Looking for the most powerful memory techniques you can use to memorize numbers? Tune in and learn the Major System, PAO and 00-99 for fast and flexible number memory skills starting today!

Have you ever wondered about apps like Cogmed for brain exercise and memory improvement really work?

So have I and it is really difficult coming up with a clear answer when you read the research about general brain fitness and memory in the scientific literature.

Here’s the great news:

On this episode of Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you’ll hear from Dr. Christina Till.

Dr. Till is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Developmental Area in the Faculty of Health at York University.

As she shared her scientific research on memory, multiple sclerosis (MS), Huntington’s disease and other areas of mental cognition, this point leapt out at me: 

“My dream study [would] combine the benefits of physical activity with cognitive training.  To maximize brain growth, we should be doing both.”

If you’d like to peer behind the scenes of how memory research is conducted with softwares like Cogmed in the mix and what the conclusions really mean when it comes to improving memory , download this podcast episode now.

And get ready to dive deep because there’s a ton of substantial information you will learn from Dr. Till’s research and work and how scientists develop their studies and draw their conclusions.

Press play now and you’ll discover:

• How Christine came to be interested in memory.
• What “environmental enrichment” means and how it can help you improve your memory.
• What Huntington’s disease is and how it degenerates the brain over time.
• The early manifestations of the Huntington’s disease.
• The conditions or immune triggers that have been implicated in increasing the risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• The metaphor goal suggestion with “machinery” when it comes to the brain and memory.
• How the cognitive network of the brain gets injured. (This may or may not relate to memory issues from other forms of brain trauma.)
• Why some people’s cognitive performance can remain stable at early stages of disease.
• What the term “memory reserve” means and how it can be measured.
• How cognitive training can help your memory.
• How the software called “Cogmed” helps people with cognition training.
• The reasons for choosing “Cogmed” out of the number of programs for Christine’s study.
• The conclusion of Christine’s research study and what it really means for memory.
• The power of meditation and linking physical activity with cognitive training.
• What’s coming up next for Christine and where can people learn more about her research and work.
• And a special interview here in video with Christine:

 

Bonus Alternative To Cogmed For Brain Exercise

On this episode, I mentioned to Christine that I was learning to juggle and recite the alphabet backwards. Here’s a demonstration of this simple brain exercise and how you can learn it without any frustration by following a few simple principles:

Part Two:

Christian decides to share his juggling chops while reciting a poem in a video response:

And then another follow-up with coins!

Enjoy (and send us your video too if you’ve got one so we can feature your authentic brain exercise techniques)!

Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast and the MMM Blog:

Christine Till Profile profile on York University’s website

Till Lab

Memory training points to new directions for treatment of Huntington’s disease

Why Bilingualism Makes For a Healthier Brain

Coconut Oil and Memory: Can It Boost Your Brain [Advanced Study]

Binaural Beats And Memory: Can This Crazy Music Make You Smarter

The post The Real Data You Should Know About Cogmed For Brain Exercise appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Looking for ways to learn anything fast and remember it in 2018 (whatever it may be)?

You’re in the right place.

Why?

Because 2017 was a landmark year for the Magnetic Memory Method blog and podcast.

To sum up the year, I’ve gathered 18 of the most highly-shared and impactful posts from 2017.

Scroll up and click play to hear me sum up the year on the podcast.

Then get busy downloading each of these episodes and make yourself an audiobook so that you know how to study without forgetting what you have studied in 2018.

For the first category of memory-boosting material from 2017, we begin with:

 

The Biggest Learning Problems And Their Solutions

 

1. How To Stop Google From Ruining Your Memory

Digital Amnesia: 5 Ways To Stop Google From Ruining Your Memory

Yes, the threat is real. Please make sure you pay the closest attention to this special message because the “Google Effect” is something we all face.

In order to overcome, measures must be taken. This blog post and podcast provides the deep-dive you need to preserve your memory for the long haul.

2. Beware of Apps

5 Memory Improvement Exercises That Don’t Require Another Annoying App

I know, I know. Apps are attractive.

The idea that you can download an app that will help you remember or train your brain is seductive.

But as this post demonstrates, there are better brain exercises you can use to improve your memory.

And if you want more, here are five additional brain exercises that will benefit anyone.

3. Recycle Your Reading

11 Reasons You Should Reread At Least One Book Every Month

I’m so glad I started a solid rereading strategy. I’ve learned so much and really fortified a lot of things I wanted to remember.

The best part?

Discovering all the things you didn’t notice the first time. This can help you avoid many life mistakes that harm your memory improvement journey.

Remember:

You can’t recall information you didn’t notice, so have a rereading reading strategy is really important.

4. Know What Really Counts As Memory Loss

The Most Important Difference Between Memory Loss And Forgetfulness In The World

I survey thousands of people every year.

One thing is clear:

Many people don’t know how to distinguish between every day forgetfulness and the kind of memory loss that should send you running for the doctor. Please check this material out.

5. Destroy Memory Mythologies

3 Reasons We Must Destroy The Human Goldfish Attention Span Myth

Nothing is more dangerous than the lies we tell ourselves than the lies we allow to shape our behavior.

If you’re sick of being told that you have the attention span of a goldfish (and you should be), we took a look at the origin of this silly myth.

Better:

We learned to replace that destructive myth with an empowering metaphor that serves our memory instead of tearing it down.

6. Make Memory Easier And Faster

4 Easy Ways To Learn Faster And Remember More

We all have a need for speed.

But if you want to know how to make your brain stranger and train it for focus, you need strategy. Like knowing R.A.M.S. and which one to avoid:

Good news:

You’ll learn everything you need to know about how to attract information into your memory on that video and the learn faster post. Please check them out.

 

7. Use A Pencil

5 Note Taking Techniques That Force You To Remember More

Of course, I realize that we want to siphon information directly from our eyes and ears into our brain.

But the reality is that old technology like paper and pencil still play an important role.

And not necessarily in the way you think.

I gave you some of my best tips for note taking from the viewpoint of someone who has been both student and professor.

 

Memory Improvement Lessons From Experts &
Other Warriors Of The Mind

 

One of the my favorite roles as the host of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast is to:

1) Interview world class memory experts

2) Invite world class memory experts and students to take over the show.

For example:

8. Learn From Those Who Really Face The Pressure 

7 Killer Memory Improvement Tips From The World Of Conference Interpreting

Lukas Van Vyve guest hosted the Magnetic Memory Method podcast and wrote everything down for its fans.

You will definitely want to get the full run down on how conference interpreters work their magic.

9. Learn How To Take Online Language Learning Courses Properly

How To Consistently Get Quick Victories With Language Learning Courses

A lot of people fail to remember information because they don’t know how to take courses.

Olly Richards, who had just released his new Spanish course, came on to discuss the problem and give many powerful solutions.

10. Know Your Memory History For Some Of The Best Tips

The Memory Code: Prehistoric Memory Techniques You Can Use Now

Lynne Kelly wrote the best memory improvement book of 2017.

Why?

Because in The Memory Code, she connects memory techniques for our deep past and shows how they’re just as relevant to human survival today as they were in prehistoric times.

Learn the tradition and use it traditionally.

You’ll be glad you looked to the elders for guidance.

Why else would they have worked so hard to preserve all that knowledge except for your benefit?

11. Get To The Root Of Your Memory Loss Problems

Memory Loss Story And Memory Recovery Tips With Jennie Gorman

If The Memory Code shows us the link between memory and survival, Jennie Gorman’s visit to the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast extends it to modern medicine.

If you’re struggling with severe memory loss, her story will give you tips for a simple checkup that most people never consider.

12. Get Back On The Horse

The Perfect Learn Japanese App With Kevin Richardson

Kevin Richardson was looking for the perfect app to help with Japanese.

He found it in the form of the Magnetic Memory Palace.

Yet, after a short attempt, Kevin gave up.

This is the epic story of why he came back to the Memory Palace and what happened next.

His story is inspiring, insightful and will give you many tips on how to make memory techniques work for you if you’re struggling.

Your Memory Mindset & Preparing Your Attitude &
Brain For The Future

 

In all my years teaching memory improvement and memory techniques, one thing never changes.

I’m talking about the importance of mindset.

The truth is that the human brain is designed to give you negative messages.

It does this not because you’re bad, unworthy or lacking in the wit needed to make memory techniques (or any other skill) work.

It’s just trying to conserve energy.

Rest assured, you’re more than skilled enough.

The best part:

Your most unlikely thoughts are actually a power.

 

13. A Little Skepticism Goes A Long Way

3 Reasons Why Skeptics Succeed With Memory Techniques Better Than Anyone Else

It’s true.

Those who succeed with memory techniques the most tend to start off as the biggest skeptics.

Lynne Kelly talks about this experience herself in The Memory Code.

It’s mentioned throughout the memory improvement cannon of literature.

And it was certainly the case for me.

So if you’re feeling skeptical, no worries. That skepticism has the potential to be a special power.

Just…

14. Don’t Let Skepticism Become Poisonous

Two Truly Evil Spells People Cast Against Memorizing Vocabulary With A Memory Palace

Lurkers must be connected to the Digital Amnesia problem.

But it’s not just lurkers. Even people willing to use their own names come along who are ready and willing to claim that because something didn’t work for them…

It couldn’t possibly work for anyone else.

We set that negative lie to rest in 2017 and hope it stays resting in 2018.

In case not, it’s important to remember that the negativity comes from the human desire for quick wins.

15. Learn To Love Delayed Gratification By Using These…

3 Powerful Ways To Destroy The Cancer Of Instant Gratification

It’s normal to get frustrated when you don’t get immediate results.

But the Internet has created a world filled with people who have unrealistic expectations.

According to Will Self, that might be the result of the Gutenberg Mind having said bye-bye in the age of Digital Amnesia:

That is very compelling, but as far as most of us are concerned, even without a history of reading novels, memory techniques work super fast and fine.

But what I like about Self’s critique for those who come to memory techniques is this:

Depending on your age, level of interest and exposure to depths of plot and imagination, picking up mnemonic skills can require varying degrees of take time.

And that’s a very good thing, I venture.

Why?

Because no matter who you are or where you come from, you are the only person who can experience memory techniques in quite the way you will experience them.

When you get in touch and share your experience, we learn more about how these memory techniques work with greater specificity about for whom and under what conditions.

In other words, learn to love delayed gratification. It rewards all of us when you arrive and send your report from the frontier of your own imagination.

And yes, as you can see on this live version of today’s blog post, those of us who belong to the Magnetic Memory Method Family are practicing long form discussions about memory improvement using the available technology. And loving it:

Make sure you’re subscribed to the Magnetic Memory Method on YouTube and have clicked the bell icon so that you’re notified the next time we go live.

16. Learn To Shift

Mindshift: 3 “Time Travel” Secrets From People Learning How To Learn

The question is…

How do you change yourself when old habits die hard?

We start by thanking our lucky stars for Barbara Oakley.

And if you haven’t read Mindshift yet, you are missing out on something truly special.

You may need an especially big mindshift if you believe Aphantasia is the reason you can’t use memory techniques, for example. (Hint: It’s not the reason.)

17. Keep Abreast Of New Topics Forcing Mindshifts

Mastering The Memory Demands Of Bitcoin And Cryptocurrency With Jonathan Levi

Yes, change is coming.

Including how we use our wallets.

That’s why I was delighted when Jonathan Levi created this free trial of his new Bitcoin Academy for Magnetic Memory Method fans.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are currently one of the most challenging, and yet most important topics on the scene. I’m grateful Jonathan stopped by and created this course to help us all out.

Of course, I’m not 100% in favor of all technological change.

18. Keep Your Brain And Memory Organic

7 Reasons Having A Memory Implant Would Really Suck

I’m a techno-positivist.

I see mostly only good things.

But as I hoped to demonstrate in the podcast and post on why memory implants make no sense to me, if you want a properly functioning brain and memory in the future, you’ve got to keep a healthy division between your brain and technology.

Will my opinion change in the future?

