Anthony Metivier's Magnetic Memory Method Podcast

If you want to know how to think on your feet, you need to understand something most advice on this topic gets wrong: Thinking on your feet is not a talent. It’s a trained response. And the training required goes far deeper than memorizing a few “power phrases” or practicing small talk at networking events. Real mental agility, by which I mean the kind that serves you in a boardroom, on a stage, in a heated conversation, and even in physical danger, is something you earn. And to earn it requires systematic preparation across multiple domains. I know this because I’ve spent decades training for exactly these moments. As a university professor, I’ve lectured in multiple languages to rooms of students who didn’t always want to be there. And to get my PhD, I had to sit for a dissertation defense in a room where some of the examiners delighted in throwing hardball questions. As a performing musician, I’ve improvised solos on stages where the set list changed mid-show. While performing card magic, I’ve recovered from botched tricks in front of audiences who were actively trying to catch me out. And as a martial arts practitioner, I’ve used my training to escape three real-world physical confrontations without throwing a single punch. Then there was my TEDx Talk where I had to make real time adjustments when the audience failed to even smile at my scripted laugh lines, but chuckled substantially during parts I had not planned to be funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqtDy68-gkY How to Think on Your Feet: The Complete Training System for Mental Agility Under Pressure What I’ve learned across all of these experiences is that every domain of “thinking on your feet” shares one foundational requirement. It’s not intelligence. It’s not quick wit. It’s often not even confidence. Rather, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that thinking quickly and responding in the best possible way comes down to the systematic reduction of ego. That might sound philosophical, but it’s intensely practical. And it will become the thread that connects everything in this guide. From how to recall information instantly in a conversation to how to physically escape a threatening situation without freezing. Here’s what we’ll cover today: Part 1: Why “Thinking on Your Feet” Is a Trained Skill, Not a Personality Trait Part 2: The Ego Problem (Why Your Self-Image Is Your Biggest Obstacle) Part 3: Mental Recall Under Pressure (How to Access What You Know When It Matters) Part 4: Verbal Agility (How to Sound Smart, Pivot, and Recover in Conversation) Part 5: Performance Under Pressure (Lessons from Music, Magic, and the Stage) Part 6: Physical Composure (How to React When Your Safety Is at Stake) Part 7: Daily Training Exercises for Mental Agility Part 8: Loading Your Mind (Why What You Memorize Determines How Well You Think) Part 9: The Paradox of Mental Silence Let’s dive in with why most people struggle with the skill of spontaneously responding in optimal ways in the first place. Why “Thinking On Your Feet” Is a Trained Skill, Not a Personality Trait As Freud pointed out, civilization is not our natural state. In Das Unbehagen in der Kultur, which is usually translated as Civilization and Its Discontents, he argues that much of our inner tension comes from how our social training represses our instincts. “Discontents” is not really a great translation for the title of this book. “Unbehagen” means something more like “unease” or “discomfort.” And since languages and skills are something we learn, we literally have to undergo a process of discomfort to learn most things. That’s not a political statement. It’s a neurological one. Your brain’s implicit memory system, the part that handles automatic behaviors, gut reactions, and how you repeat social patterns on autopilot, was shaped by millennia of environments that looked nothing like a conference room or a dinner party. It was shaped by physical survival, tribal dynamics, and the need to read danger before it arrives. This means that when you’re put on the spot in a modern context, your brain defaults to patterns it learned through observation, not through deliberate training. And those patterns were modelled on the people around you growing up. Especially in contexts like: Being asked a question you weren’t expecting Getting challenged during a meeting Having someone force you to improvise a presentation at school or work In such situations, you might find yourself freezing under pressure and not realizing that you’re actually repeating how you saw a parent go cold when you were young. Or you might find yourself getting defensive in arguments the way a sibling did, or going blank during presentations based on someone else’s blip you observed. When you repeat this behavior yourself, it’s not a character flaw. That’s implicit memory doing exactly what it was designed to do: replicate observed behavior. And

Nelson Dellis delivers yet another epic memory improvement book with Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving and Much More. In my view, this book is also a corrective to the increasing mountains of bad memory training advice online. I mean, spend ten minutes browsing memory improvement forums and you’ll start to see the rot. Same recycled advice. Same flat explanations lacking nuance. Same people “teaching” techniques they’ve: Never stress-tested in public Never pushed to the limits Never offered anything more than mostly copied explanations of standard mnemonic methods The toxicity for the serious student of the memory arts and mental skills is only getting worse as people ramp up their use of AI to produce even more untested “teaching” of these techniques. So the fact that Nelson actually demonstrates and performs a kind of “immersion journalism” when it comes to the techniques he teaches provides just one of many reasons why Nelson Dellis’s Everyday Genius matters so much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJoc5gLIx2c How Everyday Genius Takes Memory Training Into New Terrain It’s not that Nelson has invented any new memory techniques in this book, which you can learn more about on Abrams Books. He hasn’t. And it’s unlikely that anyone ever will. Nelson told me as much at the opening of our interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcTJuCiDVqE Anyhow, “new” doesn’t come into the picture for people serious about memory and accelerated learning. As someone who has received and read Amazon reviews on memory improvement books for decades, I always find it odd when someone writes, “nothing new here.” Since even Giordano Bruno essentially announced that nothing new would be coming to the field of mnemonics back in the 1600s, the real task is to: Stop Confusing Activity with Accomplishment Nelson’s book matters first and foremost because it comes from a mnemonist of actual accomplishment. A real practitioner, not just a reader of memory improvement books who then comments on them. He’s someone who has put his mind on the line under pressure, in competition, with nowhere to hide. In other words, Nelson’s history of accomplishment adds weight to every page. And you can feel it almost immediately. Everyday Genius is written by someone who has actually lived inside the machinery of memory and various mental tactics and then extended these into real life situations: Giving a speech Making new business contacts Solving real-world problems Exploring the nature of the mind At the risk of repetition, this distinction matters more than ever, because the internet is drowning the memory arts with all kinds of secondhand certainty written by people lurking behind anonymous user accounts. What Kinds of Real-World Problems Will This Book Help You Solve? As most memory improvement books worth their salt do, Nelson covers the Memory Palace technique, a.k.a. the method of loci. But he doesn’t just recite the classic approach to this technique. He describes it from lived experience. And his approach to mnemonic images and pegword systems likewise comes from accomplishment. Then, when you go through his explanations of how to apply these mnemonic systems to remembering names or speeches, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how to implement them. Likewise when it comes to critical thinking. Nelson takes you through actual real-world scenarios and shows you how various critical thinking examples can make life a lot smoother and more successful. Making Memory & Learning Both Relevant & Fun Another major thing Nelson gets right in Everyday Genius is that he doesn’t shy away from blending the use of memory and thinking tactics for fun with more serious learning outcomes. I know that I’m guilty of not finding that balance in my own writing, even if personally I perform card magic with a memdeck and play music, etc. The cost, however, is that using memory techniques for activities like card counting can be learned a lot more readily when you have at least some of the foundational mnemonic strategies working for you. In reality, learning them doesn’t have to be a grind. And the stories and profiles of polymathic geniuses Nelson shares throughout the book will help you see the multiple layers of fun in store for you. The key is to find ways to make these techniques integrate into your everyday life. Figuring out how to do that can be a challenge, but that’s all the more reason to pay attention to the examples distributed throughout Everyday Genius. The Potentially Controversial Aspect of Everyday Genius Now, you might be wondering… Is Everyday Genius perfect and free from critique? No. And unlike his previous books like Remember It! and Memory Superpowers, Nelson takes risks that I partly admire and partly question. And one of my criticisms goes back to at

I have an uncle who used to sing the craziest (and often off-color songs). He was a WWII vet and looked like the Canadian actor Lorne Greene. He would rip out the kinds of songs that sailors sang and I would rush to write down the lyrics so I could learn them. And learn them I did. The hard way. It was irritating and frustrating. Even though they say the hand builds the mind and it wasn’t the end of the world that I spent so much time writing them down and rewriting them, I was still relying on rote learning. If only I knew then what I know today about memory techniques! You see, I now memorize and regularly demonstrate poems I’ve committed to memory almost every month during my live memory training bootcamps. I’ve memorized everything from ancient Sanskrit poems to some of the most inventive contemporary poetry. And today I’m going to share a few case studies and key tips I know you’re going to love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUQYVUEBJVc How to Memorize Poetry Fast The fastest way I know to memorize poetry involves a combination of ancient memory techniques. These are: The Memory Palace Technique Alphabetical association Numerical association (where relevant) Spaced repetition based on solid active recall principles Now, I know that weaving together so many memory techniques to memorize poetry or even song lyrics, sounds like a lot. But if you want to memorize poems fast, stick with me. Bringing all of these strategies together is much easier than it might seem at first glance. But first, let me further demonstrate that I actually do successfully memorize poetry to bolster the demonstrations given in the video tutorial above. I believe proof is important because there are a lot of people out there who talk about skills they cannot do. In the case of mnemonics, there are even entire forums filled with people giving advice about memory techniques when they clearly haven’t lifted a finger to memorize a poem. That, or they’ve used rote memorization and are only pretending they used mnemonics. So with those issues in mind, here are a few more videos with demonstrations from a variety of verses in various states of retention. Please be sure to watch each example because I will refer back to these recitations to help you rapidly memorize poems of your own. Example One: A Univocalic Poem In this video, you’ll see me at the Memory Palace Bookshop I’m developing practicing the recitation of a univocalic poem by Christian Bök: https://youtube.com/shorts/b6oFIOnAwng?feature=share That’s from a fantastic book of poetry called Eunoia. Example Two: Shakespeare This video not only shows me reciting lines from Titus Andronicus. It includes a very important teaching point. That’s because I also demonstrate reciting the lines forward and backward to help teach you how to more easily commit even the most difficult poem to memory using a process I call Recall Rehearsal: https://youtu.be/nhjIkGu32CA?si=s6gIJz6Poq9Zpo6C&t=1380 Now, I regularly memorize Shakespeare. But in the case of the example shared in the video above, I had a special purpose in mind. I was doing it to reproduce the memory technique Anthony Hopkins describes in his autobiography. Here’s the full case study. Example Three: Song Lyrics In this video, you’ll see and hear me singing a famous song called The Moon Represents My Heart in Chinese: https://youtu.be/dCyPV6qfKkI The entire song took just over forty minutes to commit to long-term memory. Even though it’s been a few years since I sang the whole song, I still remember most of the lyrics to this day. Every once and awhile, I whip it out and it always brings a smile to my wife’s face. The reason this Chinese poem set to music took a bit longer to memorize other poems I’ve memorized is because it’s in a foreign language that I was only just beginning to study at the time. Example Four: Poetry Quoted in a Speech When I wrote my TEDx Talk, I incorporated lines from a Sanskrit piece called the Ribhu Gita. This was an interesting challenge because it called me to recall the speech and the poetry that had already been memorized. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM This particular performance was a lot of fun, but also challenging due to the combination of a live audience, cameras and the fact that the world was starting to go into lockdown at the beginning of Covid. I had a lot on my mind, but thanks to the memory techniques you’re about to discover, I still think the talk came off fairly well. It’s been seen over four million times now, so I must have done something right. Example Five: Real-Time Poetry Memorization If you want to see me memorize in real time, check out this discussion with Guru Viking. Steve, the host, throws Shakespeare at me and I memorize a few lines and discuss how I did it in real time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J62IN_ngYH0 Now let’s get into the st

Imagine being able to recall names, speeches or the key points from complex books with ease. That’s the power you’ll enjoy after you use today’s tips to master the method of loci. Also known as the Memory Palace technique or Mind Palace, this approach to learning leverages your spatial memory to help you transform even the most abstract ideas into unforgettable mental associations. You’ll be able to recall both the mnemonic association and the target information because of how this technique helps you anchor them in familiar locations. However, there are a few aspects to the technique that a lot of people miss, a key one being that the method of loci is actually part of a larger equation. Your loci are meant to be used in combination with mnemonic associations and a rehearsal process people now call spaced repetition. One of the earliest descriptions of loci being used with associations and review patterns was given by Aristotle, and his approach is very powerful. On this page, I’ll give you the complete, no-nonsense guide to how this system works, drawn from history, my personal experience as the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method and acknowledged demonstrator of these techniques. I used them to help me pass university, learn languages, deliver a very popular TEDx Talk and more. Fortunately, I learned from the best, including Tony Buzan while he was still alive. And I’ve also learned a lot from the thousands of people I’ve taught. So whether you’re just starting or refining your practice, this guide gives you the historical foundations, practical tactics and real-world examples you need to make the method of loci your own. Ready? Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOVr7K7x6Bo What Is The Method of Loci? Loci is the plural of locus, meaning a place, location, or as I prefer to call it a “Magnetic Station.” For example, have a look at this image of one of my Memory Palaces: Each of the tritons is an individual locus. The red string shows the journey between the loci. And that’s ultimately what the method of loci is: a strategy for stringing together a number of places along a journey used to help us recall information. Because this method helps you move across a series of locations, the technique is synonymous with a technique called the “Journey Method” as well as “Memory Palace” and “Mind Palace.” To help you see exactly how it works, check out my Memory Palace Guide and watch the Memory Palace walkthrough video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STlYIiF9RzI Core Uses for The Method of Loci Although many people think the technique is restricted to memorizing lists, that’s just not true… lists are involved, but with a twist. That’s because all of the uses below essentially involve committing lists to memory. You can use this technique to: Memorize speeches (a list of sentences) Learn monologues as an actor Commit numbers to memory (including up to 100,000 digits) Learn languages Remember names Pass exams Win memory competitions Set records Read and understand more thoroughly Enjoy a greater quality of mind Origins of the Term and Other Uses: From Simonides to Songlines The terms “loci method” or “method of loci” mean at their core that we’re turning space itself into a mnemonic device. In other words, you can think of this memory tool as a “location-based mnemonic.” No one knows exactly where the term comes from. But memory expert Frances Yates details how the Greek tradition of memory entered into the medieval world through Rome in her book The Art of Memory. The Greeks attributed the loci technique to Simonides of Ceos, but as Lynne Kelly demonstrates in The Memory Code, it’s actually much older. In fact, Aboriginals and other cultures around the world have been using the sky and landscapes to help them remember information since prehistoric times. Using the sky as part of the method of loci is sometimes called a “Songline,” just one of several ancient memory techniques. It was probably the Romans who influenced the development of the term Roman Room, which is yet another variation of the term method of loci. But in my view, the earliest and most thorough description is found in Aristotle. Yates discusses it, but does not fully understand why Aristotle labels each locus with an alphabetical letter as I share in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3N2i73LKt0 The reason Aristotle does this is because he’s teaching you his version of spaced repetition. Noting that the exact text has been corrupted, here’s an extract of what Aristotle says. I am taking this from my version of Aristotle’s On Memory, where I also provided ample commentary of this work: It often happens that you cannot recall at the moment, but can search for what you want and find it… But you must seize hold of the starting point. For

It’s actually a good thing that some books push you to the edge of your ability to understand. But there’s no doubting the fact that dense, abstract and jargon-filled works can push you so far into the fog of frustration that you cannot blame yourself for giving up. But here’s the truth: You don’t have to walk away frustrated and confused. I’m going to share with you a number of practical strategies that will help you fill in the gaps of your reading process. Because that’s usually the real problem: It’s not your intelligence. Nor is it that the world is filled with books “above your level.” I ultimately don’t believe in “levels” as such. But as someone who taught reading courses at Rutgers and Saarland University, I know from experience that many learners need to pick up a few simple steps that will strengthen how they approach reading difficult books. And in this guide, you’ll learn how to read challenging books and remember what they say. I’m going to go beyond generic advice too. That way, you can readily diagnose: Why certain books feel so hard Use pre-reading tactics that prime your brain to deal with difficulties effectively Apply active reading techniques to lock in understanding faster Leverage accelerated learning tools that are quick to learn Use Artificial Intelligence to help convert tough convent into lasting knowledge without worrying about getting duped by AI hallucinations Whether you’re tacking philosophy, science, dense fiction or anything based primarily in words, the reading system you’ll learn today will help you turn confusion into clarity. By the end, even the most intimidating texts will surrender their treasures to your mind. Ready? Let’s break it all down together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HLbY4jsFg Why Some Books Feel “Too Hard” (And What That Really Means) You know exactly how it feels and so do I. You sit down with a book that people claim is a classic or super-important. But within a few pages, your brain fogs over and you’re completely lost. More often than not, through glazed eyes, you start to wonder… did this author go out of his or her way to make this difficult? Are they trying to show off with all these literary pyrotechnics? Or is there a deliberate conspiracy to confuse readers like me? Rest assured. These questions are normal and well worth asking. The difficulty you might feel is never arbitrary in my experience. But there’s also no “single origin” explanation for why some books feel easier than others. It’s almost always a combination of factors, from cognitive readiness, lived experience, emotions and your physical condition throughout the day. This means that understanding why individual texts resist your understanding needs to be conducted on a case-by-case basis so you can move towards mastering anything you want to read. Cognitive Load: The Brain’s Processing “Stop Sign” “Cognitive load” probably needs no definition. The words are quite intuitive. You start reading something and it feels like someone is piling heavy bricks directly on top of your brain, squishing everything inside. More specifically, these researchers explain that what’s getting squished is specifically your working memory, which is sometimes called short-term memory. In practical terms, this means that when a book suddenly throws a bunch of unfamiliar terms at you, your working memory has to suddenly deal with abstract concepts, completely new words or non-linear forms of logic. All of this increases your cognitive load, but it’s important to note that there’s no conspiracy. In Just Being Difficult: Academic Writing in the Public Arena, a variety of contributors admit that they often write for other specialists. Although it would be nice to always compose books and articles for general readers, it’s not laziness. They’re following the codes of their discipline, which involves shorthand to save everyone time. Yes, it can also signal group membership and feel like an intellectual wall if you’re new to this style, but it’s simply a “stop sign” for your brain. And wherever there are stop signs, there are also alternative routes. Planning Your Detour “Roadmap” Into Difficult Books Let me share a personal example by way of sharing a powerful technique for making hard books easier to read. A few years ago I decided I was finally going to read Kant. I had the gist of certain aspects of his philosophy, but a few pages in, I encountered so many unfamiliar terms, I knew I had to obey the Cognitive Load Stop Sign and take a step back. To build a roadmap into Kant, I searched Google in a particular way. Rather than a search term like, “Intro to Kant,” I entered this tightened command instead: Filetype:PDF syllabus Kant These days, you can ask

