You’ve read about browser control software, right?
You know. The kind that blocks ads or logs you out after you’ve procrastinated too long.
All fine and dandy, but not the solution. Here are some low-tech things to try instead:
Get The Important Stuff Done Before You Switch The DumbPhone On
“Yeah right,” I hear you say. “My computer IS the important stuff!”
Really? What about learning a language, or even just developing motivation for learning one? Believe it or not, people have learned languages for a long time without the aid of machines.
But even if you still need software, you can model what I’m doing for Mandarin Chinese. Technically, it still involves using a machine, but I use it like an ugly old Walkman.
Which leads us to:
Stop Carrying The Internet With You Everywhere
Sometimes I worry about becoming a Luddite. I do not have a single device that accesses the Internet unless I find wireless in a cafe. And even then, I’ve designed my life in a way that I rarely need it.
Friends and strangers alike ask me how I survive without it, a question that perplexes me. From ages four to twenty-four, I managed to meet people all over the world without having an email address or a cellphone.
Heck, I even used to arrange meetings by post.
The point being is that if you can’t figure out why you’re not achieving your goals, look to the roaming Internet first. And then consider the following life-changing activities:
* Use an app like Plain Text to write a book, blog post or article (like I’m doing right now) instead of scrolling through Facebook and clicking the Like button. That’s a fast path to nowhere.
But all wealth comes from writing, including social, intellectual and financial wealth. I guess the occasional “LOL” might add to the pool, but I’m certainly not counting on it.
* Create a mind map with (gasp!) pen and paper while using your spayed or neutered DumbPhone to listen to a podcast or lecture. You’ll remember more and come up with incredible ideas as you work.
* Meet a human being and have a conversation with no devices on or near the table. Switch it off so it doesn’t buzz, beep or otherwise bang its way into your attention from within a bag or pocket.
And above all, learn and love this phrase: “I’ll look it up later.” Then use your to-do list to create a Memory Palace that helps you do so.
Speaking of which:
If You Create Them, Use Them
Many people tell me they’ve created one or more Memory Palaces. They even send me excellent drawings that demonstrate substantial knowledge of the Magnetic Memory Method.
The only problem is … They never use them.
Regarding today’s topic, failing to use your inner mental technology opens you to more information pollution because you’re not spending time massaging the right stuff into your memory.
Stuff like:
* Facts that build general knowledge.
* Names and dates of historical figures and events that develop your understanding of how and why we got here.
* CriticalInformation from a textbook so that you can ace exams.
* Poems, quotes, plots and jokes so that you always have something interesting to say. Heck, if you’ve got good poems, stories or philosophical ideas memorized, you’ll always have something fascinating to think about even when you’re on your own.
* Passwords and credit card numbers so that you’re not pouring time down the drain looking stuff up.
Memorizing These Things Could Make The Difference Between Being A Mouse Or A Millionaire
But if you’re tootling your time away consuming and creating blasts of info pollution, good luck making it to the top.
But … How? How do we avoid all this nonsense and the digital amnesia it brings?
Frame Your Day With Time Boundaries
It’s not just about doing the important stuff before you switch on the computer. It’s about spacing out time across the day.
Luckily, this is easy to do. It’s called “setting a timer.” How it works is this:
1. Decide how long you want to work on a high margin task. When it comes to your memory work, that might mean the design, memorization or recall parts, as described in this video:
2. Set the timer.
3. Work until it rings.
4. Take a computer-free break to avoid noise pollution. Do push ups, take a walk or, dip into a Memory Palace.
If you can’t develop the discipline needed to do this on your own, find a co-working team. My friend Max Breckbill hosts the most amazing group sessions and serves as the MC. He starts and ends each session and manages a spreadsheet that lists the activities of each attendee to help create accountability.
Set Activity Boundaries And Hold To Them
At the beginning of 2016, I performed a life assessment with the help of my friend Jonathan Levi. One of the huge gaps I found involved the withering of my music life. Somehow I just wasn’t playing bass often enough anymore. Same thing with my language learning and memory experiments.
So then I did a severe time analysis and found that I’d unconsciously slid away from my tried and true time-tracking technique. Once I got that back on track, I quickly spotted the culprit.
Because blaming software, hardware and online platforms for siphoning our time amounts to technological determinism. The truth is that the machines don’t make us spend our time on them. We determine our own way onto them and into their forests of noise pollution all on our own.
And it’s tremendously exhausting both psychologically and physically. Those dopamine boosts feel good, but that’s just because there’s sugar on the blade. We’re oozing precious lifeblood each and every second we spend in states of media-induced excitement.
The solution?