Perhaps.

I’m a scientist, after all. New evidence always plays a role in shaping – and reshaping – my convictions.

But as of the end of 2017, I can tell you this:

As with my 2016 State Of Your Memory Address, journals, friendships and learning a new language remain the most likely ways to experience optimal brain health and superior memory.

Stick with the fundamentals and keep clear of smartphone addiction if you want to learn anything fast and remember it, Memorizers, and you’ll do just fine. Here’s a free course to show you how:

More than having your learning accomplishments be just fine in 2018, your mind and memory will become truly Magnetic.

Happy New Year and thanks for all the great memories of 2017!

The post 18 Ways To Learn Anything Fast And Remember It in 2018 appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

I’m a pretty calm and relaxed guy.

But if there’s one word related to memory improvement that drives me bonkers, it’s “system.”

And you’ve probably heard me talk all about why I don’t teach a comprehensive memory system like some of the others on the market.

Nothing about my refusal to offer a memory improvement system is ever going to change.

The truth, reality and scientifically demonstrated fact about your memory is this:

No One On Planet Earth Can Give You A
Memory Improvement System! 

Oh, but they’ll promise, which is exactly why I created this Memory Training Consumer Awareness Guide.

(Side note: Can you believe that’s way back to Episode 9 of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast! Thanks to your support, you can click the audio above to listen to this post as episode 180!)

 

 

Here’s The Bloody Truth No One Else Will Tell You

 

Although you do need memory systems of a sort, YOU need to learn how to create them.

And then you need to follow through and actually create them.

That’s right. YOU.

And if you do it right, you’ll discover that you, like me, will also think about the word “system” very differently.

And here’s the very good news:

 

Right Thinking About Memory Systems Will Solve
All Your Memory Problems And Pains – FAST!

 

And once you’ve come to share my admittedly biased (but always Magnetic) opinion that the only memory systems that matter are the ones you create yourself …

You’ll be a master of your memory.

The only question is …

What are these memory systems that you need so badly?

I’m glad you asked.

There are just 4.

They’re simple to understand, fast to get in place for yourself and super-easy to use.

It all begins with …

#1: A Location-based Mnemonic System

 

Not such a sexy term, is it?

Well, don’t fret. It has many other names.

Looked at from the top, there are oodles of mnemonics out there, ranging from rhyming to creating crazy images that you let float in the void of your mind.

Many people experience all kinds of success with the different kinds of mnemonics to choose from.

But most people can’t just create a mnemonic and then toss it out into the void of their mind.

They need to connect their Magnetic Associations to something in the world.

Like a location.

There are other kinds of locations that are more abstract, like Virtual Memory Palaces, but here’s the truth:

 

Keeping It Concrete And Real Works Best For
The Vast Majority Of People

 

And that’s why having a system for creating Memory Palaces is so powerful.

You can create them strategically by building up a storehouse in advance.

Or you can create Impromptu Memory Palaces anywhere, at any time, completely on the fly.

The trick is to know how to create them.

And know how to create them well.

If you haven’t taken the Magnetic Memory Method free video course, it’ll walk you through everything you need to know.

(Hint: Just click that big subway image above or subscribe above and I’ll send you this course for FREE.)

And then, Bang Presto!

You’ll be a Master of the first memory system you need to succeed! Just make sure you ground it on a memory method.

 

#2: You Need An Encoding System

 

Once you’ve got a reliable way of creating the Memory Palaces you need, you next need a systematic way to encode the information you want to learn.

It helps if you’ve got that information organized. That way you can quickly “map” it onto any Memory Palace.

Luckily, a lot of information comes pre-organized for us, so you can easily use the How to Memorize A Textbook training to tap into that raw power.

And have a goal. An outcome. A realistic target that you actually want to hit.

From there, you just need to be able to look at a piece of information and associate it with something else.

Ideally that “something else” should hit a number of characteristics.

It should be:

• Deeply familiar
• Colorful
• Big
• Bright
• Dynamic
• Capable of interaction

And don’t worry if you’re not a visual person (#noexcuses). Here’s the final word on that strange objection to using memory techniques:

 

 

Example of an image that fits all the characteristics defined above?

Well, let’s take Homer Simpson.

Are you deeply familiar with him?

I sure am. He’s got the world’s worst memory, after all:

 

 

But if you’re not familiar with Homer, you can probably name some other cartoon character. Bugs Bunny, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Fred Flinstone …

The options are endless.

And if that character, actor, politician, musician or even your least favorite aunt can move around in space (such as within a Memory Palace) …

You can create a system for pumping out oodles of characters like these to help you encode information you don’t know with information you already do.

You see, it’s association that makes things more memorable.

And you can develop a system for making associations very fast.

You’ve just get to set aside any fear that you can’t do it and get started doing it.

That’s the secret of success.

 

#3: A Decoding System

 

You know, there are people out there willing to argue about whether students who use memory techniques spend too little time on encoding or decoding.

The argument is a waste of time!

What matters is how much time YOU spend on it relative to the results YOU want to experience.

And so once you’ve started using the encoding system I’d love to teach you to create for yourself, you can then create a decoding system.

As you work with these two systems, you’ll soon learn about your precise needs.

You’ll discover where our strengths lie and what you can do to “bulk up” any memory muscles that might need a bit more grit.

And that comes from just showing up mentally in one of your Memory Palaces.

Looking around at the images you encoded there and then decoding them.

 

In other words, if Homer Simpson is pounding the snot out of Bugs Bunny …

Why on earth did you choose those images to associate with what information?

Ask the right questions like Sherlock Holmes and you’ll become so good at decoding the little mysteries you’ve left in your own head …

You’ll soon be in danger of never forgetting any information again!

But don’t worry. That won’t amount to photographic memory.

There’s no such thing and because you created these memory systems, YOU will always be in control.

Unless, of course, you don’t have …

 

#4: A System For Maintaining A Healthy Brain

 

Far too many people abuse their brains.

Sugar.

Dehydration.

Inadequate sleep.

Couch potato lifestyle.

Ironically, even with all that negative abuse of your brain and body going on … mnemonics will still help.

But you know, the beauty of memory techniques working under adverse conditions aside …

The real glory comes from how great it feels to live in an optimized brain and body.

The kind of place that the human being truly can grow and thrive.

And so the success of the other three systems truly does rest on what you do to take care of your brain.

Because those other systems you create?

They LIVE in your brain.

 

And you have the choice to create them on shaky ground or steadfast bedrock.

If you want to get started helping your brain right away, here’s my go-to list of Foods That Improve Memory.

They’re all super-tasty.

Inexpensive.

And your brain will love you for eating them.

 

No Use Hoping, Wishing And Praying

 

I sometimes hear from people who say they “hope” these memory techniques I teach will work for them.

Sorry.

No.

That’s not the way this game works.

That’s like buying a piano and saying, “I hope one day this piano will play me.”

The way memory techniques work is that you learn how to create your own memory systems.

Then you fuel those systems with information you want to remember.

Along the way, you learn to become a great master of those systems.

And because you’re the one who built them, you own them.

That means all the profit of knowledge, fluency in languages and time-saved because you know all your passwords and bank account numbers goes directly to you.

 

The Boss. Of Your Own Head.

 

What do you think?

Could you possibly learn to create and maintain 4 simple systems?

To put it another way … If I were the Morpheus of Memory …

Could you be the One?

The post The Only 4 Memory Improvement Systems You Need appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Don’t you hate that sinking feeling?

You know the one.

You crack open another memory improvement book.

You’re excited to take your memory training to the next level.

You’re hungry for the next-level techniques that no one has ever shown you before.

And yet there it is again …

 

Another Useless Memory Improvement Exercise!

 

Seriously. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve read a memory trainer promising the world only to start things off with something like this:

“Now that you know how to use your memory, practice with your shopping list.”

Yawn.

But …

I get why they do it.

It’s called giving the student a “quick victory.”

But there’s a problem with quick victories.

Especially when they’re attached to gains that simply don’t connect.

To your heart.

Your soul.

That part of your mind that craves conquering even the toughest information in the world.

For achieving that, I recommend these books instead:

In other words, you want memory improvement books that give you the ability to …

 

Remember Information That Instantly
Improves Your Life!

 

And unless you’re memorizing the shopping list in another language for developing fluency or helping your brain thrive … life improvement is unlikely to happen.

That’s why you need to forget every memory exercise you’ve ever encountered and try the following instead.

Instead of applying the memory skills you’ve developed to meaningless information or meaningless brain games …

Apply them to information that will make an immediate difference!

How To Perform The Magnetic Memory Method LifeBlood Test

 

Chances are that the shopping list exercise isn’t going to go away anytime soon.

For that reason, let me teach you how to replace it with practice material that actually matters.

The first thing you want to ask yourself is …

What’s the number one thing I could add to my memory today that would make my life better tomorrow?

Think seriously about this.

Go through all your problems and pains and find the ones where memory is the culprit.

When I first learned memory techniques, it was loud and clear:

Philosophical concepts and specific terms.

Things like …

• Pregnans constructio
• Architectonic tautology
• Anagnorisis and peripeteia

Then there was Biblical Hebrew.

The alphabet, vocabulary, phrases.

And I was real bad with remembering the names of authors and information like historical dates.

And I remember one of my professors hated when said, “back then” or “in the past.”

And she was right to hate that.

So I determined to be more specific when speaking about yesteryear in my seminar contributions.

All These Improvements Make Life Instantly Better!

 

And I don’t use the word “lifeblood” loosely.

It make my heart pump with pride, accomplishment and inspiration to learn even more.

Because it’s no longer about half-remembered facts clouded by opinions and beliefs.

It’s absolute historically scientific certainty that I knew what the hell I was talking about.

And it’s so great to know the dates of philosophers and when their books appeared. Your brain makes more connections.

Even without the memory techniques, these mental and Magnetic links help fortify memories further.

And the more you learn, the more you can learn.

And the coolest thing of all is that the brain feels so much clearer. The fog dissipates. A laser intensity emerges.

 

Magnetic Memory Method Lifeblood (TM) =
100% Pure & Concentrated Focus

 

For you, it might not be any of these things.

Your life might improve by appearing at work by knowing more about SQL for an  IT certification.

Or you’re a medical student who needs to know both specific terms about the body, information about side effects and number-based data. You have to be able to look at a person and cross-reference their age, height and weight against dosage guidelines.

Wouldn’t it be great to process and …

 

Remember And Access Information Faster Than The Speed Of Light!

 

Or you might just want to cultivate greater awareness of the world around you by improving your memory.

Maybe you’d like to give presentations better or you’re a salesperson dying to remember those smooth patterns of persuasion your competition knows so well.

You might be a Mason or an actor looking to remember and recall long lines of text.

Or you’re a perpetual student, tired of forgetting. You want to decipher the information you’re studying, but you can’t process the logic of it all.

Why?

Because you haven’t got enough information in memory to contemplate the topic.

And that’s, frankly, what most of us need.

Contemplation.

The contemplation of connections.

The deep connections.

Because when you look at a genius like Elon Musk or Einstein or Frank Zappa or Da Vinci, you see balance.

The balance of the tiny details with the bigger picture.

You need the ability to process both and that level of processing only happens if you’ve got your memory abilities intact.

Take some time and think this through.

Your Most Sincere Desire To Improve Will Guide You

 

If you really want to accomplish your life’s most important goals, the facts and figures matter.

But so does remembering the things you do for fun. It’s not all professional reading. There’s remembering the details of stories that you read or watch on a series.

Whatever you do, you need to find the Lifeblood.

It will drive everything.

The only reason why people ever find anything challenging is because they’re not tapped into their true passion and desire.

But get that sweet fuel at the front of your mind, and it will help you sail past any and all challenges.

 

How To Make Your Lifeblood Impossible To Forget

 

Here’s a friendly tip:

Don’t just think about your lifeblood.

Write it down.

Get it in front of your eyes.

Then talk about it.

Ask for feedback from the right friends (i.e. be careful that you don’t share your Lifeblood with negative people).

