David Kirkpatrick — Articles

The $20 Asset Class Nobody's Capturing

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:17:00 GMT

$20 for decades of someone's career distilled into 300 pages. No other asset class comes close. Except almost nobody captures it. They're reading at the speed they had in 4th grade. WPM (words per minute) is the lever nobody talks about.

The Numbers

The average adult sits at a comfortable and lazy 200 wpm. Just 400+ wpm gets you in the top 1%. Trained speed readers easily reach 600-700 wpm with full comprehension. JFK read at 1,200 wpm and made his entire cabinet take speed reading classes.

Historical Proof

Napoleon, one of the most studied men in history, said: "Show me a family of readers and I will show you the people who move the world." Rich families that produce wealth across multiple generations follow the same pattern.

The Math

Here's the facts: 30 minutes a day at 200 wpm: (assuming you don't fall asleep when you read or stop because it's so slow)

2 books a month
30 books a year
300 books in 10 years

Same 30 minutes a day at 600 wpm:

7 books a month
90 books a year
900 books in 10 years

Take Action

The bottom line? Reading speed is the lever nobody talks about. Books give you decades of career wisdom for just $20, but most people are stuck reading at 4th grade speeds. Tripling your reading speed means tripling the knowledge you can absorb in the same amount of time. Rich families across generations follow this pattern. Speed reading isn't just a skill. It's a wealth-building tool.

The $15 Investment That Beats Everything Else

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:34:00 GMT

The highest return on investment you will ever get is a $15 book. That's 6 hours of your life for someone else's 20 years of figuring it out.

Your competitors are racing to learn AI. Fine, everyone will know AI in 18 months. The real edge is what's been sitting on shelves for decades that almost nobody picks up.

The Hot Take

Your problems aren't unique and you aren't that special.

Every business problem, every relationship problem, every "I've been stuck on this for 20 years" problem already has a solution written down in a book by someone who figured it out.

The reason you haven't read it is ego, not time.

Admitting the answer is in a $15 paperback means admitting you've been suffering for a decade over something somebody solved in 1987. That surrender is the entry fee for real compounding.

Proof It Works

Warren Buffett spends 80% of his day reading and calls it compound interest for your brain.

Elon Musk learned to build rockets by borrowing textbooks from a consultant who later said "he knew everything."

Charlie Munger's kids joked he was "a book with a couple of legs sticking out."

These people aren't smarter than you. They're just less precious about where the answer comes from.

Add Speed

WPM (words per minute) is how fast your eyes and brain process text.

The average adult reads 238 WPM
The top 1% hit 400+ WPM with the same or better comprehension
JFK read at 1,200 WPM and made his entire cabinet take speed reading classes
Trained speed readers clock 600-700 WPM (it's a proven neurological phenomenon)

That's the difference between 8 hours of pain per book and 2 hours of flow. Multiply by 20 books a year and the math gets absurd.

Surrender First

But here's the thing. You can't out-read anyone while still being too proud to be a beginner again. The surrender comes before the system.

Reading remains one of the highest-leverage skills you can develop. The knowledge is already written down. The only question is whether you'll pick it up.

And once you commit to reading, learning to read faster multiplies everything.

If you're a founder or exec ready to build this skill, look into speed reading and memory training to unlock the full potential of books.

Treat Reading Like Food

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 06:50:19 GMT

Treat reading like food.

If your brain isn't dying to read books and grow, that's a symptom of mental blind spots.

The most successful people I know INHALE information. They can't get enough of it. They're always reading, always learning, always growing.

Continuous reading is a humbling experience. You are still a student of life. There is much to learn. Much to master.

If you don't have a hunger for books and knowledge, that's a sign something's off. The most successful people never stop learning because they know there's always more to discover.

Reading keeps you humble. It reminds you that you're still a student, no matter how far you've come.

So ask yourself: What stops you from reading?

AI-Powered Party Planning

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 23:43:14 GMT

Meta bought this AI tool, and I used it to build something very funny and cool. The video shows the party invite I designed with it. It features the party's title, "Jan Wholesome House Party With No Seed Oils," along with a Rick Rolling link. The video then displays the party details, including the date (1/31/2026) and time (5:00 PM - 8:00 PM), as well as photos of attendees.

Isn't it amazing? Let's pretend you're actually going. Who's going to this party? Wow, it's some really cool people. People have to post a meme of my choice. That's a good one. That's crazy. That's a banger. Samantha, great choice. Jenny, that's phenomenal. Vima, that's a wizard. That's all good. This is the worst meme out of context for the party, please be a disturbance.

The Details

Here’s the ACTUAL party description below.

🤠 What is this?
A house party with food, break out groups, volunteer speakers, and genuine people. No one likes a cliquey party. My friends are cool. And so are you..?

It’s a pot luck so bring a meal. We have a grill. If you suck at cooking please don’t try. Look I’m Latino we like to EAT.

We don’t do that cheese and cracker shit. If you’re a chef please impress me I would love to experience your culinary expression.
The page has an interactive realtime spreadsheet. People bringing the best dishes appear at the top of the sign up page.

The Rule

➡️RULE 1:
Openly greet people. Treat others with the kindness, respect, and warmth you treat me with.

🟥If you can’t follow RULE #1 I’ll kick you out. And you’re not invited again. And yes I check people in at the door. I want you all feeling safe my darlings ✨

The Schedule

🗓️ SCHEDULE:

5:00-6:30pm -> relax, eat and music
6:30-7:00pm -> break out groups!
7:00-7:25pm -> 2min talks/performs
7:25-8:00pm -> enjoy food, music, etc

Final Thoughts

So, to recap, I used an AI tool to create a fun and engaging party invite, set some ground rules for a positive atmosphere, and planned a schedule with a mix of relaxation, activities, and performances. It's all about creating a unique and memorable experience for everyone involved.

By blending technology with personal touches, I'm aiming for a party that's both entertaining and meaningful. It's not just about having a good time; it's about connecting with genuine people and creating a welcoming space for everyone.

Reimagine Your Year: The Power of 12-Week Cycles

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:35:59 GMT

Imagine if every new year happened every 12 weeks. Consider the impact that could have on your personal and professional growth. How much faster would you evolve and achieve your goals?

Accelerated Growth

A new year, even a mini one, forces reflection. It pushes you to think critically about where you are and where you want to be. While this process can sometimes be uncomfortable, it’s a good pain, the kind that leads to positive change.

The beauty of a new year, whether it's a traditional annual one or a 12-week cycle, is that it forces dedicated thinking time. It's a chance to step back from the daily grind and assess the bigger picture. A lot of people actively avoid deep thinking, but it’s essential for progress. I know that during my most challenging times, I lived day by day, lacking purpose and self-understanding.

The Thinking Edge

Henry Ford once said, "Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it." That line sticks with me because it’s true. Thinking takes effort. Reflection takes honesty. But it’s also one of the highest-leverage things you can do.

Before each new 12-week year begins, I plan to spend over 10 hours in isolation reflecting, processing, and elevating my own standards. Then I’ll bring what I discover to mentors so I can get guidance and feedback and refine how I’m approaching things.

Intuition Matters

Albert Einstein famously stated, "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." That’s the point. If you keep using the same mental habits, you’ll keep getting the same results. A reset only works if your thinking changes.

I encourage you to think, reflect, and trust your intuition. I only want the best for you, and I genuinely mean that. Your growth matters. Your well-being matters. And if you don’t make time to think, life will keep pulling you into the same patterns.

Unlock Your Potential

The book The 12-Week Year changed the way I approach goal setting. The idea is simple: instead of waiting a whole year for a fresh start, create new beginnings every 12 weeks.

That shorter timeframe makes goals feel more real. It creates urgency without making things feel impossible. And it makes it easier to adjust quickly when something isn’t working.

The power is in breaking bigger goals down into weekly and daily actions. When you track those smaller actions, you stay on target. You stop relying on motivation and start relying on structure. Over time, consistent actions compound into real change.

And the best part is that you can have multiple 12-week years within a single calendar year, which means you get more opportunities to reset, refocus, and level up.

Embrace Reflection

In summary, adopting a 12-week year framework can lead to:

Faster personal and professional growth
Increased focus and productivity
More frequent opportunities for reflection and adjustment
A greater sense of accomplishment

By embracing this approach, you can break free from the limitations of the traditional annual cycle and unlock your full potential. Remember: consistent reflection and strategic thinking are key to achieving your goals and building a life you actually feel proud of.

Start thinking, reflecting, and trusting your intuition today. Consider how implementing 12-week years could transform your life and accelerate your journey to success.

Audiobook Addiction?

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:05:19 GMT

Ever feel like you’re listening to a book but nothing’s sinking in? You’re not alone. It’s like needing a hug for your brain. Let’s dive into a relatable scenario about the pitfalls of relying solely on audiobooks.

The Case

Imagine a guy named Mike Ross, who hasn’t cracked a book since high school. He relies solely on audiobooks, but it’s not working out so well. Mike admits he always has to be listening to something.

At my speed reading program, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at the science behind speed reading.

Sound familiar? It’s a common habit in our fast-paced world. But here’s the kicker: Mike’s wife cheated on him with three men. And those men? They’re avid readers. Ouch.

The Motivation

Mike’s not just trying to get smarter; he’s on a mission to win his wife back by becoming a reader himself.

Conclusion

This scenario highlights the difference between passively listening and actively reading. While audiobooks have their place, they might not always lead to deep comprehension. If you find yourself in Mike’s shoes, it might be time to pick up a book.

Ready to transform your reading skills? Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn, where I share personalized techniques based on the latest cognitive science research that can help you improve your reading speed and comprehension.

Your Must-Read Book List

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 02:48:00 GMT

Here are 10 must-read books to add to your collection.

They are presented in no particular order and cover a range of topics designed to expand your mind.

The Reading List

Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson
Contagious by Jonah Berger
Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
Sell or Be Sold by Grant Cardone
The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Ries
Hypnotic Writing by Joe Vitale
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
The Motive by Patrick Lencioni

Conclusion

This curated list offers powerful insights, but the best books are useless if you cannot get through them. Will you let me help you read more books?

If you have no time to read, find that you read too slow, or often forget what you just read, there is a solution to help you overcome these common challenges and absorb more knowledge.

Take my FREE speed reading test here!

Niki's 3 Powerful Reading Hacks

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 03:12:34 GMT

Do you want to improve how you read?

Here’s how you can read like Niki with a few simple but effective habits.

At my speed reading program, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

This approach is part of what I teach at memory techniques that actually work.

Take Ownership

Reading is a priority, not just something you do when you find the time. Set a timer and commit to reading until it goes off!

You can start small and gradually increase your reading time. Remember, there’s no shortcut, you just have to sit down and read.

Meet Niki

Here’s a short video of Niki below. Or click here to watch it on my Instagram profile.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by David Kirkpatrick (@davidreadsfast)

Master Speed Reading

If you want to read faster without losing comprehension, try these tips:

Use your finger to keep your focus.
Read groups of words instead of one by one.
Ditch the inner voice; there is no need to sound out every word!

Connect With Readers

Surrounding yourself with growth-minded readers boosts your business, life, and reading journey, no matter your level.

Sharing insights with others helps improve memory and expands your knowledge.

Conclusion

To recap, you can improve your reading by taking ownership of your time, mastering basic speed reading techniques, and connecting with a community of fellow readers.

Implementing these steps will help boost your business, your life, and your entire reading journey.

For more insights, follow her on Instagram.

Books I Wish I Read Earlier in Life

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 04:35:25 GMT

What someone reads says a lot about them. How they apply it says even more. I see books as tools. I see books as portals. I see books as skill sharpeners. If you read with no drive, no passion.. Performance wise, you retain less, you read slower, you fall asleep more.

Continuous learning requires a humble ego. Even after following me and seeing this, 99% of people won’t take reading seriously.

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

This approach is part of what I teach at curated book recommendations.

Here are the books I wish I had discovered earlier in life.

Mind Programming

Honestly, I would recommend any book on the subconscious mind. People want to consciously change, but subconsciously stay stuck & self sabotage.

Recommended books:

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

These books teach you how your subconscious really works and help you stop using your awful past to predict the future.

Action Killers

I read books that kill procrastination. Books that make action taking easier. The right books will make you bolder, more driven, and confident.

Recommended books:

Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy

These books don’t just motivate—they systematically destroy procrastination and make taking action feel natural.

Time Leverage

Read books that make you effective, decisive, & buy back your time.

Recommended books:

The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson
Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

Time is your most valuable asset. These books teach you how to make better decisions faster and create systems that work without you.

People Protection

Read books that protect you from the wrong people.

Recommended books:

The 48 Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout
Modern Man in Search of a Soul by Carl Jung

Understanding human nature is crucial. These books help you identify toxic people before they can damage your life. Knowledge is your best defense against manipulation.

Focus Building

In our distracted world, focus is a superpower. Read books that build focus.

Recommended books:

ADHD 2.0 by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey
Focus by Daniel Goleman
Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey

These books teach you how to train your attention and maintain deep work when everyone else is scattered.

Growth Reality

Reading builds growth if you make the time. But if you’re a doom scrolling loser that can’t even experience delayed gratification to guarantee personal growth I will pray for you.

Let me address the excuses I hear constantly:

“Reading is not a priority”

It’s a priority to Dan Martell. A CEO worth over $100M. Who’s right, you or him?

“I don’t have time to read”

You have time to eat though, right? Food gives you energy, and you have a HUNGER for food. If you don’t have time to read, it’s not a priority, simple as that. Your brain does not HUNGER for new ideas, new insights.

“Reading makes me fall asleep”

You lack excitement to read or you’re a slow reader. Both solvable problems.

“I forget what I read so what’s the point?”

This can also be solved. Next question.

“I’m a slow reader”

I also used to be a slow reader. Then I changed that. I trained my brain so now I read what used to take me 5 hours to read in 1 hour.

“I prefer audiobooks not books”

Studies show readers retain and comprehend more than audio listeners. Do you listen to books to actually become smarter, you may want to read.

“Reading just isn’t a priority for me”

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. I’d recommend getting a coach to help you make it a priority, or go pray lol.

Conclusion

Reading isn’t optional if you want to level up your life. The books you consume today shape the person you become tomorrow. Every successful person I know prioritizes learning, and reading is the fastest way to download decades of wisdom in hours.

Stop making excuses. Start reading strategically. Your future self will thank you.

Complete Book List

Here are the specific books I wish I had read earlier in life:

Mind Programming:

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

Action & Productivity:

Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy

Effectiveness & Leadership:

The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson
Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

Understanding People:

The 48 Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
Body Language by Allan and Barbara Pease
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout
Modern Man in Search of a Soul by Carl Jung

Focus & Attention:

ADHD 2.0 by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey
Focus by Daniel Goleman
Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey

Want more content like this? Follow me on Instagram or Patron View for daily insights on productivity, mindset, and building wealth.