Want to know how to memorize vocabulary in 30 seconds flat? The process is as simple as transforming words and their meanings into dynamic associations. Once that step is done, you “park” those associations in a Memory Palace. Then, you stroll back along this simple mental journey on a set schedule to establish long-term retention. That’s the entire method in a single breath that I’ve been teaching students for over fifteen years. Of course, the magic to the method lies in the details, which I’ll unfold for you below. All based on my experiences not only teaching memory techniques for vocabulary, but also using mnemonics to help me learn and lecture in German. I’ve also memorized over 1700 words in Sanskrit, lots of interesting phrases in Latin and some of the most complex poetry in English I’ve ever read. Below, you’ll find the exact, step-by-step system that has been tested in multiple languages, proven by science and refined by thousands of my students. Ready? Let’s dive in by having a look at this video featuring the habits of a Renaissance word fanatic who travelled the globe to share how he memorized vocabulary using an effective self-study approach that makes words stick in memory quickly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6e2PUA1t8M How to Memorize Vocabulary Fast and Effectively (Backed by Science) Now that you’ve seen the habits of the word-master Matteo Ricci, let’s dig into the details of how to absorb vocabulary with precision. As we get started, please keep in mind that the exact language you’re tackling does not matter. This fact is true because memory techniques predate the English language. So whether you’re improving your mother tongue or learning a new language, the following approaches will help, especially when combined. 1. Mnemonic Devices for Memorizing Vocabulary (Starting with the Memory Palace Technique) The Memory Palace technique is the most important mnemonic device for memorizing words. It is specifically useful for language learning, and has helped learners throughout history absorb vocabulary. What is the Memory Palace technique and how does it work? Memory Palaces help you learn by turning familiar locations into mental storage units. In each spot in a home, office or other familiar place, you imagine vivid mental associations that help you recall the sound and meaning of words. For example, to memorize the German word Bereich (area), I imagined Bender from Futurama with the composer Steve Reich inside Berlin’s Tegel airport. This kind of association promotes rapid recall because Bender + Reich sound like Bereich. As I formulated this association, I imagined these two familiar figures interacting in a location familiar to me and even drew a quick doodle to help lock it into the apartment I used as the Memory Palace. The illustration below shows you where in the apartment I imagined this mnemonic scene unfolding: A memory strategy can involve importing one location into a Memory Palace based on another space. If this process sounds a bit abstract, please don’t worry. Just try to follow along. Or, if you’re skeptical, check out this scientific study showing how using this technique helps support better memory. A Detailed Mnemonic Example for a Useful Word to Know The image above shows me at my desk, which is a station in this Berlin apartment Memory Palace. Using the method of loci in combination with the pegword method to structure the choice of Bender and Steve Reich, I had not only the bed in this apartment on which to “place” associations. I also had an alphabetic “toolbox” from which to draw multiple associations. That’s what using the pegword method gives you. Some people divide mnemonic pegs from Memory Palaces, but in reality they need to work together. Ideally, you’ll put them into practice with the other vocabulary memorization techniques we’re about to discuss. Although these techniques aren’t magic, you’ll be surprised by how fast new words start to stick once you’re up and running. 2. Engage All Your Senses With Multisensory Learning Techniques for Vocabulary Recall To get the most out of the Memory Palace approach, you need to treat the skills as much more than a visual memory technique. You need to practice multisensory visualization. Here’s how I approach this simple and fun learning approach: When I memorize new words, I don’t just see the mnemonic association in my Memory Palaces. I also imagine: Sounds Physical sensations Tastes Smells Concepts Emotions. I even draw upon the sense of spatial location. For example, when I memorized “expetendorum” in Latin, I imagined what it felt like to stand in front of a Pet Barn to recall the “pet” part of this phrase. I felt the sun on my skin and imagined smelling the pet food. If you don’t feel equipped yet for such mental ex

What does it take for an actor to memorize a script so deeply that it survives stress, pressure from everyday life, and even intoxication? Sir Anthony Hopkins has an answer so tempting, I had to try it. And it has less to do with “talent” than you might think. According to his epic autobiography, We Did Ok, Kid, not even Anthony Hopkins thinks his ability to remember so many lines has to do with DNA or some special genetic trait. Having memorized a lot of content myself, I completely agree. And in this guide, you’ll learn how Hopkins turns scripts into mental landscapes, why most performers fail because they chase speed, and how you can adopt Hopkins’ obsessive learning rituals for yourself. If they’re not for you, you’ll also discover how to adapt them using the Magnetic Memory Method. This unique learning approach will help you install lines from a script or poetry so deeply the process will soon feel like second nature. Whether you’re preparing for a stage performance, a TEDx talk, or a high-stakes presentation, this exploration of Anthony Hopkins’ approach to learning is the memory training guide you’ve been looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhjIkGu32CA Anthony Hopkins’ Memory Ritual: A Healthy “Obsession” Hopkins’ brilliant ability to memorize thousands of lines and perform them under pressure isn’t magic. It’s the result of a particular ritual that has made him polymathic in number of areas and skills. In case you weren’t aware, Hopkins is not just an award-winning actor. His skills include directing, painting, performing music and now writing. And it has to be said that the writing in We Did Ok, Kid is outstanding. Now, although Hopkins has had teachers and mentors along the way, much of what he’s learned has been autodidactic. For example, as a kid he regularly read Arthur Mee’s Children’s Encyclopedia. Without anyone telling him to do so, he committed lists of facts from its pages to memory. His approach is a bit different than the method I teach in this list memorization tutorial, but related in terms of a kind of spaced repetition Hopkins worked out for himself. Rote Repetition vs. Creative Repetition When it comes to learning the lines of a movie script or play, Hopkins does use a lot of repetition. But it is absolutely not rote learning. That’s because he doesn’t just read a script or a set of instructions while learning. No, Hopkins attacks the material with a pen and adds special marks that turn each page into a kind of private code. And that’s exactly what I tried to do as you can see on this page I worked on from Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus: Some people will protest that not only is Hopkins using rote when it comes to memorizing lines from a script, but that his rote reaches obsessive levels. That’s because he goes through the process of reading and marking up his scripts multiple times, sometimes 250 times or more. Having gone through the process myself, even at an admittedly small scale, I can tell you it is absolutely not rote learning. Looking at a page once it has been marked up automatically moves you from rote repetition to active recall. Active recall is present any time you place information on a page where you have to stretch your mind. And that’s what Hopkins’ marks achieve. His process literally transforms each page from a bland field of words into a highly mnemonic landscape. So when the time to perform arrives, he doesn’t try to recall. He simply walks the landscape he has laid in his mind. Or as he puts it: “Becoming familiar with a script was like picking up stones from a cobblestone street one at a time, studying them, then replacing each in its proper spot. Only then could I look out over the road and know every inch of it spread out before me.” Why So Many People Fail at Memorizing Scripts Having worked with countless actors over the years, or even just people who have seen my TEDx Talk and want to memorize a speech, I feel confident when I tell you this: The main reason people fail is not because they are trying to copy the memory tips given by other actors. It’s because they have mistaken activity for accomplishment. And they are trying to move too fast. On the one hand, this desire to create momentum is understandable. Speed not only feels like progress. Moving quickly through rote learning can give you doses of what scientists call phasic dopamine (something you can develop a much healthier relationship with through my dopamine-resetting guide for learners). But when it comes to serious learning and performance, speed is vanity. And as I learned from my podcast interview with actor Ashley Strand who memorized the entire Book of Mark, vanity kills depth. There’s another problem too that many people who want to memorize large amounts of content face. The Emptiness of the Long Distance Learner As a child, Hopk

Memento mori sounds morbid. It may even conjure up images of people contemplating skulls. But the ancient practice of “remembering that you will die” will not depress you when used as a memory exercise. Far from it. When done using the exercises you’re about to discover, a variety of memento mori practices can help wake you up to the present moment. And this awareness will help ensure that today (and every day) matters to your life. That’s just one reason to practice the memento mori exercises you’re about to discover today. They are powerful and have been throughout history. Why? For one thing, when you hold the fact that you are going to pass away in your mind for even a minute, mental junk that obscures the miracle of existence can start to lose its grip. Petty worries shrink. Procrastination fades. And you start choosing the conversation, the walk, the work and take more risks. And that’s important because those are things you’ll actually be glad you did. As opposed to doom scrolling on your phone, which is usually an utter waste of time. The Truth of Memento Mori Exercises Hidden in Plain Sight Here’s the link between memento mori and memory training you might have missed: I’ve taught memory training techniques for years, and the engine behind developing great recall isn’t “talent.” It’s cultivating your attention in ways that you associate with meaning that is worth remembering. Well-constructed memento mori exercises force meaning to the surface, which makes attention sharper automatically. And as memory expert Harry Lorayne often pointed out, when attention sharpens, better memory follows. That’s one reason why I keep an Amor Fati medallion from The Daily Stoic on my desk. In fact, I keep it right beside a “Mr. Death” pin that says “Catch you later.” I wore that pin on tour when I played bass with The Outside as a private reminder: Do not sleepwalk through this rehearsal, and definitely not during this concert. You’re only going to get to do this one. Finally, these two memento mori are kept with the Warrior of the Mind Emblem Tony Buzan awarded me for Outstanding Contributions to Global Mental Literacy. As you can imagine, it took on even more significance for me after he unexpectedly passed away. It sounds ridiculously simple, but having visual reminders like this constantly in your environment makes a big difference to your quality of life. And in the next few minutes, I’ll show you three more simple memento mori exercises you can do today to live a more memorable life. As a side effect, these will train the exact mental skill that makes your memory stronger overall. One: Imagine Your Funeral The exercise I’m about to share sounds grim, I know. But it’s actually quite positive. I adapted it from psychologist Richard Wiseman’s 59 Seconds, where he discusses brief, evidence-informed writing prompts that can shift perspective and behavior. As Wiseman explains based on a study he cites, the imaginative act of seeing and hearing your friends, family and colleagues acknowledge your passing creates perspective and insight that can improve your happiness. I’ve upped the ante and turned it into a brain game by not just imagining the scenario mentally, but by involving pen and paper. Make a list of two friends, two family members and two colleagues (or fellow students if you’re still in school). Next, write down one positive memory each person will share about you at your funeral. It could be a story or just a description of a personal attribute. Pretend that you can hear their voices as you complete the exercise. This point is important: Focus on the positive. Don’t invite haters to your funeral. Really feel the upbeat sentiments people share about you and enjoy the warmth they create. Then follow-up by imagining what you could do starting today to increase the praise you’ll receive. This simple additional step will help ensure you live a much more interesting life. Two: The Monty Hall Memento Mori Exercise If you’ve heard about The Monty Hall Problem, you likely have only heard it talked about as a quirky mathematical riddle. But for our purposes today, it’s really about why we humans cling to our first decision when changing our minds is the smarter move. Here’s the Monty Hall Problem in simple terms, followed by an exercise: Imagine that you’re on a game show. There are three doors and behind one of them is a prize. Behind the other two, either absolutely nothing or undesirable objects. The host, who knows the location of the prize, opens one of the two doors you didn’t pick and reveals either nothing. Or a dud prize, like a goat. Then he gives you a choice: Do you want to stick with the door you originally selected? Or switch to the remaining unopened door? https://youtu.be/mhlc7peGlGg Here’s what makes The Monty Hall problem interesting: Although you’ve already decided on a door, many analysts

Imagine for a second that Eckhart Tolle wasn’t a spiritual teacher, but a deep cover operative with a gun to his head. And just for a second, pretend that Tolle’s Power of Now wasn’t a way to find peace, but a survival mechanism used to slow down time when your reality is collapsing. And your memory has been utterly destroyed by forces beyond your control. Until a good friend helps you rebuild it from the ground up. These are the exact feelings and sense of positive transformation I tried to capture in a project I believe is critical for future autodidacts, polymaths and traditional learners: Vitamin X, a novel in which the world’s only blind memory champion helps a detective use memory techniques and eventually achieve enlightenment. It’s also a story about accomplishing big goals, even in a fast-paced and incredibly challenging world. In the Magnetic Memory Method community at large, we talk a lot about the habits of geniuses like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. We obsess over their reading lists and their daily routines because we want that same level of clarity and intellectual power. But there’s a trap in studying genius that too many people fall into: Passivity. And helping people escape passive learning is one of several reasons I’ve studied the science behind a variety of fictional learning projects where stories have been tested as agents of change. Ready to learn more about Vitamin X and the various scientific findings I’ve uncovered in order to better help you learn? Let’s dive in! Defeating the Many Traps of Passive Learning We can read about how Lincoln sharpened his axe for hours before trying to cut down a single tree. And that’s great. But something’s still not quite right. To this day, tons of people nod their heads at that famous old story about Lincoln. Yet, they still never sharpen their own axes, let alone swing them. Likewise, people email me every day regarding something I’ve taught about focus, concentration or a particular mnemonic device. They know the techniques work, including under extreme pressure. But their minds still fracture the instant they’re faced with distraction. As a result, they never wind up getting the memory improvement results I know they can achieve. So, as happy as I am with all the help my books like The Victorious Mind and SMARTER have helped create in this world, I’m fairly confident that those titles will be my final memory improvement textbooks. Instead, I am now focused on creating what you might call learning simulations. Enter Vitamin X, the Memory Detective Series & Teaching Through Immersion Because here’s the thing: If I really want to teach you how to become a polymath, I can’t just carry on producing yet another list of tips. I have to drop you into scenarios where you actually feel what it’s like to use memory techniques. That’s why I started the Memory Detective initiative. It began with a novel called Flyboy. It’s been well-received and now part two is out. And it’s as close to Eckhart Tolle meeting a Spy Thriller on LSD as I could possibly make it. Why? To teach through immersion. Except, it’s not really about LSD. No, the second Memory Detective novel centers around a substance called Vitamin X. On the surface, it’s a thriller about a detective named David Williams going deep undercover. In actuality, it’s a cognitive training protocol disguised as a novel. But one built on a body of research that shows stories can change what people remember, believe, and do. And that’s both the opportunity and the danger. To give you the memory science and learning research in one sentence: Stories are a delivery system. We see this delivery system at work in the massive success of Olly Richards’ StoryLearning books for language learners. Richards built his empire on the same mechanism Pimsleur utilized to great effect long before their famous audio recordings became the industry standard: using narrative to make raw data stick. However, a quick distinction is necessary. In the memory world, we often talk about the Story Method. This approach involves linking disparate pieces of information together in a chain using a simple narrative vignette (e.g., a giant cat eating a toaster to remember a grocery list). That is a powerful mnemonic tool, and you will see Detective Williams use short vignettes in the Memory Detective series. But Vitamin X is what I call ‘Magnetic Fiction.’ It’s not a vignette. It’s a macro-narrative designed to carry the weight of many memory techniques itself. It simulates the pressure required to forge the skill, showing you how and why to use the story method within a larger, immersive context. So with that in mind, let’s unpack the topic of fiction and teaching a bit further. That way, you’ll know more of what I have in mind for my readers. And perhaps you’ll become interested in some memory science experiments I plan to run in the near future. Illustra