Use The Simple Power Of Arithmetic Rules To Set Yourself Free
At the ThinkBuzan memory training I attended, Tony Buzan said something very important that applies to many things in life: “Rules set you free.” When it comes to eliminating information pollution to your life, try setting these into action:
Starting tomorrow, count the number of times you find yourself on Facebook. If you use browsers exclusively, you could use the history function at the end of the day, but if the FB app doesn’t track it, you’ll have to do it manually.
Yes, yes, I know that there are apps that show you graphs of where you spend your time. But I don’t think graphical readouts spit out by the same machine you’re trying to avoid will create quite the same shock ad awe as the graph you create on your own.
Once you know your numbers, set a rule. For example, you can cut the number in half and use a Memory Palace and the Major Method to track the number of times you’ve popped in.
Everybody Knows That The Dice Are Loaded
Or roll dice and subtract that number.
Better yet, go for broke and determine to visit your favorite noise pollution sites once a day. Maximum.
That’s ultimately how I got mounds of time back into my life. At first, I didn’t know what to do with it all, even after reinserting bass practice and language learning. But I soon found ways, such as reviving my passion for reading novels and even created my own coloring book so I could dive into a form of guided creativity so many of us have lost since childhood.
To seal the deal …
Journal Your Progress And Tell Others About Your Accomplishments
“Hell,” Sartre wrote, “is other people.” And when it comes to getting tied up in information pollution, this might be true. Especially when the excuse for multiple exposures comes down to not wanting to lose touch with friends.
Frankly, if you can’t keep up with friends by visiting Facebook just once a day and scanning their feeds, then you need to find a way to get paid for the labor of liking their posts.
Instead, use the power of mathematical rules to set yourself free and then report on the experience.
Encourage others to do the same.
Fight The Noise Pollution
Get your power back.
Learn, memorize and recall more.
Trust me, if you implement what you’ve read in this post, you’ll not only reduce the info pollution in your life. You’ll win back the time you spent reading it back in droves and become one of the smartest human beings on the planet.
Did you know that your ability to be a moral person directly connects to the quality of your memory?
At least, that’s according to Albertus Magnus and I think he’s right.
Why?
A few reasons. First off, forgetfulness is an unnecessary evil. Let it run your life and you’re automatically living on the Dark Side.
Second, you learn, memorize and recall less than you’re capable of. That’s not only an act of self-cruelty. It’s a crime against humanity.
Finally, if you’re not on top of your ability to memorize the information you need to achieve maximum success in life, you’re not able to pass the skills on. It doesn’t get any more immoral than that.
Memory Is The Sensitive Part Of The Soul
Born sometime around 1200 in the Duchy of Bavaria, Albertus Magnus spent a fair shake of time writing about memory skills before dying in the year 1280. He was influenced by Aristotle, who also wrote about memory, and left his mark on Thomas Aquinas, who also filled a few pages on the art of memory.
For his part, Magnus was fixated on ethics and what exactly makes good things good.
For example, he nailed down four cardinal virtues:
Fortitude
Temperance
Justice
Prudence
Memory, or memoria, belongs to prudence for Magnus, along with intelligence and providence.
Magnus breaks prudence down even further by saying it has a rational part and an emotional part. We should be using memory to live useful lives based on both of these aspects. As he writes:
“Memory can be a moral habit when it is used to remember past things with a view to prudent conduct in the present looking forward to the future.”
Calling up positive things from the past to guide your behavior in the future is fine and dandy. But what about mnemonics?
Guess what?
Using Memory Techniques Is Also A Virtuous Habit
Magnus called mnemonics “artificial memory” after the conventions of the time. We know better now, however. Using the power of your imagination to make Memory Palaces is the most natural activity on earth, especially compared with spaced-repetition software. That’s the hammer of memory that deserves the term “artificial” more than anything else.
The 5 Magnus Rules For Creating Top-Notch Memory Palaces
Plus, Magnus was a lot like me. He wasn’t into using virtual Memory Palaces. He advises using only real locations and especially recommends churches because of how they can move the soul.
It’s an interesting suggestion because often the more meaningful the building, the more powerful the Memory Palace will be. Keep that in mind when creating your next Memory Palace and avoid basing any on buildings that may suck your enthusiasm.
With this point established, Magnus offers five rules.
1. Use Quiet Locations
Makes sense, right?
Maybe.
I can understand wanting to base your Memory Palaces on locations prone to silence. It kind of makes sense for them to mimic the intense concentration needed for creating powerful associative-imagery inside the Memory Palace.
However, if you’re using a bustling cafe, you don’t need to do the memory work in the cafe. And when you are using the Memory Palace, you can be in a quiet space. In fact, no matter where in the world the building you’ve sourced for your MP happens to be, it’s always a good idea to learn, memorize and practice Recall Rehearsal in quiet places.
But if you want to use the stage and stadium of a memorable Kiss concert, do it. If for any reason your memories of the excitement do get in the way, simply move on to another place.
