Yesterday, I shared some ideas on “How to Become an Expert on Any Topic,” including:

1. Read one book on the topic each month.
2. Study the topic for half an hour a day.
3. Listen to podcasts on the topic each week.
4. Get hands-on training by volunteering.

Today I want to share a quick tip (literally) I recently discovered on how to speed up your life change process by speeding up your audio learning.

Many iPods and MP3 players allow you to speed-up the playback of the song or podcast you’re listening to.  My iPhone 3GS lets me to listen at twice the normal speed.  It also allows me to listen at half the speed.

Over the last two months, I’ve listened to several podcasts on double-speed.  So far, I think it has worked well.  While the voices do sound a little weird at first, I’ve gotten used to it, and am really enjoying the speedier way to learn.  I feel like I’m learning more information in half the time, and am still able to retain what I’ve heard.

Of course, as I’ve said before on this site, successful life change doesn’t happen just by gaining the right information.  We must take action by applying what we’ve learned.

Give this quick tip a try and let me know how it goes for you.

Every American remembers where they were the morning of September, 11, 2001, when the nation was attacked by terrorists.

I was sitting in a meeting at work, when a secretary came in to tell everyone that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center.  Someone found a TV, and we all sat glued to it for the next several hours.

The events that transpired that day shook most people in America, and even around the world, to the core, and caused them to think deeply about their life, and about the people and things that are most important to them.

Many people said they were going to live life differently now.  They were going to focus more on things that really mattered, like spending more time with their spouse and kids, serving more in their community, focusing more on their spiritual life, and doing the work they were meant to do.

I wonder how they’re doing.  Did they really make the change they said they wanted?  Did their focus last for more than a few months?  Are they different people today – now eight years later?

Or did their zeal fade after life got back to “normal” again?

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time staying focused on making change in my life. If I don’t write it down, plan it out, and ask people to hold me accountable, it’s probably not going to happen.

What did you say, back on September 11, 2001, that was going to be different in your life?  If you haven’t made progress toward that goal yet, renew your commitment to that goal today.

I think you could even accomplish it, or take serious steps toward it, by year’s end following my Five Simple Steps to Success by Year’s End. What do you think?