5 Best Human Psychology Books

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 04:41:13 GMT

Let’s be frank: the most popular psychology books that everyone reads aren’t always the best.

That’s why I believe we need to look past the usual bestsellers and dig into books that offer real, unfiltered insights into human nature.

At my speed reading program, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

Learn more about these techniques at curated book recommendations.

If you truly want to understand why people do what they do, here are the five essential books I recommend everyone read.

The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, M.D.

First on my list is The Female Brain.

I believe that whether you are a male or a female, you should understand how your own brain—and the brains of the other half of the population—works.

It’s a foundational piece of knowledge for navigating relationships and the world. And to get the full picture, I recommend you read its companion, The Male Brain.

Very Important People by Ashley Mears

Have you ever wondered why people spend absurd amounts of money at clubs and bars just to show off? It’s not just frivolous spending; there’s an actual evolutionary perspective behind it.

This book, Very Important People, talks about the global party circuit and brilliantly explains the deep-seated psychological drivers behind our obsession with status and displaying wealth.

Surrounded by Narcissists by Thomas Erikson

Let’s face it, we live in a world where you’re likely to encounter narcissists regularly. You might have even dated one. That’s why I think this book is so important.

This book gives you the tools to effectively recognize the narcissists around you and defend yourself from their manipulation.

Six-Minute X-Ray by Chase Hughes

This is one of the most practical books on human behavior you can find.

The author is a former NCI agent who has had over a million dollars worth of training in reading body language and behavior.

This book is great because it’s not just theory—it shares actual case studies with criminals, showing you exactly how he applies his skills to uncover the truth.

The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D.

As an optimist, this book was a necessary reality check for me. It’s crucial to understand that sociopaths will actively find empathetic people and take advantage of them.

The book reveals a shocking statistic: 1 in 25 ordinary Americans secretly have no empathy and could harm someone without losing a moment of sleep.

You need to read this to understand the warning signs and, ultimately, to protect yourself.

Conclusion

Understanding people doesn’t have to be complicated. These books are like a user manual for the human mind.

Your New Reading List:

The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, M.D. – To understand the science behind how men and women think differently.
Very Important People by Ashley Mears – To learn the psychology of why people use money and status to show off.
Surrounded by Narcissists by Thomas Erikson – To spot and protect yourself from manipulative people.
Six-Minute X-Ray by Chase Hughes – To learn how to read body language and behavior from a trained expert.
The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout, Ph.D. – To recognize that some people have no empathy and how to stay safe.

Want more content like this? Follow me on Instagram or Patron View for daily insights on productivity, mindset, and building wealth.

Robert Greene Told You What to Read. Will You Actually Do It?

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:14:14 GMT

When an author like Robert Greene gives a book recommendation, you listen.

His books, including the revolutionary The 48 Laws of Power, have fundamentally changed how millions of people think about strategy, power, and human nature.

At Reading 4 Results coaching, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

Learn more about these techniques at curated book recommendations.

So when he tells you what to read next, it’s more than just a suggestion—it’s a directive for anyone serious about personal growth.

But here’s the hard truth: most people won’t follow through.

Saving and Studying

Unfortunately, the common reaction is to simply hit “save” on the video or post and feel a fleeting sense of accomplishment. Most people will save the recommendation and, let’s be honest, never actually read the book. It’s a classic case of confusing information gathering with genuine learning.

Even among the small group who do go out and buy the book, the follow-through is minimal. A few might skim it, but only a fraction of those will truly read, remember, and, most importantly, apply its lessons. This is the critical gap where potential transformation dies and knowledge becomes shelf-decor.

Closing the Loop

The real challenge isn’t finding good information; it’s developing a system to internalize and use it. Without a dedicated practice for consumption and retention, even the most profound advice from the world’s greatest thinkers remains useless. The goal is to move beyond being a collector of good ideas and become a practitioner of them.

True intelligence isn’t about how many books you own, but how many have changed the way you operate in the world. It’s time to close the loop between learning and living.

Conclusion

Heed the Experts: When a proven thinker like Robert Greene offers a recommendation, it carries significant weight. Pay attention.
Action Over Acquisition: Saving a post or buying a book is not the same as learning. The real work begins when you open the first page with the intent to apply its wisdom.
Application is Everything: The ultimate goal of reading non-fiction is to read, remember, and integrate the knowledge into your daily life. Anything less is just entertainment.

If you want to actually finish books, and remember what you read join my speed-reading community by clicking here.

Want more content like this? Follow me on Instagram or Patron View for daily insights on productivity, mindset, and building wealth.

Power Readers

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 02:46:33 GMT

What’s your favorite business book? Bet you can’t name three things you actually applied from it.

I’ve read over two hundred nonfiction books—business, psychology, leadership, sales, self-mastery. And after all that, one thing is clear: Most people are reading the wrong books… or never finish them at all. 😭 (Used to be me.)

At Reading 4 Results coaching, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at the science behind speed reading.

Table of Contents

Toggle

Reality Inside Power Readers Testimonials Conclusion

Reality

Here are some fun facts.

The average reader buys ten books but finishes only one.
They highlight quotes and forget them the next week.
They never apply what they read, so nothing changes.

I built Power Readers to fix that.

Inside Power Readers

Here’s what subscribing to Power Readers will get you.

I’ll teach you how to read faster (without missing anything). We use the “pointer method” to train your eyes to move smoothly across lines—simple and shockingly effective.
You’ll learn how to actually retain and use what you read.
We meet for monthly speed-reading calls, goal-setting calls, and book discussions.
You get weekly summaries, curated book recommendations, and a reading tracker that keeps you consistent.

And the best part? It’s only ten dollars a month.

That is less than a single audiobook credit—or one fancy latte if you like oat-milk foam.

Testimonials

Here are is some great feedback from my clients.

Davids Speed Reading course and community has been incredible. I was not reading much prior and the inspiration and support has been a game changer in reading again. Im loving reading everyday now and its improving the quality of my whole life. Lindsay Kleeman: Written March 4, 2025, 3 months after purchase

David’s passion for reading is contagious. Reading is a significant part for any entrepreneur, and David’s recommendations had a profound impact on my perspective. Excited to increase my reading speed! and finally be able to keep up with my reading goals! Alfred Bou Dagher: Written June 9, 2025, 6 months after purchase

Conclusion

If you are serious about personal growth or business, you already know books are the cheat code.

Let’s help you finally unlock them.

👉 Join Power Readers by clicking here.

Sharpen the Saw: Why Continuous Learning Is Your Competitive Edge

Tue, 20 May 2025 00:02:45 GMT

In Stephen Covey’s timeless work “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the seventh law stands as perhaps the most crucial yet overlooked principle: sharpen the saw.

This concept challenges us to continuously renew and improve ourselves across all dimensions of our lives.

At Reading 4 Results coaching, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at memory techniques.

Yet too many entrepreneurs and business leaders neglect this fundamental practice, believing that action alone will drive success.

The reality is that without sharpening our mental tools, we’re working harder, not smarter.

Identifying Your Dull Saws

The seventh law of highly effective people is sharpen the saw.

What saws in your life have become dull?

Let’s say you’re a business owner. Is it your sales leadership? Is it your empathy? Is it your emotional intelligence?

These aren’t abstract concepts—they’re the practical tools that determine your effectiveness in every business interaction. When these skills become dull, your entire operation suffers.

Action vs. Learning Debate

Too many times do I hear people say, “I don’t need to read books. I just need to take action. I just need to do it.” If you’re saying that, then why don’t you stop reading this caption now? Go take the action, then comment on this post and tell me I am wrong.

But most of the time, 99% of people have blockers to taking that action. And books, which manifest deeply processed knowledge (when done right), make action-taking easier.

If you’re not reading books that make action-taking easier, I don’t know what you’re reading. That’s not how I read. That’s not how successful people read.

Strategic Reading for Success

Books that sharpen the saw can be about psychology, about leadership, about marketing, about sales.

Because if you read an hour a day, that’s only 4% of your day. So if you aspire to be the smartest and best version of yourself, you need to at least commit 4% of your time to sharpening the saw.

This 4% investment compounds exponentially. The knowledge you gain doesn’t just improve one area—it creates ripple effects across your entire business and personal life.

3 Saw-Sharpening Strategies

Here’s what works.

Increase Your Reading Speed

Increasing my reading speed has been transformative because what took me five hours to read, I now do in one hour.

This isn’t about rushing through content—it’s about efficiently processing information so you can consume more valuable knowledge in less time.

Improve Your Memory

Improving my memory is crucial because there’s no point in learning if I forget it, if I cannot recall it later, either in front of employees, in front of leadership, on a podcast, or talking to people.

Knowledge without retention is just entertainment.

Enhance Your Focus

Focus would be my third priority because books like Deep Work, books like Hyperfocus, and books like ADHD 2.0 change my life.

If you can focus, you can change yourself and change this world.

Conclusion

The most successful people understand that learning and action aren’t opposing forces—they’re complementary.

By dedicating just 4% of your day to sharpening your mental tools, you’re not taking time away from action; you’re ensuring that when you do act, you’re operating at your highest capacity.

I encourage you to find the dull saws in your life so you get more out of your time and move faster, smarter, and better. The question isn’t whether you have time to learn—it’s whether you can afford not to.

The Science Behind Speed Reading Techniques

Fri, 09 May 2025 10:38:00 GMT

Neuroscientists point out that we’re fortunate our brains can read at all.

Our brain never evolved specifically for reading—it simply wasn’t a natural evolutionary development for our ancestors.

This fundamental neuroscientific insight transformed my approach to teaching reading improvement.

This is exactly the approach I teach at Reading 4 Results.

Reading isn’t hardwired into our neural circuitry like walking or talking—it’s a complex cognitive skill our brains have had to adapt to master.

What does this mean for entrepreneurs? Your reading difficulties aren’t personal failures—they’re the natural result of using a brain that wasn’t specifically designed for this task.

With the right science-based reading techniques, anyone can dramatically improve their reading capacity.

Table of Contents

Toggle

The Science Behind Reading Comprehension Eye Movement Patterns Neural Activity Differences Breaking Down Sub-vocalization: What the Research Actually Shows The Peripheral Vision Advantage The Scientific Case for Physical Books The Working Memory Connection Attention and Focus: The Prerequisites to Memory My Research Integration Process Quantifying Reading Performance: Beyond Gut Feeling Conclusion Related Reading

The Science Behind Reading Comprehension

The research is fascinating: skilled readers don’t simply read faster—they process text differently at a neurological level.

Here’s what happens in a skilled reader’s brain:

Eye Movement Patterns

Scientists like Keith Rayner have used eye-tracking technology to reveal that unskilled readers show distinctly different eye movement patterns compared to skilled readers:

Fixation time: Slower readers spend 300-500 milliseconds on each word, while skilled readers average just 200-250 milliseconds.
Saccades: These tiny jumps your eyes make between fixation points allow skilled readers to make longer saccades, taking in more text with each eye movement.
Regression rate: Unskilled readers backtrack to reread words 30-40% of the time; skilled readers do this only 10-15% of the time.

These aren’t just interesting facts—they’re actionable insights. By training specific eye movement patterns, we can literally change how our brains process text.

Neural Activity Differences

Functional MRI studies reveal striking differences between skilled and unskilled readers:

Skilled readers show less activation in phonological processing areas (they rely less on “sounding out” words).
They demonstrate higher activation in visual word form areas (recognizing whole words instantly).
They exhibit stronger connectivity between language and visual processing regions.

In other words, skilled reading is about neurological efficiency—using fewer brain resources to achieve better results.

Breaking Down Sub-vocalization: What the Research Actually Shows

One of the most misunderstood aspects of speed reading is the concept of sub-vocalization—that inner voice that pronounces words as you read.

Many speed reading techniques and programs incorrectly tell you to eliminate it entirely.

However, research by linguists and cognitive scientists reveals a more nuanced picture.

Sub-vocalization isn’t the enemy—it’s a natural part of the reading process, especially for complex material.

The key finding?

Skilled readers don’t eliminate sub-vocalization; they minimize it and make it more efficient.

When researchers measured vocal cord activation during silent reading (yes, your vocal cords actually move slightly even when reading silently), they found:

Unskilled readers show high levels of activation—essentially “speaking” every word internally.
Skilled readers show reduced but still present activation, particularly for unfamiliar or complex words.
Complete elimination of sub-vocalization correlates with reduced comprehension in laboratory studies.

This explains why exercises to count “one-two” while reading can help—they don’t eliminate sub-vocalization but train the brain to process text with less reliance on it.

The Peripheral Vision Advantage

Another exciting area of research and reading techniques revolves around peripheral vision in reading.

Studies show that skilled readers leverage their peripheral vision to:

Preview upcoming words before directly focusing on them.
Process multiple words simultaneously rather than sequentially.
Maintain contextual awareness that aids in prediction and comprehension.

Research indicates that most readers can expand their peripheral vision range by approximately 42% through training.

This is why exercises that train readers to see groups of words rather than individual words prove so effective.

The Scientific Case for Physical Books

The research on physical versus digital reading continues to evolve, but current neuroscience strongly favors traditional books for deep learning.

A groundbreaking 2009 study from the University of Sussex and Mindlab measured stress hormone levels before and after various activities.

The findings were remarkable: reading reduced stress levels by 68% after just six minutes—making it 300% more effective at stress reduction than going for a walk.

Reading books proves 300% more effective at stress reduction than walking because reading engages more mental faculties.

This physiological response helps explain why proper reading techniques leave entrepreneurs feeling energized rather than drained.

Additionally, neuroimaging studies reveal that physical books activate different neural pathways than digital text:

Enhanced spatial memory networks (knowing where information is located physically on the page).
Stronger episodic memory formation (remembering information in context).
Improved tactile memory integration (connecting information to physical sensations).

These aren’t merely preferences—they represent measurable differences in how our brains process and retain information based on the medium.

The Working Memory Connection

Research on working memory capacity provides fascinating insights into reading improvement.

Studies from cognitive neuroscience have demonstrated that working memory—our ability to temporarily hold and manipulate information—plays a crucial role in reading comprehension.

A landmark study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that readers with higher working memory capacity showed significantly better comprehension of complex texts.

What’s particularly exciting is that working memory can be strengthened through targeted exercises.

My approach incorporates this research by:

Teaching entrepreneurs specific working memory enhancement techniques.
Providing progressive challenges that expand mental capacity.
Creating reading protocols that optimize information chunking to work within memory constraints.

Attention and Focus: The Prerequisites to Memory

One crucial scientific finding that transformed my approach comes from attention research.

The neuroscience is clear: memory formation requires focused attention. Without it, information simply doesn’t convert from short-term to long-term memory.

This is why I emphasize focus training alongside speed reading techniques. I regularly recommend three science-backed resources to clients:

ADHD 2.0 – For understanding attention mechanisms and how to optimize them
Focus by Harvard Business Review – For practical applications of attention research
Hyperfocus by Christopher Bailey – For techniques to achieve deep concentration

These resources aren’t just supplementary—they’re foundational.