2. Your Memory Palaces Should Neither Be Too Large Nor Too Small
Many beginners get excited by the possibilities of making massive Memory Palaces. They draw diagrams of shopping malls, airports and try to use each and every floor of New York skyscrapers.
There’s no doubt that with practice you can use enormous Memory Palace structures. But Mangnus is right. You want to find a comfortable size the works for you.
In my case, I max out at 50-60 stations per Memory Palace. In many cases, I stick with a mere 10, using proper Magnetic Memory Method form to get the into long term memory so any given Memory Palace can be put out of rotation for a while and then reused.
That said, it’s good to stretch once in awhile, so keep working progressively to extend your abilities. The trick is to make sure that you’re getting your desired outcome. Sure, creating a Memory Palace with 5000 stations would be cool – but can you get measurable results from it?
Probably not.
3. Avoid Using Overly Similar Memory Palaces
Here’s another rule where it really depends. But in principle, you sure can confuse the heck out of yourself if you can’t distinguish one Memory Palace from another.
In my experience, this isn’t such a big deal. Here’s why:
It’s the difference in information that matters.
For example, I like to use the Ross Building on the campus of York University. I start on the seventh floor where the Grad Pub used to be and work my way down.
The levels are nearly identical, as are the journeys through them. The key difference is how the information itself “tags” each floor.
For example, the seventh floor has been reserved for words that start with “se” spellings or sounds. Likewise, the sixth floor for “si” sounds. The rest of the similarities in the Memory Palace divisions don’t matter because the information itself marks the territory.
As ever, your personal experimentation will make the difference. If it’s too much for you, scale back. When you’re ready to expand, add gradual challenges that will help you grow your memory and memorization management skills.
4. Not Too Bright And Not Too Dark
I don’t know what was up with medieval dudes like Magnus. Even up to Giordano Bruno, mnemonists were bonkers about the level of light in their Memory Palaces.
The issue may stem from the lack of electric lighting. Just as they wanted to use quiet places to maximize concentration, they figured it might be useful to see the Memory Palaces.
Of course, we know now that you don’t really need to “see” anything in your mind. You need only a conceptual approximation.
I think another reason the light issue crops up throughout the history of mnemonics is that so many people built upon the Ad Herrenium. In Magnus’s case, Francis Yates figures he probably had a corrupt copy.
All the same, the dogma about light strikes me as just that. You really need to explore this issue for yourself and see what happens. I predict you’ll do just fine, even if you’re a bat.
In fact, probably especially if you’re a bat, since echolocation is a powerful metaphor for how you can navigate a Memory Palace efficiently without seeing a single thing in your mind.
5. Leave 30 Feet Between Stations
Now here’s a contradiction in terms if ever there was one. If your Memory Palaces aren’t supposed to be too big, how does one leave this much space between stops along the path?
Hansel and Gretal would have been in big trouble if they’d done that with their crumbs, and so, I reckon, would you. I know this has created issues for me. For example, in one of my Aristotle Memory Palaces for my dissertation on friendship, I had some waaaaaaay too far distances between stations.
The reason long distances creates problems is because your mind spends time and energy scanning the territory. Whether you see the Memory Palace or merely conceive it like stars in a constellation, you’re still using spatial memory.
To reduce drag, try keeping your stations as close together as possible without creating issues for yourself. Cramming is the inverse problem and without breathing room, your associative-imagery might not correctly consolidate.
As ever, it all comes down to your personal experimentation. In this case, you’ll need to work on a case to case basis since, with the rare exception of places like the Ross Building I just mentioned, there are no uniform Memory Palaces.
Memory Palaces Are As Physical As A Brick Wall
One of the coolest ideas Magnus brings to the table involves the notion that both the memorizer and the Memory Palaces are physical bodies. In fact, the entire world is physical and so anything you imprint on your mind essentially resembles tattooing.
Magnus’s concept here is complex, and I’m still pondering it, but he seems to be pre-envisioning the world we live in today. For example, you can think of information as ethereal stuff that has no physical form.
But that would be incorrect. Not only does all information require physical storage in order to be receivable, your brain either uses or creates new chemicals and structures to perceive it.
When you read a book, for example, the information has been physically stored using ink on paper. Read the same book on a computer and the information is stored both in the physical chips and wires, but also in the electricity itself.
This info then enters the physical bodies of your eyes before entering the gazillion roller coaster rails of your brain.
Anyhow, Magnus’s point appears to be that by focusing our concentration on the physical reality of both the locations and the information, we can create much more powerful sense impressions.
And if all of these points from Magnus don’t make your memory more poignant, perhaps a previous or future episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast will. Until that time, by moral by using your memory and always, always keep Magnetic.
You probably think you can get all the memory training you need from books, right?
Maybe. Ben Pridmore certainly did (reportedly just one) and worked miracles at the World Memory Championships.