Process it through all the representation channels your body and mind have at your disposal.

That will make it more real.

And what’s real gets done.

 

Is This The Secret That Will Launch Your
Memory Improvement Success?

 

In Christopher Marlowe’s excellent The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, we hear the famous line:

“Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships, / And burnt the topless towers of Ilium.” (Act V, Scene I.)

I’ll leave reading this play up to you, but give you the quote because Helen of Troy’s beauty inspired some of the clearest battle tactics of legend the Western world has ever known.

Faustus is referring here to the war that involved the Trojan Horse. And in many ways, that strategy is a great metaphor for what we’ll use to slip any information you want into your long term memory.

 

But You’ve Got To Have The Desire To Win!

 

And the fuel comes from knowing what you’re losing each and every minute you delay on taking action.

Poor Faustus sold his soul for access to knowledge and paid a terrible price.

But you have only the work of knowing what you want and using the tools of memory like a Trojan horse to slip beyond all objections. Straight into the center of your core desire.

To all due respect to my fellow memory trainers, that’s not likely to happen often by memorizing a shopping list.

But information for college?

For enjoying the ins and outs of wine?

For recovering from brain damage so you can have a medical career?

For passing the LSAT, MCAT, SATs or other qualifying exam?

For mastering complex topics and remembering the key contents of 100s of books so you can comprehend them like a pro?

Follow your gut and link learning the memory techniques with the information that matters most.

And always complete this simple recovered memory Memory Palace exercise to make sure you never run out of tools for using the method of loci.

 

The Information That Matters Now

 

The information that will launch all the passion and energy you need to thrive so your hopes and dreams finally become a reality.

And I don’t just mean “now.”

I mean RIGHT NOW!

Can you dig what I’m saying?

Sincerely,

Anthony

P.S. If you’re looking for my best memory improvement recommendation, it’s this:

The book you actually sit down, read from cover to cover and use (inserting info that matters in place of the shopping list/random items stuff, etc.)

Seriously. That’s the only memory improvement book that matters. The one you use.

P.P.S. And this one reading suggestion could be the most important one you make in your memory improvement life:

The post Why Even The Best Memory Improvement Books Are Wrong When They Teach You To Memorize A Shopping List appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Ever feel frustrated by people with strong memory abilities?

You know the kind. They rattle off names. They know all their credit card numbers. They say, “April 10th, 1972,” not “back then” or “in the past.”

They’re specific.

And make no mistake:

Specificity Makes Your Life Better

 

They feel good when they call restaurant staff by name. They seem to know everyone in a deeper way. Their capacity for human interaction shines.

And when they have to do something with numbers, they do it with confidence. They’re in control. They’ve got it together.

Even better:

When it comes to conversation, they know how to hold their own. They don’t mess around with loose generalities. They don’t waver on the facts.

They’re detailed. Specific. Precise.

And let’s face it:

It Annoys You To Your Core That You’re Not Like This!

 

It’s a real problem too.

All that time you’re losing at work. Looking up the same procedural information again and again.

Nothing you do solves the problem. You’re trapped in a prison of repetition, and nothing ever seems to sink in.

In conversations, you continue to flounder. You can’t remember the names of actors, authors, even the titles of books you know you read.

And the brain fog crushing your memory every time you sit down to do some math …

It’s downright, depressing, isn’t it?

Of course it is.

The Simple Memory Improvement Solution Even
A 10-Year Old Can Master

 

Good news: You don’t need memory championship training to remove these pains from your life.

You just need these 5 brain exercises and a little bit of meta-level understanding of just what makes memory techniques so powerful.

Here are a few reasons.

1) Memory techniques are diplomatic.

Seriously. If you look up the meaning of diplomacy, you get a definition like this:

Diplomacy is the conduct by government officials of negotiations and other relations between nations.

That’s all memory techniques are:

An understanding of the official parts of your memory and getting them to negotiate with one another.

For example, when you use the Magnetic Memory Method, you’re learning a completely new way to think about spatial memory.

And then you harness the power of spatial memory and get it to talk diplomatically with your episodic memory.

There are other “nations” of memory in your brain that the Magnetic Memory Method taps into, but it’s all about getting them to negotiate.

2) There’s no discrimination.

It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 years old or 88. The memory techniques simply don’t care.

If you learn how to use them so the different parts of your memory can discuss diplomatically, you’ll amaze yourself.

And if you need any convincing, check out Tap The Mind Of A 10-Year Old Memory Master.

3. They’re Honest.

There’s no better art in the world than the art of memory.

Why?

Because there’s no wiggle room.

You either remembered the information, or you didn’t.

And the Magnetic Memory Method helps you embrace the power of that radical honesty.

And to do so in comfort while you learn faster and remember more.

Because there are only three things that stand in the way of you and getting amazing results from your memory.

 

Efficiency Is Doing Things Right.
Effectiveness Is Doing The Right Things.

 

That’s a quote from Peter Drucker.

And it applies directly to the biggest mistake that even the best memory champions make.

They don’t practice as well as they could.

Now, you don’t have to aspire to memory competition to enjoy benefits from these techniques.

In fact, as much as I love all the memory competitions out there …

I sometimes worry that they discourage people who stand to gain the most from memory techniques.

After all, if you’re struggling with passing math exams in school …

What’s More Likely To Help Both Memory Champions And… Anyone?

 

Images of a kid just like you rapidly memorizing complicated formulas …

… or someone wrangling long lists of numbers from the depths of a Memory Palace.

Same skills – same diplomacy – but it can be hard for some people to see the connection.

But there is a connection.

And if you buckle down and practice with real information you might actually use in the world, your memory will transform into the most powerful asset in the world.

Take language learning. It’s not only a great way to use memory techniques. Bilingualism also makes for a healthier brain.

 

And You Will Be The One Who Owns The Asset!

 

Of course, having great power leads to great responsibility.

And there’s no question that this can make you nervous.

After all …

Once you’ve spent a bit of time learning and practicing memory techniques …

 

You Actually Have To Use Them!

 

Seriously.

There are lots of parallels between memory improvement and martial arts.

But unlike a lot of martial arts where you learn “fight to the death” techniques you never want to ever use in real life …

When it comes to memory improvement …

Not a day will pass without an opportunity to win!

And that can lead to the third big mistake:

 

Lack of Faith In Your Memory As The Most Perfect And Beautiful Possession You Must Honor With All Your Love And Attention

 

Some will say I’m being dramatic.

But those who have lived a life of memory, even if only for a short while, know exactly what I mean.

Yes, we can talk about levels of accuracy and the black and white certainties of getting it right or wrong.

And yes, we know from the descriptions of even the best memory champions that they experience doubt even when they’re at the top of their game.

And as former World Memory Champion Ben Pridmore has said, his number one tip for anyone using memory techniques is to simply get out of your own way and trust your memory.

Let memory techniques Do The Heavy Lifting For You

 

And never forget the wisdom of Bruce Lee:

No ego. No enemy.

Because memory techniques aren’t working, it’s not about the techniques.

It’s about you.

Remember, this is a black and white art.

There’s no one who can’t use them and there are no excuses.

And if you get past your limiting beliefs, there’s so much more that living a life in tune with memory can bring.

Because when you learn to use memory techniques and carry them with you throughout life, you begin to experience a depth of conversation with yourself and the world that eliminates all fear.

Every problem, every pain, ever doubt you’ve ever had melts away.

And all because you experience a complete and utter shift in thinking about the nature of your mind. You experience that thing called “you” in a new way.

A diplomatic way.

A way that governs the discussions between spatial, episodic, semantic and other “countries’ of your memory.

You rise above it all.

You are the Magnetic King or the Queen of all things that pass in the realm of your memory and your mind.

And all you have to do is surrender yourself to a simple process.

Are you in?

The post The 3 Biggest Memory Improvement Mistakes Even Experienced Memory Champions Make appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Home is where the heart is, right?

Judging by my inbox and all the pains and frustrations with memory I hear …

Maybe not.

I mean, think about it:

You pour all that hard-earned money into rent or your mortgage, and yet …

You’re Living In A Memory-Toxic Dump!

 

It really doesn’t matter how much you like your home. If you don’t set it up for memory success and sufficient memory care home solutions, you’re leading yourself down a path of mental destruction.

And yes, there are things worse than Alzheimer’s.

Such as letting another moment slip by without the extraordinary powers available to you now for improving your memory based on Memory Palace Science.

In addition to all the memory techniques you can learn here on the site, here are 15 more ways that your home is crushing your memory. Avoid these issues and your memory abilities will soar.

 

1. Your Fridge Is Filled With Memory Destroying Foods

 

Here’s a rule of thumb you must not forget:

If it comes with a list of ingredients, it’s probably wrecking your brain.

I know it’s hard these days. Almost everything comes wrapped in plastic and there are additives in everything.

Heck, you can’t even trust your local farmer’s market.

But sticking with foods that improve memory isn’t hard. In fact, it’s one of the easiest things you can do.

And yes, it’s the one time Magnetic Memory Method fans know I think it’s okay to memorize your shopping list.

So drop the sauces and start eating well. Your brain and memory will thank you for it.

 

2. No Mat, No Enlightenment, No Memory Improvement

 

Getting sick of hearing about meditation?

Don’t.

In study after study, scientists keeps piling on all the benefits of meditation for your memory. And the good news is that memory is good for all kinds of other life areas too.

Don’t believe me? Just listen:

https://youtu.be/zP20eBfp2oM

3. No Dedicated Study And Memory Location

 

People say they want to get smarter, but do they act like it?

Just take a look around your own home and point to all the places you go to FOCUS.

If you can’t even come up with one, then you and your memory are in trouble.

Don’t you think it’s time to fix it?

 

4. How Scribbling Can Save The Life Of Your Memory

 

Once you have a place to focus in, it’s good to have rituals. My morning rituals for Mandarin have changed a bit since I first shared them, but the basics are the same.

And a huge part of getting my language learning done involves having an if-this-then-that chain of events.

To help, I’m currently using The Mastery Journal, which is John Lee Dumas’ follow-up to the excellent Freedom Journal.

Why not just use an app?

Digital amnesia, for one thing. It’s killing your memory and your brain.

Kind of like reading from screens is sucking your brain dry of the life it used to have.

 

5. Not Enough Dead Weight

 

Two words.

More books.

Real books.

It’s true:

People can’t remember nearly as much of what they read from a digital device as they can from physical books.

Why?

I have a lot of pet theories, but the important thing is that you make sure you’ve got physical books in your home. Even if it’s just a couple, so long as you actually read them, you’ll be doing your memory and brain a favor.

 

6. Not Enough Playful Romance (And Yes, Sex)

 

If you want to keep your brain and memory healthy, you’ve got to do it.

Often.

But more than just get physical with your partner, you’ve got to be romantic and make love in memorable ways.

How?

Ask questions.

Tease.

Remind your lover of the things you remember and prove that the past of your relationship matters.

Because it does matter, doesn’t it?

And if you can’t imagine it mattering, maybe you need to get checked out for aphantasia.

 

7. Too Much Idiot Box

 

Okay, everybody knows the truth here:

TV has gotten better. And you can improve your memory by watching long form series and making a network of Memory Palaces from them.

But here’s the thing:

No matter how good TV gets, it’s still twitchy.

Instead of helping you extend your attention span, it’s constantly shrinking it.

Not only that, you’re continually being exposed to bad news that create the perception of a negative world.

Well, guess what?

That world doesn’t actually exist.

And if you don’t believe me, just read The Better Angels Of Our Nature by Stephen Pinker.

‘nuff said.

 

8. Too Many Interruptions From Mobile Devices

 

If the TV isn’t interrupting your attention, instant notifications from a dozen or more less than useful apps are probably yapping at you.

Seriously, does the latest post on Facebook really matter that much to you? Wouldn’t you rather be experiencing the benefits of learning a new language instead?

Listen, I use social media too, but there’s a time and place for it and the home isn’t one of them. Try digital fasting and use social media only when you’re out at a cafe or some other place.