You might expect an expert from OpenAI to rely entirely on digital tools to learn faster. Andrew Mayne does the exact opposite. Andrew is a true modern polymath: And in this hope-inspiring set of conversations, this AI expert, innovator, magician, novelist and host of the OpenAI podcast shares his passion for memory techniques. In addition to unfolding why practicing with older memory techniques still matters, he’s navigating the best of all possible worlds. And he’s got me convinced that this combinatory approach is the best choice. But never at the expense of preserving our age-old memorization techniques and learning tools. Andrew’s exploration of AI and Memory Palace creation is nothing short of extraordinary, and just as thrilling as his novels given what he’s concluded so far. So join in as we discuss the science behind why “easy” learning often fails. And exactly how to build a bit of friction into your routine. So that you retain more and enjoy new technologies without throwing the baby out with the bathwater. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlzD_6Olaqw Why AI Expert Andrew Mayne Uses “Analog” Memory (New Conversation) Since our last discussion on the intersection of AI and Memory Palaces (see below), Andrew has continued to push the boundaries of how we learn in a digital age. But in this new episode, we take a surprising turn. We aren’t just talking about the future. We are talking about the tactics of the autodidact and polymath in the here and now. Andrew reveals why, despite working at the cutting edge of OpenAI, he often chooses “analog” tools to train his brain. I’m talking about tools like: Playing cards Physical journals Reading physical books Having lots of conversations We dig deep into role of friction in developing new memories and the science behind why “easy” learning often fails, and how you can use tools like ChatGPT and other AI tools to test your memory without becoming dependent on them. You’ll also discover why an app-based Cloze test did not work for Andrew.   Missed our first conversation? In this original interview, we established the foundation as AI was unfolding in real time. Part One: The Intersection of AI & The Ancient Art of Memory Ready to explore how AI and Memory Palaces can work together to unlock sharper and longer-lasting memory? Listen in as we explore: The essence of why the Memory Palace technique has stood the test of time. AI’s role in human memory: How artificial intelligence can possible enhance, refine, and possibly revolutionize how we use Memory Palaces today. Future Insights: Andrew’s positive vision for where modern tech might take us and his enthusiasm for preserving the ancient art of memory. And many other “old” artefacts of the human experience. Whether you’re a student looking to ace your exams, a professional aiming to remember more in less time, or just someone fascinated by the intersection of technology, memory science and human potential, this discussion will be a point of inspiration as you continue to develop enhanced memory capabilities. Here’s the video version of the discussion: https://youtu.be/iS_BgFuUohA For More Andrew Mayne If you’d like to learn more about Andrew and his incredible output, here is a link library for you to explore: Andrew’s homepage Andrew on X Andrew on Wikipedia Andrew’s incredible books on Amazon Andrew’s Penguin Live magic lecture Watch Andrew on the Youtube version of the OpenAI Podcast, where he interviews the world’s top minds shaping the future of artificial intelligence. For a related podcast on ancient technologies and memory, check out my discussion with Lynne Kelly about The Knowledge Gene. And to continue the theme of magic, see what you think when I try to use a magic trick by way of testing Nelson Dellis’ theory of remote viewing. You might appreciate my thoughts on How to Approach Learning in the Age of AI as well as tutorials on becoming polymathic and autodidact. Thanks for listening or watching and hope to hang out with you again soon on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast!

If you want to understand the future of learning and equip yourself with the best possible tools for operating at the top of your game, I believe becoming polymathic is your best bet. And to succeed in mastering multiple skills and tying together multiple domains of knowledge, it’s helpful to have contemporary examples. Especially from people operating way out on the margins of the possible. That’s why today we’re looking at what happens when a poet decides to stop writing on easily destroyed paper. Ebooks and the computers that store information have a shelf life too. No, we’re talking about what happens when a poet starts “writing” into the potentially infinite cellular matter of a seemingly unkillable bacterium. This is the story of The Xenotext. How it came to be, how it relates to memory and the lessons you can learn from the years Christian Bök spent teaching himself the skills needed to potentially save humanity’s most important art from the death of our sun. Poetry. But more importantly, this post is a blueprint for you. The story of The Xenotext is a masterclass in why the era of the specialist is over, and why the future belongs to the polymaths who dare to learn the “impossible” by bringing together multiple fields. What on earth could be impossible, you ask? And what does any of this have to do with memory? Simple: Writing in a way that is highly likely to survive the death of the sun changes the definition of what memory is right now. And it should change what we predict memory will be like in both the near and distant future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwQiW1XDAvI Encoding Literature Into Life: The Xenotext Christian Bök, often described as a conceptual poet, has run experiments with words for decades. For example, Eunoia is a univocal lipogram. That means, in each chapter, Bök used only words containing one of the vowels. This is a constraint, and it leads to lines like, “Awkward grammar appals a craftsman.” And “Writing is inhibiting.” There are other “programs” or constraints Bök used to construct the poem. As a result, you hear and feel the textures of your own mother tongue in a completely new way as you read the poem. But for The Xenotext project, Bök wondered if it would be possible to discover the rules and constraints that would enable himself, and conceivably other poets and writers, to encode poetry into a living organism. That leads to a fascinating question about memory that many mnemonists have tackled, even if they’re not fully aware of it. Can a poem outlive the civilization that produced it? If so, and humans are no longer around, how would that work? The Science of How Biology Becomes Poetry As far as I can understand, one of the first steps involved imagining the project itself, followed by learning how it could be possible for a poem to live inside of a cell. And which kind of cell would do the job of protecting the poetry? It turns out that there’s an “extremophile” called Deinococcus radiodurans. It was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most radiation resistant bacterium on planet Earth. As a life form, its DNA was sequenced and published in 1999. According to the Wikipedia page on The Xenotext, Bök started conceiving of encoding poetry into DNA and then inserting it into the bacterium circa 2002. But the project is about more than having poetry persist within a cell so it can transmit the work without errors later. It’s a kind of combinatory puzzle in which the bacterium acts as a kind of co-author. In order to pull this project off, Bök needed to enlist the help of scientists while mastering multiple skills many people would not normally consider “writing.” But as we head into the future, we definitely should. Radical Autodidacticism: Reaching New Heights Through Deep Discipline To this day, many educators talk about the importance of being a specialist. But The Xenotext project and the work Bök put into it forces us to redefine what it means to be a self-directed learner in the 21st century. When Bök decided to encode a poem into the DNA of an extremophile bacterium, he didn’t just “dabble” in science or explore various interests as a multipotentialite. Nor did he read a few pop-sci books and expect an organism to write a poem in return. No, he spent many years studying genomic and proteomic engineering. He coded his own computer program to help him “unearth” the poetry, all while writing grants and collaborating with multiple experts. The Skill Stack If you’re a lifelong learner with big dreams, it’s useful to examine how people with autodidactic and polymathic personality traits operate. One of the first skills is to allow yourself to dream big. Giving oneself permission like this might not seem like a skill. But since we can model any polymath or other person who inspires us, yo

Although basing your Memory Palaces on buildings you’ve seen with your own eyes will always be a best practice, it’s not your only option. Sure, buildings are generally best. That’s because remembered locations let us easily “offload” what we want to learn onto walls, corners and furniture as if they were hard drives. But you can also develop thousands of Memory Palace options simply by utilizing art. And there are countless works waiting to be discovered using the phone in your pocket. Using art is in fact one of the most elegant and pleasing ways to expand your memory practice. From paintings and photographs to album covers and book jackets, I’ve long expanded my Memory Palace collection by using art. There is a trap, however. If you use art in the wrong way, you’ll double your cognitive load and confuse yourself faster than you can say “Giordano Bruno.” (In case you don’t catch the reference, Bruno was the Renaissance memory master who used many statues in his Memory Palaces to expand them.) In this tutorial, I’m sharing with you how to use any piece of art as a Memory Palace effectively, including the one “golden rule” you definitely don’t want to break. Believe me, I’ve tried and it’s not worth the hassle. Ready to massively expand your use of mnemonics by drawing upon art you’re already familiar with? Let’s dive in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7bkrmYJOmE Paintings as Memory Palaces: Architecture Within Architecture Let’s start with the basic concept first. When you use a painting as a Memory Palace, you are opening up a number of options. The simplest involves either using a painting that is already in a building that you are using. Or you place a painting inside of a Memory Palace you’ve used before to expand it. As a third option, you can refer to a painting and use it as a Memory Palace unto itself without reference to where it exists in space. Finally, as I discuss in my post about visiting art galleries to help improve your memory, you can turn galleries and museums into Memory Palaces. By using the various artworks that stood out to you, it’s possible to wind up having an exceptionally strong Memory Palace. One of the Memory Palaces I used to memorize a Sanskrit mantra used Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art, for example. Many pieces from one particular exhibition formed part of the encoding process, assisted by an effect memory scientists call context dependent memory. Either way, as I discuss in my main tutorial on how to use the Memory Palace technique, the key is to avoid increasing cognitive load. There’s always the risk of putting pressure on your brain instead of reducing it unless you use the painting variation of the Memory Palace technique carefully. To that end, let’s go through some best practices, starting with the most important. Metivier’s Golden Rule: Do Not “Memorize” Any Memory Palace Some people will hear that I use paintings in my Memory Palaces and start looking at art and memorizing it. Although you can certainly do so, this is not what I mean. Rather, I mean to suggest that if you use any of the possible options I listed above, you make sure that the painting or artwork is already in your memory. This point seemed to be very important to Giordano Bruno, whom I mentioned above. In his book, Thirty Statues, Bruno places his mnemonic associations on mythological figures he already knows. He’s following a principle crucial to all ancient memory techniques that distinguish them from the processes of some memory competitors that have led to a lot of confusion. Whereas memory competitors may learn a lot of associations assisted by techniques like the Major System and the PAO System, that’s for accomplishing short-term retention. For this reason, I wince whenever someone tells me that they’re going to memorize a bunch of locations to use as Memory Palaces. Even after looking at my massive collection of Memory Palace ideas and Memory Palace examples, some people still charge forward and memorize despite learning that the most accomplished mnemonists did not do this. So the point is that if you’re going to use the Mona Lisa as a Memory Palace, make sure you already have a basic mental image of this artwork in your mind. The Mona Lisa Test I’m mentioning the Mona Lisa because it’s both relatively simple and very famous. It’s almost certainly in your long-term memory. But a great way to start using a variety of paintings is to create an inventory. The following activity is a powerful memory exercise unto itself. Step One: Write A-Z on a piece of paper For each letter name an artwork or artist that comes to mind When you’re just starting, I recommend sticking with portrait paintings or photographs You might not be able to complete the whole alphabet. So if Agostina Segatori Si

If you want to remember a story, the process is actually pretty simple. You can be as detailed as you like, or just recite the general gist of a tale. And by the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to entertain people at parties or include stories in your speeches and presentations. Or maybe you want to better convince your friends to read stories and watch the movies you love. That will be much easier for you to do as well. If you want to become a better writer, nothing will help you more than knowing stories inside and out. Even better than that, on this page, I’m also going to show you how to memorize the ins-and-outs of plot. Who am I to teach you about remembering stories? Well, in addition to having told a story at a TEDx event that now has nearly 2.5 million views, I spent nearly a decade as a Film Studies professor. I also spent a few years working as a story consultant on movies that actually got made. And I’ve written two well-received books about screenwriting. Indeed, I got my story consulting gigs partly because of the books I’ve written on screenwriting. I even have a writing credit on my IMDB profile. Anthony Metivier on the set of Bailout with Eddie Furlong, Dominic Purcell and Uwe Boll Although I certainly don’t know everything under the sun, I’ve proven that I can write and help craft successful stories. I’ve memorized detailed stories and delivered them before the masses. And if you’re ready to remember any story, I’m confident my tips will help you out So let’s get started! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM4TxD6ez1Y Two Different Ways to Remember a Story When it comes to reciting a story from memory, there are two main ways to proceed. Both approaches are powerful. Which one you pick depends on your goal. You’ll also want to consider your existing skills with memory methods overall. You can check my guide to the main memory techniques to get a sense of where you currently stand. With that in mind, let’s look at the two main strategies for remembering stories. Story Strategy #1: Verbatim Memorizing a story verbatim is powerful when you care about the exact language. There are many circumstances where word-for-word recall matters. Take my TEDx Talk, for example. This platform requires you to deliver your message within a particular timeframe. You simply cannot afford to go off on tangents, and verbatim memorization helps make sure you follow the script and finish on time. People who memorize scripture tend to want to memorize a particular translation verbatim for theological or poetic reasons. Then there are actors like my fellow mnemonist, Ashley Strand. On this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, he shared how he memorized the entire Book of Matthew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0op9LSE3_yQ Ashley’s example involved acting, but fits more exactly under the banner of monologue memorization. In addition to his recitation of the Book of Mark, the most impressive recitation I’ve seen was Ralph Fiennes in Faith Healer. I caught the play while living in Manhattan, but had read it many years earlier as an undergrad in an English course. As a stage production, Faith Healer is remarkable because the Frank Hardy role involves two long narrative monologues. The first one is at least 30 minutes long and I was blown away by watching Fiennes deliver it. Even more remarkably, the play is itself about how memory shifts and changes. As Fiennes shared in this Irish Times article, he spent a very long time with the text. But during the last two weeks he focused specifically on “feelings, emotions, and nuances.” Like Ashley Strand, Fiennes needed to deliver the exact words. Unlike Strand’s experience, however, Fiennes did not have to work on interpreting the text. As Fiennes told his interviewer, Faith Healer is “extraordinary because when you’ve got it inside you, in the memory, it’s a support. With writing that is less masterful, you would have to compensate or find things in the interpretation to keep it buoyant.” If you choose to memorize a story verbatim, keep these points in mind. Some stories will have features built into them that help you remember them better. Others, like various stories in the Books of the Bible, may require more interpretation and even additional research or personal study. Story Strategy #2: Generative Memorization Based on “Story DNA” Many people know that ancient cultures passed their stories on verbally. But that doesn’t mean they recited them verbatim. As Alfred Lord reports in Singer of Tales, many story tellers actually memorized a variety of formulas. In this video, I talk about how this technique likely worked, one that I’ve used myself as a Film Studies professor many times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20En1Nm8VOY There are quite a few ways you can memorize formulas to generate new versions of stories on the spot. Or, you can learn formulas in ways that help

Everywhere you turn, someone’s either hyping up AI or panicking about it. But if you’re a lifelong learner, you can’t afford to miss one simple fact: The real danger isn’t the technology itself. No, the major problem we all face is how other people’s thoughts about AI quietly and constantly reshape our thinking. Pretty much on a daily basis, we undergo a whiplash of influence as one person plays prophet of doom and another froths with unhinged praise. If you don’t study memory and its relationship to thinking as much as I do, you might not notice this shift happening. But I do, and am concerned that many people can’t see why the disconnected dialog about artificial intelligence is so corrosive. Perhaps most alarmingly of all is how many people adopt new tools unthinkingly and try to move faster, consume more and mistake speed for substance. Little by little, they come to rely on the dopamine hits created by endless summaries instead of doing the critical thinking work that leads to synthesis and understanding. The solution for you so that you don’t burn out and wind up forgetting everything you try to learn? Slow down. Continue using notebooks, sketches, mind maps and time with physical books. As I’ll show you in a moment, the best AI innovators are doing just that. And it’s smart because these simple activities will help build your memory, preserve your thinking and ensure you get the most out the new tools. While continuing to enjoy the benefits of ancient memory techniques. To help you find the balance, in the video below and various resources I’ve shared on this page, I’ll help you explore AI technologies while creating a brain that no technology can imitate. Let’s get started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XOiutq-Af4 How to Use AI as a Lifelong Learner (Without Harming Your Memory) The first strategy is to keep using physical notebooks. You might think that sounds old fashioned, but it’s not. For example, David Perell recently had Sam Altman on his podcast to discuss his method for clear thinking. It’s very similar to the journaling method I’ve been teaching myself for years. It involves pen, paper and the mind. Nothing more. If the CEO of OpenAI operates this way, why wouldn’t you? I think this example, amongst the journaling habits of other top performers is great. It helps us completely sidestep yet another paranoid conspiracy that suggests the moment you stop writing by hand, you start letting machines dictate how you think. It’s the other way around: The humans shaping the way artificial intelligence platforms operate regularly journal. Why Analog Tools and Slow Reading Matter More Than Ever Their example is also useful because it highlights the relationship between the medium you use to assist your thinking, what you think about, and how you think. And I believe it’s beyond obvious that many people mistake how fast they consume information as an accomplishment, when far too often it’s really just busy work. Little more than activity. This confusion of activity as accomplishment isn’t a new problem. Speed reading gurus have duped people for years with the fantasy that speed is a kind of substance. And the few good ideas you might find in speed reading books and courses? They tend to be borrowed from somewhere else. Skimming and scanning books, for example? Many, much better tactics existed decades before mass market speed reading books started teaching such tactics. Many ultimately wound up watering the strategy down. These days, the entire speed reading industry is obsolete. And the reading approaches I’ve advocated since my university teaching days has never been more important. I’m talking about my realistic approaches to reading faster, finding the main points and memorizing what matters in textbooks. It’s more important than ever before because now, the real skill is knowing when to use shortcuts and when to apply reflective thinking so that books have time to settle in. Sometimes it makes sense to take a second pass through courses and books. This is one reason I developed a personal re-reading strategy. Even though I use zettelkasten and the Memory Palace technique, reviewing both your notes and the source material often gives you additional insight that you cannot get any other way. Yet, we live in an “efficiency” focused culture where the speed of AI summaries create an illusion of depth, when in fact they are actually prompts to get back to traditional reading tactics and techniques. The Real Meaning of Artificial Intelligence As you can tell by now, I’m not at all saying to avoid using AI. Rather, I believe that the best way to protect your lifelong learning goals must involve learning to use it through experimentation. But not without acknowledging the strange paradox we all face. Various AIs can now summarize any book you feed them. In all kinds of fla