When entrepreneurs improve their attention control, reading improvements naturally follow as a neurological consequence.

Research published in the journal, Psychological Science, found that individuals who practiced focused attention meditation for just 10 minutes daily showed substantial improvements in reading comprehension after eight weeks—even without specific reading training.

My Research Integration Process

Many clients ask how I stay current with reading science.

Unlike popular speed reading programs based on anecdotal evidence, my methods continuously evolve through systematic research integration.

I thoroughly immerse myself in the literature—reading books, scholarly journals, and research articles.

I often pay for access to academic articles just to study the original research. I’ve likely read over 5,000 pages of research on this topic alone.

My research process combines:

Primary source analysis: Reading original research papers from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and educational psychology
Meta-analysis reviews: Studying systematic reviews that synthesize findings across multiple studies
Applied testing: Validating research findings through carefully designed exercises with clients
Improved tactile memory integration (connecting information to physical sensations)

These aren’t merely preferences—they represent measurable differences in how our brains process and retain information based on the medium.

This commitment to evidence-based practice and reading techniques differentiates my approach from traditional speed reading programs.

I prefer to go straight to the science because that’s what has longevity and real results.

Additionally, I use AI tools to help process and synthesize research data, allowing me to identify patterns across hundreds of studies that might otherwise be missed.

This combination of human expertise and technological assistance ensures my methods remain at the cutting edge of reading science.

Quantifying Reading Performance: Beyond Gut Feeling

A key part of my scientific approach is precise measurement.

I’ve developed specialized software tests that allow readers to objectively evaluate their skills.

My software tests are straightforward—clients press start, read a thousand words, press stop, and the system automatically calculates their reading speed.

If a thousand words take five minutes, that person reads at 200 words per minute.

This measurement provides valuable benchmarks:

The average person reads at approximately 238 words per minute.
This is faster than standard audiobook speed (150 words per minute).
Skilled readers consistently read faster than 2x audiobook speed.

These aren’t arbitrary numbers—they come from extensive reading studies that established normative ranges for different types of readers.

Having this empirical foundation helps entrepreneurs understand where they stand and set realistic improvement goals.

Conclusion

When we align reading techniques with how the brain actually processes information, remarkable improvements become possible.

The entrepreneurs I work with aren’t just reading faster—they’re thinking differently.

The research is clear: reading skill isn’t fixed; it’s highly trainable at any age.

By understanding the science behind text processing, anyone can transform their relationship with books.

In a world of information overload, entrepreneurs who efficiently process and retain knowledge have an undeniable edge. As your industry evolves, your learning capacity must evolve with it.

I’m passionate about bringing these research-backed methods and reading techniques to entrepreneurs because I’ve witnessed firsthand how they transform not just reading ability but decision-making, innovation capacity, and ultimately, business success.

The science of reading isn’t just academic—it’s your competitive advantage in an increasingly complex world.

How I Became a Speed-Reading & Memory Coach—and Built One Percent Readers

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 23:14:01 GMT

Most people who get laid off update their résumé. I started a business called One Percent Readers, teaching CEOs how to read.

I had an unusual safety net—the ability to read and digest books at an extraordinary rate.

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at the science behind speed reading.

For the past year, I’d been reading 70+ books while working full-time, a habit that was about to become my unlikely business foundation.

What began as a personal optimization hack for my previous job turned into a revelation: entrepreneurs needed to expand their knowledge but couldn’t finish the books they started.

Little did I know this observation would transform my entire career trajectory.

Table of Contents

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From Side-Help to First Paid Client Why One Percent Readers Exists Why Most Entrepreneurs Struggle with Reading The Physical Book Advantage My Core Promise One Percent Readers Results Beyond the “Audiobook Excuse”The Books That Shaped My Approach Conclusion Related Reading

From Side-Help to First Paid Client

I’d been helping founders discover their reading speed and dial up retention for free. When a CEO insisted on paying me $500 for a single session, two things clicked:

Pricing signals value.
Speed-reading and memory coaching could be a real business, not a hobby.

I remember thinking, “Wow, I’ve literally never made money on my own before—just paychecks.”

That moment changed everything. From there, I began helping entrepreneurs, CEOs, and companies increase their learning speed systematically.

Why One Percent Readers Exists

85% of self-made millionaires read at least two books a month.

Yet, most executives I meet can hardly finish two books in a year. One Percent Readers was born to close that gap—so busy leaders can learn as quickly as their industries evolve.

I saw a recurring pattern when talking to business owners. They weren’t finishing the books they wanted to complete.

When I asked if they even knew their reading speed, they looked at me blankly—they’d never considered that they could increase it.

Many didn’t realize they could improve their memory either; they just assumed they had to read a book four times and it would stick.

Why Most Entrepreneurs Struggle with Reading

The biggest objection I hear is:

“I don’t have the time to read.”

But there are two fundamental problems here:

Time perception: You have to make time to eat, don’t you? Reading should be treated the same way—it feeds your mind and soul.
Reading inefficiency: It takes many entrepreneurs an hour or two to read just a couple of pages. If I can help them read 60 pages in 60 minutes, suddenly they can make the time.

The reality is stark: if I meet a hundred people at networking events, most have read zero to two books in the past 12 months.

Poor literacy costs governments trillions, and in business, memory lapses—forgetting names or meetings—cost companies billions of dollars.

The Physical Book Advantage

I recommend physical books over digital formats for several compelling reasons:

Brain engagement: When we learn from a computer, our brain physiologically knows that, and it hurts our attention and comprehension because we know we can quickly switch tabs.
Spatial memory: Your brain has spatial memory awareness with physical books. You know that a certain story is somewhere in the back or front of the book, or on a specific page.
Memory anchors: Think of your brain as a web—the coffee stain on page 42, the fact that your mom gave you the book, the signature inside—these are all memory “thumbprints” that help information stick. PDFs don’t give us these anchors.

My Core Promise

I won’t hand you a stack of “should-read” books; I help you hit actionable speed and retention targets tied to your business goals.

To get people reading, especially those who haven’t in decades, I look for what excites them.

Most people treat reading like homework because school taught them to hate it. Teachers assigned books without explaining why they mattered. But humans need intrinsic motivators.

When clients ask for book recommendations, I ask, “Are you 10 out of 10 motivated to read this?” If not, we remove it or explore why they’re not excited.

Studies on reading attitudes show that if your attitude toward reading is low, your comprehension and memory will be poor.

One Percent Readers Results

Two founders doubled their monthly reading volume within six weeks.
A SaaS executive shaved prep for board meetings from five hours to one.
Multiple clients report feeling “energized” rather than drained after reading—proof that the right techniques can flip a lifelong script.

A tangible transformation I see repeatedly is reading becoming an energizing, addictive habit rather than something that hurts their brain or puts them to sleep.

This shift comes from changing both mindset and technique.

Beyond the “Audiobook Excuse”

Many potential clients tell me, “I’m an audiobook person” or “I’m an auditory learner.”

This mindset is often a barrier to real growth. If someone has a diagnosed reading disorder like dyslexia, I understand their hesitation.

But even Richard Branson, who’s dyslexic, still recommends books and has found ways to read effectively despite his condition.

There are specialized programs for dyslexic readers that focus on about 1,000 trigger words that, once mastered, can transform their reading experience.

The “learning styles” concept—the idea that some people learn better through listening while others learn through seeing—has been thoroughly debunked by scientific research.

When scientists tested people who claimed to be “auditory learners” against control groups using multiple learning styles, the multiple-style learners consistently performed better.

By limiting yourself to one learning method, you’re constraining your brain’s amazing capacity to form connections through multiple channels.

The question isn’t whether you’re an audiobook person—it’s whether you’re willing to expand your learning capabilities beyond a single modality.

The Books That Shaped My Approach

When people ask about my favorite books, I struggle to name just one. But three have been particularly influential:

Think and Grow Rich — I’ve studied this book so thoroughly that I’ve memorized the entire table of contents.
Moonwalking with Einstein — This book demonstrates how memory champions retain information and shows me that the more you know, the easier it is to retain new information.
10x is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan — This book challenges business owners to scale properly while maintaining fulfillment.

Conclusion

The accidental journey that led me to create One Percent Readers has shown me that the reading crisis among entrepreneurs isn’t just about time or ability—it’s about mindset and technique.

By transforming how we approach books, we can unlock extraordinary learning potential.

Whether you’re building a startup or leading an established enterprise, your competitive edge comes from the knowledge you can acquire, retain, and implement.

The leaders who learn the fastest end up winning. My mission is to ensure that entrepreneurs like you can stay ahead of the curve by reading not just more, but better.

As your industry accelerates, your learning must keep pace. One Percent Readers exists to make that possible through proven, science-backed techniques that turn reading from a chore into a superpower.

Your brain is ready—are you? Book a free strategy call to discover your reading potential.

Genius at Work Podcast with Jarred & Katelyn Curcio

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 02:28:00 GMT

Recorded at the vibrant Radio Room in Austin, I share a conversation with Jarred and Katelyn on the Genius at Work Podcast.

In this episode, it is packed with energy, insights, and a few laughs as we dive into my journey from struggling reader to speed-reading coach, entrepreneur, and community builder.

At my speed reading program, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I share how I turned my passion for learning into a thriving business, helping high-performers read faster, retain more, and make smarter moves. Plus, we talk about my Wholesome House Parties with No Seed Oils—events that are less about small talk and more about big connections.

Jared and Katelyn bring their signature warmth and curiosity, digging into what makes me tick, from my love for meditation to the wild lessons I learned from a billionaire mentor (yes, there’s a story about a book called Vagina Whispering—you’ll have to listen to believe it).

Video

Watch the full conversation on YouTube. Or watch it below.

Interviewing a Speed Reading & Memory Coach | Genius at Work Podcast w Jarred & Katelyn Curcio

Full Transcript

Jared Curcio: Wild, wild West.

Katelyn Curcio: Hi, honey.

Jared Curcio: Hey, boo.

Katelyn Curcio: How are you?

Jared Curcio: I’m doing great.

David Kirkpatrick: Good.

Jared Curcio: We are here at Radio Room with our third guest in the history of the Genius Network Podcast, David Kirkpatrick. Welcome, David.

David Kirkpatrick: Welcome.

Katelyn Curcio: Big fan, big fan.

Jared Curcio: We were just saying. So this is our third. I guess if we don’t count vacations and traveling, this is the third place that we’ve shot the podcast. One being another studio here in town, the other being our home more recently. And now we are here at Radio Room, which is associated with Squash and Coliseum here on the East Side. And not only do we have a guest, but being here, this feels a little bit more like, intense and serious.

Katelyn Curcio: Sure.

Jared Curcio: What we’ve done in the past, it feels very serious. If we come across like we’re taking this too seriously, like, that’s just a matter of, like, the lighting, set, and setting. Welcome, David. Thank you for coming on the show.

David Kirkpatrick: I’m so excited.

Jared Curcio: So I guess we should note that, like, we of course, like, have done the show pretty much the two of us, for the most part. We’ve had a couple of guests on. And as we enter 2025, one of our big goals for the year was to get more guests. And not just, like, get people on because they have a message or they’re trying to grow a brand or anything like that, but, like, people who, starting off most likely with people we know personally and of course David and I are well connected here at this point. And also, like, people who, like, I just think are interesting and have cool stories and are doing cool things. Like people who are just going for it in every sense of the word. Like, you’re a guy who, based on my experience up to this point with you, you’re a dude that just, like, goes for it. Like, you have a business for yourself that you’ve, like, grown considerably. You have a whole bunch of other things that you do that aren’t just, like, speed reading. And we’ll get to exactly what it is that you do. You hold, you host house parties, you do a ton of networking. You’ve done an incredible job with your social media presence as well. And I’m just, I’m impressed by it and I wanted to have an opportunity to have our audience get to learn a little bit more about you too.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah, I guess, like, start with, like, how y’all met, right?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, yeah, start with that. And then, first thing, just before I answer that, just ’cause, like, it’s, like, what do I like about that? You shared what you like about me. I want to share what I like about you guys. So listen to their podcast. And it’s so me as a single man in Austin. Ladies, putting it out there, looking for a wife. You guys’ relationship is amazing. And people who are single out there, just, you want to see what a good relationship sounds like or what it’s like, the dynamic, what’s good communication, say listen. Listen to. And one word to define it, I’d say, is playfulness super important? For sure. But how will you. Thank you.

Jared Curcio: Thank you very much.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, yeah. Because you don’t see that a lot. It’s tough, right? How we met, it was at—oh, you’re getting a shout out—theboardwalks.com. No affiliate, no commission from that.

Jared Curcio: I didn’t know that they had a website like that. Official.

David Kirkpatrick: Really?

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, yeah. And it’s a walk. Saturday, 8 a.m., Bennu Coffee, South Congress. You walk with 40 to 50, sometimes over 100 people. They’re looking for interesting conversations. So whenever I meet someone there and I met Jared, I think, what was it? In the parking lot. Just in a parking lot, 8 a.m. Yep. Got some coffee.

Jared Curcio: I remember this was. It was the week of Christmas two years ago. So, like, 2023. I remember it was, like, overcast and cloudy and there was still, like, maybe 60 people there or so. And they’re, like, oh, this is, like, half as many people as are normally there. I was, like, really? Okay. Wow.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, it was, like, a light day. Yeah, it was a light day. And I was, like, who’s this? This? I always like to. People love first impressions. Hearing that of, like, what’s, like, your read on this guy?

Jared Curcio: Oh, great. I can.

David Kirkpatrick: What was it?

Katelyn Curcio: It’s juicy.

David Kirkpatrick: I was, like, okay, this guy, built. Has discipline, look in his eyes. Definitely intense in a good way. I like it. I like. Those are the kind of guys I like. Cool. He’s definitely made some money. That was, like, my read. It’s, like, he’s definitely done something.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: And then we talk. Maybe five, ten minutes in, is, like, definitely has some leadership and sales experience. I just, like, pick that up. So.

Jared Curcio: Okay, cool. All right. That’s a solid first impression. I mean, again, like, when people say that I’m intense, I don’t know, like, how to take that because I feel, like, no, no.

David Kirkpatrick: Okay, now let’s define intense. Yeah. How do I define intense? Just someone that also is taking life as it should be, responsibly, like, with life.

Jared Curcio: Sure. Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: The negative connotation people have with intensity might be as, like, oh, you’re all over me, or you’re all over. This is, like, that’s not mine. I’ll tell you. If you’re, like, I will say you’re all over the place. And that’s some people’s definition of it.

Jared Curcio: But, yeah, I mean, like, I would say I am intense, but, like, the fact. And I get that, that’s.

David Kirkpatrick: There we go. Yes, there we go.

Katelyn Curcio: Don’t let the words define you, honey.