My prediction:

You’ll enjoy where you live more than you ever imagined possible.

 

9. No Wheels, No Memory Skills

 

Crazy, but true. I know all kinds of people who prefer driving to work when they could ride.

A bike. They’re not only great exercise, but you can use bikes as Memory Palaces too.

And driving instead of cycling means a few things:

You’re robbing yourself of exercise while polluting the environment.

You’re also robbing yourself of experiencing the world at a deeply infinite level.

You see more when you go slower and that means you have more interesting thoughts to think.

Plus, you’ll discover you have more Memory Palace options in your environment than you ever realized before. These will come in handy when you know how to improve memory for studying.

 

10. Only One Language Spoken At Home

 

This one’s a kicker.

Far too many people live monolingual lives.

Worse, they’ve hypnotized themselves into thinking that learning another language is hard.

It costs time, energy and maybe a bit of money. No doubt about it.

But hard?

That’s just negative self-hypnosis.

Check out The Big Five Of Language Learning and put this nonsense about language learning being difficult to rest.

Your home will become so much more vibrant when you have multiple languages flowing through it.

And that can’t help but be super-healthy for your memory and your brain.

11. Clutter, Clutter Everywhere And Not A Thought To Think

 

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve got a fair amount of clutter around me a lot of the time.

But I also spend a few moments every morning clearing it up too. It’s written into my Mastery Journal as part of my morning routine.

And not just the clutter around my physical desk. I spend at least 5-10 minutes arranging the files on my desktop into folders too.

It does a lot to create focus and peace of mind, not to mention a heightened ability to find things fast.

 

12. No Musical Instruments

 

Like language learning, studying music is incredible for your memory.

Not only that, but you can explore music and mnemonics together in many fascinating ways.

Plus, you’re already probably familiar with the music mnemonics they teach in schools.

Why not revive them and put them to some use?

 

13. Not Using Your Home As A University Campus

 

Did you know that you can get university level certifications for free?

Welcome to the wonderful world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). For more information about these, check out my interview with Barbara Oakley.

Why should you listen to what she has to say about Massive Open Online Courses?

Simple.

She’s the creator behind the biggest MOOC in the world!

She’s also the author of several great books, including the wonderful Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential.

That library I was suggesting you should build in order to ensure that your home stops crushing your memory?

Add MindShift to it.

 

14. Not Teaching The Kids How To Use A Memory Palace
(And Then More Than One Memory Palace)

 

If there’s one crime against humanity that gets the hounds of hell howling louder than any other, it’s this one.

Memory improvement techniques for kids are easy to teach and do so much good for everyone in your home.

Whether it’s learning history, the multiplication table, or just the simple ability to memorize the names of new people, your kids will be much more delightful to be around if you give them the gift of memory.

And let’s be clear:

Introducing your kids to memory techniques shouldn’t be done on a whim. It’s kind of like a Martial Art, especially if you do it the Magnetic Memory Method way.

They don’t call me the Bruce Lee of Memory for nothing, after all.

One of the key reasons for this honor stems from the MMM’s concentration on making meditation part of the memory process.

And meditation, provided it’s free from dogma and mythology, is very likely good for your kids and their memory too.

 

15. Not Using Your Home As A Memory Palace

 

Of all the ways your home is crushing your memory, the quickest thing you can do to break the trend is the easiest:

Turn your home into a Memory Palace!

Not only is Memory Palace creation one of the best brain exercises on the planet, but it does something remarkable:

It instantly quadruples the value of your home!

Why?

Because now instead of just living in the place, you can use it to learn, remember and recall anything.

And that’s more valuable than anything else in the world.

 

Bonus:
16. You’re Not Using The Solution!

 

But then again …

… if you haven’t given memory techniques a try, you wouldn’t know.

That makes me sad, so let me extend this simple invitation.

Grab my FREE Memory Improvement Kit now and start the process immediately. You’ll learn how to create a Memory Palace in 4 simple steps.

After that, you’ll be amazed by all the wonderful things you can do with the simple power of your natural imagination.

Have fun and keep me posted on your progress.

Talk soon!

Sincerely,

Anthony Metivier

The post 15 Ways Your Home Is Crushing your Memory appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Annoying, isn’t it?

You say to yourself, “I’ll just Google it.”

Then you do. Get the goods. Move on.

Only problem is …

Next time you need the info …

Thanks to Digital Amnesia …

 

It’s Gone!

 

Honestly, this condition called “Digital Amnesia” or “Google Amnesia”  … stinks.

Not only do you have a fine brain humming along in your skull … There are also a gazillion good reasons why you should be using it properly.

Yes, properly. Even if you really can just look stuff up online.

Because here’s the VERY good news:

This year is the best year ever to use your memory at the highest possible level.

And this is the year you’re going to make it happen, even if battles with net neutrality are starting to make the Internet we’ve come to love look like an endangered species.

Here’s how:

 

You Can’t Annihilate A Problem You Haven’t Defined

 

It’s fun to throw around cool terms like “The Google Effect” and “Digital Dependence.”

But until you’ve spent some time defining the monster, you’ll have a hard time setting it on fire. Or at least using your Magnetic torches to herd it out of the village.

That said … what exactly is “Digital Amnesia”?

Back in 2015, the Internet security company Kaspersky Lab put out an interesting report on the matter. You really should read it.

To condense the report for you, Digital Amnesia occurs whenever your mind draws a blank on information you’ve stored on a device you trust.

And as the report suggests, this outcome isn’t always a bad thing. For example, do you really need to remember the thousands of website addresses you’ve bookedmarked (and never visited again)?

 

Heavens No!

 

But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Also included is information like the phone numbers of family members and friends.

And the reality is that by not remembering them anymore, we’re endangering lives as we weaken our brains.

Seriously.

Without knowing the numbers of your loved ones, what would you do in an emergency if your phone wasn’t working? Ask a good Samaritan if he remembers your spouse’s number?

No way, Jose. That’s your job. And you’ve got all the tools you need to get all kinds of simple number strings done when you use the Major Method.

 

How To Suck The Life Out Of Half Your Brain

 

Ever heard of “deskilling”? It basically means that you become less capable over time because you’re no longer using certain skills.

And that can only lead to bad outcomes:

* A destroyed brain
* Crappy employment
* No employment
* … and much, much worse, including linguistic deskilling.

But you’re probably asking:

How exactly does having Google and your devices remember everything for you destroy your brain?

Simple.

When you develop dependence on technology, the areas of your brain responsible for memory start to decay. Just like the muscles in your body would do if you stopped walking.

 

The Truth About Deskilling Your Brain

 

No, deskilling the muscles of your memory won’t necessarily happen to you overnight.

But one day you’ll wake up and …

Bam! You Can Barely Remember A Thing!

And it gets worse.

Because memory has a sibling.

Concentration.

And as long as you have the Internet at your fingertips, you don’t even bother using your concentration to try and access things you might actually have in your memory.

 

How To Put A Barrier Between Need And Action

 

Instead of instantly searching for information you already know, pause for a second.

Give your memory a bit of space. Ask and you might just receive.

But when you push it away and go straight to the search engines, you’re deskilling your memory every time.

And that means you’re also damaging your concentration.

The good news is that you can improve focus fast with these tips, but there will be more work to be done.

 

Starve The Brain To Rebuild The Brain

 

Yes, I’m talking about destroying digital amnesia by going on an information diet.

But wait! you protest. I don’t want to miss out on –

Miss out on what? More fake news of the impending apocalypse?

Come close, my friend. I’ll show you exactly how to take a powerful, memory-boosting digital detox so you can seriously improve your entire life in the process.

 

Stop Letting The Internet Push You Around

 

Here’s a little secret for you:

I have never once “allowed push notifications.”

So far, I don’t think I’ve missed out on anything of any interest. I could be horribly wrong about that, but I recommend you never accept notifications of any kind in your life that you don’t control.

By being in control of when you’re disrupted, you automatically improve your ability to concentrate.

 

Fight Digital Amnesia Like A Magnetic Jedi

 

For a real Jedi Mind Trick memory exercise, try setting a notification with a positive message for 12:03 p.m. every day.

Then work on remembering and reminding yourself that the notification comes at that time. It’s tough, but doable. Your mind really can track time and remind itself to remember.

(For more cool Mind Tricks like these, check out my post on brain exercises.)

 

Put Your Devices In The Dog House

 

Virginia Woolf famously wrote that writers need their own rooms to create in without disruption.

Well, all humans need their own place to sleep without their machines. Problem is, so many people use their devices as alarm clocks. This sad fact means that they’re checking their notifications and messages before even stepping out of bed.

That’s no way to build a better brain.

Instead, put your laptops and smartphones out in a hallway closet, kitchen or completely other room.

If you need something to wake you up, use an old fashioned analog clock or one of those fancy lamps that slowly turns on over time. That gives you the effect of waking up with the sun and gives you a great dose of light that will contribute great things to your health.

 

Use Airplane Mode Without Fear

 

It’s no secret that I write almost every episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast on my iPhone.

But people ask me all the time, How on earth do you do it?

There’s actually a long answer coming out in a new training I’m putting out, but the fast and dirty response is: Airplane mode.

I concentrate like there’s no tomorrow when writing because Airplane Mode prevents anything and everything from contacting my iPhone. And since all Push Notifications have been disabled, it’s just me, my words and the music.

Same things go for when I’m using The Big Five Of Language Learning in combination with my Pimsleur Memory Technique:

There’s nothing to interrupt me as I exercise my memory. And that means that my concentration muscles grow at the same time.

Remember this simple equation:

 

Exercising Your Memory =
Improving Your Concentration

 

However, don’t make the mistake in thinking that it works the other way around. Concentration is a tool that helps you remember more based on paying better attention. But it’s not a sure-fire guarantee.

That’s why it pays to learn how to use the best possible memorization technique. (You are subscribed to this blog and have taken my free video course, right? If not, just scroll up and tell me where to send it.)

 

Cut The Umbilical Cord At Least Once A Week

 

Don’t worry, it’ll grow back.

I’m serious:

The ultimate way to help your brain is simple:

Take entire blocks of time away from the digital onslaughts to which we subject ourselves.

When you start, start small.

Vow to not check your device and stay off all computers for an hour.

Just one hour.

Doable, right?

You bet it is.

Then see if you can’t extend it to an entire 24 hours.

And listen, you’re not getting this advice from a wanker who doesn’t walk his talk.

Hard as it sometimes, week after week, I perform at least one digital fast.

 

What To Do During Your Digital Fast

 

Personally, I like to have options.

But if I were to boil things down to one portrait, here’s one of my fave “digital detox walkabouts.”

First, I pop a blank page notebook into my backpack along with a bunch of colored pens.

Then I pack in my Chinese character book and a deck of playing cards.

Next comes a bottle of water, usually my Soul Bottle.

Maybe something to read, like a print newsletter.

All that done, I head out the door.

No podcasts, no music, no communications technology.

And when you do this, it’ll be great because it’ll be …

 

Nothing But You And Your Memory!

 

If you’re still with me, let’s play do-as-I-do.

Picture yourself walking from your home to your favorite park or cafe.

Depending on the weather, you go outside some place where you can soak in the sun.

Heck, you might even do some of these exercises just standing on the side of the street:

Or, if you’re doing a coffee and memory experiment or it’s unpleasant outside, you head for your favorite cafe.

While walking, you think about all the buildings you’re passing. You enter the odd shop you’ve never been in and consume it into your memory for use as a Memory Palace.

You notice a street you’ve never walked down before and take it.

Then, when you’ve reached your destination, you get out your supplies.

Since you’re the author of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you’ll start with a …

 

MMBD (Mind Map Brain Dump)

 

Or you’ll use your blank notebook to do something else memory-related you’re not telling anyone about … yet.

Next, you’ll pull out some cards, shuffle and memorize them. You’ll set the cards aside, let a few minutes pass and write out all the cards you remember on a piece of paper.

