Repetition and Practice Makes for Success
I've been hosting a Morning Mindset program on Blab. Actually, it's more of a gathering than a program. I begin at 8 am ET and read a few pages from Napolean Hill's Think and Grow Rich. Then I open the room for discussion from those who joined me for the reading. I record it for one hour then stop the recording, and on most days keep the room open for more discussion for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Truly, it depends on who is in the room and wants to keep the discussion going.
There are a few things I've learned from doing this. The first is the impact of reading out loud. Reading something out loud results in a different understanding of the written word. It's forcing me to read every single word. Sounds funny, I know, but I'm an avid reader and tend to scan many books. Even those I'm studying – such as Think and Grow Rich – I don't read every single word and absorb what I've read…when I'm alone. But I can feel and see a difference in how I'm retaining what was read as well as my understanding.
For instance, Napolean Hill repeats himself…a lot. Normally I would scan/skim over the repeated words or phrases to get to the next ‘lesson' or nugget of information. Because I'm reading it out loud, I'm repeating those words and phrases. Repetition is vital to memorization, which in turn is vital to insuring that a new concept is cemented into my thoughts. Skipping these phrases while reading silently to myself means that I've been missing out on a lot. This means I'm committed, more than ever, to focusing on every word I'm reading.
Another thing I've learned, or should say have had confirmed, is that there is power in a group of like-minded people. The discussions include opinions, experience, questions and side thoughts. I've learned about other people's journeys toward self improvement and I've had the opportunity to share my own. Because of the focus of our discussions, it's a good example of a Mastermind Group; where many come together to discuss and share experiences and thoughts about a single topic. The end result is that our combined efforts create a “Master Mind” that often provides each of us with an answer to a problem, a suggestion for a path to take or a road to explore. It's quite invigorating and honestly, I've found that my morning routine has been amped up so that my days have been much better in terms of focus, productivity and accomplishments.