But Those Kind Of Results Don’t Happen To Everyone
The truth is that most of us (including me) need more than one memory training resource.
In fact, as I mentioned in The Story Of How To Learn And Memorize German Vocabulary, I studied dozens of memory improvement books, audio programs and video courses. The Magnetic Memory Method simply wouldn’t exist without years of relentless research, experimentation, documentation, reconfiguration and teaching.
The Art Of Memory Is A Way Of Life Defined By Multiple (Super-Exciting!) Duties
To this day, I still study. To develop as a mnemonist, a journalist of memory and a lifelong devotee to teaching the art of memory, I consume all the wisdom about memory improvement I can.
That’s why I recently attended the ThinkBuzan Memory Training at the Henley Business School in Henley-On-Thames taught by Phil Chambers and Tony Buzan himself. To keep getting better and contributing to the solution.
Because there is a solution to forgetfulness and if you apply yourself …
You Never Have To Forget Information That Matters Ever Again!
Seriously. If you’ve read more than one book or taken more than one course and still aren’t getting results, there are probably only two reasons:
1) You’re not studying the right stuff.
2) You’re not taking the right actions.
And even if you’re already equipped and running memory circles around your friends, here are 13 reasons you still really ought to get trained at the Summit of Memory.
1. You Learn More About The History Of Memory
I’ve encountered the story of Simonides of Ceos countless times. However, never have I encountered it so thoroughly and elegantly expressed as when Phil Chambers took us through it.
The best part of the story is that it contains all the elements of good mnemonics: strange events and colorful characters. Massive, visual action. A Memory Palace in ruins that, albeit utterly destroyed, still stands in the minds of millions nearly two thousand years later.
2. You Learn About The Science Of Memory
There’s history behind memory research too, so getting both the past, present and future of memory science makes ThinkBuzan memory training a tremendous asset.
MIG, also known as The Most Important Graph In The World, shows you the most cutting edge elements of memory science. It is a Masterplan for engineering any information into your memory forever.
You learn The Most Important Graph in the world effectively too. It’s presented in stages so that you understand each part. The ThinkBuzan teaching approach also uses the science underlying the graph to get it into your long term memory.
Speaking of which …
3. You Learn How To Teach Memory Skills Right Away
You’ve heard me talk about the importance of educating others about memory skills before. I always talk about how and why you must do it immediately in order to get the best results from what you’ve learned and memorized.
For example, in Language Learning For Introverts, I suggest that you explain to anyone who will listen the Memory Palace and mnemonic imagery you use to memorize new words and phrases. It’s partly self-serving for how it drills the information into your memory, but more importantly …
Teaching Others Creates Enthusiasm For The REAL Magic Of Memory
Not only that, but by demonstrating what’s possible with your memory through teaching the core skills, you’re also getting better at using your memory. You’re practicing what you preach and getting better every time you do.
4. You Create A Group Memory Palace On The Spot
Nothing enthused me more about the ThinkBuzan memory than creating a Memory Palace together as a group. Phil Chambers had us memorize all the member countries of the European Union in alphabetical order.
But even better, Phil tricked us into doing it outside of our awareness. I won’t tell you exactly how, but it’s similar to how I teach people to memorize the alphabet backwards.
To really let you have your cake and eat it too, Phil then shows you how to compound the countries with the capitals of each. This quick exercise means memorizing 40 pieces of information inside of 20 minutes. Using The Most Important Graph In The World (and with a bit of stretching, maybe even without), this is information you can get into long-term memory for the rest of your life.
Again, you get all this amazing memorization in less than 20 minutes, plus sufficient review over a week or two. At most, that will total another 20 minutes, likely much less.
Plus, while you’re completing the live memory exercise …
5. You Create Lifelong Friendships With Other Memorizers
ThinkBuzan makes sure that you get to know your classmates from the moment their memory training starts. But the real time group Memory Palace exercise deepens the relationships beyond belief.
This bonding occurs not only because you share the amazement of instantly recalling the information learned throughout the exercise. It’s also because you travel together throughout the Memory Palace as you create it.
As the dating gurus often point out, if you want to create the feeling that someone knows you better, have them share time with you in multiple locations as quickly as possible. Do this while deliberately creating a Memory Palace together, and those locations become infinitely stronger.
And who knows? You might just develop a romance out of it or deepen a current one. A married couple took the training I was in and I saw them strengthen their bond before my very eyes.
And although my girlfriend wasn’t there, one part of that couple convinced me to finally propose, so the magic of taking a memory training really does go beyond the skills of recall. It touches and makes all areas of your life more exciting.
6. You Get To Challenge Yourself And Confront Your Memory Fears
I did not go to this ThinkBuzan memory training as an initiate. I’ve been a mnemonist now for more than fourteen years.