Jared Curcio: Am I intense? Yes, I am intense. But, like, what’s—I think one of the reasons why it’s funny when people define me as intense is because I really try to do a good job when I’m first meeting somebody to not come off. He really does actively, like, have worked on. And, like, the fact that for most people, they still refer to me as.

David Kirkpatrick: Intense, I think is kind of, like, cross your legs. Like this. Hi, it’s, like, hi, I’m Jared.

Jared Curcio: You know, but honestly, like, I think my first impression of you, I met a lot. That whole experience was new to me. You were. It was familiar to you. So you were just looking for the newbies and probably, like, I stuck out.

David Kirkpatrick: I talked to everybody. Like, I don’t even know who’s a newbie at that point because so many go. If you told me, yeah, it’s my eighth time, I’d be, like, yeah.

Jared Curcio: Of course, I would say, like, you seemed like a very genuine, very sincere person immediately right out of the gate. You seemed very bright and, like, knowledgeable and curious as well. And whenever somebody’s curious, like, that to me is, like, an immediate sign of, like, I’m going to get along with this person. And I remember you saying that you were a speed reading coach. And I honestly, like, didn’t even really think all that much of it at the time. And then less than a year later, here I was taking your—using your services, so.

David Kirkpatrick: And we met again at the Health and Fitness Entrepreneur Event. I think you were there too.

Katelyn Curcio: I was at that one.

David Kirkpatrick: But then I think that’s when I think the second time I met you, that’s when it started the process. You’re, like, wait, speed reading and memory coaching? I was, like, oh, wait. Jared started connecting the dots. I’m, like, slow reader, bro.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: I was, like, oh, like, maybe I overlooked it the first time because I felt bad about the fact of how slow I read. So I just didn’t even want to, like, have a conversation about speed reading because it was just not my bag. But yeah, we met there and we—I don’t even know if we, like, really even connected, like, all that closely, but we saw each other again and again and again and again.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: Within the community.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: Like, you see all the same people, for sure.

Jared Curcio: And then you attended one of the dinners at Pershing that we had. And then next thing I know, I had way too many people who were telling me that, like, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you have to read. And that’s when the dots really connected.

Katelyn Curcio: And I was, like, wait, you’re, like, I know someone.

Jared Curcio: Isn’t there some guy that I’ve seen around that might be able to help me? And sure enough, you’re the guy. You’re the guy for it.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: So, yeah, that’s generally how we met and why you’re sitting here now. And, like, again, you host the house parties. The wholesome—what? The seed oil—how does it—what is the official title?

David Kirkpatrick: Wholesome House Party with No Seed Oils. Always, like, picture it too. I’ll do that too. Like, I’ll meet a stranger. It’s, like, let me tell you about—let me tell you about the best party in Austin. They’re fantastic parties.

Jared Curcio: They’re certainly the most, like, well-orchestrated and well, like—I don’t want to say produced because, like, that puts it in a weird connotation. It is produced. It is produced.

David Kirkpatrick: Totally puppet masters everywhere.

Jared Curcio: Well, I mean produced in the sense where it’s, like, you don’t just show up and, like, it’s a free-for-all.

Katelyn Curcio: And, like, you find one person and that’s who you’re going to talk to. Like, you break everyone up. We have talked about your house parties on our podcast before because we’ve enjoyed them so much. Like, you go to the party, you’re broken up in groups. Like, Jared and I barely see each other the entire time at the party. And you break up in groups and you discuss different topics that you make us discuss or tell us—make us.

Jared Curcio: Discuss, have us discuss for.

Katelyn Curcio: But I mean, it’s a great way to, like, meet new people. Such a great connection.

Jared Curcio: People speak, they do performances. And we’ll get into that in a little bit. But, like, because I think that’s fascinating and already mentioned, like, you’ve done a really incredible job of growing your Instagram following as well, which I have to say is also something that resonates with me pretty considerably. And, like, you’ve helped me with my own content in more than one way. So yeah, like, even though we just met on at this, like, cloudy, gloomy walk around Town Lake, it’s—we’ve—I’ve gotten a lot of value out of our connection over the last year and I hope that you feel the same way to some extent.

David Kirkpatrick: Oh, absolutely, absolutely.

Jared Curcio: So I guess, like, we can just start by, like, you—how would you describe yourself? Like, how would you, like—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, how would I describe myself?

Jared Curcio: What you do and, like, who you are and for the people who don’t know you out there in podcast world.

David Kirkpatrick: So I answer this in many different ways, like, business exchange ways. I’m always, like, figuring out what’s the first sentence that I share with someone that I think is someone to stay connected with. And this is just the concept. So this little book called Little Black Book of Connections, where a lot of people network, but they don’t spend the time to think, what is your elevator pitch or 30-second elevator pitch? And of course it changes, right? But one that I’ve come to the conclusion that I like asking people is, like, they say, oh, what do you do, David? I say, oh, well, do you think learning faster will make you more money? I don’t even tell them now. Yeah, I’m just, like, do you think learning faster will make you more money? And if they say, no, sorry, sir, you’re retarded, we’re not going to connect. I’ve never said that yet. But if they say yes, it’s, like, well, that’s what I do. If they say, yes, learning faster would make you more money, it’s, like, well, that’s what I do. I help people with their memory, their reading speed, comprehension, and focus.

Jared Curcio: That’s—

David Kirkpatrick: And then go from there.

Jared Curcio: What is the usual reaction that you get? I don’t think, first off, I don’t think that when we first met, you had that now, that—no, no, no.

David Kirkpatrick: Usually it’s, like, oh, I’m a speed reading, a memory coach. And then it goes in one ear and out the other because people aren’t ready to process that.

Jared Curcio: Yeah, look at what I—what I just said, really. Like, when I first met you, I remember—I remember you saying that. And I remember, like, not being able to really tie it to anything meaningful. So I was just, like, oh, okay.

David Kirkpatrick: And that was whatever. That content, that’s also how you do your elevator pitch is how you should do your content.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: So instead of saying, I’m a fitness coach, maybe I’ll just say, you know, you meet someone in person, a man—I think it’s okay to do this, man—if I was a fitness coach, I would be a dick. And here’s why. If you’re fat, I’d be, like, bro—they said, hey, what do you do? It’s, like, bro, why are you fat?

Jared Curcio: We grabbed coffee last week or two weeks ago, whatever that was, and we were talking content. And pretty much all of his advice to me was just, like, just insult—just insult the audience. You’re fat. Why are you so fat? Because you’re not using my services. I was, like, okay, maybe that’ll work.

David Kirkpatrick: I mean, again, who is your—your mentor? I mean, who are you? Who’s your audience, right?

Jared Curcio: No, you’re not wrong. You’re not wrong in that—it was—I was—

David Kirkpatrick: You coach high-performing men. High-performing men want more accountability.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: More men are looking for that. They don’t get enough of that. They don’t get enough of that crucial conversation.

Jared Curcio: So I guess what I would—a way that maybe you would do that is, like, I could say, like, all right, what do you do? You asked me, what do I do? And I would say, all right, David, what do you want out of life?

Katelyn Curcio: There you go.

David Kirkpatrick: Could be. That’s even better. I love processing.

Jared Curcio: Because if you said—if you said, I don’t know, what do you mean? I’d be, like, you don’t know what you want out of life? Well, I can help you with that.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah, there you go.

David Kirkpatrick: Or it’s, like, you ever feel like you lost your—you ever feel like you don’t have clarity in life? That’s what—that’s what I would say. You ever feel like you don’t have clarity in life? They say yes or no. They feel, like, yes. It’s, like, dude, what do you have clarity on? Nice. It’s, like, how does it feel to have amazing clarity? Like, oh, so good. Well, you know how other people don’t have clarity? They’re, like, yes. Oh, it’s so bad. It’s, like, those are the people I help.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: Do you know one person that needs more clarity?

Jared Curcio: So—So getting back to you, then—you help people learn faster, process information quicker, retain it longer.

David Kirkpatrick: Yes.

Jared Curcio: Retain more information longer.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: Okay, so what got you into that?

David Kirkpatrick: So I’ve had multiple rock bottoms in life, and I think that’s where all good stories come from. But the first speed reading book I read, honestly, wasn’t even that good. That’s why I read a bunch of them and that’s why I’m working on mine. That’s more research-based because they’re, like, exercises I would do but it wouldn’t work. And then I’d read a whole book and forget it. I was, like, oh my gosh, does this even work? But how I got into it was, like, I read—the fifth book I read out of 70 in a year when I had a full-time job was about reading speed and memory. It’s, like, oh my gosh, it turned—help me turn five hours’ worth of reading literally into, like, one hour because I just super bad at it. And why did I want to read in the first place? So let’s say no reading speed stuff. Let’s say it right now. Reading speed—speed reading—all that stuff is bullshit. Let’s say it right now. So now here’s your comprehension booster. Why don’t you find six books that will actually double your business revenue? Have you even asked that question? Most people don’t. So now do you—if we found those, maybe you found those—how excited are you to read them? That’s a comprehension booster right there. Motivation.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: So critical. Some people, like, they treat reading like school. You know how people are, like, school is, like, I have to hate it.

Jared Curcio: That’s how I always treat it.

David Kirkpatrick: Now they think they have to hate it in their adult life. You get to read what you want to read.

Jared Curcio: So I always feel like reading was, like, imposed on me.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: It was never, like, oh, like, choose what you want to read and go for it—or, like, or, like, hey, this will help.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. Yeah.

Jared Curcio: It was never, like, hey, this book will help you. It was literally just, like, here’s your summer reading list. And I never did myself—I never did it. Yeah, I didn’t—I remember, like, I didn’t even read anything that didn’t have pictures in it to, like, way—like, way too late—like, way too late. I remember he was your coach. I was, like, a solid, like—like, everybody else was reading Goosebumps. And it took me, like, another year and a half to even get into, like, Goosebumps. Because that was, like, too much for me, like, for me to even, like, take it. I’m dead serious. I’m not even making that up.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. A little bit more on the story of how I got into it, right? So I’m in my 9-to-5, but I just found it fascinating and interesting. So as I’m reading business books, I just, like, joined, like, some programs that probably cost me two months of my salary because I was, like, oh, this book says invest in yourself. So I should do that, right? And then I also found it fascinating. I guess I’m glad I learned early that—why don’t I just read books that make action-taking easier? Who are the biggest action-takers? Why don’t I think, like, them, right? Versus some people like to use it to procrastinate, right? Or they’ll do this. It’s, like, oh, you read a lot of books—you must not take—I don’t read books because I just want to take a lot of action. Reading is—reading a lot—massive volume of reading, I’d say, is true action-taking. It’s unique action-taking that a lot of people don’t do. 42% of college students never touch a book after graduation. Isn’t that sad?

Jared Curcio: 42%?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Whoa.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. Just Google it.

Jared Curcio: Pops up. I guess, again, I was in that—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, yeah.

Jared Curcio: But I will say, I think that there is a component of people who do read a lot of books and do not apply any—

David Kirkpatrick: Oh, yeah.

Jared Curcio: I think that is a—like—a way too big—big of a—like, portion of the population. Like, they want to learn, learn, learn, and they know all this stuff, but they don’t actually apply.

David Kirkpatrick: I think their definition of learning is also bad. I have up on my wall—I took this from Alex Hormozi—it’s written in big, bold: “My learning creates improved behavior.” Any other learning, you have to do this. If you’re learning but you’re not applying, you have to actually say so. I have a friend—he’s, like, always loves to talk about fitness and diet. But I said, in the last six months, did you gain weight or lose weight? You gained weight. So I was, like, you have to say it out loud right now is you don’t know what the heck you’re doing. Yeah, you don’t know what you’re doing.

Jared Curcio: Say it.

David Kirkpatrick: And if you don’t say it, it’s, like, no, no, no—I know what I need to do—I’m just not doing it. Your teachability index is actually zero. And you download nothing. And now you’re still not just fat, but a dumbass too.

Jared Curcio: See, he always—you take the mean route with that.

David Kirkpatrick: I love it.

Jared Curcio: It’s a tactic. It is a tactic. It is a tactic. You’re allowed to do that.

David Kirkpatrick: Then I’ll also say, but you know what? I love you still, even though you’re fat and dumb. Truly.

Jared Curcio: I know you do. And you mean that from the bottom of your heart.

David Kirkpatrick: I do.

Jared Curcio: I can tell. So, all right, so you—you said you hit rock bottom. So let’s, like, kind of back up. Let’s talk a little bit about your background and what those multiple rock bottoms looked like. And then we’ll take it into, like, how you—how you created David Reads Fast.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Which is the brand at David Reads Fast—Instagram and probably other places as well—at David Reads—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, David Reads Fast—YouTube and Instagram.

Jared Curcio: It’s simple. It’s to the point.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Nails it.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. I’d say when I—when people ask my story, I say, well, have you ever felt like you fell behind and you couldn’t catch up with everyone? And that happened to me with college. I saw all my friends get dream jobs, same degree as me. I was doing everything right, supposedly, on the paper, on the books, but they all got the jobs while I had to go move back in with my parents.

Jared Curcio: What degree?

David Kirkpatrick: It was a Computer Science specializing in video game design. I thought I was doing great. I was in the numbers, good grades. But then I just could not get a job. Could I get a job? And then it was just, like, a downward spiral for a year and a half. Even with the degree, I’m back with my parents, I can’t get a job. Embarrassing. I was embarrassed. I was, like, is it even hard for me to just, like, ask for help from people? And a lot of people can’t do that. It’s, like, it’s really easy to isolate. Back then, me, I was—I would—I was never planning to have a business. I just wanted to get a job—nice, nice, and steady.

Jared Curcio: Make video games.

David Kirkpatrick: Make video games. Yeah. Have something nice, soft, and stable.

Jared Curcio: So how old are you now?

David Kirkpatrick: I’m 30. I turned 30 last month.

Jared Curcio: Yeah, we just celebrated it. So this was going back maybe seven this year? Seven, eight years? Is that what we’re talking about, like, coming out of college?

David Kirkpatrick: Gosh, now you’re making me think, how old am I?

Jared Curcio: You can—you can read, but you can’t do math.

David Kirkpatrick: It’s, like, I plotted out that, like, the—like, I don’t even want to think about it.

Katelyn Curcio: He did that, too, for his life.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: People, I think, naturally do that.

Jared Curcio: For sure.

David Kirkpatrick: I just, like, don’t—

Jared Curcio: So—but it’s—we’re talking approaching a decade or so ago was when you were—

David Kirkpatrick: No, like, maybe three—maybe, like, four years ago.

Jared Curcio: Okay. Okay. Wow.

David Kirkpatrick: And then two and a half years ago, was it—I got that—I got laid off. I have to check. It was two and a half or three years ago is when I officially got laid off from that job. But the story was, like—it was, like, hard at home, too, because it’s a big family, small house. My dad has so much stuff. My dad collects books. It’s kind of why I hated them, because I was, like, no one reads these books anywhere. They’re everywhere. They take up space.