The link method is a powerful memory technique that will help you learn faster and remember more. You can rest assured that learning how to use it is worth your time because it has been used for thousands of years and studied by scientists. We know how and why it works. And one reason the technique has continually improved over the years is simple: Many people have worked to ensure that proper mnemonic linking helps you build instant associations. In other words, well-linked associations can help you memorize certain kinds of information within seconds. You just have to learn it properly. Sometimes, this particular learning strategy lets you retain information you’ve heard just once for the long-term without needing any repetition. For example, as a memory educator, I give a lot of demonstrations in the community. I remember the names of people from live classes I’ve given decades ago. And once you master basic linking for simple information like names, you can use the technique in more elaborate ways. Everything from language learning to complex mathematical formulas. The problem is… Even simple versions of the technique can confuse people new to the link method. This is not your fault. The confusion creeps in because different memory teachers use the term in several different ways. In fact, the sheer number of definitions is enough to melt your mind. Well, never fear. On this page, I’m going to do my best to reduce the confusion. Because the reality is this: Linking really can help you learn faster and remember more. You just need to apply this mnemonic device in the right way and in the specific situations where it’s useful. So if you want to master linking for faster and more thorough learning, let’s look at exactly how linking works. And when to combine it with other memory techniques for even stronger recall. https://youtu.be/bn4BERnf788 What Is The Linking Method? In the world of memory training, we use the word “link” because this technique creates a kind of chain between what you want to remember and something you already know. You can think of it like a gold necklace. Each loop links to the next one until the circle is completed by a clasp. Except in memory, each mental image or association is the link that helps you find your way back to the target information. This is part of where confusion about the technique comes in. Is Linking Different Than the Chain Method? Memory educators often use the word link to create the mental image of a chain, as in a chain of associations. Everyone from Bruno Furst to Harry Lorayne present the technique in this way. This means that there’s no particular difference between linking and the chain method. The key is that you mentally “link” or attach one item in a list to the next item. That’s why most memory trainings will present a list of words with which to practice. For example: Hero Drill Spacecraft Music Then most memory guides will suggest that you: Create an image that reminds you of the first word in the chain, and “Link” the next word to the first. In the case of the example list above, you would imagine that your hero uses a drill on a spacecraft that is blasting out music. This way of using linking sounds a bit like a story, doesn’t it? The story is a kind of chain that you follow, and each action or action and reaction is the link that helps you “trigger” the next word. Many people successfully use this form of linking to memorize lists, something I discuss with more depth in this tutorial on how to memorize a list. Pros and Cons of The Link Method Linking works well for when you need to memorize simple lists. The approach also has its weaknesses, though, problems we’re about to fix. What are those problems? For one thing, if you can’t remember how the first part of your narrative chain started, you’ll struggle to trigger the next part. It’s also possible that an individual link in your chain will go “missing.” One key solution is called deliberate practice. And although most memory improvement guides do give you words to practice, I’m a critic of them and here’s why: It’s very rare in real life that we have to memorize random words. A rare case is when you go shopping and need to get tomatoes, carrots, celery, and bread. In such a case, it does make sense to use linking to quickly imagine a tomato stabbing celery and bread with a carrot. Even so, as a person who loves using memory techniques for large learning goals, I have to ask? Why waste time on memorizing a shopping list when you could just write it down? That lets you save your energy for memorizing vocabulary or technical terms related to your profession. How to Practice Mnemonic Linking And that’s how I suggest that you practice. With important information that you can’t just write down. Here’s one fruitful practice: If you’re going to memorize your shopping list,

Today I’m going to show you how to get rid of brain fog based on the research I’ve done to handle the problem for myself. I knew I had to take decisive action because when left untreated, brain fog is likely to get worse. That means, your focus could continue to fade. You may fail exams you want to pass. And learning that language you dream about speaking fluently? It will continue to feel like a slog. Worse, remembering the names of new people and even loved ones will potentially get harder and harder to retrieve. But here’s the very good news: You can reduce the impact of brain fog. Possibly even eliminate it. On this page, I’m going to share with you exactly how I resolved my brain fog in a step-by-step manner. And give you a 7-day routine you can start benefiting from immediately. Important: The experience I’m sharing is educational and not medical advice. If your symptoms are new, severe, or worsening, see a clinician and discuss any changes before you try any of these suggestions. As discussed in my book, The Victorious Mind, getting proper medical advice while researching solutions is what I’ve always done. So, if you’re ready to reduce the impact of brain fog on your life, keep reading. We’re taking a deep dive into what brain fog is and how to beat it. https://youtu.be/PzMafhiYU0Y What Is Brain Fog? Brain fog is defined as mental fuzziness. Its symptoms include: Mental exhaustion Reduced cognitive ability Lack of concentration Feeling “spaced out” Foggy head Long-term memory loss Another way to define it comes from the scientist Karan Kverno, who says that it is “the subjective experience of neuroinflammation.” Just as important as the definition, we have to take note of this condition. For example, mental fog has only gotten worse since the pandemic. Studies show that Long Covid Syndrome (LCS) can create or aggravate it. People undergoing chemotherapy may also suffer increased incidences of mental fog. With its ongoing evolution in mind, let’s look deeper at these symptoms. Symptoms Mental exhaustion can be defined as everything from lack of motivation to irritability. It can have short-term or long-term effects. Reduced cognitive ability can involve things like struggling to complete tasks that should be deep in your procedural memory. Poor concentration is not only about focus. It can involve difficulties in sitting still. You might also notice that you lose things more often. Being spaced out involves mind wandering or feeling disconnected with reality. And having a foggy head gets that term because you might feel like your mind is cluttered with dense clouds. You may be easily distracted or confused. Causes When I was still on the hunt for a brain fog cure, I experienced all of the above symptoms. In my case, each symptom was exaggerated by taking lamotrigine for manic depression. Fortunately, I asked my doctor about alternatives (just like you should do). We found that a complete dietary overhaul enabled me to stop taking this medication. Now all of the brain fog issues it caused are over now and I find it easier to concentrate on demand. All the more reason to regularly visit your doctor and discuss everything. In my case, it’s clear that a medication that was no longer needed was a huge driver of the symptoms. But many people don’t get regular medical reviews, which are so needed in our era of automated prescription renewals. Beyond medication, there are many lifestyle culprits you can eliminate to deal with brain fog and other aspects of cognitive decline. These include: Lack of exercise Computer use in bed (instead of using this reading before bed protocol) Poor diet, especially from eating foods that harm the brain Dehydration Insufficient sleep Undiagnosed health issues Stress and anxiety Depression Chronic pain Gut health Aging (especially when chemotherapy is in use) Neuroinflammation Even air pollution has been studied for how it contributes to brain fog in different parts of the world. So if you can’t find other reasons behind why you keep forgetting things, consider getting air filtration systems where you work and sleep. Even air pollution has been shown to contribute to brain fog. Quick Relief Now that you know some of the core causes, here are a few things you can do right now that will help: Hydrate Analyze your diet and reduce caffeine Take a 5-10 minute walk (or if you want to be as polymathic as Thomas Jefferson, he would suggest at least 2 hours of exercise daily) Practice box breathing Open any curtains so you’re exposed to more daylight Make a plan for an improved bedtime routine you can follow tonight Complete one of the memory drills I teach Please don’t underestimate these simple steps. While my wife was away recently, I fell out of my usual bedtime reading habits and started watching a series. Brain fog quickly crept back into my life. But by catching myself in this habit and returning to my bedtime reading p

Worried that you might be suffering long-term memory loss? See if you can relate to a scenario like this: I have come to this area a hundred times before. Yet, I’m lost in this maze of streets now. Where’s my schoolmate’s house? Wait, schoolmate, or was she my colleague at work? If an inner voice like that sounds familiar, it could indeed be your long-term memory acting up. The question is, what causes long-term memory loss? What are its symptoms? And, how do you treat or prevent it? In this article, I’m drawing upon my fifteen years experience as a memory improvement teacher to help you understand and avoid long-term memory loss. You’ll discover how to identify it, and get proper treatment if needed. I’ll also show you a powerful, “magnetic” way to improve your memory so it stays intact even as you age. Better than that, I’ll show you some simple memory exercise routines I practice myself to keep sharp as I approach my fifties. Here’s what I’ll cover: What is Long-Term Memory? What is Long-Term Memory Loss? Symptoms of Long-Term Memory Loss What Causes Long-Term Memory Loss? How is Long-Term Memory Loss Diagnosed? How to Treat Long-Term Memory Loss 5 Ways to Boost Memory and Prevent Long-Term Memory Loss Let’s start with a quick look at long-term memory. Definitions are important because often people don’t stop to consider exactly what this type of memory really is. What is Long-Term Memory? Long-term memory is how your brain encodes and remembers events, facts, and how to do things. For example, if you can remember your high school teacher’s name or the route to the house you stayed in 20 years ago, that’s information stored in your long-term memory. How is it different from short-term memory? Short-term memory (or working memory) is how your brain stores things temporarily. Examples include a grocery list, or what you had for lunch earlier today. How do short-term memories wind up in long-term memory? Usually through some kind of repetition or process of learning that leads to what memory scientists call “consolidation.’ In other words, the more you deliberately recall memories, the better they get consolidated into permanent, long-term memories. So, how are these memories stored in the brain? Assuming your brain is free from any memory disorders, short-term memory activates your prefrontal cortex, frontal lobe, and the parietal lobe of your brain. The hippocampus brain region is responsible for the consolidation of info from short-term to long-term memory. And, your long-term memory is associated with the prefrontal cortex, cerebrum, frontal lobe, and medial temporal lobe. Types of Long-Term Memory I mentioned the recall of a teacher’s name or a street address. Those two details are actually a kind of information called “semantic.” Overall, your brain stores many types of long-term memories, not just semantic memory. You also store episodic memory, procedural memory, implicit memory (non-declarative memory), and explicit memory (declarative memory). For example, if your teacher’s name is a semantic memory, remembering the time your teacher gave you an A+ is an episodic memory. It is literally an episode from your life. Your ability to effortlessly jot out the alphabet with a pen or pencil? The same teacher may have given you the skill, but it’s a procedural memory that helps you remember how to recreate your semantic memory of what letters the alphabet contains. Fascinating, isn’t it? Yes, and these differences in the various types of memory and kinds of information really matter. That’s because they make the deep-dive into all things related to long-term memory loss we’re about to discuss much more valuable. Let’s dig in. What is Long-Term Memory Loss? When you find it difficult to remember any of the information types we just discussed, provided that you learned it in the past, we call the failure to retrieve these details or skills long-term memory loss. Is long-term memory loss the same as dementia? No. Long-term memory impairment isn’t the same as dementia. Not even close. However, it can be a sign of dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, dementia is an umbrella term for “diseases and conditions characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking skills.” Alzheimer’s disease specifically is a kind of cognitive impairment that progressively destroys your episodic memory, thinking abilities, and the ability to do even simple tasks like writing. Around 10% of Americans above 65 years of age are said to have Alzheimer’s disease. And Alzheimer’s disease happens to be the most common cause of dementia. How does Alzheimer’s disease affect long-term memory? The first symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is short-term memory impairment. Long-term memory impairment follows, along with other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. So even though you’re

What does learning look like when your body has stopped cooperating? For many people, paralysis would mean the end of studying. But for the historian Tony Judt, who found himself immobilized by ALS, his condition became the beginning of something unexpected: a new way of thinking about memory, language, and the act of learning itself. Even more astonishing, he found it within himself to write a book using dictation technology while he was still able to use his mouth. The Memory Chalet is often read as memoir, and it is. It’s also a poignant farewell by a brilliant European historian. But hidden in its pages is something more enduring: a learning system disguised as autobiography. And as I’m about to explain, part of this book’s value comes from the fact that it was forged under constraint. This isn’t just a book review. It’s an excavation of the intellectual architecture and learning models Judt left behind for any autodidact can use. And the tools and mindsets he shared matter now more than ever. Let’s dig in. https://youtu.be/UQHGXXKQIUo Nostalgia as a Learning Tool Early in The Memory Chalet, Judt wrote something that feels like a manifesto: “Nostalgia makes a very satisfactory second home.” It’s a striking claim. Especially in our world of digital amnesia, where nostalgia is often dismissed as weakness, sentimental indulgence and a way of avoiding reality. We’re told to “live in the present,” to stop romanticizing the past. Judt thought otherwise. For him, nostalgia wasn’t a trap. It was architecture. Unable to write notes or type a single sentence, he turned memory itself into a private study where he composed his final lessons. Why Judt’s Take On Nostalgia Matters for Learning Psychologists like Endel Tulving have shown that deliberately engaging in autobiographical recall strengthens encoding and retrieval. Many self-taught geniuses seem to have known this well, such as Benjamin Franklin who wrote extensively about his life and the lessons he learned along the way. When we connect new information to vivid, personal memories, it sticks. And we know that Judt was doing this based on his knowledge of memory techniques. So his choice to write about his life was not nostalgia as escapism, but as construction material. And his choice to use a reframed version of the Memory Palace technique also helped him reinforce the present. What does this suggest for you, practically speaking? Your own history is not dead weight. It can be turned into a system for thought. The hallway of your old school can become a place to rehearse arguments. The kitchen you grew up in can help you memorize a list. Even a remembered teacher’s voice can become a tool for mental rehearsal. So Judt’s first lesson is simple but radical: Don’t dismiss your past. Use it. Nostalgia, when harnessed correctly, is not regression. It is forward motion. The Autodidact’s Secret: Community Judt described himself as an “isolated autodidact.” It’s an evocative phrase, but it’s only half true. The deeper truth is this: Judt engineered his learning life so that he still encountered other minds. When he set out to teach himself Czech, for example, he didn’t bury himself in a textbook or trust an app to drip-feed him vocabulary. He sought out what he called “linguists of talent.” He placed himself in the company of sharp, demanding speakers. Not only that, but he sought out the corrections of native speakers, which as anyone learning a new language knows, gives you the challenge of being wrong in public. That friction was his sharpening stone. And it can be yours too. Why Would-Be Autodidacts Fail in Isolation Too many self-learners today fall into what Judt would have called “methodological solipsism.” They seal themselves off with language learning software, YouTube videos, or dense books. Sure, these can be useful tools, but rarely do they put you under any kind of productive pressure. Lacking real dialogue, too many ideas and assumptions go untested, leading to sometimes severe memory biases. And without correction, errors harden into habits. This is why so many would-be autodidacts flame out. They confuse consumption with education. They mistake being alone for self-directed learning. But Judt’s example reminds us of the real secret: autodidacts design communities. They don’t wait for the perfect classroom, professor, or syllabus. They build their own circuits of exchange, no matter how improvised. Community as Cognitive Fuel Cognitive science supports this claim. Psychologist Lev Vygotsky argued that all higher thought is scaffolded by social interaction. Our minds expand in dialogue, not monologue. So when Judt surrounded himself with linguists, he wasn’t just practicing Czech. He was literally wiring his brain to handle complexity under pressure. The same is true for polymaths across history. From Leonardo da Vinci’s Florentine workshops to Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club, the great self-learners of the past didn’t i