However, there’s a massive divide between what I can do privately and publicly. Sure, I took a hard loss when I competed against Dave Farrow half on a whim and only then in support of my favored charity.
By the same token, I’m proud of my results given the circumstances (jet-lagged, suffering arthritic joint pain, unkempt, unrested and moronically hungover from the last time I ever touched alcohol).
I’m also proud of my results given that I’d never memorized and recalled information with cameras in my face and a countdown clock running.
On top of that, as a renowned memory trainer – heck, there’s even a Wikipedia page about my work in memory and other arts of the mind – I had a reputation to uphold, and I think I did so given the circumstances. But …
Not so during the tests at the ThinkBuzan training. But here’s the thing:
7. Sometimes Falling Flat On Your Face Is The Best Thing In The World
Why?
A few reasons.
First, I got a taste of embarrassment that I did so poorly. I should have scored 100%.
Second, I learned SO much about what happens to me when someone turns on the clock. I start thinking about what strategy I’m going to use and then switch them up mid-stride. By the time I’ve finally settled on my approach, the clock has run out.
Third, but far from least, I learned that …
8. Transparency About Your Memory Produces Pearls Of Wisdom!
I could have avoided the issue and said nothing, or kept my internal reflections private. Instead, I swallowed my pride and the throat-constricting desire to bury my head in the suffocating sands of Phil’s official World Memory Championships digital hourglass.
That’s right, I sat in front of the entire group and Tony Buzan himself and fessed up.
Here’s what I learned in return for my honest revelation:
9. Discover The Surprising Reason Why ”Time Management” Is The Deadliest Circus Stunt In The World
We exhaust ourselves silly trying to control time. But this essence, this substance, this engine that has driven the world since, well … the beginning of time, needs no management and cannot be managed.
No, the clock isn’t a venomous snake. It’s not going to bark, bite or explode. The world’s not going to end when it rings.
Regardless, when there’s a deadline, the muscles in your mind cramp. The pace or your breathing collapses in on itself and your palms bleed sweat.
The problem? You’re trying to manage time.
Can’t be done. Casting Yoda a bit differently on the issue of time, there really is no try.
10. We Can Only Manage Ourselves And Our Memory Abilities In Time By Understanding And Using The Clock
As Tony describes time, our perception of its speed changes based on our psychological states. It can feel like it’s burning like a lit wick races to a bomb. Or it can move like a slow, placid wave when you’ve got nothing going on.
I’ve been practicing this approach to thinking about time ever since. I plan on going back for more training and fully expect I’ll get 100% next time if I can just settle on a strategy first and get my thinking about time unwarped and humming. After I’ve served at least once as an arbiter, I may even compete at the WMC myself.
That said, I also learned that …
11. Not Wanting To Compete In The World Memory Championships Is Totally Okay
Maybe you’ve had this feeling too. You learn about mnemonics and soon discover memory competitions exist around the world. That makes you feel like no matter what you use the tools of recall for in your private life, it won’t amount to much if you cannot win a prize.
The truth, I learned, is that most competitors aren’t after the medals. They attend the World Memory Championships to compete against themselves. They’re stretching their abilities.
Plus, they’re making friends with other mnemonists and talking shop about the art of memory. They’re doing what we discussed before in an international setting: learning AND teaching in one fell swoop.
But if none of this interests you, no problemo. You can be a perfectly amazing memorizer and teacher without ever throwing down the gloves.
And if your results are nothing to brag about, that’s no problem either. We all know the coaching phenomena. People have led sports teams to glory without ever touching the ball themselves.
As a story consultant, like others in the movie plot improvement industry, I’ve improved screenplays and seen them made into films. To this day, I’ve never completed one myself, let alone had a movie from my imagination made. Maybe I never will.
When it comes to memory, I’ve memorized thousands of words and bits of ultra-valuable information. But more importantly I’ve helped thousands of people memorize many thousands more. Just check out this email I for the other day:
“Here I am seated below my arbiters after memorizing 29 and then 34 shuffled cards at five minutes each. The first try beat the existing provincial record; the second try bested that.
Would not have done it without your impetus. I am registered to compete in the Canadian Championships in Montreal, July 2.
Thanks, Anthony!”
And get this:
Tony Buzan, co-founder of the Wold Memory Championships has never himself competed in them. But he’s still helped millions of people get more from their memories and their minds overall.
And when you attend one of his trainings …
12. You Might Even Get To Meet The Man Himself
To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know Tony Buzan was going to be at the training. The ticket named Phil Chambers as the instructor and I went more than content with that.
But sometimes Tony does attend these memory trainings and I was so delighted that he did.
And I don’t know how to tell you this without stepping outside my usual Canadian-bred modesty, but I’m going to lay it out because it may inspire you and it doesn’t feel right to keep something so monumental a secret amongst only a few.