Jared Curcio: Can’t we actually collect the books?

David Kirkpatrick: Collected a lot of things.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: And I love my dad. He knows I love him. But, like, some family members just have a lot of stuff.

Jared Curcio: Yeah. Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: And I was, like, yeah—I didn’t like that. But I remember at one point, I just couldn’t take it at home anymore.

Jared Curcio: This is in California?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. And I, like, lived out of my car for a bit. Small, little, tiny car. And then when I had that year and a half of just, like, being a disturbed man, I’d say, is what—

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Now that I look back at it, I didn’t call it depression or anxiety, but honestly, that probably what it was before that. So this made me feel like how I felt, like, in fifth grade. Because in fifth grade, I actually flunked. I was, like, stupid, and I called myself stupid, and I hated it. And then I had—so I had to share the same grade with my little brother. And people, like, oh, you guys twins? I was, like, no. And that’s why I had to, like, felt like I had to admit the shame that I have that I share a grade with my little brother. I couldn’t pretend that, oh, I’m just in fifth grade. I could have—I was, like, I wish I could.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: So I kind of had some anger towards my brother with that. And then we talked about—he processed it now, but I’d, like, wouldn’t treat him nicely anytime after that because he’s a reminder—my brother is—so sad—it was a reminder of how dumb I was, like, and dumb—it’s, like, being a dumb kid—it’s, like, part of—it’s not even, like, the IQ—it’s, like, can I even, like, make friends? Can I even, like, be, like, emotional? Kind of, like, couldn’t do that.

Jared Curcio: So I—I always—I don’t even know if this is okay to say on a pod—I don’t—this is just interesting—I always felt growing up, like, the kids that were labeled dumb, like, sure, there was certainly some dumb kids, but I always felt like there were so many kids that were, like, labeled dumb. And then I would interact with them—I’d be, like, I don’t—like, you’re in, like, the dumb classes—like, I don’t understand why—like, I—I don’t really grasp it. And you telling me this is kind of reminiscent of that because I feel like if I knew you as a child, if you were anything like you are right now, which, like, of course you were to some extent, I feel like I’d be, like, you’re not dumb—like, why are—

David Kirkpatrick: And—

Jared Curcio: And I think there’s something to that where it’s, like, they say Einstein, like, flunked algebra and, like, Eminem, like, failed ninth grade English twice. Meanwhile, he’s, like, the greatest lyricist of all time. And here you are, the guy who flunked fifth grade, and you’re teaching people how to read fast and retain more—have taught me how to read faster and retain more information and—and comprehend it more quickly—and, like, not just that, but, like, make better decisions in what I’m even choosing to read in the first place—so, like, what do you make of that?

David Kirkpatrick: I’d say emotional—some reading Emotional Intelligence right now by Daniel Goleman. Because I know and have met Ken Leonard, the guy who runs Mozart’s Coffee, and he recommended that book.

Jared Curcio: So where he runs—

Katelyn Curcio: Oh, that’s right.

David Kirkpatrick: Book club. Every week.

Jared Curcio: Right.

David Kirkpatrick: I’m trying to collaborate with him on something. But when a multimillionaire recommends the book—yes, for sure, you should read it. But I’d say what’s more important than some IQ is EQ and specifically confidence for children. So there’s—imagine if there was a class that let kids be more confident and dream.

Katelyn Curcio: Yep.

David Kirkpatrick: That’s more powerful than the little, like, IQ stuff that they have and the—

Katelyn Curcio: Standardized testing and the pressure of, like, getting the grades that you need. Yeah. Teaching people how to be creative and—yeah—have that emotional intelligence, the connection, communication.

Jared Curcio: Expand your mind. Think laterally, think critically as opposed to, like, here’s what you need to know—learn it or die.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah—or, like, yeah, you’re not going to pass your standardized test.

Jared Curcio: Is that—do you feel like that has something to do with it? Like, you just didn’t have the ability to sort of be yourself, be creative, and you felt like it was too much, like, hey, read this—or, like, perish, basically.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah. And go deeper—go even deeper—okay—for kids, it’s also—so there’s a book called 30 Million Words. If you’re a parent, if you have—you have kids or a kid—I’ll give you the shortcut of this book—30 Million Words—you don’t need to read it—you should read to your kids every night as much as you can for brain development, because then they will be the kid that sits in class and they just absorb it and don’t have to do much versus the kid who doesn’t have their parents read to them—they’re struggling. And it’s super hard for me. I had something happen to me when I was, like, 10, 11—it’s, like, family members—I was, like, pretty traumatic.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Kind of not a happy thing.

Jared Curcio: Sure.

David Kirkpatrick: But that will affect brain development, and that’s probably what happened to me.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: But yeah, okay.

Katelyn Curcio: For sure.

David Kirkpatrick: It wasn’t me not doing my homework—I’ll tell you—that happens at home—that really—yeah—scrambles the brain, without a doubt.

Jared Curcio: So you come out of that—you come out of childhood, you want to become a—you want to start making video games—anything around that that’s, like, interesting to dive into—around, like, your—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Desire to—

David Kirkpatrick: And what got me into that was honestly my mom—amazing—she valued education so much. And then I think when I was in college, she actually started to go to college.

Katelyn Curcio: Really?

David Kirkpatrick: It was, like, wow. But I remember in high school, as I still honestly had that, like, brain fog of honestly probably, like, hating myself and still not happy—I was taking every day, day by day, even after high school. And then my mom was, like, oh, you should value education—you should go to community college—like, the next day, I had to go and take placement tests. And it’s only because of her—she’s, like, you know what? Just do Computer Science. I didn’t know—it was, like, I trust my mom, and sometimes a step forward is better than just waiting and doing nothing.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: So I’m glad I did—I don’t do it anymore, but it trains discipline and makes you stronger. And my mom bought, like, a course—a kids’ course—for my siblings on, like, make a Minecraft mod. And none of them did it—I was, like, you know what, Mom? I will do it—okay. And I spent the whole summer doing it—I loved it—like, this little kids’ course on, like, programming. And I think that’s what sparked—sparked it for me.

Jared Curcio: Very cool. Awesome. So—but obviously rough period there in terms of finding a job, finding one that you enjoyed, sticking with it—and it’s—you mentioned that you got—you got fired from that position.

David Kirkpatrick: 400 people got laid off from that job. And that was a year before the huge tech layoff—so they had some insider stuff, I guess, from there, from their people. But I was probably not performing—sure—as well as they wanted—totally fine—and I could see why—why it was—I’m a person who loves people.

Jared Curcio: Mm.

David Kirkpatrick: Talking to people there—I was siloed—mm.

Jared Curcio: Definitely.

David Kirkpatrick: I just—yeah—not—not me.

Jared Curcio: Yeah. All right. And did you—did you know that at the time, or did you have to—

David Kirkpatrick: Had to go through it?

Jared Curcio: You had to go through it to learn that?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Okay, so let’s go through that and then, like, how you come out on the other end as David Reads Fast.

David Kirkpatrick: Okay, so here it is—during that job—now that you say that, I think during that job, I was, like, okay—I had read, like, maybe a handful of books—I was, like, oh, my gosh, these handful of books I was gonna go for—the salary I got was double than was what was intended—so I was, like, okay, a handful of books help me sell better or market better, write a better resume or, like, build some projects that get someone to want to hire me—get—hire me—and—but then now I feel like my mind was infiltrated by all these CEOs and millionaires and big dreams—I was, like, okay—that’s why during that job, I wasn’t just doing the job—I was waking up at 5, meditate every day—oh, my gosh.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: You can’t let your environment stop blaming your environment for, like, your losses—there’s, like, so much victim stuff that helped me shift out of that because I’m living with my parents, and it’s really easy to absorb your parents’ patterns—all these patterns—but I do that—do my courses, read, work 9-to-5—you want to get out of here 9-to-5—spend full-time on yourself—it’s—it’s simple, but it’s, like, it’s easy to get caught up—I wouldn’t hang out with specific friends. And then after those jobs, I get an ad for Patrick Bet-David’s business conference that I love, and I go—first time ever by myself—I’ve never been on the East Coast—I’ve never even, like, bought a plane ticket just for myself—really like that—and then I’m around all these people, and then I’m just talking to business owners, like, oh, you read—oh, well, you know your reading speed, right? I’m assuming people know their reading speed—you’re a high performer—why would you spend months to read a book? Or you could finish it faster—like, wait, no—do you not know you can improve it? It’s, like, no—what? That’s possible—okay, great—yeah, I’ll help you. And then I figured out that I should read books on, like, pricing or how to sell—it’s, like, well, how do people, like, get paid? Because, like, I’m laid off now—I can’t do this for free anymore—so I went from, like, $0 to, like, $100—I remember I couldn’t even sell people on the $0—I called people, was, like, this is stupid—wow, this is stupid—or, like, a hundred dollars—like, $100—no, not worth—I can picture the guy now—he loves me, but couldn’t even convince somebody, like, hey, pay me a hundred dollars, double your reading speed—like, nah, I’m good—I was, like, what?

Jared Curcio: Wow.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: Well, because he was just saying, I’ll increase your speed reading, but not, like, adding to—like, I can add so much value to your life—if you speed read, like, this is what you’re going to be able to get out of it—and now that you have that, of course, like, who wouldn’t want to sign up for that?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: So—so—so you leave the nine-to-five—you start working on yourself—you—we’re big meditators—so you mentioned meditating—what—what—what—

Katelyn Curcio: Did you read that?

Jared Curcio: Yeah—what—what flipped the switch for you to make that daily habit?

David Kirkpatrick: Oh, my gosh—meditation—best things—

Jared Curcio: Me—

David Kirkpatrick: Donald Trump—no, I’m kidding—maybe he meditates.

Jared Curcio: That’s basically an impression of me on almost every other episode of the podcast.

David Kirkpatrick: A book called Altered Traits—just because I think it’d be cool to improve my ability to sell meditation to people—but three books—I read, like, all three of Dr. Joe Dispenza’s books in three weeks—it was The Placebo Effect, Becoming Supernatural, and then Dr. Joe Dispenza—but now for me, I’m a Christian, so there’s specific things that I don’t agree with in that book—saying that right now—but I will still learn from it and watch it with my objective lens—but what that book did in sell me on was a meditation—so do you want to enhance your prefrontal cortex, make better decisions? You should do that—you want more willpower to do things—you ever feel like you—you want to—there are things you know you need to do, but you’re just not doing it—meditation will help you with that—it’s just never-ending.

Jared Curcio: Yep—okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: That’s incredible—you heard it here first—I can’t say enough good things about meditation—that’s 100% right—okay, so meditation—and you were doing the speed reading, and then—so you were—you just, like, in that speed reading, like, mindset at that time, because that is sort of what you were picking up on, which is why when you went to the Patrick Bet-David event, that was sort of, like, at the front of your mind when you’re talking to these entrepreneurs and asking them their reading speed, for example—was it, like, becoming a passion for you at that point, or was it just, like, something that you were, like, curious about?

David Kirkpatrick: No, it was just something I was interested and fascinated about—it was not out of business—it was, like, cool—you should honestly do this—how are you not interested in this? Or I can’t believe I’d say things—I can’t believe you haven’t read this book yet in your business for 10 years—like, The E-Myth Revisited—boom—you just bought it right now.

Katelyn Curcio: I feel like we need to add a little, like, at the end, like, your top five for this—your top five for this.

David Kirkpatrick: I have a top ten on my blog—we’ll share it.

Jared Curcio: Okay, cool—yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: And then we’ll put your top 10.

Jared Curcio: Top 10 books—that’s gonna be a tough one.

David Kirkpatrick: I know—it is—we could do specific—we could do this—I like this—problem-solution—oh, my gosh—we should talk about the crazy, maybe billionaire mentor I had in Austin.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: That’s, like, full of stories.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

Katelyn Curcio: Okay.

Jared Curcio: I guess, because we can get into that—but it sounds like—and what I’m piecing together is, like, you were pretty interested and fascinated with speed reading and comprehension—that was something that was, like, coming to light for you at that point—you went to the conference—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: You were meeting these entrepreneurs—you’re realizing that there was, like, a pain point for a lot of them—so it’s, like, you’re blending your passion with a pain that you’re noticing, but there was still a pain on your end, which was not knowing how to actually sell people on it—so then, okay, like, let’s get to the billionaire guy—but I want to hear the next phase of, like, okay, we have passion, we have pain—how do we turn that into an actual business?

David Kirkpatrick: Passion, pain, business—and then I’ll do mentor—just make it, like, linear.

Jared Curcio: Perfect.

David Kirkpatrick: So from the books, I read one that I like—super simple—Donald Miller, Building a StoryBrand—so I love that book.

Jared Curcio: Great—great framework—if you’re—

David Kirkpatrick: If you’re a slow person that doesn’t like to read, just skip the page—I think 78—find the link—find the link and do the worksheet that he gives you for $0.

Jared Curcio: You can find it online.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, you can find it online.

Jared Curcio: So easy to come across, and it’s fantastic.

David Kirkpatrick: So that book made me realize I need to figure out what are the things that they always say if you know the stories within their mind that they say around your product—so it’s, like, well, David, I fall asleep when I read—well, David, why would I read? Because I’ll forget—well, David, why would I read faster? Because I won’t comprehend anything—well, David, can’t you read too many books or—well, David, I don’t need to read or learn more—I just need to take action—not this shit memorized—but it’s just, like, that is what helped me because I’d say things that I was interested in, but they’re not interested in it—so doesn’t matter what I’m interested in—it’s, like, find their stories and then that’ll move them over—yeah, I’d say—but for anyone that’s trying to do a coaching business, like I talked to them, it’s, like, okay, how many clients have you had? How many people have even helped for free? I have a lot of people for free—just so, like, it’s, like, okay, $0—after I couldn’t even sell them $100—you know, I’ve regressed—$0—but give me a video testimony, I will help you for free—so do that—does it even work, right? So that was my hypothesis—it’s, like, how would I like to sell people for free? Yeah—figure it out from there—and read books in the meantime—so $100 Million Offers help me with pricing—so much.

Jared Curcio: Awesome book too—another great—

David Kirkpatrick: So much—but yeah, to really answer your question, even more, I’d say that helped me figure out the pain, which is their stories—and then doing the work helped me get the testimonials, the proof of work—is this even viable? Yeah, right—and you could do that for $0—all that stuff for $0—and then to turn it into a business is just how can you keep serving people, over-delivering?

Jared Curcio: I’d say—yeah, I was going to say you’ve also clearly done a really good job with, like, networking specifically—again, that’s how we met—not just the first time, but the second time and a few times thereafter—and, like, you—you have, like, a great—a great brand down, a great sales pitch, clearly a great message, and you’re fantastic at delivering it—did that come with time? Is it something that clicked immediately? How does that evolve for you—reps?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, time—time isn’t real—come on, seriously, let’s talk about it—like, the more people you talk to—and I’d say do it in person because, like, you want to, like, test the message—but some people want to do that with ads—I would say go do it face-to-face—look them in the face, shake their hands, see the response in real time—you’ll feel it more at a cellular level—yep—also potentially rejection therapy—some people are just not interested—I talk to somebody’s, like, oh my gosh, is a perfect fit—but if they don’t believe certain principles, they’re not—they’re not a fit—there are some people—I will—they will never read—they will never speed read—I’m okay with it—and so are they—yeah.