Yes, you can use the Memory Palace technique without visualization. I’ve been doing so for years as the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method. I’ve also succeeded beyond my wildest dreams as someone who experiences very limited visual imagery. At first, I struggled with this technique, however. Until my research revealed that the Memory Palace technique was never purely visual. No, from the beginning, the technique was taught in multi-sensory ways, including one powerful approach that is purely logical and conceptual. And that’s the approach that helped me earn my PhD in Humanities at York University. It also helped me learn languages, pass multiple certification exams and substantially expand my knowledge base. And I’m not alone. Today, accomplished memory athletes with no “mind’s eye” (aphantasics) prove that Memory Palaces work without inner pictures. So how did the technique get mischaracterized as primarily visual? And how can you rapidly create well-formed Memory Palaces in just minutes? Whether your imagination produces high-definition images or nothing at all, the methods I’m about to share will help you use the Memory Palace technique to learn faster and remember more. Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJTZQbSE_dY Why Visualization is Incorrectly Emphasized in Memory Palace Training If you’re new to the Memory Palace technique, its ancient roots might not be on your radar. Yet. But we know from the historical science writer Lynne Kelly in books like The Memory Code and The Knowledge Gene that this technique had non-visual foundations for thousands of years. For example, humans “offloaded” information they needed to remember onto rocks arranged in particular ways at sites like Stonehenge. People also used objects covered in beads called lukasa to feel where they had encoded information in space. As the Aboriginal author Tyson Yunkaporta shares in Sand Talk, elders used their hands as Memory Palaces. In some cases, they used each finger to remember an individual rule of conduct during a meeting. Rather than visualize anything with the mind’s eye, bringing the thumb together with a particular finger sparked recall. And these are all examples of the Memory Palace technique using an approach that is not inherently visual. It is spatial, kinesthetic and conceptual. Fast forward to the Ancient Greek and Latin memory tradition, Simonides of Ceos emphasizes location as a concept above all things. And St. Thomas Aquinas insisted his students imagine that they were inscribing information into the walls of their Memory Palaces as if writing on the surface of a wax tablet. He borrowed this idea from Aristotle and extended it with other useful ideas I have covered in this tutorial on Aquinas and memory. So how did visual imagination come to be so prominent? Misrepresentation by Modern Interpreters In 1966, Frances Yates released an important, but deeply flawed study of the technique called The Art of Memory. Don’t get me wrong. As a history of various mnemonic devices, it’s an important work. It has also inspired thousands, if not millions, of people to give memory techniques a try. That said, we shouldn’t brush the problems she introduced under the rug. By her own admission, she never actually used the techniques she wrote about. As a result, she missed the importance of orientation, physical sensation and conceptualization discussed multiple times in her historical sources. How was this mistake possible? Besides not actually trying the techniques, I believe Yates may have been influenced by Dorothea Waley Singer. Although this point might seem like an unnecessary detour, bear with me. It will pay off. In 1950, Singer published the first edition of Giordano Bruno: His Life and Thought. Singer’s biography influenced and inspired Yates’ own book on Bruno. Yeats in fact wrote The Art of Memory as background for her own book on the infamous mnemonist. Here’s the problem: Singer utterly dismisses the influence of another mnemonist named Llull on Bruno. She in fact suggests that Bruno was an utter fool for tinkering with Llull’s memory wheels. So you don’t think I’m exaggerating, here’s exactly what Singer says: Capable of hero worship, Bruno sometimes chose heroes who would have been strangely out of touch with him, as for example that saintly and mystical, muddled and truculent Franciscan, Raymond Llull, on whose worst works he wasted many years. I wish the joke was on Singer and Yates. But it isn’t. Their mistaken dismissal and failure to deeply explore the techniques led a major problem to spread everywhere. Due to Yates’ enormous influence in particular, uncountable numbers of people have misunderstood the non-visual art of combination so necessary to effectively using Memory Palaces. As you can learn from this tutorial on Giordano Bruno, he wasn’t wasting his time on Llull at all.

If you’re seeking memory training because of forgetfulness, mental fog, or information overload, you’re not alone. In fact, I’ve been on both sides. I’ve been so frustrated with my memory that I nearly dropped out of grad school. And so successful I came in second in a memory competition against one of the best mental athletes in the world. My range of experiences means good news for you. With the right daily drills and proven exercises, you can dramatically improve your recall, focus, and clarity. In this guide, you’ll discover 7 memory training techniques I’ve personally used to: Complete a PhD using mnemonic strategies Deliver a TEDx Talk seen by millions Learn multiple languages with confidence Each routine is practical, research-backed and useable starting today. Whether you want to remember names, prepare for exams, or simply keep your mind sharp as you age, these drills work. Let’s dive in. https://youtu.be/DU4VznNm1z4 Proof that Memory Training Works As we go through the list of memory techniques you can start practicing with today, keep in mind that there’s no particular order of importance. They all matter and each one is well-worth spending time learning. But you might like to have some assurance that scientists have actually studied these memory tools. In addition to reading my full profile of the state of memory science, you’ll be delighted to know that many of my memory champion friends have participated in memory studies. For example, Katie Kermode recently posted on LinkedIn about her participation in this University of Cambridge Study. This study follows many others, including a major analysis of how proper memory training leads to superior memory skills. I’ll share a few more scientific references as we go, but for now, keep in mind that we are talking about training. This means that your time does need to be spent on learning and applying the various memory techniques we’re about to explore together. But every moment will be worth it once you see the results of better memory flowing into your life. The Core Memory Training Techniques & Drills I Recommend One: Mnemonic Linking Mnemonic linking is where most people start training their memory. What is linking? It’s a simple technique where you assign vivid, strange or emotional associations between information you already know and new data you want to retain. To keep things simple, let’s say you need to remember a list of words like “apple,” “book” and “dog.” To use the linking technique, you simply mentally link the apple with something related to apples that is specifically familiar to you. I would personally forge a link with an Apple computer. For the next word in the list, I would imagine the Apple computer interacting with a specific book. Since the final word is “dog,” that book could be the Bible in the jaws of a specific dog. The key is to make every association specific. So in this case, the list will be easiest to remember if there’s a kind of mnemonic story playing out: “An Apple computer flies down from the sky to try and wrestle the family Bible from the jaw of Superman’s dog.” Silly, right? Yes, and that’s what makes it so memorable. In case you’re interested, one of the reasons why so many people start with linking isn’t because it’s the best place to start. It’s largely because that’s where the dominant memory improvement authors like Harry Lorayne and Tony Buzan talked about starting. They were largely repeating the instructions given by Bruno Furst in his correspondence memory courses. Linking is definitely worth learning. I use it frequently and found it especially helpful for learning the articles and other aspects of learning German. Two: Peg Systems Peg systems are the foundation of how I learned to memorize playing cards. Please be aware that memory teachers use the general term “peg” in quite a variety of ways. I generally call it the pegword method and separate pegs into at least four different kinds of mnemonic images: Number Rhymes Number objects (or number shapes) Major System PAO System To give you an example of the simplest peg system, here’s how the number rhyme technique works through the association of rhymed images: 1 = sun 2 = shoe 3 = bee 4 = door 5 = hive 6 = sticks 7 = heaven 8 = gate 9 = wine 10 = hen As a fun exercise that will itself give your brain a workout, I suggest you draw your first number-rhyme list. Here’s my own hand drawn list: Once you’re set up with these rhymes (or variations of your own choosing), associating information using this technique will be a breeze. To give you an example, let’s refer back to our previous list. Using number rhyme pegs, you could imagine the apple growing as large and as bright as the sun. The book could be shaped like a shoe, and smell just as bad. And the dog could

How did the runaway fugitive Benjamin Franklin become a writer, printer, inventor, philosopher and diplomat and still find time to help found the United States? Part of the answer is easy: he was a self-made polymath. That means he trained himself to study and succeed in multiple skills and disciplines with surgical focus. The key to learning across so many fields? Habits. Routine processes and procedures that still work to this day. In fact, they’re more valuable than ever. On this page, you’ll learn how Franklin built one of the sharpest minds in all of human history. Even better: You’ll learn how you can use the same habits and techniques to learn faster, think deeply, and integrate knowledge across multiple fields. Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tQm-sM4KIc What Makes Benjamin Franklin a Polymath? The term “polymath” has been used for hundreds of years to describe a person of various learning. But we’re not talking about productivity nerds, which is sometimes how the term is now used in our time. Franklin, like Thomas Jefferson and other polymaths I’ve covered on this website, built expertise in multiple areas through the power of habit. It’s important to understand this fact because Franklin was not born into privilege. He wasn’t a savant. But the specific activities he engaged in make him one of the most influential minds of his time. He influences us to this day. And his learning habits are proof that polymathy isn’t about talent. It’s about practicing the right habits. Benjamin Franklin’s Most Important Learning Habits As we get into my discussion of how Franklin learned, you might think that some of the habits I’m describing belong more to the realm of productivity. Although that might be true, to succeed in everything from science and innovation to politics and diplomacy, Franklin’s biggest habit is the most important of all. That’s because it creates reflective thinking. And when you have that, you learn from your own habits, enabling personal growth over time as you learn from your own journey. With that point in mind, here are what I believe are the most important lessons about learning, overcoming obstacles and long-term focus. One: The Focusing Power of Franklin’s Reading Deadlines Franklin worked for a time in his brother’s printing shop. To educate himself, he would quietly borrow books from apprentice booksellers and read them overnight. Then, before anyone noticed, he would return them. As he wrote about this habit: “Often I sat up in my room reading the greatest part of the night, when the book was borrowed in the evening and to be returned early in the morning, lest it should be missed or wanted.” This early habit of reading against the clock focused his mind and deepened his memory. He also chose books written in modern styles, which would influence his communication skills. But the point is that Benjamin chose to become one of the most well-read minds of his era. And when he read, he wasn’t just reading. He was training. I’ve also read against the clock for years and deadlines are indeed powerful. Check out my guide to reading faster for more information. Two: The Expansive Power of Conversation Franklin didn’t just read books. He also read people. That’s because he understood something that many people who want to become polymathic miss: The right conversation with the right person can teach you more than a hundred books. Faster. In order to make sure he was having plenty of the right conversations, Benjamin created the Junto in Philadelphia. This was a weekly discussion group where a variety of tradesmen, writers and thinkers shared ideas. It was not just a social circle. Rather, the Junto was a living, breathing social system that allowed its members to learn from one another. As Jessica Borger recently wrote in a scholarly paper titled The Power of Networking in Science and Academia, networking remains just as important in our time. If not more so. As Franklin wrote with reference to the importance of relationships: “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.” Three: Accumulating Knowledge Through Questioning Franklin wrote a lot and was clearly highly opinionated. But Walter Isaacson highlights in his excellent biography, Franklin wrote that knowledge “was obtained by the use of the ear rather than of the tongue.” To make sure he had plenty to listen to, Franklin stimulated conversation through questions. If you’d like to emulate the process, check out my full guide on how and why you should question everything. The key is to understand that Franklin didn’t ask questions to impress others. He used dialogue to help refine his thinking, uncover new perspectives and help himself and others understand more. All the reading to deadlines he did surely helped stimulate his curiosity and stockpi

To make learning how to memorize a list quickly a fast and seamless process, I suggest you learn to use the Memory Palace technique. That’s because I believe memorizing a list should not be hard. And people who struggle with with them? It’s not because their memory is bad. They’re often just using the wrong method. I’ve been thinking about lists a lot lately as I reach the final stages of establishing a real-world Memory Palace with a bookshop in it. To pull it off, I’m studying real estate in a course. It involves all kinds of acronyms, form numbers and logistics. And thanks to the technique you’re about to discover, I’m retaining the lists of information with easy. The Memory Palace technique is not a trick. It’s a system. And once you learn it, you can memorize any list. Quickly and for life. Let’s begin. https://youtu.be/dJvbbMtA1OA How to Memorize a List Fast There’s a fair amount of confusion about list memorization because there are different ways of doing it. So many ways that people wind up confused and wondering which approach to use. For example, you might have heard of Harry Lorayne. He was a magician who popularized using mnemonics for remembering lists using the pegword method. But what if you want to memorize a list of numbers, like Akira Haraguchi who was able to commit 100,000 digits of pi to memory? What if you’re a medical professional who needs to memorize lists of symptoms, pharmaceutical information and all the carpal bones? Or perhaps you want to memorize vocabulary as part of learning a language. Perhaps your goal is even more modest. You just want to remember a to-do list or the groceries you need to pick up from the store later. For each of these goals, I suggest you sidestep most memory techniques and get started immediately with the Memory Palace technique. I teach all of the other techniques in the video above, including number rhymes. But since I don’t recommend those techniques as the fastest and most practical means of memorizing a list, let’s get into the technique I favor the most. In detail. Step One: Create Your First Memory Palace A Memory Palace is a form of mental association where you place a list of information along a journey you assign within a familiar location. You’ve probably seen the technique used in Sherlock Holmes when the iconic character says, “I must go to my Mind Palace.” In case you’re not familiar with this mnemonic device, this ancient memory technique has been used for centuries. Essentially, you just mentally order locations in the manner you see in this image: And if you were Sherlock and had to commit a list of facts about a case to memory, you would use a location like the study pictured above. To avoid laying out associations chaotically, you would identify a few places (called loci) where you can “store” each part of your list. For example, if you needed to remember the name of a suspect, you would place a mnemonic image on the chair labeled “1” in the illustration above. You do that by using a very special form of association, which we’ll discuss next. Step Two: Pair Each Item on the List with an Association & the Memory Palace Let’s use the example of memorizing a grocery list. To do this, mnemonists (people who use memory techniques) use what are called mnemonic images. If carrot is the first item on your list, you just imagine a giant carrot on the chair in your office. That’s weird and strange enough to stick in your memory. But what if you have a list of facts or the names of the presidents? This kind of information needs to be transformed mentally into an association that’s a bit more elaborate. For example, if the first name is Washington, you can imagine a washing machine on your bed. Imagine yourself commenting that it weighs a ton. Washing machine + ton = Washington. How to Practice Placing a List Item in a Memory Palace For practice, write out your to-do list on a piece of paper. Let’s say you have to attend a meeting about a technology at 2 a.m. The topic is Microsoft’s Zune. To add an association and place the word in your Memory Palace, you will need to split the word using the principle of word division I teach in my bestselling course, How to Learn and Memorize the Vocabulary of Any Language. For this word, I would personally imagine my favorite zoo in Berlin and have the movie Dune playing while zebras watch. Zoo + Dune = Zune. What about the time of this meeting, 2 p.m.? To add this kind of information to your to-list, you’ll want to use either the Major System or a PAO System. Although these memory techniques are somewhat advanced, anyone can learn them. Step Three: Gather the Information Into the Best Possible Order Sometimes the order of items is clear. However, when studying for an exam, you might need to rearrange the main points in different orders of

The Major System is a centuries-old mnemonic tool that helps you transform numbers into concrete words and striking mental associations to increase their memorability. You then apply these evocative mnemonic images to help with recalling the important numbers in your life. Such as: Phone numbers PIN numbers Account numbers Birthdays Math formulas Historical dates The digits of pi Playing cards during games Technically, the Major System is a phonetic peg system. It works either on its own or in combination with other mnemonic peg systems. It looks like this, a simple pairing of 0-9 with a specific set of consonants: The Major System Like other mnemonic devices, this means that the Major uses consonant sounds to ‘peg’ numbers to words and images, making them easier to store and retrieve from memory. Although people have been using the Major System (sometimes called the Major Method) to commit numbers to memory for centuries, there’s a rarely taught, but incredibly powerful dimension you’re about to discover. I call it “bi-directionality.” It’s the very approach to the Major System that helped me get my PhD in Humanities at York University. I memorized key historical dates, facts related to the history of science, logical formulas and more. I’ve also applied the bi-directional Major System to learning several languages. I even used it in 2015 to take second place in a memory competition against a two-time Guinness World Record holder for playing cards. On this page, I’ll share exactly how to use this mnemonic system yourself for memorizing any number. And I’ll share use cases for how you can get started using the Major System to absorb many other types of information. Ready to get started applying this system to everything from banking numbers to complex academic material? Let’s dive in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vonJWVr9EMY What Is The Major System? The mnemonic Major System dates back more than 2000 years. The earliest version I’ve found is called the katapayadi. You can also find information about the ancient Hebrew version in Eran Katz’s Where Did Noah Park the Ark? These versions show that people across many cultures have turned to this kind of mnemonic device throughout time. In our era, it used for everything from credit card numbers and phone numbers to thousands of digits of pi. Extraordinary as that sounds, Akira Haraguchi famously used the Japanese version of the Major System to recite over 100,000 digits of pi from memory. A Brief History of the Major System Historically, we know from Hugh of St. Victor that students of the Bible used a similar system to memorize the dates of Adam and his descendants. Hugh even linked numbers to people, actions and objects back in the twelfth century in The Three Best Memory Aids for Learning History. You can find an English version of this text in The Medieval Craft of Memory. Although Hugh was already quite sophisticated, the Major System really start to take shape in the 16th and 17th centuries through people like Giordano Bruno and Robert Fludd. Both of these Renaissance memory masters used letters and consonants to represent numbers, but their systems were often inconsistent and lacked a standardized approach. Nonetheless, their contributions added new dimensions, such as Bruno’s influence on the development of the Memory Wheel, and Fludd’s evolution of the number-shape system of Jacobus Publicius. When it comes to developing the standardized system we now use, these are the most important figures. Johann Justus Winckelmann Johann Justus Winckelmann was a German mathematician and mnemonist. He proposed a method where each digit was always associated with the same specific consonants, laying the groundwork for later developments. Aimé Paris As a French mathematician and memory expert, Aimé Paris simplified the associations, making the system more user-friendly. His version is nearly identical to the Major System as we know it today. Major Beniowski and the Naming of the System The Major System is named after Major Beniowski, the 19th-century linguist, memory expert and author of the strangely titled, The Anti-Absurd or Phrenotypic English Pronouncing and Orthographical Dictionary. Here’s how he graphically represented the Major System in his book by embedding the consonants into each of the digits, 0-9: Apart from his book, not much is known about Beniowski. Some people believe that “Major” refers to Beniowski’s military rank. Although that’s the most likely explanation, the name clearly underscores Beniowski’s “major” role in popularizing and standardizing this mnemonic method. Through his teachings and writings, Beniowski helped spread the use of the system, making it accessible to a wider audience. The name is also much easier to remember than “alpha-numeric” code. Further Refinement and Popularization The Major Syst