You Might Be Knighted A Warrior Of The Mind
Tony and I had shared some Tweets a few years ago. There was instant resonance, maybe because we’re both named Anthony, perhaps because we’ve both spent loads of time under the stars of Vancouver, British Columbia.
For whatever reason, the resonance continued, and when the event was over, I offered to help breakdown the classroom. I was asked to carry some paintings to the main building for safekeeping as Tony prepared to leave.
These were by Lorraine Gill, the woman who inspired to include images in Mind Maps in the first place. Once we had the paintings safely stowed away in a back office, we chatted a bit with the secretarial staff and …
Then IT Happened
Tony pulled me aside and said, “Anthony, you are a Warrior of the Mind.”
Next, THE Tony Buzan removed a pin from his lapel. Yes, THE famous pin Joshua Foer mentions in Moonwalking With Einstein.
Tony stepped forward and reached for my collar. The next thing I knew, I was wearing the beautifully executed rendering and holding back tears. Tony gives the pin, I learned, for Outstanding Contributions to Global Mental Literacy.
It is a tremendous honor to hold the title “Warrior of the Mind.” Above all, to own and proudly wear this symbol, given by the hand of a man I first read in high school from books that first truly taught me the boundless power of the human mind and how to release the floodgates on its potential.
Frankly, if I didn’t talk so much for a living, I’d be utterly speechless.
13. Learn, Memorize And Recall Anything
In sum, if you want to continue your education in memory and feel the rapture of memory improvement as can only be offered by the best on the planet, booking your seat at the next training is a must.
In addition to all the magic I’ve been yappin’ about, you’ll learn how to efficiently and expertly memorize:
Names
Vocabulary
Passwords
Numbers
Facts
Addresses
… Anything else you want to remember!
Plus, even though the course isn’t about mind mapping as such, you’ll practice this revolutionary technique and get a massive preview of this powerful art or organizing your mind the way it works on the page.
And you know, people often ask me about how Memory Palaces and mind mapping could work in tandem. I’m not yet 100% equipped with an answer, but I’m now well on the way and I’ll be attending the ThinkBuzan mind mapping course as soon as possible.
How about you? You’re convinced by now, right?
Of course you are! So …
Here’s How To Get Royal Treatment When You Take Any ThinkBuzan Training
Simply mention my name when registering for your seat at any training and you’ll get an incredible percentage of the tuition lopped off.
Listen, even if you forget to mention my name and claim this generous discount so you too can become a world class practitioner and teacher of memory techniques, you’ll never regret making this choice. Do it now and let me know all about what you learn.
Seriously. Teaching others what you’ve learned – including me – is the best way to learn. And the more you learn, the more you CAN learn. That’s my wish and hope and dream for you because we are nothing more than our memories and their quality shapes everything. Make the world a better place a.s.a.p. and you’ll see for yourself just how profound learning and memory can be.
Buckle up. It’s going to be a very Magnetic ThinkBuzan experience for you indeed.
It’s no secret that students want to succeed. They really do.
Even a former dropout like myself dreamed of getting all A’s during all those years goofing off took precedent over serious study. I just didn’t have the guidance and strategies talented young people need to get the most out of their education.
So pay attention, because whether you’re in high school, college, university or taking training for certification …
Every Student In The World Can Be The BEST Student In The World!
But first, you need to overcome a few problems, such as …
The Failure To Make A Cozy Little Study Nest
Far too often, students all over the map. They try to read The Canterbury Tales in cafeterias, do math at the mall and even work on programming logo-rhythms in the loo.
With rare exceptions, none of these places support extended concentration (more on that topic in a bit). But even if you do study well in a variety of noisy places, having a dedicated and protected area can work miracles for your memory.
Why?
Humans are creatures of habit, and none of us are stronger than our habits. But when we consistently engage in powerful practices, they guide us to amazing places.
How To Find Your Comfort Zone
In truth, I don’t know. You’ll need to experiment. And you may need more than one,
For me, one of my best study places was Joanne’s closet. She was my main squeeze during my BA years, but for a long time, I was her best-kept secret.
One day I didn’t leave her place in time to miss the people who weren’t supposed to see me, however. The only solution in our intellectually intelligent but emotionally immature minds was to hide me in her closet.
And that’s where I stayed for a very long time after she threw in my backpack, a blanket and a few pillows. Later, she brought me a flashlight so at least I could read.
Over the course of the day, Joanne kept me fed and watered and facilitated the odd trip to the washroom. (Very unusual trips these were indeed!)
The Most Unusual Productivity Hack In The World
Anyhow, the whole ordeal turned out well because not only was I very comfortable, but I wound up reading a challenging book from cover to cover and getting key points down on index cards. I didn’t know how to memorize a textbook (infographic) back then, but getting that work done in a focused place was such a boon, I’ve been reading in and even writing in closets ever since.