Optional method: Carry two decks. Once you’ve memorized the randomized cards in the first deck, you can reconstruct the order using the second deck. Then you can flip each of the cards over one by one, comparing them.

The reason I don’t use this method personally is because I feel that the writing process helps strengthen recall in many ways. I’ll be looking into the claims that “the hand builds the mind” in a more scientific way throughout 2017.

In the meantime, just test different options for yourself as you fend off digital amnesia.

 

Memorize Something Related To Your
Computer-Free Memory Project

 

Finally, I crack open my Chinese Character book and draw a Memory Palace. Following the Magnetic Memory Method, I correspond everything with The Principle of Alphabetization and get busy.

All of this is done without computers of any kind, including the walk home.

Except this time instead of thinking about and gathering new Memory Palaces, you’re practicing Recall Rehearsal (this is a flexible memory method, not a memory system).

And the last thing you do before you switch the computers back on is test what you’ve memorized at the cafe. Either just the cards or Chinese or both (both is best).

And for bonus points, you never do turn the machines back on. You just hop into bed with a good book and your honey-bunny for some oxytocin-inducing love memories. (Yes, sex helps your memory too while you’re healing from digital amnesia!)

 

Recognize The Privilege Of Having
Memory Abilities You Can Improve

 

Okay, I’ll admit it. This is a mindset thing.

But the reason I focus on mindset so much is the same reason it applies to dealing with digital amnesia. You’ve got to understand this one thing:

Not everyone is so lucky to have memory.

It’s true.

Dementia …

Alzheimer’s …

Brain damage from trauma of all kinds …

Heck, some people are born without ever having had the ability to use their memory at all.

 

But Not You!

 

If you’re reading this post or listening to the podcast version, you can completely skip the rise and impact of digital amnesia on brains around the world.

Why?

Because you have the opportunity to save your brain.

And you have clues and tools for exercising your memory and concentration.

The only thing you have to worry about next is what you’re going to do with all your super powers.

 

With Great Memory Power Comes
Great Memory Responsibility

 

Yes, it’s time to dust off that old comic book line once again. (In case you don’t recognize the heading above, I’m trying to tap into your episodic memory of Spider-Man and a few other levels to remind you that you’re a superhero.)

But don’t worry. I’m not talking about responsibility for the entire world.

It’s the responsibility to keep using your mind and memory.

Your head isn’t just for hanging hair on. It yearns for brain exercise.

And your head demands that you take action.

Trust me. If you don’t use it, digital amnesia will take over. You will lose your memory and the overall health of your mind.

So step up to the plate and stop Google from ruining your memory.

You’re the only one who can.

The post Digital Amnesia: 5 Ways To Stop Google From Ruining Your Memory appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Wish you could remember names? I know I’ve often wished that memorizing names was easier (it is). After all …

Forgetting names sucks, especially at events where you’re meeting important new contacts. Business cards are fine and dandy, but you want to be looking that new person in the eyes and connecting, not constantly peeking at the sweaty lump of cardboard stuck to your palm.

Instead, you want to hold each person’s name with the certainty that can only come from mastering your memory.

 

Or You Can Keep Living The Nightmare

 

You know the one. You hear a name and then just a few seconds later … it’s gone.

The good news is, it’s not your fault. There’s a reason your brain doesn’t grasp onto names and hold onto them like treasure. (Yes, treasure. Every name is as valuable as a rare coin.)

The better news is that, even if it isn’t your fault that you can’t remember names, you can eliminate the problem. With practice, you can remember the names of as many people as you want. Even if you make a mistake from time to time, even slip-ups can become powerful assets.

 

3 Key Reasons We All Forget Names
(Including Memory Champions)

 

You can help yourself stop forgetting names by understanding why it happens.

First, names are abstract. Unless you’re a philologist, most names will hold zero meaning for you. Though there are some ways that the meaning of names can be manufactured to help your memory.

Despite the fact that names are often abstract, however, get this:

As Lynne Kelly demonstrates in The Memory Code, memorizing even the most abstract names is a skill that has helped the human species survive for thousands of years. We wouldn’t be here without memory skills.

Second, when we meet people, we might hear names, but we’re not paying attention. We’re either dazzled by their good looks or horrified by the food dangling off their faces. Worse, we’re thinking about what we’re going to say next. Our concentration is directed inward instead of outward.

Finally, we’re bombarded by stimuli. The room is filled with noises, we may be drinking alcohol, suffering jet-lag. or moving around the meeting space. All of these elements distract us.

You know how you sometimes go into the kitchen from the living room and then forget why you’re in the kitchen? This problem happens because the instant you leave the living room, the movement and change of locations floods all of your senses. Your intention isn’t so much forgotten as it is suddenly pushed out to sea like a message in a bottle.

The same thing happens when you’re introduced to a person. You hear the name, but then you ask where they’re from and what they do. In combination with all the activity in the room, it’s the same effect. Waves of information push that bottle out to the margins of your mind and the new name you just learned falls out your ear.

 

The Super-Simple Mechanics Of Memorizing Names

 

Let me tell you a story.

A few weeks ago, my friend Max Breckbill of Starting From Zero held one of his great entrepreneur dinners in Berlin. A bunch of people get together to network and just chill out in a relaxed restaurant. His dinners are amazing.

Max always begins the evening with a round of introductions. As each person said their name, I created a crazy image to help me recall their names. For example, there was a guy named Lars, so I saw Lars from Metallica playing drums on his head.

For Lukas, I saw Luke Skywalker using his Light Sabre to carve an S onto Lukas’s chest so I would remember it was Lukas with an S instead of Luke as in Skywalker.

A bit later, I saw a guy named Jeremy in a fistfight with Eddie Vedder with the Pearl Jam song of the same name playing on the soundtrack.

There were 20 other names and in a very short period, I created a wildly explosive image for each. I did not connect the names in any particular way with a story, however.

For me, the linking method would not be helpful because Max rotates the tables. Plus, at many events, you won’t see people in the same place twice. The constant shifting means that each individual needs their own vignette, a mini-story that requires no connection with any other name.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t use the building as a Memory Palace and store that image with the location of the person when you first encountered them. You most certainly should.

What you don’t want to do is be looking at a person and trying to see where their imagery fits in with Mickey Mouse time bombs as Taylor Swift razors through Wolverine’s dandelion claws in a showdown. You just want one clear and distinct vignette per person that can travel with them wherever they go.

And this is important: These vignettes must be INSANE. The good news is, it’s easy make images that really pop in your memory. Just …

 

Make Them Brighter Than The Sun
And More Colorful Than The Joker

 

When I saw Lars, it wasn’t just a humdrum image I thought about. The Metallica drummer was exploding with light and color, almost like a neon sign wrapped around a disco ball.

Keep in mind that I “thought” about this, which is quite different than seeing. It’s not like memory wizards have HD television in their minds.

You can develop visually so that you do see things better in your imagination, but you don’t strictly need to be a visual person. You can get started with nothing more than verbal associations. And then ask yourself, “what would this look like if I COULD see it?” Often a simple question like that will move you toward the ability to see in your mind.

Next …

 

Use Explosive Sounds, Epic Sizes
And Ripsnortin’ Physical Force

 

When I saw Luke Skywalker carving an S into Lukas’s chest, I felt the burn and imagined how it must smell so vividly that I almost felt like puking. I even imagined that I could see the smoking embers on his shirt from the searing motion of the Light Sabre.

When I saw Jeremy fist-fighting Eddy Vedder, it wasn’t music-video sized Vedder the way I’ve seen him on YouTube. Vedder was massive and his fists pounded down with enormous force. Plus, the song Jeremy was blasting at top volume, as if screamed by Vedder with volcanic energy.

Again, this happens both in words and visuals with as many other sensations involved as possible. The images feed the verbal descriptions and the words going through my mind amp up the sensations so that everything is tangible, memorable and downright Magnetic.

How long should this creative process take? With practice, mere seconds. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you can pick up this skill and do it at a very high level. I’ve seen teenagers learn the skill in under an hour and win competitions on the same afternoon.

 

How To Practice Memorizing Names

 

Since the stakes are high when it comes to memorizing names at events, try practicing at home before taking your new skill out in the field. It’s easy: use Wikipedia to get a list of names and use the tools you’ve just learned. You’ll also want to use the Memory Palace technique that you can pick up from my Free Memory Improvement Kit.

But this is important:

Don’t make it a list of just any old names.

Instead, choose names that you would like to have memorized. These names for memory exercise might include:

• Composers
• Scientists
• Poets
• Other names that will make a difference to your quality of life either professionally or in connection with a hobby or personal interest.

One of the biggest failings with learning memory techniques is that people practice with uninteresting material like shopping lists – information that they’ll never really use. (Sheesh, who can’t remember what they like to eat?)

No matter what kind of names you choose to practice with …

 

Start Small!

 

Although you will soon be capable of memorizing dozens of names at rapid speeds, don’t overwhelm yourself at the learning stage. Start with 5-10 names. Developing the ability to learn, memorize and recall names isn’t a competition. Your goal is to learn the technique so you can master it, not frustrate yourself into giving up a skill that amounts to real magic. Memorizing names is, arguably, the most important skill in the world because of how important it makes other people feel.

Once you’ve associated crazy images to each name, go through the list a couple of times and make sure you’ve really exaggerated each.

Next, remove yourself from the list. Take a notebook and head off to a cafe or at least to another room. A lot of people make the mistake of recalling a word and then checking right away to see how they’ve done. Unfortunately, this bad habit amounts to rote learning and will not serve you in the long run. You need delayed gratification so that you’re really exercising your imagination and memory.

As you sit in that cafe, write down each and every name you associated an image with. If you come up blank, place a question mark and move on. Give yourself space and really hunt for the images. Then, as you head home, go over the list and fill in any blanks you manage to excavate.

 

Test Test Test, Rinse And Repeat …
And Then Test Some More

 

You don’t have to give yourself a score when you get home, but do take careful note of where you made mistakes. Analyze what went wrong and work on making the associative-images that didn’t help you recall a name stronger.

Repeat this practice until you’re confident that you can memorize names at an event. Once you’re out in the world, don’t feel like you have to give demonstrations or show off. This skill can be private, though you will find people noticing your talent and you should teach them how to do it. They’ll thank you forever.

 

More Hot Tips For Memorizing Names
At Events Without Stress, Strain Or Embarrassment 

 

If you’re at an event featuring a round of introductions, try to be the one who goes last so you don’t spend the entire time worrying that your introduction could have been better.

Plus, if you go last, people will remember you better thanks to the recency effect. If there isn’t a circle introduction at the event, you can be the one who suggests it. This strategy is an excellent way to engineer your position.

Regardless of when you go, have an elevator speech prepared so that your mind isn’t clogged up. If you’re dreaming up your introduction on the fly, you won’t be focused enough on memorizing the names.

 

Always Be Cool

 

Relaxation is essential when memorizing any kind if information, especially in real time. Daily habits like meditation and fitness help a great deal.

You can also deliberately manufacture comfort using invisible techniques at the event such as Pendulum Breathing and Progressive Muscle Relaxation. No one will know you’re doing anything and you’ll be as relaxed as a sleeping YouTube kitten. Nothing will rattle your cage.

 

Don’t Drink Or Smoke

 

If you want to have a strong memory that works on command, cut out alcohol and stop smoking. I used to get away with it when doing memory demonstrations, but alcohol seriously messes with your working memory and nicotine withdrawal makes concentration difficult if not impossible. Better never to have smoked at all.

 

Let Go Of The Outcome

 

Wanting to succeed trips a lot of beginners up. But when you put all thoughts of success out of your mind, your memory is free to percolate the images you feed it.

Plus, you can play with the names in high spirits. Since you’ll want to go through the names a few times throughout the evening to massage them from working memory into long-term memory, you want the entire process to be fun.

But if you’re racing through the list motivated by the fear of making a mistake, you’ll only damage the results.

