upon you.

It is priceless when others are 100% confident that you will follow through on your word.

How do you garner that kind of trust? How do you become a person others will trust to be there or do what you say that you will? It’s simple. You do what you say you will do. It may seem elementary, yet if you do this day in and day out, believe it or not, people will begin to notice. You don’t have to advertise that you are a person who keeps his word. Others will just figure it out.

In many cases, it is so rare that you will stand out like a red marble in a bowl of white marbles.

There is a truth that says, “He who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much.” There is no task, chore or promise that is too small to be faithful in. It could be keeping a secret, a promise or following through on a statement. It could be simply arriving on time or delivering your product when you said you would.

When you are faithful in a lot of little things, those little things end up meaning a lot over time. It has been said that a good name is more desirable than riches. It is certainly worth more. Good luck attempting to build riches without a good name.

If you are not reliable and trustworthy, when your friends have referrals they could give you, do you think that they would? If you don’t follow through on the simple matters of life, why would anyone trust you or refer business to you?

Hopefully, one day, someone will say about you, “Because he said he would!”

ACTION POINTS
1. When you say you will be there at 1:00, be there at 1:00.
2. When you promise to deliver your product on time, deliver your product on time.
3. If you don’t have someone on the way to purchase the product in which your prospect is interested, don’t fabricate someone to create urgency; take a sales training course and learn how to sell.
4. If you say you will call, call!
5. Pay your bills on time, or cut back on your expenses if you can’t.
6. Become trustworthy—it is very simple; it is about the little things.


Attitude
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
—Maya Angelou

“Your attitude is either the lock on, or the key to the door of success.” —Denis Waitley

“Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful.” —Norman Vincent Peale

“Each experience through which we pass operates ultimately for our good. This is a correct attitude to adopt and we must be able to see it in that light.” —Raymond Holliwell

3. Class by Zig Ziglar
From time to time someone gives another individual the ultimate compliment by saying, “You are a ‘class act,’” or by describing a specific behavior by saying, “That’s class.” From time to time a master of ceremonies will introduce an individual by saying, “If you go to the dictionary and look up the word ‘class,’ you will see a picture of your speaker this evening.”

A person with class is an individual of integrity, someone you would love to have as a parent or child, a friend or a neighbor, a mentor or an advisor. In short, class identifies a person who is “top drawer,” one who goes the extra mile by being gracious to everyone who courteously serves them.

I love the description given in comments made by Bill Daniels who said that “class is something you choose for yourself. It’s competing honestly, confronting problems head-on, taking accolades with grace and humility and not knocking your competitors. If you have class you’re loyal to both yourself and to those around you. Class is born out of self-respect and a healthy respect for others. Everything in this world is not always attainable. Fortunately, class is.”

Class is the coach who gives every child on the team his turn “at bat” without regard to the youngster’s ability or the won-lost record of the team.

I encourage you to identify someone who is a class act and use that person as a role model. The individual might not be rich and famous or even brilliant, but a person of class is one we can all aspire to be. Take the class approach and I’ll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!