Heck, when I was in Gran Canaria, I even recorded two episodes of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast in the closet of my hotel!
The point is, you can find a perfect place to snuggle in and get stuff done. If that means hiding from the family of your lover in a dark place, by all means do it. You’ll be pleased by the results that your regular homework, writing and study space brings.
Next, don’t fail to …
Rack Your Study Schedule Shotgun
I know. That’s a slightly violent image.
But the reality is that we as students and lifelong learners often fail to follow a planned schedule. And went that happens, it’s impossible to set ’em up and knock ’em down.
I’m talking about writing essays with enough time left over to edit them. I’m talking about giving yourself enough time to take a warm up exam before sitting for the one that counts. I’m talking about planning time for fun, relaxation and rest so your brain consolidates all you’re learning.
The problem is, so few know …
How To Create A Bulletproof Action Plan And Consistently Implement
The best tip I know to help you with this one involves two simple sentences.
Well, I didn’t invent that strategy just for studying Chinese. I’ve been using morning routines for years to get the most important tasks out of the way first.
But You’ve Got To Know What Your Most Important Tasks Are!
To do that means identifying and setting priorities. If your teacher is any good, you’ll have these loud and clear.
For example, with the Magnetic Memory Method, it’s simple: organize the target info, create Memory Palaces or select existing Memory Palaces, encode the info and then use Recall Rehearsal to place it in long term memory.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
But not all teachers know how to help you understand your priorities, so you must make sure you …
Stop Failing To Communicate With Your Instructors
I know, I know. They’re the teachers and it’s their responsibility to guide you.
But in reality, that’s only 50% correct. Every top-notch student needs to meet their instructors halfway. You need to observe where they are failing you and get what you need.
Avoid This Student Plague … Like The Plague!
Have you ever sat in class with a burning question and yet … you didn’t raise your hand?
If so, you’re in the majority.
Don’t feel bad. It’s part of the human condition not to want to stand out, or feel stupid or be the first to say something. You might also be wrongly assuming that the teacher will get to what you want to know later anyway. Or maybe you fear that the teacher might be annoyed.
Maybe the teacher will show some agitation, but who cares? Their position obligates them to serve you and if you’re worried about the opinions of other students, stop. They’re worried about your opinion of them too. It’s a vicious circle and will get you nowhere.
If nothing else, talk to the teacher after class or by email. This low-profile tactic was my favorite and always served me well. It made sure that I never suffered …
The Failure To Ask For Special Treatment
It’s a little-known fact that you can influence the course of your education and tailor much of it to your needs.
For example, one of the most exciting third-year courses I ever took was also … dreadfully dull!
It was called Shakespeare’s Contemporaries and the professor taught with such passion, that I couldn’t wait to hear him speak about weirdo playwrights like John Webster and Thomas Kyd. I admired him so much that I asked him to serve on my doctoral defence committee many years later. To my honor, he did.
The only problem during that seminar course was … the other students. I’m sorry to say this, but many were duds. They showed up unprepared and didn’t interact with this most excellent professor. As a seminar course, there were no lectures as such and the purpose was to have student-driven discussion.
Anyhow, as much as I loved listening to the professor, it also pained me to see him wrestle with my unprepared peers. One day after class, I approached him with trembling hands and asked him one of the most important and powerful questions of my academic life:
May I Have Alternative Assignments?
Instead of showing up for class to get my participation grade, I wanted to write extra essays to make up for the missing marks. Otherwise, I would need either to skip class or drop the course altogether.
Well, the professor seemed to understand exactly my needs and I wound up completing most of that course on my own. I even passed with an A+.
I went on to ask that question of professors again and again, ultimately customizing my entire undergraduate and graduate programs entirely to suit my needs – such as spending hours of study time in dark closets.
Speaking of talking with your instructors, you also need to avoid …
The Failure To Speak With Other Students About Your Studies
Yes, I know. Most of the time, the last thing you want is more of the same after a long session in class.
But if you do it right, you can learn more by revisiting your topic with others in some pleasant and exciting ways.
For example, after I dropped out of high school and returned, I had my first study partner. We took the advanced literature course instead of normal English 12 and it had so much reading, we split it between us.
Leslie would read, for example, John Donne and unpack it for me. I would read the extract from Paradise Lost and lay out all the cool things Satan says when he first lands in the pit.
That way, when I finally got around to reading her half of the load and she to mine, we knew exactly what we were looking for. It was kind of like seeing a movie again for the first time after many years. Plus, we had notes from class to round out our studies and guide our discussions.
When it came time to take the tests and write the in-class essays, we were both in top form. We knew the material inside and out. In the years since, I have done this with study groups large and small and we teach each other the key points from books we read.