Believe it or not, I once lost my English skills after eight years of living abroad. As much as I loved living in Germany and speaking the language, my mother tongue underwent linguistic deskilling. After moving back to an English-speaking country, I managed to improve my speed of expression and word selection. But two things happened. I stopped speaking German daily and that skill slowed down to a grind. Plus, I stopped driving. Soon enough, my brain started deprecating that simple skill. Even my guitar playing gets rusty if I don’t keep at it at least once a week. More than just creating embarrassing experiences (especially on old episodes of my podcast), undergoing deskilling was a major wake-up call. One we all need to heed because as artificial intelligence and automation ramp up, many of us are going to lose the skills we’ve needed for survival. Including the practice we need to think clearly. The good news is that deskilling doesn’t necessarily mean your brain has forgotten the skills entirely. Your brain cells are just waiting for you to bring them back into action. And in this post, I’ll give you some ideas for how to do just that. Or if you do need to put some of your hard-earned skills on pause, you’ll discover ways to maintain them just enough so that you can hit the ground running when it’s time to relearn them. Let’s dive in. https://youtu.be/U1GH0teKTLo What is Cognitive Deskilling & Why Is It Accelerating Now? Deskilling can refer to a few things, but generally means a loss or suppression of knowledge in a topic area or skill. In the business world, deskilling happens when new technologies or processes reduce the skills needed to complete a job. Usually, whatever a new tool or technique that has arrived on the scene allows for core activities to be done more cheaply or easily. According to Harry Braverman in Labor and Monopoly Capital, these processes degrade professionals in the workforce because it strips away their personal control and engagement with the world. This dark outcome is certainly possible, and might be part of what scientists call the Reverse Flynn Effect. That’s the term for a generational decline in intelligence scores around the world. We also have to factor in the distractions of the Internet. Along with causing digital amnesia, many adults have “forgotten” how to socialize. Meanwhile, many young people aren’t learning good social skills at all. How I First Realized I Was Undergoing Linguistic Deskilling I was completely floored when I realized that you can actually lose command of your mother tongue. I’m still shocked. It dawned on me while I was still living in Berlin that I was starting to struggle with recalling very simple English words. That’s because I almost never used English. And when I did, it was usually over Skype, a context that robbed my brain of many non-verbal cues that the brain needs to bring spoken communication to life. When I got to Australia after eight years in Germany, I would sometimes listen back to Magnetic Memory Method Podcast episodes recorded during my years in Berlin. The struggle was obvious, and the more I spoke English in Australia, the more I felt my English skills come back to life. Working with many language learners over the years, I’ve realized just how easily bilingualism can be lost. For example, I often help people who specialize in conference interpreting. Sometimes it’s to help them get into the field. But often, I’m asked to help interpreters regain skills with languages they’ve watched fall apart through disuse. Why the Brain Forgets Skills You’ve Slaved to Learn As strange as it might seem, your brain is built to forget. In fact, I’ve covered seven causes of forgetting in detail, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The big picture view is that people are right when they say “use it or lose it.” The scientific explanation is called synaptic pruning. When you stop practicing a skill, your brain literally assumes it’s no longer important to you. So it stops spending energy maintaining the neural pathways that support the skill. First those pathways weaken. Eventually they disconnect entirely. Or at least, that’s one theory. The memory scientist Richard Semon thought it highly unlikely that a complete disconnection takes place. His theory of engrams and how information is chemically encoded in the brain suggested that traces always remain. With the right ecphory or contextual triggering, he thought it was possible to revive lost memories and old skills. I believe he was on to something, and highly recommend a book about him called Forgotten Ideas, Neglected Pioneers: Richard Semon and the Story of Memory. But long before I knew anything about him, I found myself losing my native language, just like the people discussed in this New York Times assessment of how easy it is to lose

Jacobus Publicius is one of the forgotten forefathers of systematized mental training. Until now. And we sure need him in today’s world. Whereas many people today reach for brain exercise apps, I recommend you train with his memory wheel technique. Why? For one thing, his influence on mnemonic theory was so strong, his book was copied thousands of times. Other memory experts borrowed his visual alphabet and built upon his memory improvement program. But there’s nothing quite like the original. Especially when the focus is on exercises that make both your thinking speed and your memory sharper. That’s why in this post I’ll explain everything you need to know about this incredible scholar, physician and rhetorician. This article includes how to get started using his incredible memory and brain training program. It’s the kind of training that helped people during the Renaissance build beautiful buildings, research the cosmos and usher in many of the innovations we still enjoy today. https://youtu.be/m6t41VxTPsk Who Was Jacobus Publicius? And Why Should Memory Students Still Read Him? Unfortunately, not much is known about Jacobus Publicius other than he was a physician, poet and professor of rhetoric who taught at a variety of universities in the fifteenth century. You won’t find much more about him than that in The Medieval Craft of Memory, one of the few anthologies where you can read his Ars oratoria, Ars epistolandi, Ars memorativa in English. Sometimes called Oratoriae Artis Epitoma, this book also shows that he designed a chessboard, including an Alfil piece. Beyond that, little is known about him. But his influence was huge. And the reason we should study him is simple: It helps us better understand the better known memory improvement books of Robert Fludd and Giordano Bruno. There’s no question that Fludd’s number-shape images and mnemonic alphabet were heavily influenced by Publicius. And although we often take Ramon Lull’s memory wheels as the source of influence on Bruno, there’s reason to believe that Bruno copied a great deal of his On the Composition of Images from Publicius. Influence on Universities Because Publicius traveled so much to teach at various schools, his book and his teaching instituted memory training in schools. Although many would have had Rhetorica ad Herennium to draw upon, that famous book is not nearly as high-powered as what Publicius offered those seeking mental training routines. Plus, we have to take into account the fact that the printing press was relatively new in Europe. As Lynne Kelly puts it in Memory Craft, his was the first of many printed memory guides. If Publicius really did print the first memory guide in Europe, it would have been a very novel learning resource indeed. Any other memory books at the time would have been by people like Aristotle, Aquinas and Augustine, important texts that copyists would have hand-copied and kept in circulation. The Publicius Memory Wheel Explained If you want to know how to use this particular memory wheel, it’s important to begin with what Publicius is not offering. This matters for one very important reason: Unfortunately, many people believe that our ancestors used memory wheels as a kind of Memory Palace. That’s not the case at all. If you want to use Memory Palaces, please go through my full guide on using the Memory Palace technique properly. You can use memory wheels in a few different ways, ranging from critical thinking and asking questions in a particular order to generating mnemonic images. It’s for the purposes of training your brain to rapidly come up with mnemonic associations that Publicius offers his memory wheel. As Clément Poupard has shown in Learning the Art of Memory by Doing, Publicius wanted you to use the memory wheel to train your brain. In the image above, you can see one kind of memory wheel that Publicius included in his book. Notice the snake in the center. It was actually meant to be spun by the person reading the book. That makes this form of the memory wheel a kind of volvelle. The Uniqueness of Volvelles in Memory Training Volvelles are charts that operate like analog computers, compressing information into smaller spaces. In this case, the information helps you play a game. For example, in the image above, the snake’s head faces C and the tail points at F. You get memory exercise in coming up with mnemonic images by placing vowels between the consonants C and F to create words. Playing it myself now, I can think of: Caffeine CEFR (a European language learning framework) Cipher Coffee Cuff Now, you’ll notice that I haven’t strictly placed the F consonant at the end of each word. That’s fine. The point is to get in some mental exercise and stretch the mind to play the game as closely as possible to the rules. For more brain exercises like this that involve words, images and even your body, check

If you’re looking to unlock the ancient memory techniques used by philosophers, mystics, and mental elites throughout history, this is the conversation for you. In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, John Michael Greer returns to reveal how memory systems from thinkers like Giordano Bruno and Ramon Llull can help us reclaim our cognitive power in the AI age. Why do these long-dead figures matter more than ever in today’s world? For one thing, a lot of people are scrambling to work out how to survive in a world in which remembering how to think is quickly becoming as scarce as human memory. But Greer offers hope. As a renowned author, translator of Giordano Bruno’s On the Shadows of the Ideas, and long-time student of multiple esoteric traditions, Greer joined me again to discuss the growing importance of memory training. But what makes this episode special is that we’re not talking about just any old kind of training. And we’re definitely not talking about your everday, average memory tricks. You’re about to hear about real mental training, the kind that once produced polymaths, philosophers and masters of the mind who inspired the Mentat you’ve read about in Dune. But don’t let the fictional reference distract from the value at hand. Everything we discuss accords perfectly with memory science, particularly the science of mental imagery. As part of this discussion, Greer and I also explore his upcoming book project on medieval and Renaissance mental disciplines, a work I’m looking forward to reading very much. We also cover the overlap between historical mnemonic systems and why reviving these ancient practices is absolutely essential in an age increasingly dominated by machine thinking. https://youtu.be/hTv4R3e-WWs From the combinatorial wheels of Llull and Giordano Bruno to the forgotten discipline of syllogistic logic, we discuss: How memory palaces can function as practical tools and metaphysical metaphors Bruno’s integration of memory with logic and ontology Why the “art of combination” might be the ultimate question-asking system The lost connection between Freemasonry and mnemonic training What a modern Mentat curriculum might look like (and why we need it sooner than later) Practical tips from historical and contemporary memory masters The real philosophical difference between tools we use and tools that use us Reasons for reading older memory improvement books like Rhetorica ad Herennium Why you should explore the Trivium and Quadrivium as tools for modern mental clarity Greer also shares insights into his current Latin translation work, John Dee research, and what the Twilight of Pluto means for our cultural moment. No matter what happens, Greer believes memory techniques can thrive again. But likely not in Silicon Valley. They will rise again in the ruins of the cultures that resist. Why not start resisting now? Whether you’re a memory athlete, aspiring Mentat, or simply tired of outsourcing your intelligence to devices, this episode will give you both intellectual fuel and practical direction. Bonus: John Michael Greer on Bruno’s On The Shadows of the Ideas During my first discussion with Greer, we focus on Bruno’s memory systems and the nature of knowledge from what Greer calls “the rubbish heap of history.” We also dig into Greer’s translation of On the Shadows of the Ideas by Giordano Bruno. Finally, we discuss an old and mysterious book called The Picatrix. Like the Ars Notoria, it kind of freaks me out a bit, but Greer puts my mind at ease. Press play and listen in as we discuss: The value of “intellectual dumpster diving” to preserve ancient ideas Why adding more to a text than a literal translation allows can be self-serving, yet somehow can’t be avoided The limits of historical clarity in the age of photocopies (which are often of other photocopies) Why Bruno’s memory theory remains of great importance to the art of memory The reason subject/abject memorization is the most sophisticated method to memorize text The deep mystery behind why alphabet-based mnemonics fell out of favor in modern times And why overwhelm can occur, even when using a sequence as simple as the alphabet Why memory, secrecy and initiation were inseparable in Bruno’s world The reason Frances Yates’ ideas about Bruno should be viewed with discernment The delusion of treating history as a straight line, and why this idea is wildly inaccurate, given the way the universe operates Giordano Bruno   Further Resources on the web, the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast and blog: John Michael Greer’s Ecosophia Blog (Toward an Ecological Spirituality) John’s Dreamwidth Blog John Michael Greer’s Amazon author page John Michael Greer Presents: Masonry and the Secret Societies Frances Yates’s Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition The Illustrated Picatrix: The Complete Occult Classic of Astrological Magic

Are you wondering if brain training actually works? You’re not alone. Many people try memory apps or puzzle games only to wind up disappointed. The truth is that real cognitive training doesn’t come from playing games on flashy apps. As the founder of the Magnetic Memory Method, author of The Victorious Mind, and a memory coach with over a decade of hands-on experience, I’ve helped thousands of people get real results. The results come from proven mental techniques used by memory champions, language learners, and even brain injury survivors. In this post, you’ll discover what cognitive training really is. I’ll also expose why most apps fail. And you’ll discover 5 research-backed ways that actually improve your memory, focus, and learning speed. The best part? The improvements you seek can start to emerge faster than you might think. Ready to dive in? Great, but before we get to any specific routines you should follow, let’s address the elephant in the room. Can Cognitive Training Really Improve Memory? The answer is absolutely yes. But you actually have to train. You can’t be passive about it. And you also have to actually need cognitive training. See, sometimes people who struggle with brain fog actually have dietary issues. Brain training alone won’t help them. Instead, they need to take a permanent break from foods that harm the brain. Or it could be that they’re dealing with a variety of stresses or anxieties that lead to thought blocking. If you have any concerns about these issues, please see a doctor. Although my blog contains information about recovering memory after a stroke, it’s far better for you to avoid having such medical issues in the first place. And that’s not to mention an entire range of problems only a trained medical professional can help you sort out. But if you’ve been told by a doctor that you need to look up some examples of cognitive training to give your brain a boost, then cool. Let’s carry on. Cognitive Training Explained: How It Works & Why It Matters As I explained in my post on spaced repetition, cognitive skill training was first studied by scientists in the late 19th century. In brief, Hermann Ebbinghaus trained himself to memorize over 2000 nonsense syllables. Then, in his quest to understand the nature of memory as a cognitive ability, he tracked how long he was able to remember them. Learning to use spaced repetition to defeat the Forgetting Curve started in earnest with the research of Hermann Ebbinghaus. His experiments led to great interest in what scientists call learning potential. There are entire books on how to assess it and even attractive university scholarships for people interested in studying it. In a phrase, the definition of cognitive training boils down to brain plasticity. It’s the idea that certain activities can make your brain better. These activities can involve everything from neurobics to brain games and memory games. One of my favorite neurobic activities is juggling while reciting the alphabet backwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGEuP-ls5hA Or you can perform concentration meditations or even just read more to improve your mind and memory. The key thing is to avoid brain training apps. Scientists now agree that the evidence just isn’t there to support using them. If Apps Don’t Help, What Does? For the “training” part to be meaningful, it’s important that you’re consistent. Sadly, consistency to their chosen source of mental stimulation is a step many people miss. As Dr. Christine Till discovered while researching the cognitive training software called Cogmed, people only received substantial results when they paired the software experience with personal coaching sessions. Please consider this point before spending even a minute with any of the brain training games out there. Online games might be entertaining, but without the proper features cognitive activities need to have in order to serve you, they’re also potentially empty. I also covered this issue in detail during my Reddit AMA on memory and learning, where you’ll find dozens of questions about getting real brain boosts in the context of various people’s lives. Cognitive Training Benefits Now, provided that the activities you choose actually provide cognitive improvement, you stand to enjoy all kinds of benefits. These include: Improved memory, both short-term and long-term Improved attention and focus Better brainstorming and critical thinking abilities Improved ability to memorize vocabulary using a variety of memory techniques Faster results when learning new skills A shot at developing what Harry Kahne called multiple mentality Cognitive Training Downsides Technically, there are no downsides. Using your mind is a wonderful thing to do. However, self-deception is a problem. People wind up spending a lot of time on activities that don&#8217