Speaking of mistakes …

 

Don’t Get Stressed When You Flub

 

I struggled with a few names at Max’s event and it’s all Brian Dean’s fault. Seriously, I needed to go through the list of names at least once to ensure I could remember them all, but he kept asking me all these questions about memory.

Brian Dean is the guy behind backlinko, which is a site you need to check out if you run a website or blog.

But it really isn’t his fault that I wound up reaching hard for a couple of names. As I explained to Brian while we were talking, there’s a reason I struggled:

Because I had my fat lips motoring away instead of going over the names a few times, I was not working against the forgetting curve. I predicted that I would lose 40-60% of my potential for total recall every ten minutes that passed without making a quick pass over the names.

It turns out my numbers were off, though. That’s thanks to these 4 easy ways to learn faster and remember more.  I only struggled with 2 of the names later, but didn’t entirely forget them as I’d predicted I might. With a bit of a push, the images popped up and I was able to retrieve them. Annoying, but passable.

However, there was one name I got completely wrong, but in that’s only because I misheard it. (Remind me to one day tell you the story of Jonathan Levi and his experience mistakenly understanding that someone’s name was “Laura.” That mishap made for quite an evening here in Berlin!)

Anyhow, the point is that despite my dark prediction of failure while speaking with Brian, I had consciously released the outcome. Yes, everyone in the room knew that I was a memory guy, and that created some high expectations (if only in my head), but mistakes are an opportunity to talk about how memory works. And in many ways, mistakes make for better illustrations of how and why the techniques work or fail to work.

 

Avoid Mystifying Abstractions

 

For example, “Pascal” was one of the names I struggled with. Because things were going fast, I picked an ineffective image for him. The philosopher Pascal had famously turned from atheism to religion, so I saw an image of God halfway putting a noose over his head and halfway slitting his throat.

Although I did get this name back eventually, it took a fight for a few reasons. First, I don’t know how Pascal the philosopher looked and I’ve never seen God. In retrospect, I could have used Michaelangelo’s God from the Sistine Chapel, but that still doesn’t exactly help get back to “Pascal” at speed.

Second, I tried to see two actions instead of just one. And neither hanging nor throat-slitting have any direct relationship to atheism. I created so many vague elements that I could barely remember the hurdles I’d placed between myself and the target information.

But I didn’t let myself get stressed out about it. I simply noticed the outcome and knew I would use it as a talking point and teaching tool if called upon to give a memory demonstration. I have given demonstrations, I have made errors and I have won respect simply by keeping my cool and sharing what went wrong.

You can too, so I recommend you follow the Always Be Cool principle while taking time to analyze your mistakes and thinking about how you can do better next time. And share the process so that others can learn too.

 

You Don’t Have To Remember Names In Order Every Time

 

Let’s say that you’re called upon to give a demonstration and you can’t recall a couple of names. Instead of giving up or getting frustrated, just move on, the same way you would in practice.

As you’re finishing the other names, you’ll often be pleasantly surprised at how the ones you forgot suddenly spring back. And if not, you wind up with an opportunity to explain what went wrong and demonstrate troubleshooting on the fly.

Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get frustrated. You don’t want to blow your momentum over what amounts to nothing in the long run. Always be cool and your memory will serve you well.

 

Prepare To Be Admired

 

People will be super-impressed, especially if you’re humble and can handle any mistakes gracefully.

By the same token …

 

Prepare To Be Forgotten

 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into someone and called them by name. They’re always shocked and amazed that I remember them.

But more often than not, they can’t do the same. This lapse in their memory can create an awkward moment, but don’t let it. Just make a joke or otherwise blow it off and offer to teach them the skill. You’ll be able to use their name as an example and personalized teaching is often the best.

And assuming you get yourself a list of names and get practicing, you now have a skill that will serve you for a life. You never have to be at an event in a sea of strangers again. When you can remember names, you will always be surrounded by friends.

The post Remember Names At Events: Quick Start Guide To Memorizing Names appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

You want your children to remember what they learn, right? You’ve probably even hoped that they’d learn enough to succeed in life.

Maybe even change the world.

It’s a great aspiration. And an important one.

And yet …

 

Here’s Why So Few Children Fail To Make A Mark As Grownups

 

Memory.

Think about it. Every test your child will ever take relies on memory. And every gatekeeper your child will ever pass on the way to fulfilling their dreams hinges on the ability to recall details. Thoroughly and accurately.

And since we know that the ability to succeed has everything to do with what you know (and who you remember that you know), the question is …

How do you get your children started towards a superior memory so that they can succeed?

I’m glad you asked because you’re about to find out.

The Simple Way To Use Rhymes And Your Family Home To Learn, Memorize And Recall Anything

 

The best memory techniques all use buildings and other fixed locations. Why? Because the human mind has the unusual ability to remember the layout out buildings. For this reason, location-based mnemonics has lasted thousands of years.

Go ahead and try it. Have everyone in your family draw a map of your home. You’ll be amazed by the accuracy each of you brings to the game.

Here’s an image of a simple drawing from a young person who did precisely this activity to give you ideas and inspire you. She took the layout of her home from the drawing stage to rebuilding this floor plan in her mind so she could memorize a poem.

 

The Special Structure Anyone Can Use To Learn, Memorize
And Recall Anything

 

Anyone of any age can build one and use it to memorize anything.

But please don’t use Memory Palaces to memorize any old thing. The trick is to use these wonderful mental structures for memorizing important information.

Not just any information. I’m talking about the kind of information that makes a direct impact on the quality of your child’s life. In the present and the future.

So location is the first power of memory. The second power of memory is association.

To use this power, you associate information with a location. And to make the information really magnetic, you create crazy images that makes it easier to recall. Usually these images will come from visual sources you already know, such as movies, paintings, famous figures and the like. You can also turbocharge the images you create by using stock images placed in the Memory Palace.

 

Here’s An Easy Way To See
The Second Power Of Memory In Action

 

Imagine that your house has five rooms. Kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom and playroom. You’ve already drawn them out and can walk in your imagination from room to room. And your child can do this too.

Next, use the following rhymes to place an imaginary object in each room.

1 is a bun
2 is a shoe
3 is a bee
4 is a door
5 is a hive

You don’t have to use these rhymes. It’s great fun to come up with your own as a family activity. But these are standard and you can find a full list of these mnemonic examples and a full explanation of this mnemonic peg system here.

But keep in mind that we’re going to take things one step further than rhyming. We’re going to combine this technique with a familiar building like your home.

Now pretend that your son or daughter needs to learn the names of the first five vertical entries on the Periodic Table of Elements. The following suggestions are examples only. The method will work best when young people come up with the images on their own.

Hydrogen goes in the first room. They see a bun saying “Hi” to a drone reading Genesis.

In the second room, they see a shoe with a huge L on it. It’s drinking tea and saying “um.” Lithium,

The third room has a bee. He’s also saying “um” while drinking soda. Sodium.

The fourth room has an enormous potato with a door from which donkeys are entering the room with small potatoes in their mouths. Potassium.

In the fifth room, we have rubidium. Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz is knocking on the hive.

You can help everyone in your family use this location and rhyme-based memory technique to learn and memorize anything. From facts and mathematical figures to foreign language vocabulary and artifacts from Ancient Egypt. Being able to recall these in a snap make a huge difference for kids in school. And bilingualism is very health for young brains.

 

The Minimalist Guide To Making
Memory Improvement A Family Event

 

If your young person is struggling to learn, retain and reproduce information, here’s how you can help. If you’ve already used your home as a Memory Palace, visit a relative or friend. Make a Memory Palace based on their home. You can literally walk the journey between the actual rooms with them, encouraging them to come up with the memorable images on their own.

You can also use a walk through a simple park, a movie theater, a church or a library. But please do start with simple structures before introducing anything more complex. Mastering simple buildings makes mastering multi-detailed environments much easier.

Teach Your Kids How To Paint Like
Picasso In Their Minds

 

If your child struggles with creating images to associate information with, help them to become more visual by looking at art together. If you can visit art galleries, all the better. These buildings can become Memory Palaces too.

You can also help your children become more visual by encouraging drawing more than just Memory Palaces. Characters from movies they’ve enjoyed and especially representations of people from books they’ve read about but never seen work well. They will get the visual imagination flowing.

It’s also useful to look at an image and then have your child “remake” the image in their imagination. Seeing in the mind is a skill you can develop over time and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Mentally “copying” the great masters is perfectly fine. Great and original artists do it all the time.

 

Use World Class Examples To Inspire Your Child To Memorize

 

One way to make these memory skills more interesting to young people is to tell them the story of their origin in Ancient Greece. Simonides of Ceos was giving a speech at a banquet when the building collapsed. Because he had memorized where everyone was using the location principle, he could help families identify their loved ones.

The Simonides story also perfectly demonstrates the principles of exaggerated imagery along with location. The vibrant image of a building collapsing is just of the reasons the story has lasted the centuries. The image is as hard to forget as is the promise of near-miraculous memory ability.

Your kids will also find Matteo Ricci‘s life as an international mnemonist inspiring. He sailed from Italy to China and could memorize books forwards and backward. His life included a great deal of drama and even tragedy.

You can also share with them the stories of how ordinary people have learned memory techniques and used them to accomplish extraordinary feats. Read Joshua Foer’s Moonwalking with Einstein for a particularly compelling story to pass on.

You can also listen to the Magnetic Memory Method interviews with Dave Farrow, Mark Channon and Alex Mullen for many inspiring stories of ordinary people learning memory techniques and accomplishing great things for themselves and others. Nelson Dellis, for example, has done a lot for Alzheimer’s research and you can contribute to it by taking his Extreme Memory Challenge.

 

Show All Children The True Path To Memory Mastery
With One Simple Tool

We double what we’ve learned every time we teach. Teaching is the simplest tool for learning something better ever invented. All you need to do is learn something and then share what you’ve learned. Merely by doing this you will have learned it better yourself. It’s also great memory exercise.

Encourage your child to share what they’ve learned with others so that they absorb the skills with greater depth. Teaching others also follows the principle of contribution. Your child feels like she or he has given something great and also made the world a better place. Reciprocity will be a natural result.

You can also ask your child to teach you what they’ve learned directly from their memory. Ask them to “decode” the images they’ve created without revealing them. Focus on the core information first and then share the weird images if you wish.

At the end of the day, these images are nothing more than training wheels on a bike. They prompt or trigger the target information. But it’s the memorized information they should reproduce first.

Having your child repeat what they’ve memorized at home also gives them practice in a low-stress environment. (Your home is low-stress, isn’t it?) That way, when the time to take a test arrives, they can access those comfortable feelings about memory created at home. This certainty will help them cope with the pressure of performance at school. Imagination and memory abilities soar much higher when we’re relaxed.

 

Are Memory Techniques The Ultimate Learning Solution?

 

Yes and no. Memory techniques are a supplement to how schools teach, not a replacement. Some kids take to it more than others and for some, taking pleasure in the technique is necessary. But if the images are sufficiently funny and fascinating, it’s hard to imagine the Magnetic Memory Method as boring.

As a final tip, avoid perfection. Just have fun with the art of memory and let go of the outcome. At its core, all we’re doing is looking at information that needs to be learned and retained in a new and likely more interesting way.

But it’s important not to associate this technique with the same pain and frustration given to rote learning. Your child will always be learning the information, but if something truly won’t stick, move on and come back to it. You increase the pleasure and chances of success by not forcing it.

And if you as a parent would like more information about using Memory Palaces to learn and memorize information that can make a positive difference in your life, I’ve got a Free Memory Improvement kit for you. It comes with four free videos and will teach you everything you need to know about improving the memory of everyone in your family.

So what do you say? Are you ready to start changing the world? All it takes is teaching memory skills to one young mind at a time.

Further Resources

Tap The Mind Of A Ten Year Old Memory Palace Master

Memory Improvement Techniques For Kids

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In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, we talk about recalling things from your deep past in order to write autobiography and fiction (and throw Jung, Lacan and Freud into the mix for good measure).