Heck, it even happens in a certain way through the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, such as when people tell me about the best parts of books they’ve read and I zip out my own study notes. You have heard The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci episode, right?
Without Study Groups, Students Fail To Encourage And Motivate Each Other
Look, you don’t need to exaggerate it. But if you’re not meeting with other students outside of class, it’s impossible for you to notice when they’ve explained something really well in a relaxed environment. Of course, you can pat each other on the back for things said in class, but it’s not the same thing.
Plus, there’s power in generating ideas together. You also get to frame time by meeting on a predetermined schedule and using something like Roberts Rules to control the flow.
Study groups can also help you avoid …
The Failure To Be Clear And Realistic
Yes, it sucks cold beans, but when you’re a student, you’re being measured. And whether you pass or fail, the metrics make a mark and condition your confidence.
In this world, you need all the confidence you can get!
But by studying together, you’ll also be talking about deadlines and the conditions of the game. This process will keep your eye on the ball and guide you to the target. You just need to avoid …
The Failure Of Letting Worry And Stress Rule Your Mind
If you’ve been following along, you’re already way ahead on this one. You’ve got a cozy study place, the shotgun of your schedule racked, your teachers in the palm of your hand and a powerful study group.
These conditions themselves will reduce stress to a bare minimum. You probably won’t even feel it.
But why not take preemptive measures to make sure stress can’t rise up unnoticed? It’s easy if you’ll just meditate, sleep and eat a memory friendly diet.
Speaking of diets, to help you sleep, eat better and have way more time, don’t fall prey to the …
Failure To Hit The Kill Switch
Do you want to choose how to live your life? Or would you prefer to have it chosen for you?
Keep watching TV and farting around on social media and you’re giving up your right to be free.
I know that sounds harsh, but all appearances suggest that TV, social media and other digital delights like video games and instant messaging create dopamine spikes in the brain. Unfortunately, we get addicted to these, which can reduce concentration and create impulsivity that makes it difficult to get things done.
The best way around this?
Put Borders Around Your Mind Candy Binges
Here’s a simple trick:
Just as you should get all the most important activities finished before you switch on the computer and get tossed by the sea of email messages and social media, vow to stop all of it by a set hour.
My preference is 9 pm with 10 pm as the absolute maximum outer limit. Sure, I break this rule once in awhile of something needs to get done, but rarely by more than 30 minutes. The rule itself helps to contain any attempts at breaking it.
Plus, I watch programs with limits and check Facebook only once a day. Email gets a bit more attention, but even that I try to limit to three sessions per day.
Not only that, but my iPhone doesn’t receive calls, receive or send texts or have roaming Internet. It is simply for writing, reading and language study. It truly is a smartphone and I have a tiny old Motorola for handling the rest.
You may not want or need to be that extreme, but please, above all, avoid …
The Failure To Realize That Focus Is Your Number One Asset As A Student And Lifelong Learner
More than that, focus is the future. As more and more things compete for our attention, those who can avoid all the failures discussed in this post will rule the world. Those who sink in the mire of unproductive lives and disorganized confusion will be their slaves.
That’s why the penultimate failure is so important to avoid.
The Failure To Be Mentored
Most students chase after tutors – or get forced into having them by well-meaning parents. Sorry to break it to you, bit most tutoring is a waste of time, money and energy.
Why?
Because most tutors look at your work and explain it to you. Or they babysit you while you complete tasks you should be able to do on your own.
A mentor, on the other hand, doesn’t bother with any of that. A mentor shows you how not to need a tutor at all by modeling effective study skills, lifestyle habits and teacher management. A mentor lives the way you want to be and will never be caught dead lapping up a pay check to tutor others. A mentor is too busy modeling others higher up the ladder and helping those a few rungs down.
How do you find a mentor? Well, that’s a topic all on its own, but I recommend taking (Jimmy’s course with Martin). That’ll put you in good stead, and if you execute, you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams with the help of a carefully identified individual who has the qualities and accomplishments to which you aspire.
All these things said, above all you need to avoid the most tragic failure of all:
The Failure To Develop Your Memory Abilities
The most shocking thing in the world is that the simple memory skills that help students the most are taught in schools the least.
One can go on and on about why, and perhaps it really is a capitalist conspiracy.
But at the end of the day, what matters is that memory improvement help exists. And you can get it right, right now and right here from this website with my FREE Memory Improvement Kit.
So what do you say? Are you ready to take action and stop failing as a student?
Of course you are. Start using the tips you’ve just learned and achieve the success you deserve. I’m rooting for you!
Further Resource
What If I Wanted To Memorize Entire Chapters From A Textbook
You’ve read about browser control software, right?
Did you know that your ability to be a moral person directly connects to the quality of your memory?
You probably think you can get all the memory training you need from books, right?
It’s no secret that students want to succeed. They really do.