The best way to learn any new language is to establish a five‑part loop: Set a micro‑goal (e.g. “hold a 3‑minute café chat in 30 days”). Develop familiarity with the sounds & script before any of the other steps Build a core vocabulary by memorizing your first 50 mission‑critical words using the Memory Palace technique. Practice the “Big 5” skills of language learning daily: Memorize new words and phrases Speak Read Write Listen Get feedback and reiterate weekly to test your progress and get corrections from at least one native speaker. Stick to this loop for 15 minutes × 3 sessions a day and you can hit A2 in approximately 90 days. That’s exactly what I did to pass A2 when I lived in Germany. I did it again to pass level III in Mandarin in an even shorter period of time. Of course, there’s a bit more nuance to each of these steps. And that’s what I’m going to share with you on this page We’ll go through each step in detail and you’ll learn fourteen additional best practices used by the world’s most accomplished language learners. Ready? Let’s dive in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgUsv2TZlKs How To Learn A Language in 5 Steps Step One: Set a Micro Goal Having taught people how to improve their memory so they can learn languages faster, I’ve noted one major trend. Many people make language learning hard on themselves by having an “all or nothing” attitude. In reality, languages are learned with much greater ease by using what scientists call chunking. This term means that you break a learning task down into the smallest possible unit. Many people start by learning how to say hello, please and thank you in their target language. Once you complete that simple goal, you set another goal. Or as I sometimes prefer to think of them, “missions.” How to Set Language Learning Goals You’ll Love Completing When I first started learning German seriously, my classes at the Hartnackschule in Berlin provided these small missions. Later, I had to provide my own language learning missions. To do this, I asked one simple question: “What do I want to be able to speak about next?” My choices will differ from yours. But to give you some examples, I played in a band at the time. So I chose music-related topics to help fashion my goals. I also taught Film Studies at the University of Saarland, so regularly memorized words and phrases related to this industry. Finally, I love asking philosophical questions, so I learned how to ask them in German. A2 was passed quite easily. That’s because the courses I took told me what I needed to learn. But it was crafting my own missions that got me fluent. Because I spent time working out what I wanted to talk about. And now you know how to create your own goals and missions too. Step Two: Develop Familiarity with the Sounds and Script of the Language Before diving into memorizing words or grammar rules, it’s helpful to get comfortable with how the language looks and sounds. For example, I took a phonology course for that when I first started learning German. Likewise with Mandarin further down the road. It’s also useful to learn the International Phonetic Alphabet. This set of symbols will help you with pronunciation, which is essential to being understood. It’s also important to immerse yourself in the rhythms of the language. You can easily do this by: Watching YouTube videos Enjoying popular movies in the language Listening to audiobooks Even if you don’t understand much yet, this passive exposure will help your brain attune to the phonic features of the language. Learning Writing Systems Depending on the language, you may need to learn an entirely new writing system. I had to do that with Mandarin by learning the hanzi. For Japanese, I also had to spend time using memory techniques for the hiragana, amongst other character sets. Each alphabet will propose different levels of challenge depending on your experience. If you have any concerns, especially if you have limited time, it’s worth considering my article on the easiest languages to learn. You don’t want to rush, and some languages simply require more from your brain’s ability to associate sight and sound. The point is that you will want to develop this kind of sensory familiarity between sound and sight to reduce mental friction later. Your brain will stop having to ask, “What is the sound of this symbol?” As a result, you’ll be free to focus on memorizing more vocabulary and phrases without interruption while studying. Step Three: Build a Core Vocabulary Once you’re familiar with the sounds and script of your language, it’s time to start building your vocabulary. You’ll want to start small based on the goal-setting process and chunking we discussed above. There’s lots of advice people give about organizing vocabulary by category an

Struggling to retain what you read or hear in a lecture? No matter how many note-taking techniques you try? I get it. As a lifelong learner with a neurodiverse background, I found most note-taking methods either too rigid or outright ineffective. I encountered this problem during university. And many of the most highly-recommended note-taking tactics became even more unhelpful when I started teaching as a professor at Rutgers. As technologies have evolved, I have found that the landscape for learners has gotten even more confusing. Sure, many people love using apps to aid their learning. And they even get results from them. But over the years that I’ve been working as a researcher, writer and host of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast and my YouTube channel, I’ve tested and developed multiple strategies. I’ve also refined the note-taking strategies I used to use in grad school. And in this guide, I’ll walk you through my favorite unconventional note-taking methods that consistently help me improve my focus, boost memory, and best of all, actually enjoy the learning process. Whether you’re trying to keep up with a fast-paced lecture, sitting in a meeting or reading dense books, these flexible strategies will help you take better notes. Even better, you’ll get more out of the notes you take when using these processes. Let’s dive in. https://youtu.be/bG-v3Yo1btA My Best Note-Taking Recommendations To Make Information More Engaging and Memorable A quick note before we dive into the techniques I recommend: There’s no “perfect” method that works for everyone, every time. The approaches I’m about to share apply to different kinds of information. And that’s a huge point about having methods overall: You need multiple techniques that you can switch between depending on the situation. That’s why I recommend practicing all of them. This approach will leave you with a flexible framework for taking notes in multiple contexts. One: Visual Note-Taking Visual note-taking is exactly what it sounds like, and it has been essential to my goal of learning faster and remembering more. Instead of scribbling out long, lifeless sentences during lectures, I realized that quick visual representation could be used to represent many concepts and skills I needed to learn. For example, when studying the International Phonetic Alphabet to improve my language learning skills and understand my linguistics textbooks better, I drew a simple coffee cup next to the “i” symbol. Here’s the drawing: Here’s what this quick sketch achieved: I was rapidly able to remind myself that this “i” makes the vowel sound in beans. Just one image anchored the concept instantly in my memory. You Don’t Need to Be an Artist As you can see from my example above, visual notes don’t need to be artistic or detailed. In fact, the simpler, the better. Usually, I limit the visual notes I take to some simple rules: Arrows and flow lines show cause and effect or represent connections Symbols represent core concepts Simple stick figures or icons to bring ideas to life Spatial arrangements (like clusters or grids) group related topics Question marks prompt reflective thinking This visual note-taking method works across the board, but especially well for: Fast recall of symbols, terms, or processes Condensing complex material into visual shorthand Keeping your brain engaged during dry or fast-paced sessions You don’t need to take your visual notes on cards like you see in my examples. You can integrate visuals into the margins of your books or reserve one or more pages in your notebook for collecting visual summaries of key ideas. Copying Charts and Graphs By Hand for Better Understanding Some people can look at a chart and instantly understand what it’s meant to convey. Not me. I often find even simple graphs visually overwhelming. But as I learned from Tony Buzan, you can simply copy them from your textbooks in your own hand to process their meaning. I followed his advice and did that to understand how memory works. By using multiple colors and engaging more parts of my brain, I’ve never forgotten the forgetting curve and the serial positioning effect I drew out visually by copying it from a textbook: The History of Visual Note Taking for Instant Engagement Ultimately, I never would have believed visual note-taking would help me so much. But it has, and later I found out that this style of note-taking is actually ancient. As Jamie Kreiner reveals in The Wandering Mind: What Medieval Monks Tell Us About Distraction, copyists would leave doodles for their readers to remind them to keep engaged. These included funny faces or pictures of monks with alert expressions. So if you use visual note taking, you’re in good company. For more reading recommendations like Kreiner’s to help broaden your knowledge about study techniques, check out

As a polymathic professional who has walked multiple career paths, I’ve learned exactly how to deal with information overload. The real fix for when you feel overwhelmed? In my experience as everything from a touring musician to university lecturer and the owner of multiple businesses, here’s the ultimate answer: Improve your memory. Not in a vague way. And definitely not “someday.” But by following a clear, proven path designed to held you reduce mental clutter. On this page, you’ll discover a system that will sharpen your focus and help you relieve cognitive overwhelm. Pretty much on demand. No, I’m not offering any magic bullets or hype. Just proven strategies for preventing cognitive overwhelm in the first place, along with the self-education strategies that have made my successes possible. If that sounds good to you, let’s get started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37oyQ4_kN2Y Understanding the Modern Brain Under Siege: A Definition of “Information Overwhelm” It’s supposed to be a dream come true, right? I’d finished my first major guest professor grant and my first memory improvement books were taking off. So I went on tour with a band I’d played with in Berlin near the end of my PhD studies. Never had I experienced so much freedom. Yet, I had also never felt so overwhelmed as my phone buzzed with non-stop updates, alerts and notices of things to do. As the authors of this scientific overview of information overload have found, it’s not actually the amount of information that drives us crazy. It’s how that the speed and volume impacts our ability to make decisions. Stress and memory loss are well-studied, as is memory and anxiety. But once you know that the biggest problem of all involves a reduction in your ability to think critically, workable solutions emerge. What follows are the best I’ve found. They’ve increased my “cognitive budget,” so to speak. Meaning that I have more mental power to spend on the activities that have allowed me to continue playing music while writing novels, learning languages and running multiple businesses. Of course, there are other aspects of overwhelm to consider. So before we get into the tips, let’s examine what else might be going on in your life. The Four Levels of Information Overwhelm Each of the levels we’re about to discuss make critical thinking more difficult, especially analytical thinking. They are: Sensory overload Cognitive overload Emotional overload Decision fatigue Let’s look at examples of each. Sensory Overload When I was a musician, a huge part of the overload came from the noise of traveling all day in a vehicle with my band. We listened to loud music on top of the traffic sounds. Driving is visually stimulating even if you’re not at the wheel. And then we would get on stage and have the sensory input of lights, audience cheers and our own extra-loud instruments pounding at us. One simple hack that helped me was to wear my earplugs while traveling, not just while performing on stage. As a result, I was able to read on the road and better manage my growing publishing business, which included writing this blog (and still does). To this day, I wear noise-cancelling headphones just to keep myself focused while writing. As these scientists have found, one of the biggest barriers people face is that they need to experiment with their own ways of reducing sensory stimulation. Fortunately, Queensland Health has some suggestions that mirror the processes that have helped me, including: Identifying places you can go to enjoy reduced stimulation Developing routines that involve more time spent in quiet Creating a sensory tool kit (sunglasses, noise cancelling headphones, anything that helps you feel calm) Cognitive Overload I recently finished the eighth draft of my second “Memory Detective” novel. The story is so complicated and my notes were all over the place… There were too many inputs and not nearly enough integration. The answer was to take a break and then order a print copy of the seventh draft. I didn’t feel it was ready yet, but by reading the draft in book form, I was able to make marks on the page and consolidate my many notes. When studying at university, and for my non-fiction books, I rarely have this problem. That’s because I used the Zettelkasten technique to easily organize and integrate my notes. More on this strategy in a moment, but the point here is that part of my cognitive overwhelm came from working outside my circle of competence as a scholar. As a result, I shifted how I dealt with the many inputs involved in writing a different kind of book. Chaos ensued until I took a break and approached the task more strategically. Why did it take so long to arrive at a better solution? As we now know, overwhelm reduces decision-making skills and other cognitive abilities. Breaking the

Want to learn any language faster? And actually enjoy the process? Meet Luca Lampariello, one of the world’s most respected polyglots. But he’s famous for more than just mastering many multiple languages. He’s known for learning even the hardest languages with joy, and speaking them with remarkable precision. Although this interview was recorded for the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast over a decade ago, it’s still high-value and highly relevant. Especially if you want a methodical process that makes language learning fun. And not only fun, much easier than ever before because you finally understand more about how people who live and breathe multiple languages tick. Ready to learn from a master, outstanding teacher and all around great guy? Note: This episode was originally recorded in January of 2024 and released in February 2014. The podcast notes on this page and a few links were updated for relevance and accuracy in 2025. The audio, which was originally filled with a lot of echo, has now been cleaned up for your listening convenience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RKkPjx963E Here’s What You’ll Learn From Luca Lampariello in This Episode 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 Teams, Zoom or your favorite online meeting service for meeting with native speakers and tutors. 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 using the best language learning hacks 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 Lampariello and Anthony Metivier in Rome As you’ve just heard, Luca’s language learning 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. For more incredible tips from Luca, please listen to our follow-up conversation next, and this discussion we recorded about working memory. And visit his website where you’ll find courses and books. Want More Language Learning Wisdom? Check out my detailed tutorial on how to become a polyglot. And if you like books that help you learn languages, you’ll probably enjoy my “Learn and Memorize” series. It includes guides for memorizing the vocabulary of Spanish, French, German and more. If you prefer video courses, you can find my bestselling How to Learn and Memorize the Vocabulary of Any Language in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass. I cover many of the core memory processes on my blog. Go ahead and read How to use the Memory Palace Technique for Language Learning to get started.

If you’re looking for the ultimate list of must-read philosophy books, you’re in the right place. I’ve been reading diverse works of philosophy since I was very young, starting with Albert Camus. In fact, reading Camus at age fourteen is perhaps too young! It started with stumbling on The Stranger at the local library while skipping school. It’s a quick and easy novel, but also tremendously profound. At the back of the novel, the author bio talked about Camus’ work in existentialism, so I went on to read The Myth of Sisyphus and his other novels. Although I didn’t understand much of his philosophy at the time, it introduced me to an entire world of writing about thinking. I was hooked. And now I want to share with you my top philosophy books, why they matter and some of the key points that have stuck with me. Not only that, as a memory expert, I’ll share with you how to remember their titles and key points as well. Ready? Let’s get started! 21 Must-Read Philosophy Books That Will Stick With You Before we dive in, a quick reality check: Can anyone really rank the “greatest” philosophy books of all time? Probably not. Why? Because in philosophy, as in science, it doesn’t really matter who identifies the truth. As many of the philosophers you’ll discover today point out, it’s the process that matters. This is one reason why philosophy is quite different than what we find in religious books. True, many books from religious traditions contain philosophy. But when defining philosophy to the best of our abilities, philosophy always boils down to something we do. It’s not about final pronouncements or producing good feelings psychologically. Philosophy is about creating concepts with an attuned awareness of how our reading influences the concepts we develop. Why This List Isn’t Just About Famous Philosophy Titles When it comes to philosophy as a process of creating concepts, I am influenced by Gilles Deleuze. I believe he’s right and find that various philosophies are most important when the philosopher at hand is working on new concept creation. Plus, as you’ll see, I’m also influenced by ancient thinkers and people like Nietzsche that at some level, we don’t even do that. Rather, philosophy does us. I’ll explain more of what I mean as we go through this list. One: Plato’s Dialogues Getting to attend university was an extraordinary opportunity. But it wasn’t until my second year that I chose a major, which at that time was Political Science. The first reading I was assigned was Plato’s The Republic. It’s an extraordinary read that takes you into deep ideas by questioning just about everything. As you follow its various debates, The Republic demonstrates how to become an effective debater yourself. It’s difficult for me to underscore the influence this book had on me during my early years as a university student. I went to the professor as soon as I was done reading it and asked for more. She told me that Plato had written a ton of dialogues and suggested the Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns edition of Plato: The Collected Dialogues. All of the dialogs are worth reading, but my favorites are The Republic, Sophist, Ion and Lysis. Lysis was particularly important for me many years later. It has a lot to do with friendship, which is the topic I ultimately wrote my dissertation on. In terms of core ideas, there’s so much to highlight, and that’s one reason I make this my top recommendation. A major benefit of reading Plato beyond just a few dialogues is that you get to see just how old certain unresolved problems are. It’s not that there’s “nothing new under the sun.” Rather, you experience just how nimble the ancient mind was and how little our capabilities have changed. Although you would think our current concerns about technology would be very different, the core anxieties are right there back circa 427-348 BCE. Pro-tip: To help make Plato’s ideas more memorable, take some time to read about the Pre-Socratics. A lot of what you find in Plato is a reaction to what philosophers like Thales, Anaximander, Heracleitus and others had to say about nature. Two: What Is Philosophy? Let’s skip ahead a few thousand years. What is Philosophy? is a fantastic companion to Plato for a few reasons. First, it helps you see how Plato created many important ideas as concepts linked to personae. These points are important because we often think about truth as something objective. In other words, the truth is true regardless of our opinions about it. But as Deleuze and Guattari argue, it is science that tries to “freeze” observations in time in order to make truth claims about the world. This approach resembles the Pre-Socratic processes and why Plato reacted to them as he did. For their part, Deleuze and Guattari see philosophy as something intensive and coming into being as one does philosophy in time. They distinguish their preferred kind of philosophy as im

Anyone who takes full responsibility for their learning journey already has one of the biggest autodidact personality traits: Accountability. Whether we’re talking about Margaret Cavendish, Benjamin Franklin or Giordano Bruno, an autodidact is anyone who actively designs their own learning cycles. That doesn’t mean the autodidact never takes courses or listens to teachers. It means you choose your teachers rather than settling for the ones the system assigns. Some part of your personality provides you with the motivation and wherewithal needed to arrange your own semesters. How do I know? I’ve memorized multiple Sanskrit chants, published dozens of books, earned a PhD, studied multiple languages and built more than one business. All by following the autodidactic path for decades. But here’s the real question: Why do personality traits matter? And how do they connect with neuroplasticity, motivation and memory? More importantly: Can you develop these personality traits if you don’t already have them? Yes, you can. And on this page, I’ll show you the most important traits and how to train each one into your system with surprising ease Ready? Let’s dive in. https://youtu.be/8Pce6HGXdBc The 7 Most Important Autodidact Personality Traits The list you’re about to read contains some personality traits you’ll have heard before, such as curiosity. But I’m not listing them just to check off boxes on a list. I’ll also challenge common assumptions and dig into the nuances that often get overlooked. Why? Because when we gloss over the details, we miss the real keys to developing ourselves as lifelong learners. One: The “Cognitive Engine” of Curiosity A lot of people have heard about Benjamin Franklin’s kite experiment. It’s a classic case of curiosity driving an autodidact to run tests in order to produce evidence that solved a mystery. But Franklin was also trying to avoid getting hurt. He realized that using conductive rods in the experiment would likely cause some serious damage, if not kill him. So part of Franklin’s success that you can model is that he turned the question of electricity into a project. Then he used analytical thinking to guide his curiosity and help him create measurable experiments. Like Thomas Jefferson, Franklin journaled frequently, an activity you can start to do yourself in a studied manner. Even if you don’t initially feel curious about boring topics you need to cover, simply starting to write has helped a lot of people. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but journaling has helped me become a much more curious person. For example, I created a feedback loop around language learning using The Freedom Journal. It helped me keep curious enough to keep moving forward when I started to find a Mandarin I needed to complete starting to get tedious. I’ve also used journaling to explore why things I’m passionate about sometimes grow less interesting over time. This curiosity led me to discover the concept of “topic exhaustion” and develop strategies around overcoming it. How to Use Tools of Inquiry for Driving Your Curiosity In order to create a little engine of curiosity for yourself, I suggest getting into the habit of questioning everything. As I discuss in this tutorial, it’s one of the smartest things you can do. David Hume is a philosopher who inspired me to question things strategically. For example, he famously inquired into human nature, partly driven by his need to heal a depression he struggled with while younger. I go deep into his strategy for doing this in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSrTyVpZRtc Human questioned his own subjective experience relentlessly. As a result, he not only enjoyed a full career as a philosopher and historian. He was also better able to concentrate while studying. Hume’s method of inquiry can take a while to develop. If you want to move faster, you can learn the memory wheel technique and ars combinatoria. In brief, rather than feeling bored by a topic, you drive your curiosity by mentally access mental wheels where you’ve placed abbreviated questions. Some are simple questions like who, what, when, where, why and how. On other wheels, you can use the alphabet to place the names of various thinkers and then systematically ask how each figure would approach a certain topic. Starting with A, for example, I would use my memory wheel to ask, “How would Arisotle think about this topic?” Then I would proceed to B and keep going until I either felt I had my answer or completed the alphabet with Zizek for Z. Although it takes a bit of time to develop memory wheels, they truly do help drive curiosity just as if you have a little engine in your mind. Two: High Openness to Experience People with high openness tend to be mentally adventurous. According to this study, people with high openness also excel at