Program Notes

This Magnetic Memory Method Podcast episode was inspired by the following question I received from a participant in my video course How to Learn and Memorize Poetry. Denver writes:

While listening to the interview in Lecture 23, I wondered whether the Magnetic Memory Method is likely to aid in recall of past old memories. What thoughts anybody? One of the excuses I use for not getting round to writing the books in my head, is lack of confidence in recalling past details. I’m always staggered as to how writers do this. I know that note-taking is probably one of the keys, but “wow!”, if you could just remember things, how great that would be!

This is the original answer I wrote in response that forms the basis of the podcast, most of which is ad lib and goes into some rich areas about using wax tablets in your Memory Palaces, Nietzsche, sailboats and more.

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave

Previous MMMPodcast Episode: Tap the Mind of a 10 Year-Old Memory Palace Master

Cool song that mentions Freud’s “Oceanic”:

About the author: Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

 

The post Do You Remember Enough To Write An (Accurate) Book About Your Life? appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, Stephen Turnbull talks about Memneon, a fast-paced, exciting and tense memory game released by his company, Alchemista. Tune in to the Podcast now and learn:

* Exactly how and why games like Memneon and Rubik’s Cube involve memory.

* The role of pattern recognition, how this relates to memory as well as to the controversial concept of right and left brain cognition processes.

* How the London Tube map and Scrabble relate to the complexity of location-based memory strategies.

* The relationship between gaming, memory and education.

* Why you can learn from games even if the specific objective of a particular game itself is not focused on education you about something, (i.e. like Minecraft).

* The potential dangers of a world in which the raison d’etre of learning has become completely tied to gaming.

* Why the actor, polyglot and author Stephen Fry went “delightfully dotty” after playing Stephen Turnbull’s Memneon game.

* The relationship between the spatial-location memory challenges of Memneon, chess and the World Memory Championships in terms of high-value memory training and memory drills.

* How Bubblingo (currently in development) will use interactive, tagged video to help you learn a language.

* The different metaphors that have been used to describe memory and how the brain does and doesn’t function like a computer when it comes to concepts like neuroplasticity.

* How memory champions are working to use a Memory Palace and other mnemonic strategies to give them a competitive edge on the game.

* … and much, much more.

As the CEO of Alchemista, Stephen Turnbull has demonstrated with Memneon that something as simple as an idea can truly be turned into gold. His background in Media Studies and Teacher Training, back by a history in making short films has enabled him to combine logistical creativity with a strong visual game that brings a riveting user experience together with learning.

Have a look at the Memneon game here in this great YouTube video:

Further resources and reading:

Memneon on iTunes

Wikipedia page on Memory

Minecraft homepage – and for more on the use of Minecraft in memory work, be sure to check out the previous Magnetic Memory Method Podcast episode, Tap the Mind of a Ten Year Old Memory Palace Master.

About the author:  Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post Memneon Creator Stephen Turnbull Talks About the Metaphors Of Memory appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method, we have a special interview with Phil Chambers. Phil is a World Mind Mapping Champion who works closely with the World Memory Championships as a scorer and statistician who does not believe that memory competitors have even come close to reaching their limits.

As a memory skills trainer, Phil is also the founder and managing director of Learning Technologies and author of Brilliant Speed Reading. Amongst other co-authored books, he has written with James Smith How to Remember Equations and Formulae.

Tune in to this episode with Phil Chambers now and learn:

* How Tony Buzan‘s Use Your Head program and Use Your Head Society introduced Phil to Dominic O’Brien and how this led to him competing in the third ever World Memory Championships.

* Why accelerated learning is a “framework” that allows you to learn faster and deeper.

* Why anyone (including you) can use the same techniques that memory champions take to competitive extremes and use them to increase your productivity and social success in every day life.

* The two major aspects of learning and studying that most students get wrong … and how to get both of these right.

* How to build a structural foundation in your memory when studying for exams.

* Why the non-linear thinking possibilities of mind maps can revolutionize how you learn, remember and recall information while also creating new insights and knowledge.

* How Phil recommends students use index cards in combination with mind maps in order to see connections in powerful ways that will advance your success in high school or university beyond your wildest dreams.

* Why Phil prefers journeys based upon real locations rather than fictional Memory Palaces – and an explanation of exactly why Memory Palaces and journeys are both the same and different.

* The exact difference between semantic memory and memories based on experience and how memory techniques allow you to transform semantic memories into experienced memories with ease so that even the most abstract material becomes much more memorable.

* How an understanding of the psychology of memory can help you come up with your own memory techniques – or at least hack the classical principles so that they suit your own personal learning style with greater precision.

* Phil’s thoughts on the “upper-limit” of exactly how much we can remember and how Memory Champions are constantly pushing themselves to reach new heights and achieving new levels year after year as the national and global memory competitions continue offering memory athletes the opportunity to stretch their skills.

* How competitors like Ben Pridmore have changed the Major Method so that it can compress three digits and are working now even on four digits to increase the amount of information that can be memorized.

* Why the only real limit to card memorization is how quickly you can move your hands and how this memory skill will move beyond the matter of physical dexterity using technology to increase the speed of card retention and recall in what is now being called an “extreme sport.”

* A range of techniques that people who feel non-visual can use to increase their ability to use memory techniques grounded in associative-imagery.

* Why Dominic O’Brien‘s habit of daydreaming provided the source of him becoming a World Memory Champion eight-times over.

* A quote from Leonardo Da Vinci that will deeply improve your imagination within seconds.

* Why even in our age of technology, we can still benefit from having improved memory skills.

* Why the human brain scores way greater in the creativity department than what a computer will likely ever achieve.

* The two major mistakes that would-be memorizers make that causes them frustration to the point of giving up – and exactly how to overcome both of them.

* How to overcome any difficulties with memory techniques by starting with those strategies that give you an instant ability to memorize material without hassle (you’ll learn exactly what these are).

* Why someone with a “bad memory” who uses memory techniques will still have a better memory than even someone who seems to have been born with superior memory skills.

* … and much, much more!

Further Resources:

UK Memory Trainings by Phil Chambers in 2014

Books by Phil Chambers on Amazon.com

Books by Phil Chambers on Amazon.co.uk

Mind Map article on Wikipedia

World Memory Championships Website

Phil Chambers moderating the 2013 Algerian Memory Championships on YouTube

Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post Phil Chambers Talks About The Outer Limits Of Memory Skills appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Dear Memorizers,

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you’ll learn about using a Memory Palace even while suffering the crushing side effects of medication.

Program Notes:

Following from Magnetic Memory blog posts like The Dyslexic Memorizer Who Aced All His Exams and Memory Palaces vs. Alzheimer’s, another question about using mnemonics, Memory Palaces and other memory techniques to help overcome mental “problems.” In this case, it’s the negative effects of taking medication on memory has come in.

Have you worked with anyone who was working against medications and/or an illness that randomly scatters chunks of memory?

I’m on an anti-seizure med for some fairly extensive nerve damage, and since I’ve been on it, my already compromised memory is suddenly like trying to catch butterflies with a hula hoop. Now I’m wondering if I’m just a hopeless case.

Thanks for any advice/thoughts!

I don’t want to prattle on about myself, but I am one such person. In fact, my whole adventure into memory, something I’ve only recently started talking about, came from the devastating cognitive effects of lithium, which I was taking at the time to control Bipolar Disorder. Now I take something else that has less extreme effects, but back then, there seemed to be no alternative …

Until I found mnemonics.

In truth, I have only anecdotal evidence that mnemonics helps bring clarity into the mind, and I was also discovering a whole lot of other things at the same time, so the clarity that came into my mind through the use of Memory Palaces was assisted by things such as self-hypnosis, meditation and a better diet combined with fitness, improved sleep, writing down my dreams each and every morning, and spending some time writing down my goals and things that I’m grateful for on a daily basis. I learned a lot of these “hacks” from Richard Wiseman’s 59 Seconds, as well as from taking hypnotherapy certification which was part of my doctoral research into friendship (sounds like a stretch, but it turns out that we do hypnotize each other in a certain way as we become friends).

But in terms of Memory Palaces strictly speaking, one of the biggest things that being able to command my memory brought was confidence. The stress and negativity that surrounded me as I worked to read some of the strangest and most obscure books of philosophy and cultural studies almost caused me to drop out of graduate school. And that’s not counting the fogginess and poor concentration that made it very difficult for me to read in the first place.

And in truth, I still experience all of these things today. 

The difference is that Memory Palaces cut through all of it, provided that I use them and use them in the right way. For me, the right way is the Magnetic Memory Method and it applies to just about everything I – or you – could ever want to learn. Of course, as I teach it, the MMM is a “method” and not a “system,” which enables users to adapt the basic principles to their own learning style. Most people don’t need to change much, but the whole purpose of how I designed it for myself was to make what really is impossible for a person with my frenzied brain possible. These techniques are an almost fool proof means of getting things into my mind so that I can find them whenever I want.

Think of it like this: The Magnetic Memory Method is like a wheelchair and a ramp. Without the ramp, the chair cannot be wheeled up to the next level. Without the wheelchair, the person cannot be moved anywhere. Put them together, however, and there’s no level that cannot be reached.

The Magnetic Memory Method is a structured means by which both the chair and the ramp can be built in stages in order to bring the material in the chair to wherever in the mind you want it to go.

But it’s not about wheelchairs and ramps …

It’s about Memory Palaces.

Mental constructs based on familiar places. That’s the key: familiar places. When you get more advanced, you can use less familiar places from deep in memory and even invented Memory Palaces or Memory Palaces based on video games, TV shows, etc.

Thus, instead of trying to catch butterflies with a hula hoop, see if you can’t just catch one Memory Palace in your mind. Start with your own house. Using the Magnetic Memory Method principles of not trapping yourself and not crossing your own path, create a linear journey through the Memory Palace.

Then, spend some time just traveling that journey. Make it really vivid in your imagination. If you can’t actually see it in your mind’s eye …

Stop trying.

Feel it instead. Feel it as a structure, a series of squares that are connected.

You can also feel the journey in terms of time. How long would it take you to move from the bedroom to the kitchen? Approximately how many steps?

When done with eyes closed, even a non-visual person can begin to attribute visual elements to this inner sense.

Because the journey is known in real life and has now been recreated in the mind, you can move on to the next step.

Assuming that you’ve got ten stations along your Memory Palace journey and assuming that you’ve got ten Spanish words lined up, then you’re ready to work on memorizing the first Spanish word by placing it at the first location. All of this is premised upon the absolute certainty that you know where to find that word later when you’re looking for it as part of your Magnetic Memory Method Recall Rehearsal procedures. Of course, there are ways that you can read about in the book that help you make sure that you’re picking the best possible words, and you can experiment with all of these.

The most important thing is to get started.

John Cage once said, “begin anywhere,” and that remains true. But if you’re struggling to find a place to start, start by embedding your home in your mind and try to always focus on what is possible.

That is in fact the number one lesson I have ever learned. I used to focus so much on what was impossible that I hypnotized myself into taking zero action. But through all kinds of mysterious and interesting and strange circumstances, I learned to focus only on the possible, something I have to relearn all the time.

Miraculously, when I use Memory Palaces in the right way, they never fail me.

And barring some terrible brain trauma – and even then (if you’ve heard my Podcast interview with Michael Gusman then you’ll know why I’m making this exception), I don’t think Memory Palaces that are correctly built can ever fail.

I sum, if I can make the following suggestions that I think will help you deal with the effects of your medication, based on the understanding that I’m not a doctor (at least not the medical kind, just a dude with a PhD), work on Memory Palaces as described by the Magnetic Memory Method, but also:

* Meditation
* Good diet and fitness
* Writing down your dreams (ideally every morning)
* Writing down your aspirations (ideally ever day)
* Writing down at least ten things you are grateful for (ideally ever day)

Do this writing by hand so that you train your brain to connect your gratitude and wishes with movements of the hand, with mechanical acts of doing that are not integrated with computers. The research Richard Wiseman presents in 59 Seconds shows you why this is important, but it also just makes sense when you think of the difference between blunt force writing via typing and the elegance of handwriting …

Or the lack of it, which reminds me that if you ever get bored of writing down the same thing every day, try writing with your non-dominant hand instead. It took me only a short time to develop this skill and it has really happy effects. I guess it lights up different centers of the brain.