Jared Curcio: Yep—yeah—cool.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, yeah.

Jared Curcio: All right—it makes sense—all right, let’s talk about the—let’s talk about the billionaire guy—and then I do want to talk about the party—the house parties too.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Like, cool.

David Kirkpatrick: Quickly, I’ll feed people—so, like, podcasters, I noticed this—your guys’ podcast is different—but they’ll say, David, just give me, like, give them the quick tips—give them the quick tips—so I’ll try to give you guys some quick tips—three tips to increase your reading speed—and I’ll tell you what is even a good reading speed, because no speed reading book ever answers this—they’ll say it, but then they cite no sources, which pisses me off.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: My book will—it’s number one.

Jared Curcio: When can we expect the book?

David Kirkpatrick: Three months.

Jared Curcio: Okay—sweet—okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, I actually have been working on it.

Jared Curcio: All right—awesome—I know—I know you have been—I just didn’t know the time.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, cool—number one is using your finger or a pen as you read from left to right—okay—just do that basic—there are more advanced movements you could use, but do that because that’s going to give you a rhythmic eye movement—give you rhythmic eye movement—so they—one thing that they’ve done in the past—early 19th century—they’d actually rub cocaine on people’s eyes, attach some, like, wires to, like, track their eye movement—and the people who are slow readers tend to be—have more erratic—all over the place—eye movement—always go back and regress and, like—but the efficient readers actually have rhythmic eye movement—so just think, like, with tennis, you’re, like, moving smoothly—so you could do a metronome but—something like that—right—good eye movement—they’re also—every time they place their eye—a more skilled reader—and see how I say skilled reader, not really fast reader, because that’s—I think that’s a better definition.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: The skilled reader—every time they place their eyes, they’re getting more information every time they place their eyes than the person who’s a slow reader—so that’s, like, honestly having, like, a bigger shovel for information and download—right—so that’s one—the pacer—two is try to read groups of words and not look at each individual word—right—and skilled readers already do this naturally—and people actually do have vision issues—so if you have vision issues, read some books—I’ll put them in the description on, like, holistic vision healing—there are books—imagine this—most people don’t know this—that help you get off your glasses—I don’t need these glasses.

Jared Curcio: They’re just style and blue light blocking—right?

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah—the—the vision healing stuff—again, don’t do Lasik—awful—that, like, messes with your brain—it actually does—look into it—glasses you can get off of them—but just know your vision can be improved—a lot of people don’t know that—if you have peripheral vision issues, you’re actually getting, like, less information—less bits of information—so there’s actually a three or four different studies showing peripheral vision expansion—visual span training—which isn’t just vision span expansion—it’s actually your brain’s visual processing is just better—they’ve seen with six bits of information—more with your vision coming in, you’ll get, like, a 38 to 41% increase in your reading speed—and there’s one study that was from—what is it? I think it was in Saudi Arabia, and they had, like, 50 students that they tested—all ESL students—English as a Second Language—and they went from, like, 78 to 103 to 108 words per minute, which is pretty slow—but 33% increase is pretty good for just training that alone—last thing—three is minimizing subvocalization—not so that’s the voice in your head—do you read out loud when you read? Try to lower that—okay—and I’m not saying eliminate subvocalization—subvocalization, like, a lot of books tell you to, because that’s really hard and very impossible—mm—but there’s a book called The Psychology of Reading by Keith Rayner where they, like, put a bunch of—what is it called? EMG—they put a bunch of wires on people’s necks.

Jared Curcio: Sure.

David Kirkpatrick: Right—to, like, measure how much are you activating your voice when you read? Turns out slow readers—ineffective readers—activate their voice way more—interesting—but the skilled readers do it way less—all right, so it’s also the theory is that as you get better, it’s an indicator that you need to do it less—right—that’s a big thing—that’s why a lot of people try to eliminate it but then get no progress.

Jared Curcio: Sure.

David Kirkpatrick: Because partly it’s partly just a symptom of you getting better.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Right—so those are the three that I’m trying to give you with detail.

Jared Curcio: That’s—that’s—I mean, when you were first, like, walking me through, like, how you were going to help, I was still a little bit skeptical—not because of you—I was skeptical that I was not capable of reading any faster, I guess.

Katelyn Curcio: Like, why did you decide to move—

David Kirkpatrick: Forward with the program?

Jared Curcio: Yeah, so the reason why I wanted to move—well, why I wanted to move forward or why I wanted to do it in the first place?

David Kirkpatrick: Because I think you should start with—because this would help a lot of viewers—like, what was your identity as a reader or even, like, a non-reader, right?

Jared Curcio: Slow reader—didn’t like reading—I fell asleep when I read—I didn’t have time for it.

Katelyn Curcio: All the things that you just listed.

Jared Curcio: Literally all of them—I wouldn’t say that I ever said that—like, I can’t remember the stuff that I read—I always, like, feel like I’ve had a good memory—so I never identified as having a bad memory, but I definitely identified as somebody who just, like, it was slow, it was taxing, it was really energy—like, I expended a lot of energy just to read—and it would, like, just fall asleep—in fact, like, I would always bring it on vacation—I would read it—I read a book on a plane, and I would fall asleep in the first five minutes—and, like, I just—I fall asleep on planes—so that’s—it was my excuse to pretend like I was going to read a book, and I knew that I was going to fall asleep anyway—this way I could look smart on the plane with, like, a book—but—but then I realized as time went on, I told the story about how Tony Robbins read 700 books in seven years—I want to be the short Shaq Tony Robbins—well, if that’s the case, I better learn how to read, because I probably read seven books in seven years, if that—and just in general, I’m big on synchronicities, and I just noticed that over time—read this book—you should be reading more—like, that just kept pounding me in the face enough where I had to go, okay, am I gonna just, like, let—am I gonna be, like, an absolute dunce and not accept the information that the universe is beating me over the head with? I better do something about it—just so happens that I met you—that’s another thing—the synchronicity is, like, I became friendly with you, and I’m, like, well, I have somebody that can actually help me with this—so why wouldn’t I at least explore that as an option? But to your point, of the three things that you just mentioned, the thing that really put me over the top, because I was still, like, feeling that it just wasn’t going to be a good fit for me personally, was when you said, like, read this page of this book—and I read it, and I noticed you noticed that I was looking at every single word on the page—my eye was moving every word—so if you think of a book and you think of all the lines on the page, if there’s what, 20 words, 25 words per line, maybe, like, my eye was moving 20 times per line—and you just said, okay, well, instead of doing that, just, like, open up your gaze a little bit, like, expand your peripheral vision, take a little bit of a step back from the book—and rather than, like, erratically, like, reading word-for-word, hit it, like, three times or four times over the line—like, read it more rhythmically—and within the first 20 seconds, I was, like, oh, okay, here’s my money, here’s my money.

Katelyn Curcio: He’s, like, I don’t know how to read.

Jared Curcio: I literally was, like, I have been reading wrong my entire life—and I think that’s how most people are—I think most people are reading wrong because even the way that they teach you to read is based on the letters and sounding out words—so you start to learn in this really, like, rudimentary sound-out-words kind of way—by the end of the six- or seven-week period of working with you, I was able to look at a paragraph and just loop my eyes over the paragraph, like, an infinity sign a couple times—and you get to absorb all that information because you’re not reading it word-for-word, you’re reading it more—you said with the right side of your brain, as opposed to the left side of the brain, is the way you described it—where rather than, like, if there’s a sentence where something is, like, the blue dog jumped on the table—is this the example that you use? Am I making this up?

David Kirkpatrick: No, you’re very, very accurate.

Jared Curcio: Okay—the blue dog jumped on the table—it’s, like, if you’re building that picture in your mind word-for-word, you’re starting with blue—okay—a blue what? A blue dog—okay—now we’re building, like, this picture in our head, like, one word at a time, and it’s all out of order—and so then we’re reading it, then we have to put it together in our brain, and then we have to make sense of it versus absorbing the whole block of text as a whole—you’re—in the way you do it over the course of the several weeks, like, you start to realize how to read more with the right side of your brain and, like, paint a picture in your mind as opposed to a line of text.

Katelyn Curcio: And you’re also going to remember that more—yeah, I imagine—correct?

Jared Curcio: Yeah, absolutely.

Katelyn Curcio: Because you’re building that in your brain.

Jared Curcio: And by just looping my—my eyes over the page, you kind of, like, pull in the fragments of it and you can form the whole picture almost at once as opposed to in this, like, seemingly linear way that actually is out of order and out of sequence from how your brain is going to comprehend—it does—it does that—was that good? I felt like I made a lot of sense there.

David Kirkpatrick: Are you a speed reading? Because I was—phenomenal.

Jared Curcio: I just had a really good one.

David Kirkpatrick: Good.

Jared Curcio: No, I have told everybody about it—I can’t, like, recommend it enough—if you think that you’re a slow reader, you’re just not reading right—that’s really what it comes down to—you’re just not doing it appropriately—and you taught me that—so thank you very much—I’m forever indebted because I am no longer a slow reader—now I’m an average-speed reader—I’m actually—

Katelyn Curcio: Would you say you’re a skilled reader?

Jared Curcio: I would say I’m a skilled reader—I would absolutely say I am.

Katelyn Curcio: Like, you’re changing the word in there.

David Kirkpatrick: I love this story that Jared shared—so after Jared read, what was it? Six books in six weeks?

Jared Curcio: Seven books.

David Kirkpatrick: Seven books.

Jared Curcio: I started a week early.

David Kirkpatrick: This guy was on a boat—and then—do you remember that story? You want to share it?

Jared Curcio: Yeah, I was on a boat and I was saying, like, yeah, I just—just went through a speed reading courtship—I read seven books in seven weeks and, like, everybody, like, gasped out loud—audible gasp—audible gasp—wow—seven books in seven weeks—they, like—like I was some smart brainiac or something—the other thing that I think is important, because this is the question that I get a lot is, so, like, you could just read anything all at the same speed and it’s, like, no, of course not—like, you read everything according, like, in relation to how complex it is—so something that’s really simple—I can read a lot faster than I could previously—but something that’s more complex, will it take more time than something that’s simple? Absolutely—but I’m still reading it and comprehending it faster than I would have otherwise—so it’s not like you’re reading everything at the same pace.

David Kirkpatrick: And what I tell people—most people have, like, a one-speed car for their reading speed where you unlocked four different gears—yeah, more gears—and they actually call this—gosh, what’s the guy’s name? Whatever—Rauding or something—it’s a weird scientific name for, like, different speeds and things like that—well, yeah, super important—one thing I tell people is you’ve got to pay the dumb tax—and a guy that started the Flow Research Collective, Stephen Kotler—so read his book The Art of Impossible—and his stuff is all about creativity, high performance, flow states, focus—and he has a chapter, I think it’s chapter 11, called the ROI of Reading—and one thing he says is, like, look, if you want to boost comprehension, especially for speed reading, I’d say you need to read the top five books of any industry—then you start to get compounding exponential results of comprehension—why? Because your brain has more mental models of what this guy’s going to say, a better vocabulary—so—because if this is how I think of it with speed reading, when you see your first and last name up on the wall, how long did it take you to read that?

Jared Curcio: No time.

David Kirkpatrick: Because just no time—you didn’t have to sound it out—look at each one—so what if you could have that processing power with 80% of the English vocabulary or 80% of what they say in sales books or marketing books or copywriting books, what would that do for your business? Right? And that’s just reps—look at those biceps.

Jared Curcio: Just, like—just, like, reps—reps, baby.

David Kirkpatrick: Yes.

Jared Curcio: In the gym—effort, consistency over time—we only have a few minutes left—so would you rather talk about the billionaire or would you rather talk about your housewarming—your house parties?

David Kirkpatrick: Because I could do both—let’s go—okay—so crazy billionaire dude—I have a book club.

Jared Curcio: Hopefully he’s not—

Katelyn Curcio: Would you also promote that book club? Because that’s—I think—really great that you—

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, just message me—David Reads Fast—if you want the information—super easy—or readingforresults.com with the number four—but this guy was one of the craziest mentors I had—is he sociopathic or narcissistic? Maybe—is a billionaire, I don’t know—but he’s, like, smart guy—maybe almost, like, 500 IQ—and he—we—he taught me to, like—like, honestly, how to sell, how to market in very interesting ways—I’d, like, go set up a table on Rainey Street, sell pizza or—one interesting thing he had us do is, like, quickly write a book with someone—and we based the book on a book that was in his head—and then we altered it—and the book was titled—I’ll show you the photo of the book cover too—because we actually printed out and everything—made it look like a real book—it was called What They Don’t Teach You at Stanford Business School About Punchline Vagina Whispering—and we were on the street selling that and promoting that to people—and it’s so funny—like, the people that hated it, I didn’t like them anyway—but the people who loved it thought it was funny—women found it the funniest and were most interested and, like, came home, was, like, what is this about? Are you the vagina?

Jared Curcio: How did you meet this guy and what was, like, this—

David Kirkpatrick: At my book club—at my book club—some people hate him, some people love him, but this guy could, like, cold-read people who’d, like, meet you, ask maybe three questions—now he knows, like, your whole life—or, like, just, like, oh, you see that woman over there? It’s, like, yeah, well, she’s two-times divorced—I was, like, how do you know? And then we go talk to her—two-times divorced—just so, like, super-computer dude—but he burned me out like crazy because, like, to get to that point of, like, a lot of money, they’re very, very different and then have their own intentions for them—so, like, why are you being a mentor in the first place? For me, honestly, this guy was bored and had no friends—I was, like, literally his only friend—some people would jump on the mentor, like, camp with me, but then, like, burn out—but I learned a lot about the party.

Jared Curcio: So he’s not gonna be at the—at the book club—

David Kirkpatrick: No—homie’s too much—dude’s too much.

Jared Curcio: Okay, I gotta get this guy’s name.

David Kirkpatrick: I’ll tell you later—that that’ll be a two-hour conversation—okay—but the Wholesome House Party with No Seed Oils—I did that because I love—I never got to really have a party or parties at my house because the house was just so messy—and I did Wholesome House Party with No Seed Oils because I want healthy food and I want good, nice vibes—I want wholesomeness—and I had a party—a potluck—but people brought, like, Doritos and stuff like that—and they’re, like, oh, you can keep this and eat it later throughout the week—I was, like, absolutely not—what can I add in the name that’s funny? And, like, would get people to bring good food.

Jared Curcio: Exactly.

David Kirkpatrick: And that was that—and then I read the book The 2-Hour Cocktail Party—books amplify life—and I used that so I could have the breakout groups because I’m—no one likes parties that are, like, cliquey—you just hang out with your friends—boring—people want to meet new people.

Katelyn Curcio: Yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: So that’s—that party.

Jared Curcio: It feels like—it doesn’t feel like a party—it feels like an event—it feels like—

David Kirkpatrick: I’ve heard that.

Jared Curcio: Yeah.

Katelyn Curcio: It’s so fun.

Jared Curcio: It feels like a thing that, like, you’re a party—just feels like you show up and you just kind of have to, like, put on—I—I don’t love small talk—so, like, small talk in general—I’m more of a big-talk kind of guy—so it’s, like, what do you do? How do you do it? How was your week? Like, that kind of stuff drives me crazy—but we show up and you have topics—they’re interesting topics—again—people getting up and—and giving little two-minute tiny talks—performances—there was a fire dancer at the last one for your birthday—it was—it’s always incredible—it’s always, like, a lot of fun—and everybody—you could tell—is genuinely enjoying themselves—and then—yeah, there’s plenty of food—and you’re not going to get inflammation from those pesky seed oils either—so I just wanted to highlight that.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Wrap time.

Katelyn Curcio: Oh, yeah.

Jared Curcio: Any final questions for David?

Katelyn Curcio: No, we’ll—we’ll put your top 10—we’ll make sure we get that.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah, let’s—

Jared Curcio: Okay, I’m gonna say—I’m just gonna come up with a quick topic—I’m gonna ask you for your top five books in this genre.

David Kirkpatrick: In the genres—go.

Jared Curcio: Let me think—all right—top five books on—real quick—you already said meditation—you’re already talking about some business stuff—

David Kirkpatrick: Thinking and decision-making—I really liked The Road Less Stupid—decision-making—The Road Less Stupid—I could use help with better operations—and that book is, like, 30 grand worth of consulting—because what is consulting? Questions that you should have asked yourself already.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Didn’t have lens—and that’s what that book does for you—so it’s, like, read it—workbook—read it—workbook—because it’s, like, every chapter is money.

Jared Curcio: What was it called?

David Kirkpatrick: The Road Less Stupid.

Jared Curcio: The Road Less—

David Kirkpatrick: And then for bigger thinking—more leverage—10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan—so because you’re doing 1x right now in your business and life, and then if you do 2x, it’s just more of what you’re already doing—so you’re going to burn out—right—10x is shifting into so much more that you can’t possibly do what you’re doing now—so that you have to have some big changes—and that book helps guide you.

Jared Curcio: Cool.

David Kirkpatrick: Guide you through that—I really like the book Attached for relationships—phenomenal—you think you understand attachment theory and all that stuff, but then that book has quizzes, all that stuff—so you could stop dating the same person—single people—shout out—they’re okay—us—we got some work to do—yeah—got two more—two more—sales and—Sell or Be Sold for a basic one.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Closing is not your problem—it’s nice if you’re getting a lot of objections around the end, because it’s not—everyone’s, like, oh, you got to be a good closer—no, that’d be a good framer—that’s what that book talks about.

Jared Curcio: Close them in from the start.

David Kirkpatrick: And then Flip the Script is also a good one by Oren Klaff, who talks about framing—and he would raise tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars—so why don’t you go learn from an expert negotiator who is flown out to raise money or make money for people when they know they’re, like, they can’t even do it.

Jared Curcio: You’ve read Pitch Anything, I’m assuming?

David Kirkpatrick: No, I didn’t have it because I had a friend tell me about both—but Flip the Script was the newer one—but, you know, I might as well read where he came from—but apparently Pitch Anything was his—he—he’s more developed from Flip the Script, but Pitch Anything—I’ve heard he might be slightly—a little bit more aggressive with the frame control.

Jared Curcio: Yeah, aggressive—yeah.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah—he’s more toned down for, like, the modern—

Jared Curcio: That makes sense.

David Kirkpatrick: Modern—

Jared Curcio: It’s—it’s still—there’s still a lot of really good stuff to get from Pitch Anything in my—it’s my favorite book.

David Kirkpatrick: I want to read it.

Jared Curcio: It’s my favorite sales book—book, personally—yeah—and then one more—you got one more—

David Kirkpatrick: One more—problem—problem—it’s always around—problem—

Katelyn Curcio: Do you ever read, like, spiritual books—

David Kirkpatrick: Or, like, that’s what Joe Dispenza’s book was about—and then that was also Ask and It Is Given—that one’s really good.

Jared Curcio: What’s that?

David Kirkpatrick: So—well, I’d say the biggest thing from there is that people see—they think there’s negative and positive emotions—there’s no such thing as a negative emotion—see it as a notification for something you need to improve upon—like depression—like, you just—a lot of depression is, like, how focused are you on yourself versus just giving to other people—the secret to living is giving—and that comes from Tony Robbins—what a speed reader—2025 January podcast—Patrick Bet-David—16:38 minutes in—maybe into that podcast, he said that he read 700 books in seven years—and he said that I’m a speed reader, so if you want to make money, maybe you should read.

Jared Curcio: And he’s a billionaire, so—

David Kirkpatrick: And he’s a billionaire and—oh, my gosh, I know we’re out of time, but the next—go for it—video, honestly—well, the biggest objection I hear is, like, David, I don’t like books because I like audiobooks—well, do you learn to remember and do you learn to, like, develop focus? Focus is important to me—so which one builds better focus? Probably reading—which one helps you remember it—books—also, like, what’s active learning and what’s passive learning? If you want a shortcut, that’s what—

Jared Curcio: It comes down to—

David Kirkpatrick: Active learning versus passive learning.

Katelyn Curcio: I think you did, like a little story snippet of it, like last week or something, and it was very. I was very engaged with it. I was like, this makes complete sense. And yeah, like, obviously if you’re just listening to something, you’re also probably cleaning the house or doing work or like, do. Someone’s talking to you.

Jared Curcio: You might be right now. Audience.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: And. But if you. But if you are with a book, you need to make time for the book. It’s the book and the book alone. You have to be sitting down, focused on it, processing it.

David Kirkpatrick: Hyper Focused by Christopher Bailey. Let’s make that the last book. My favorite focus book. So good.

Jared Curcio: Okay.

David Kirkpatrick: Yeah.

Jared Curcio: Well, if you want to make. If you don’t want to make more time to read and you just want to read more, take in more active, active reading, more memory, more comprehension, a skilled reader, make more money, be smarter. Stop being a dumb fuck. See, I can be mean too. Stop being a dumb fuck out there.

David Kirkpatrick: There it is. That’s the.

Jared Curcio: Stop losing money in your shitty business, you dummy. Well, then you can go to reading for results. David Reese, Fast dav. Thank you so much. David Kirkpatrick, everybody. Thank you for being here.

David Kirkpatrick: Thank you. Thank you. I’m here all night. Just kidding.

Speed Reading Mini Course

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 01:00:34 GMT

Welcome to your free speed reading mini course!

I’ve stripped this down to the essentials to keep it short, impactful, and helpful.

At Reading 4 Results coaching, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at the science behind speed reading.

My goal? To get you engaged and seeing results fast. This isn’t your average reading lesson—it’s a game-changer for comprehension, speed, and focus.

Here’s the plan: I’m going to flip how you think about comprehension, then guide you through seven fun, science-backed levels of training to boost your reading speed, memory, and focus.

Table of Contents

Toggle

Video Gallery Old Reading Habits The Rich Read Meet Your Coach Flunking to Thriving Why Speed Reading Fails The Science 7 Science-Backed Exercises Eye Guidance Speed Stretching Jump Training No-Reading Reading Word Flashing Motivation Boost Vision Training Reading Beats Audiobooks Your Future Self Conclusion Related Reading

Video Gallery

Watch below or head to my YouTube channel for the full experience.

Video: Your speed reading mini-course (boost comprehension now)

Old Reading Habits

When was the last time you took a reading class? Fourth grade? Fifth? Yet here you are, navigating the adult world with elementary tactics.

No wonder information overload is kicking your butt. Your bookshelf probably shows off more books you’ve bought than actually read.

Sound familiar? That’s why we’re starting with a baseline.

A college professor could read 1,000 words in 1.8 minutes, while an audiobook takes seven. Over 10 years, who’s stacking more knowledge? The skilled reader, hands down.

The Rich Read

Walk into a low-income neighborhood—big TVs, no bookshelves.

Now hit the wealthy areas—personal libraries everywhere.

Pew Research backs this up: higher-income households read more.

Why? Reading isn’t just a trip to the library; it’s a lifestyle, an investment. Leaders, athletes, and business moguls read tons.

It’s no coincidence.

Meet Your Coach

I’m David Kirkpatrick, a speed reading and memory coach.

I knocked out 70 books in a year while working full-time—not a flex, just proof it’s doable.

I’ve helped over 100 people level up their reading and memory, and I run the Austin, Texas Entrepreneur Book Club.

Books changed my life, but I wasn’t always a reader. I flunked fifth grade, barely read after college, and spent a year and a half jobless, crashing with my parents and even living in my car.

Two books from a friend flipped the script—showed me my victim mindset was the problem. That sparked my dream job, dream salary, and a vow to never let slow reading bottleneck me again.

Flunking to Thriving

Back then, a book took me five hours—now it’s one.

That shift opened doors: I’ve hung out with Jim Kwik and Dan Martell at private events.

These guys? Walking libraries.

What I’m sharing works—I’ve seen it transform real people, from CEOs pulling $50 million in revenue to everyday folks like you.

Why Speed Reading Fails

People say speed reading doesn’t work—“I tried it once.”

But I don’t hype it without science. Speed reading is just efficient reading—pointless if you don’t retain or apply it.

So why hasn’t it clicked for you? You’re inconsistent, your eye movement’s off, or you’re stuck with generic courses lacking a science-based edge.

Maybe you’ve got comprehension blockers—hating reading, dozing off, forgetting everything after 20 pages. Sound like you? I’ve got your back.

The Science

Research calls them “skilled readers,” not speed readers.

They move their eyes rhythmically, grab more info per glance, quiet their inner voice, skip word-for-word plods, and dodge re-reading.

I’ve distilled this into seven levels of training—let’s roll.

7 Science-Backed Exercises

Here are 7 exercises that can help you speed-read.

Eye Guidance

Grab a book. Guide your eyes left to right with your hand.

Skip individual words—read groups instead.

Quiet that voice in your head. Try it for 30 seconds.

It’s like sports—your form might dip at first, but trust the process. It’s worked for hundreds.

Speed Stretching

Read at normal speed for 15-30 seconds, then double it, triple it, and drop back to normal.

By the end, your baseline feels faster. First time? Your brain’s juggling the exercise—keep at it, and it’ll click.

Jump Training

Word-for-word reading is a slog. Group words instead—jump your eyes across. See how that flows better?

No-Reading Reading

Hold your book and pretend the words aren’t real.

Scan slowly, silencing your mind. Your brain might sneakily read anyway—that’s fine.

This cuts subvocalization (sounding out words), sending info straight from eyes to brain. Mind-blowing, right?

Word Flashing

Read phrases, not words.

Use peripheral vision—relax your eyes and catch the text around your focus point. It’s brain training, not just eyes.

Motivation Boost

Tony Robbins read 700 books in seven years—80% psychology, 20% mechanics.

Your “why” fuels the “how.” List your top human needs (certainty, variety, etc.).

How does reading hit those? That’s your comprehension rocket fuel.

Vision Training

Vision’s trainable—look at Steph Curry.

Research shows a 41% reading speed boost with peripheral vision drills.

Practice relaxing your eyes and spotting text without moving them. Reps build the skill.

Reading Beats Audiobooks

Reading’s a cognitive workout—unlike audiobooks or scrolling. It fires up language areas plus visual and spatial zones audiobooks skip. More senses engaged, better retention.

Mark Cuban and Warren Buffett swear by it—reading’s their edge. CEOs? 26% read a book a week.

Memory tip: try the PQRST method or a Memory Palace—game-changers.

Your Future Self

Imagine retaining 50% more.

Reading 30 minutes daily for six months?

That’s 100 hours—stacked books of knowledge.

Picture two yous: one reading a book a week, confident and sharp; the other stuck in old habits. Your call. Schedule a reading assessment and let's map out your path.

Conclusion

99% won’t act—don’t be them.

Reading faster is recession-proof: $5 books unlock $30k retreats’ worth of wisdom.

My community’s $20/month (50% off with MINICOURSE for the next 100—locked for life).

Book clubs, courses, accountability—everything to make your brain a powerhouse.

Visit our website by clicking here.

5 Business Books Every Software Engineer Needs to Read

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 17:56:00 GMT

As a former software engineer, I know the grind all too well. But breaking out of the rat race requires developing skills far beyond coding—skills they don’t teach in computer science programs.

My friend Dima and I put together this carefully curated list. He’s a software engineer who, after working with me, started reading voraciously and has seen his life transform dramatically as a result.

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at curated book recommendations.

Here are the five essential books we recommend for any software engineer ready to break free from the 9-to-5, build something meaningful, and make 2025 a life-changing year.

Watch the Full Discussion

If you want to see Dima and me dive deep into these recommendations, watch our full conversation on YouTube, or watch it below.

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

This is our #1 recommendation.

This book teaches you everything about time management, but more importantly, it shows you how to delegate effectively. You’ll learn how to hire the right person for the right position and understand the “replacement ladder”—the strategic order in which you should hire to free up your time for higher-value tasks.

The key insight: your first hire should handle your emails and calendar. As a software engineer, you understand systems. This book provides the complete system for reclaiming your most valuable asset: your time.

The author, Dan Martell, is a $100 million CEO who built his fortune in software and has read over 1,200 books. He knows what he’s talking about.

$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi

My entire business is built on the principles in this book. It’s a practical workbook that Dima says could easily be his #1 pick too. This is for anyone who wants to create products or offers that people actually want to pay for.

If you struggle with asking for money or feel uncomfortable charging premium prices, you need this book. It teaches you how to build a “Grand Slam Offer” that’s so compelling, people would feel foolish saying no.

The core concept is building such a strong stack of value and evidence that potential clients think, “Of course I would pay for this!” They feel confident and secure in their decision.

This book helped me 5x—even 10x—my prices because I learned how to create offers that truly solve my clients’ problems.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen

This is a short read you could finish in a day, but its impact is profound. It teaches you how to think clearly and organize your thoughts effectively. If you’re prone to overthinking or procrastination, this book is essential.

The main takeaway: just because a thought enters your mind doesn’t mean you have to accept it as truth. We create our reality through our thoughts, and this book shows you that negative, limiting thoughts are like passing clouds—you don’t have to grab onto them.

It will help you create the life you want by freeing you from the thoughts you don’t need.

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

This is a classic and a critical addition to any ambitious person’s library. Understanding power dynamics is crucial whether you’re navigating corporate politics, starting a business, or dealing with clients.