I don’t know if writing with your non-dominant hand will do that for you, but if you’re going to pick up these habits, then you might as well give writing with your non-dominant hand a try too. It cannot hurt.

I hope these thoughts help. Let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything further I can do for you.

Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

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Let’s face it…

We’ve all suffered from nightmares. Sometimes they come out of nowhere, sometimes they’re deeply connected with a rough passage through life.

And yet…

Since first starting with dream recall, I’ve never had what I’d call a “nightmare.”

My childhood was littered with them, however.

I think these terrible nocturnal experiences were tied to all the surgeries I needed thanks to a ruptured eardrum. As a result of this problem, I needed tubes. These were taken in and removed repeatedly over several years …

But I’m not going to fill your ears with these tales of nighttime woe or the images they involved.

I don’t even particularly want to hear descriptions of your nightmares. I’m not a dream therapist, after all.

What does interest me, however, is what you’ve done to deal with your dreams when they haven’t been nice.

Do you just let it go and get on with your day?

Do you carry a feeling with that takes time to subside?

Do you tell a loved one or friend?

Ideally, if you’re practicing dream recall, you’ll write it down.

It’s part of creating that nighttime portrait I was telling you about. It’s like creating a graph that lets you see spikes of activity over time.

Form becomes as important as content, especially when you hit an earthquake or volcano.

You can relive it in the safety of paper as you externalize and study your nighttime seismograph.

And over time, with a dedicated dream recall practice, you can bring balance to your nighttime life.

The other thing I would suggest to speed up the process of healing nightmares is to place your disturbing dreams in Memory Palaces.

Yes, I know that Memory Palaces are precious things. You almost don’t want to get them involved.

But the fact of the matter is that Memory Palaces can serve as neutral territory.

Just as we use Memory Palaces to enliven the material we want to remember using vibrant color and intensified action, we can drain our negative dreams of the intensity that terrifies us by placing those fears in a familiar location we’ve reconstructed in our minds.

Try it sometime.

When you wake up from an unsettling dream, place as many details as you can remember into one of your Memory Palaces.

Or write them down as you would normally to get the fullest possible recording of the dream on paper and then transport the dream into a Memory Palace.

(If you’re new to Magnetic Memory Dream Recall, then writing them down first before doing Memory Palace work is probably the better option).

Either way, once you’re in the Memory Palace with the dream, or looking at it from whatever way that you look at dreams you’ve placed there, before you do anything else, drain the dream of colour until it’s black and white.

You may even want to make it like an old scratchy movie, which will allow you to eliminate and reduce the sound. This is another powerful strategy for neutralizing a nightmare.

For especially bad dreams, you can speed them up and add sound, as in a comedic movie where everything speeds up and everybody sounds like Mickey Mouse. Make it so that you have no choice but to laugh at the dream.

To that younger version of myself, who from the ages four to ten had intense nightmare that caused so much disturbance throughout the day that it could not help but to invite new nightmares the next night, I would advise myself to eliminate the color from the dream and then using the powerful safety of a Memory Palace, wrap it up like newspaper and throw it out the door like Sigourney Weaver ejected the monster in Alien out into space.

I ain’t saying that this will be easy.

It could take some deliberate practice with dream recall.

And definitely some familiarity with Memory Palaces.

But if you’re interested, and for some reason not already on board the Magnetic Dream Recall nightmare-healing journey (potentially, depending on your sincerity of effort), the train departs from here:

How to Remember Your Dreams

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In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I follow up on the “How to Memorize a Textbook” podcast with “How to Write a Dissertation” (or any article or essay).

Tune in now and you’ll learn:

* The best ways to use index cards to create a “skeleton” that you can use again and again for other writings or to memorize material for a public presentation.

* Why index cards are better than Evernote and Anki.

* How to make writing a dissertation as interesting as writing a screenplay for television or the movies.

* How to use the floor of your apartment to organize an entire dissertation into multiple chapters so that you can present the evidence in the best possible order simply by sitting and writing.

* The best conditions to create and maintain a writing space for composing your writing.

* The need for syncing to Dropbox or some similar service while you’re writing.

* How to avoid the need to re-read your dissertation before the defense.

* How to know almost exactly where in your dissertation you’ve made various points.

* The best way to keep your research material “mobile.”

* How to apply the techniques in this podcast and “How to Memorize a Textbook” to memorize and write blog posts about gardening, cooking or whatever area of interest you might want to write or present about.

* … and much, much more.

I also invite you to an upcoming webinar titled Memory Secrets of an A+ Student, which I highly encourage you to sign-up for and attend. I’ll be talking more about using memory techniques as part of scholastic success with an eye to making sure that the techniques can also be used by everyone.

As a student, as you may know, I was pretty foggy in my mind most of the time for various reasons I’ve talked about before. Memory skills and the index card research technique that I talk about in the podcast were key to my success and although paper and pen seem like ancient technology to students today, I still highly recommend using them.

Handwriting uses, rather obviously, the hand, and there are good, scientifically grounded reasons that explain why that handwriting creates higher levels of cognition. Couple this with a Memory Palace, location-based memory technique and you’ll quickly experience much larger results than typing. It’s not entirely clear to me why typing differs from handwriting, but the effects are plain and the practical benefits evident. As I talk about in this episode, it’s easy to lose or accidentally delete a computer file, but so long as you have an ordered stack of index cards, you know the order of points you talked about in the writing and can re-write it relatively easily.

You may even be able to dictate directly from the index cards, which is a point that I neglected to address in the podcast itself. If you have dictation software and are able to verbally respond to index cards off-the-cuff, then the writing processes can go even more quickly for you, making your job simply one of editing.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, please add a comment here, subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher and feel free to share it with anyone you know who is currently writing a dissertation or writing in general.

Talk soon!

Sincerely,

 

Anthony Metivier

 

Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post How To Write A Dissertation (Or Essay) appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you’ll learn 8 simple and effective strategies that you can apply to your dedicated memorization efforts when you using mnemonics to study, memorize poetry, foreign language vocabulary or even a deck of cards. Listen now to learn:

* The important connection between space in your Memory Palaces and where you use your Memory Palaces.

* The amazing value of having a solid routine so that you can see the compound effect of the work you’re putting into your memory (developing your memory is more like play than “work”, so don’t let that nasty word put you off!)

* Why you need to start simple each and every time you memorize something so that you can sail into the more complicated matters with ease (this one tip alone is worth at least a million Magnetic dollars).

* How to leverage the power of mistakes and turn them into the most powerful memorizing experiences you could ever wish for.

* When to ditch parts of your Memory Palace so that you can memorize even more material and not get stuck in a ditch.

* The most important rule in the world for getting past the whining and crying of frustration so that you are always calm and relaxed when working on memorizing material.

* The productivity secrets of specialization and why you need one.

* How to train your brain using rewards (I used to think this was corny too until I finally gave it a try … it works!)

* … and a whole lot more!

Listen to this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast and be amazed by what you can achieve using the natural abilities of your mind.

+Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary, dreams, names, music, poetry and much more in ways that are easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post Your Free Memory Improvement Master Plan appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, Alicia and her father John Crosby join us to talk about Lewis Smile’s The Memory Palace.

Alicia used this book to memorize all of Shakespeare’s plays in historical order and is now exploring ways to use Memory Palace techniques to memorize other information, such as the Periodic Table of The Elements.

In this interview, you’ll also hear about:

* Why walking, bikes and even motorcycle rides can make a world of difference when it comes to building Memory Palace journeys.

* Why Memory Palace journeys never have to be “manually” memorized.

* Why Memory Palaces are essentially a “free resource” just waiting in your mind to be utilized to memorize just about anything.

* The number one thing Alicia likes about using her memory.

* The confidence that having an improved memory can bring – at any age.

* Why memory is a catalyst to developing an interest in topics that young people might not otherwise care about.

* Exactly how using a Memory Palace feels, the absolute joy and creativity of using memory techniques …

* … and much, much more.

Join us for this very special interview on the Magnetic Memory Method podcast and feel free to get in touch if you have an experience with Memory Palaces and memory techniques that you care to share on a future episode.

 

For more interviews like this, please check out Memory Improvement for Kids.

You may also like to learn about how to remember more of your vacations with a Memory Palace.

The post Tap The Mind Of A 10-Year Old Memory Palace Master appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, you’ll hear from language learning expert, Luca Lampariello.

In this thrilling, 45-minute interview, you’ll learn:

* Why fluency is really nothing more than the capacity to assemble the pieces of a language together.

* How to think of language as a net (so that you can go fishing for phrases).

* The epiphany the point where the language is engrained in your brain.

* Why just a couple of books is more than enough when studying a new language.

* Why languages are like a group of friends.

* How the simple act of smiling can deepen your language learning efforts.

* What to do if you find yourself practicing your language with unpleasant people.

* Why learning a language is like courting a lover.

* How to balance quality and quantity when it comes to learning vocabulary.

* Solid tips on using Skype for language learning.

* Why establishing a “time line” is essential to language learning.

* How you can learn up to 40 sentences in just one hour.

* How involving your emotions enhances your learning capacity.

* Why you need to avoid criticism and negative feedback when learning a language.

* How to used spaced-time repetition the right way.

* Luca’s personal experiences with the journey method and the method of loci.

* What Luca learned about mnemonics while studying to be an interpreter.

* How to develop your natural capacity for associating new vocabulary with places and feelings.

* How to vary your activities to maximize your learning curve.

* Why you should think in terms of structures and phrases instead of words.

* The difference between a beginner and an intermediate language learner.

* The number one principle behind all language learning.

* … and much, much more.

Luca’s methods are groundbreaking, riveting and fun. Every day you’re not putting his wisdom to work and studying a foreign language, you’re leaving part of life’s pleasure behind.

The post Luca Lampariello Talks About Language As A Net appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In today’s episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, we’re going to learn how to use a Memory Palace to store mnemonic associative imagery that will enable us to recall any mathematical term of formula we could possible desire.

You’ll also hear some fun and interesting mnemonic examples featuring nuns, pyramids and Pythagoras’s abs!

After listening, enter discount code “math” for a Magnetically Mathematical discount on your investment in either How to Learn and Memorize the Vocabulary of Any Language.

Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary in a way that is easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post MMMPodcast Episode 003: Memorizing Mathematical Formulas appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

In this session of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I talk about a cool dice game you can use to put a little variety into you language learning efforts.

After listening, enter discount code “podcast” for a 50% discount on your investment in either How to Learn and Memorize the Vocabulary of Any Language or How to Memorize Names and Faces.

Anthony Metivier is the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, a systematic, 21st Century approach to memorizing foreign language vocabulary in a way that is easy, elegant, effective and fun.

The post MMMPodcast Episode 002: Memorizing Drill Using Plain, Old-Fashioned Dice appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.

Dear Memorizers,

I started working on Greek and guess where I began?
That’s right. With the old fashioned Alpha and Omega.

But I went a little hog wild this time, creating both an audio and video version. You can download the Mp3 above or watch as we wind our way through my Memory Palace and the mnemonic imagery I used to memorize each letter of the Greek alphabet.

And yes, coupon code “greek” might just still be up for grabs when you want to get started on memorizing vocabulary after mastering the alphabet. This online language learning course will show you how.

Until next time, dear Memorizers, help someone else learn about Memory Palaces and mnemonics. Teaching is one of the best ways to really solidify the methods for yourself and to make the world a better place all in the same stroke. The more we can memorize, the more we can learn. And the more we can learn, the more we can memorize. It’s a perfect circle, so step inside and let’s widen it together.

The post The Greek Alphabet Is Easy To Memorize (Audio and Video) appeared first on Magnetic Memory Method - How to Memorize With A Memory Palace.