It’s a dense read, but the insights on human interaction and strategy are invaluable for anyone looking to level up professionally.

Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins

This book introduces the “maps of consciousness” concept. It explains that when you’re stuck in emotions like fear, shame, or guilt, you’re operating at a very low level of consciousness. The book assigns numerical values to these levels, and anything below 200 represents a state that holds you back.

To truly succeed and have the energy to build something meaningful, you need to raise your level of consciousness. This book breaks down what separates genius from average performance—and it’s not just logical knowledge. It’s about emotional intelligence and operating from a higher state of being.

It’s a fascinating read that will fundamentally change how you see yourself and the world around you.

Conclusion

These books aren’t just for reading—they’re for building a new version of yourself.

Quick reference:

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins

As a software engineer, you’re already a natural problem-solver. The next set of problems to solve are in sales, leadership, marketing, and your own mindset.

These books are your cheat codes.

7 Science Backed Speed Reading Tips

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 20:16:26 GMT

Just starting your speed reading journey? Don’t know where to start?

Use these 7 tips below!

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

Learn more about these techniques at the science behind speed reading.

Disclaimer:

Reading is like juggling. A complex act that not everyone is good at. With reading, there are many things going on at the same time. To become a better reader, we must train one ball at a time.

When you successfully train your reading muscle properly, expect to see amazing results including boosted reading comprehension, memory, and reading speed!

1. Use a Pacer as You Read: Use your pointer finger or a pen to guide your eyes left to right as you read. Science has shown that skilled, fast readers are rhythmic readers, so we want your reading to flow and move naturally across the page.

Guiding your eyes is very important.

Before you started using this technique, did you know your brain has been tricking you? (If you haven’t noticed this already) Your eyes are not moving smoothly across the page at all. Your eyes jump around on the page! You will learn basic to advanced hand movements and train them.

2. Stop Reading Out Loud:

You need to stop reading out loud, stop sounding out each individual word, and make the voice in your head quieter.

I am not saying completely eliminate the voice in your head.

Subvocalization is the habit of silently pronouncing each word in your head as you read. You want to reduce this habit, because you can process the words without internally vocalizing them. Psychologist Edmund Burke Huey, Keith Rayner, and Alexander Pollatsek noticed this with skilled readers.

Psychologists and Neuroscientists study how the brain reads, and the relationship with reading and sounding everything out loud. On page 190 of “The Psychology of Reading”, the black book, “..we can read silently much faster than we can read aloud.”

Reading scientists use EMG, (Electromyographic recording) to determine how much someone sounds out their reading. The more EMG activity a reader has, the more they are sounding out what they read.

“Beginning readers show more EMG activity than skilled readers.” (Psychology of Reading, p 192) “..the amount of EMG activity decreases as reading skill increases.”(Edfeldt 1960) “Poor readers also show more EMG activity than do good readers.”(Edfeldt 1960)

3. Learn “Chunking”: Instead of focusing on each word individually, speed readers capture more words at once. This allows them to take in larger chunks of text with each glance, increasing reading speed.

4. Expanding Peripheral Vision: To make chunking easier, speed readers often use techniques to expand their field of vision to encompass more words at once. Athletes use peripheral vision training for sports, so why not use it for reading!

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5. Reducing Fixations: Fixations are brief pauses that occur when your eyes stop on a word or phrase. Speed reading techniques aim to minimize these fixations, allowing the eyes to move more smoothly across the page.

6. Read Ahead: Ready to boost your reading comprehension, speed, and motivation? Quickly scan ahead and look at what you plan to read. This confuses the mind, since you’ll only read parts of chapters, and look at some graphs and images. You’re creating open loops in your mind, generating questions your brain now wants the answer to. This is the ‘P’ in PQRST, Preview. Just like a race car driver studies the race track before a race and anticipates every turn and knows where the finish line is, you will be doing the same with your books.

7. Stop backtracking. Minimizing regression, or backtracking, can improve reading efficiency and speed. If you must backtrack, backtrack to key bolded points that remind you of the structure, reinforcing high level comprehension.

Is Speed Reading a Scam?

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 20:12:42 GMT

Yes, depending on your definition of speed reading, you could be right!

There are reading speeds claimed of 10,000+ words per minute..

At my speed reading program, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

This approach is part of what I teach at the science behind speed reading.

Sure, I will give them the benefit of the doubt for now..

What I am sharing in this article is what is actually achievable with speed reading that has conclusive research behind what is possible.

before you continue reading, please check out this blog I wrote “what is a good reading speed?”

This blog I just linked will help you see the mountain of research that shows you can read 2-3x faster than the average american reader, without going against conclusive research.

Now that you’ve read all that scientific data..

Let’s define reading, and let’s define speed reading.

Reading: The skill or activity of getting information from books. (Cambridge)

Speed Reading: A way of reading and understanding written texts faster than normal, often using particular techniques and methods that can be learned.

Speed reading is not moving eyes faster just to retain nothing.

Speed reading is simply being a naturally faster reader, with good comprehension.

Many of us have tried ‘speed reading’ for it to not work, and trust me, I have been there and struggled with it. I wasted so much time with techniques that did not work at all.

Chrissy read 11 books in 6 weeks thanks to becoming a speed reader, thus jump starting her business.

I have read ‘speed reading’ books that don’t quote any scientific sources! How hilarious. And disturbing.

If you have struggled with speed reading in the past, check out this blog “Why Speed Reading Hasn’t Worked For You in the Past.”

If you believe you are stuck a slow reader, stop. Question your ability to learn now. You can increase your learning speed. I have seen and worked with so many people that went from “I hate reading”…

To being able to read what used to take them 5 hours, in 1 hour of reading, with better comprehension and memory.

Imagine reading a book a week for a year..

How much time would that usually take with your normal reading habit, and reading speed?

How many more new ideas, skills, and vocabulary could accelerate your personal growth?

How Reading Tricks Your Brain to Be Less Stressed

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:57:00 GMT

Have you ever heard people say reading lowers stress..

But you never believed it?

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

I cover this in depth at science of reading.

I personally never did, but the science proved me wrong. I now believe that reading tricks your brain to be less stressed.

Cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis discovered..

Reading for six minutes a day reduces stress by 68 percent. (University of Sussex)
Reading is 300 percent more effective at reducing stress than going for a walk.

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The study conducted by the University of Sussex found that reading is one of the most beneficial ways of reducing stress. They tested reading against other forms of relaxation, and it performed better than all of them. (Keep reading to learn why)

The science shows reading performed better than relaxing with music, walking tea, or video games.

The results of their research:

Reading a book: reduced stress by 68%
Listening to music: reduced stress levels by 61%,
Have a cup of tea or coffee: reduced stress by 54%
Taking a walk: 42%
Playing video games: reduced stress by 21%

Here’s how they tested stress reduction:

The subjects had their stress levels and heart rate increased through a range of exercises before they were tested with the relaxation methods listed above.

Their plan:

Increase stress & heart rate above normal
Have subjects use 1 of the 5 relaxation methods listed below
Find out which relaxation method is best

Videos games did lower stress levels from their highest level but still left the volunteers with heart rates above their starting point.

The neuroscience of why books are superior for minimizing stress.

The effort of concentration and the brain stimulation required during reading boosts the ability to relax the mind and body more than any other alternative.

The human mind has to concentrate on reading and the distraction lowers the tensions in muscles and the heart.

Cognitive neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis mentioned..

Subjects only needed to read, silently, for six minutes to slow down the heart rate and ease tension in the muscles.

Dr Lewis, who conducted the test, said: “Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation.”

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“It really doesn’t matter what book you read, by losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of the author’s imagination.” – Doctor David Lewis

“This is particularly poignant in uncertain economic times when we are all craving a certain amount of escapism.” “This is more than merely a distraction but an active engaging of the imagination as the words on the printed page stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness.”

The research was carried out on a group of volunteers by consultancy Mindlab International at the University of Sussex.

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Readers have more active brains.

If you don’t have the time to read, and you’re feeling stressed.

Read anyway. The consistency will pay off and calm the nerves.

Master Your Memory: Techniques to Remember Anything

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 04:42:00 GMT

If you don’t have time to read two full books on memory, this article will summarize key techniques to help you remember names, phone numbers, books, and more—even without a photographic memory.

Memory isn’t about talent; it’s about training.

These methods will show you how to retain and use information effectively.

YouTube Video

Watch my full video on YouTube on how to help your memory.

I memorized these books with no photographic memory.

Memory Matters

Being able to remember and recall information isn’t just about studying—it can impact your business, social life, and daily success.

Memory techniques help you speed up learning and improve recall, making it easier to apply what you know.

Three Essential Memory Techniques

Before diving in, it’s crucial to address memory bottlenecks. If you haven’t tackled those yet, check out resources on memory myths and bottlenecks first. Now, let’s get into the techniques.

The MARIE Method

MARIE stands for:

Motion – Your brain remembers things that move.
Association – Connect new information to what you already know.
Repetition – Reinforce knowledge over time.
Imagination – Use creativity to make memories more vivid.
Emotion – Emotional connections make information stick.

For example, if you need to remember an important business concept, imagine it as a moving image with strong emotions attached.

The more senses you engage, the better.

The PQRST Method

This technique helps with reading comprehension and retention:

Preview – Skim summaries, reviews, and key sections before diving in.
Question – Identify what you want to learn from the material.
Read – Engage with the content actively.
Summarize – Recap key points in your own words.
Test – Use active recall by challenging yourself to remember what you read.

Active recall is crucial—talk about what you learned, ask yourself questions, and teach others.

If you’re afraid of sounding like a show-off, you might be hanging around the wrong people.

The Memory Palace

The Memory Palace technique involves associating information with familiar locations.

Imagine placing key ideas around your house in a specific sequence.

For example, to remember six concepts, visualize each in different rooms:

Simplicity – Picture simple objects at the front porch.
Quality – A golden knee pad in the hallway.
Abundance – A magic gun in the living room shooting money.
10X Past – Your past achievements displayed in the kitchen.
Free Time – A clock in the dining room symbolizing control over time.
Self-Managing Company – Tiny employees running operations in your bedroom.

This method turns abstract concepts into tangible, memorable visuals.

Body Pegging

Body pegging is memorization using your body.

To understand this better, watch this clip on my Youtube channel.

In summary, here’s how to use it:

Feet – Simplicity (wooden shoes with 10X symbols).
Knees – Quality (golden knee pads that shoot money).
Hips – Abundance (a magic gun producing opportunities).
Stomach – 10X Past (intuition and past successes).
Heart – Free Time (a heart replaced by a clock).
Brain – Self-Managing Company (tiny workers operating in your mind).

By associating information with different body parts, you create a structured memory system.

Conclusion

Mastering memory is about mindset and technique. We covered:

The MARIE method for engaging memory.
The PQRST system for learning from books.
The Memory Palace for structured recall.
Body Pegging for quick, physical associations.

With these tools, you can transform your ability to remember and apply knowledge.

Practice them daily, and you’ll see the results fast.

Now go out and use your memory to its fullest potential!

9 Comprehension Blockers

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:24:00 GMT

Have you ever found yourself reading multiple pages only to realize you’ve comprehended nothing?

You’re not alone.

At Reading 4 Results, I help entrepreneurs master these exact skills.

Learn more about these techniques at memory techniques that actually work.

I’m David, a speed reading and memory coach who has helped companies and CEOs improve their reading skills.

There are specific comprehension blockers that prevent us from retaining and understanding what we read.

Comprehension, at its core, is simply being able to grasp and understand an idea mentally.

In this article, we’ll explore the 9 comprehension blockers and the solutions to overcome them that could transform how you absorb information forever.

Comprehension Blockers

These 9 blockers are the exact reasons why so many people struggle to remember what they’ve read, even minutes after putting the book down.

Asking No Questions Before Reading

Before diving into a book, it’s essential to formulate questions—not just any questions, but ones you cannot answer on your own without reading the material.

These unanswered questions help activate your reticular activating system in your brain, priming you to seek out relevant information as you read.

No Emotion or Motivation

Many of us have associated reading with boredom due to our educational experiences where we were forced to read.

Now that we’re out of school, we need to retrain our brains to read books that genuinely excite us—whether they help grow our business, improve relationships, or enhance leadership skills.

That emotional charge is necessary for retaining and comprehending information.

Weak Memory

Both short-term and long-term memory affect your reading comprehension.

You need working memory to process what you’re reading in the moment, much like remembering digits in a phone number.

The more working memory you have, the more you can remember in the short term and eventually transfer to long-term memory.

Interestingly, simply reading more helps train your working memory.

Limited Vocabulary

Those in the top 10 percentile in vocabulary tend to also be in the top 10 percentile in income, according to Johnson O’Connor Research.

Look at successful individuals like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk—they can effectively communicate with engineers, marketers, and sales professionals alike.

When you know a high percentage of commonly used words, you process text faster because you spend less time on each word, ultimately improving reading speed.

Lack of Creativity

More creative or “right-brained” individuals can make more connections with information compared to logical thinkers.

This ability to connect ideas enhances comprehension.

Being Too Logical/Left-Brain Oriented

Highly logical or “left-brain” readers may find comprehension more challenging.

I’ve observed that women tend to read more and faster than men because they are generally more right-brain oriented, emotional, intuitive, and better at seeing the bigger picture, while men typically process information in a more sequential, orderly fashion.

Slow Processing Speed

Your thinking speed directly impacts your reading and comprehension abilities.

When you read more, you can think faster and read faster. If you’re naturally a slower thinker, reading comprehension may be more difficult.

Building your vocabulary, as mentioned earlier, can help increase your processing speed.

Detail Mindset/Perfectionism

Getting caught up in details and perfectionism can hinder comprehension.

Let’s use the analogy of a light bulb—you don’t need to understand the intricate science behind it to use it effectively.

High-level comprehension is what matters most.

Perfectionists often think they need to read every individual sentence or page meticulously, but I teach “reading for results” that leads to action and practical benefits.

Thinking in Words Rather Than Visually

Many readers sound out words in their heads rather than processing information visually.

Becoming a visual reader can significantly improve comprehension and speed.

Research shows that people can comprehend words flashed at 1/500th of a second, demonstrating our capacity to read quickly when we process information visually rather than verbally.

Conclusion

Understanding these 9 comprehension blockers is the first step toward becoming a more effective reader.

By asking meaningful questions before reading, cultivating genuine interest in your material, strengthening your memory, expanding your vocabulary, embracing creativity, balancing logical thinking, improving processing speed, avoiding perfectionism, and developing visual reading skills, you can dramatically enhance your reading comprehension and retention.

Reading isn’t just about consuming information—it’s about reading for results that lead to meaningful action in your life.

Headshots of David Kirkpatrick

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:08:00 GMT

These images may be used as headshots of David Kirkpatrick for speaking and media appearances.

Click each image for high-quality, print-ready file.

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