How many words do you need to know to be fluent in a language? The honest answer? It depends on your goals. But most people are surprised by how low the number can be to start holding conversations with confidence. For example, if you want to understand around 75% of everyday conversations, you only need to know about 1,000–1,200 words. That’s roughly what it takes to pass the A2 level on the CEFR scale. I know this personally as someone who has passed exams in German at this level and found that estimate spot on. As someone who’s also learned and taught languages including Mandarin, Biblical Hebrew, Latin, German, and Sanskrit, I can tell you this: It’s not the number of words you know. It’s which words (and how you learn and retain them) that make all the difference. In this post, you’ll learn: Exactly how many words are required at each fluency level How to figure out your current vocabulary size Memory techniques that help you learn more, faster—and keep it all in long-term memory Let’s break it down so you can stop guessing and start making meaningful progress in any language you’re learning. How Many Words Do You Need to Know to Be Fluent in a Language? The Answer If you want to understand approximately 75% of what native speakers are talking about in everyday life, you’ll need between 1000-1200 words. This is according to A2 on the CEFR test. For that accomplishment, you’ll need knowledge of approximately 1000 words. I’ve done it myself in German and that number sounds right to me. What 1000 Words Really Gets You For some people, 1000 words is going to sound like a lot to cover. But the problem is not the amount of words. What really matters is this question: How exactly are these words counted? Take the word “run” in English, for example. Is it really just one word? Not really. It’s also: To run To have run Ran Running There are other examples, such as dog becoming dogs, or cat becoming cats. A lot depends on the morphology, because in some languages, grammar will determine whether a new word needs to be used or not. In sum, the number of words you need to learn to become fluent depends on two things: Your personal definition of fluency (a.k.a. your goal) The way you speak in your mother tongue in order to accomplish everyday goals An external testing structure like the CEFR Why Word Count Alone Can Be Misleading If you take the CEFR as your standard, which is not a bad idea, then C2 requires familiarity with 16,000 words. But this is generally based on what you will need to understand scholarly and academic writing, a class of information that may have little or nothing to do with your daily life. Again, keep in mind that how those words in the different levels involves matters of grammar. You can often boost your word count just by knowing how one word changes across different tenses. For more on memorizing grammatical matters quickly, check out this tutorial. But you can also think about the exact number of words you need by thinking about the goals you need to achieve. If you don’t read scholarly papers, then you might not need anything close to 16,000 words. How to Figure Out How Many Words You Truly Know Think about your mother tongue. How many words in the language can you recall right now? Chances are that you would struggle to list all the words you’ve learned over the course of your lifetime. The same thing will be true when working towards fluency. This is because active vocabulary consists of the words we use most often, even in the easiest language you can choose to learn. The Truth About “Active vs “Passive Vocabulary” (And Why It Matters) Passive vocabulary, on the other hand, involves words that have gone into reserve. We have to stretch to remember them because we use them less often. That, or we might undergo linguistic deskilling for a variety of reasons. For example, this happened to my English when I spoke primarily German for a few years. Likewise, in Mandarin, if I don’t use the new words I learn frequently, I can wind up struggling to get them back from memory or confuse them with other words. All of these facts about language learning beg the question: How do you know how many words are active in your vocabulary? Here are a few things you can do. One: Anki Anki is a spaced repetition app that will help you track your recall rate. It’s easy to misuse this software, however. To avoid failing to use it properly, be sure to check out my article on how to optimize Anki for language learning and other goals. Two: Flashcards If you use physical flashcards as part of your language learning efforts, you can simply count how many you answer correctly. Three: Listening Tests Throw on a podcast or movie in the language you’re learning. Using a notebook, keep track of how many words you recognize. There might be a catch with this kind of testing, however. If the movie or podcast is in a dialect you’re not familiar with, your accuracy count might not be

If you want to memorize information fast, you need more than hope. You need the proven techniques you’ll find on this page, each of which has been tested in the real world. Who am I to say? As someone who’s trained memory competitors, taught university students, and explored the depths of ancient and modern memory science, I’ve answered thousands of questions about increasing memorization speed. And I’ve given hundreds of demonstrations of how fast I can memorize using the simple strategies you’re about to discover. Along with the reason and the proof behind why the strategies work so well to make long-term retention happen faster. Ready for the no fluff, no gimmicks answer to how to memorize anything fast? Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a16B8EIBgZ0 How to Memorize Anything Fast: 7 Proven Tips for Rapid Recall If you want to memorize fast, above all, you must learn the most powerful memory technique ever invented. That’s where we’ll start. One: Embrace the Memory Palace Technique Everything gets faster once you commit to using proper Memory Palaces. If you don’t know what they are, consult my complete guide to the Memory Palace technique. Or watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4J5ZUzCxZY Although it’s an ancient memory technique, I can’t stress mastering the Memory Palace technique strongly enough if you want to memorize rapidly. That’s because scientists have shown that using routes to remember leads to superior memory. To get started with the technique immediately: Select a familiar location, such as your home or workplace (or even a favorite cafe). Identify distinct areas and craft a clear and logical mental journey through the location. Assign what you want to remember along this route and link it with the appropriate mnemonic devices, making sure your associations are always vivid. What are mnemonic devices? For increasing your memorization speed, we’ll talk about those next. Two: Use the Best Mnemonic Tools Designed for Fast Memorization From crafting catchy tunes or using rhymes to remember, there are a lot of tools you can use in your Memory Palaces. The Major System or The Dominic System for numbers The Pegword System The Story Method Linking The reason these tools help you out is that you use them to help you install associations in your Memory Palaces without having to think for more than a second or two. No doubt about it. Learning these mnemonic skills takes a bit of setup. But once you have them working, you’ll be able to memorize anything much faster. Three: Use the Chunking Memory Strategy So many of my students have an “all or nothing” attitude when they first wind up in one of my workshops or courses. Although you certainly can memorize mountains of information, it’s important to take everything one unit at a time. We know this from many studies in what is called the chunking memory strategy. I’ve profiled it fully in this guide for you. Chunking helps you memorize faster because it strategically breaks large pieces of information down into smaller, more manageable units. I made my TEDx Talk easier to remember, and the Sanskrit phrases in it simple by sometimes focusing on just one syllable at a time. Some may worry that chunking will make them slower, but it’s the classic tortoise versus hare principle. The tortoise always wins. It also just makes sense. Instead of trying to memorize 15459878455, you break it down into 1-545-987-8455. This method harnesses your brain’s ability to recognize patterns. As a result, you harness greater efficiency and ultimately move faster. Four: Engage All Your Senses with KAVE COGS Now that you know about the main mnemonic tools and chunking, the next step is to engage all your senses. As scientists have demonstrated, the benefits of multisensory learning are profound when you set things up correctly. Correctly is the key term, and that’s why when I memorize names at demonstrations, I use a mnemonic elaboration system called KAVE COGS: Kinesthetic (touch) Auditory (hearing) Visual (sight) Emotional (feelings) Conceptual (ideas) Olfactory (smell) Gustatory (taste) Spatial (sizes) I apply the same set of elaborations to memorizing playing cards, numbers, speeches, poetry, historical dates or whatever it is I’m memorizing. When my students in the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass make this memory strategy a discipline too, they memorize faster. It’s that simple, though you can find more intricate approaches to engaging all your senses in the mnemonic works of authors like Giordano Bruno and Tony Buzan. I’ve just found that KAVE COGS works best for me. It took me a while to come up with, but once I settled on the pattern, I was very pleased by the results. But due to how memory works, you should certainly consider creating your own multi-sensory model if KAVE COGS isn’t right for you. The point

Even as a memory expert, I know how maddening it can be. You know you put it somewhere – but it’s just… gone. Whether it’s your wallet, a USB drive, your keys or something you’re sure you stashed in a safe place, losing things is disruptive. Fortunately, learning how to remember where you put something is simple. And in this guide, I’ll show you practical, science-based ways to recover the memory of where you put something. Even if it was weeks or months ago. These strategies have helped many of my Magnetic Memory Method students recover lost items and strengthen their spatial memory for betting recall in the future. Better: They’ve been able to train their minds to forget less, which is what you’ll be able to do too after reading this post. Ready? Let’s dive in! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVOsG9CKCb8 Lost Something? Here’s How to Remember Where You Put It When you can’t remember where you put something, your first instinct might be to search physically. You know how it goes. You race around: Checking drawers Retracing your steps Overturning cushions and pillows However, there’s a better approach. Search the area you believe you may have left the item mentally first. Here’s how. One: Mental Time Travel Although the title of this technique might sound fantastic, it’s based on the science of episodic memory. When you consciously revisit the past, over forty years of research shows that you have more ability than you might think. The key is to stop and relax. Breathe deeply and move yourself away from emotions of irritation or panic. Next: Close your eyes Ask, “What was I doing the instant before I last held the item?” Let your mind do its work Just letting your imagination operate without too much nudging from you can be hard at first. But with practice, you’ll find that it gets easier. As weird as it sounds, this technique works best when you stop trying to remember. Replace the mental pushing with experiencing your memory, almost like you’re watching a movie you’ve seen before. Two: Ask Reconstructive Questions I just gave you one simple question to ask. But if it doesn’t work, you can get more specific. Try these questions: What was I wearing when I last saw the item? What was I thinking about when I used it? Was it part of a routine? What there anything or anyone else near me? Where have I lost the item before? According to Harvard professor Daniel Schacter, famous for his Seven Sins of Memory, asking these questions helps you rebuild the context around the missing item. Context dependent memory is powerful and these kinds of questions help your brain fill-in-the-blanks that you probably aren’t even aware of while hunting around. Three: Use Physical Cues If the previous two methods don’t work, it’s now time to revisit the environment where you most likely lost the item. But not for the purposes of rummaging through cabinets. First, return to the room where you think the item must be. Next, try to stand in the same spot where you last had it. Finally, start touching objects or furniture in the room. Often, calmly walking into the space can bring you back to the same mental state you were previously in. Like context-dependent memory, you’re activating what is sometimes called state-dependent memory. Although similar, it’s more physical. Alternatively, taking a walk or grabbing a hot shower can trigger completely different states. By getting out of context and out of state, you can sometimes trigger recall from a completely different angle. Four: Make A Checklist If all else fails, keep a checklist of where you’ve looked using pen and paper. This simple activity is helpful for one simple reason: Nothing wastes time and stacks on frustration faster than looking in the same place two or more times. When looking for the missing object, aim to be thorough. If you’re looking into boxes in storage, make sure to pick the boxes up and look under them so that shadows don’t obscure the object. This happened to me during a recent move when I was looking for a screwdriver I’d set down. I couldn’t see it in the garage until I picked up a box that had hidden the screwdriver in shadow. Had I been following a check list that covered both the areas I’d searched and reminded me to pick up boxes and other items that cast shadows, I probably would have found the missing item a lot sooner. Five: Prepare for a Future of Keeping Better Track of Your Items We’re all busy, but one of the best things you can do when you finally find your missing items is take steps to never lose it or anything else again. For that, you can read my full post on how to stop losing things. In brief, the technique involves two steps: Step One: Designate specific spots for things. Step Two: Always put things in those spots. Simple, I know, but I’ve found the technique incredibly powerful. An

Have you been looking for real Memory Palace examples that will actually show you how this learning technique works in the modern world? You’re in the right place. I’ve used the Memory Palace technique to pass university exams, master foreign languages, and even lecture in German while teaching Film Studies at the University of Saarland. My TEDx Talk, delivered entirely from memory, has been viewed millions of times. I’ll show you exactly how I built it along with a graphic of the exact location. In fact, you’ll even get a Memory Palace walkthrough filmed inside my own home, so you can see how to structure your journeys for better focus, creativity and long-term recall. Everything you’re about to learn comes from personally testing more than 300 Memory Palaces for accomplishing many different learning goals. And many interviews I’ve conducted with the most accomplished memory experts in the world. Ready for the most empowering Memory Palace examples so you can achieve your learning goals? Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STlYIiF9RzI Now that you’ve watched the walkthrough in the video above, let’s take a moment to more closely define the Memory Palace technique. Seeing this ancient technique in its fullest possible context will help you use this unique learning approach better. Understand This Before Copying Any Memory Palace Examples You Find Online The first thing to understand is that the Memory Palace technique was taught theoretically for a very long time. Ancient guides like Rhetorica ad Herennium had to illustrations. At best, Aristotle gave a visual example of the stations in a Memory Palace using the alphabet. I show this page in my video tutorial on Aristotle’s Nuclear Alphabet. Later, during the medieval period, Hugh of St. Victor was said to stand in front of an illustration of Noah’s Ark to help his students understand how to use it to remember aspects of theology. You can read about this history and see illustrations in The Mystic Ark by Conrad Rudolph. Also note that the Memory Palace technique is sometimes called the Method of Loci. Other people call it the Roman Room technique. Searching these terms can help you find even more examples. “Memory theater” too, which was one of Robert Fludd‘s preferred terms. Here’s what one of his illustrated Memory Palaces looked like: No matter what you call it, the technique is based on layering associations along a journey based on locations you remember. That’s the key. You’re not memorizing locations for use as Memory Palace. You’re harnessing memory spaces that are already in your memory. Please pay special attention to this point. Many people think they have to go out and memorize locations in order to use them. That’s just not true and in fact creates the cognitive load using Memory Palaces helps reduce. For more details on how to select and develop these learning tools optimally, please refer to my foundational Memory Palace tutorial which goes in-depth on its history and a number of important considerations for getting the most out of the technique. With these principles in mind, let’s look at our first example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWd1KaWFBm0 1. The Bird’s-Eye Memory Palace Using A Single Building This kind of Memory Palace involves looking down and through the roof on a building. You can use: Homes Churches Cafes Theatres Bookshops Schools Museums Just about any location will do. The basic idea of this approach is to experience the Memory Palace as if you’re looking down at a floor plan. To create your first Memory Palace in this style, I suggest you quickly sketch it out. As you can see, I’ve drawn this Memory Palace based on one of my Berlin apartments by hand: Drawing each Memory Palaces is important because it trains your brain to think about the journey through the building you’re assigning. A bit of preparation in the beginning will ensure that you can use the Memory Palace much faster once you’re ready to use it to memorize anything, including vocabulary, or an entire speech. I’m not the only one who draws Memory Palaces. As you saw above, Fludd illustrated one of the theatres he used. More recently, my friend and fellow memory expert Jonathan Levi shared his hand drawn Memory Palace mockup after I showed him some Memory Palace best practices. He even showed the Magnetic Memory Method-style Memory Palace he drew from the top-down perspective in his TEDx presentation:     In sum, the process is simple: Select a location suited to creating a Memory Palace (usually a familiar building, but parks and other locations will do) Get out a sheet of paper, ideally in a Memory Journal devoted to Mind Palace creation. Draw the Memory Palace. Strategically structure your journey through the Memory Palace. Practice the journey mentally one or two times. Use it to memorize some

The polymathic brilliance of Thomas Jefferson spanned continents and revolutionized society. The question is, how? And why was polymathy so key to Jefferson’s success? Part of the answer is because his thirst for knowledge knew no bounds. But more importantly, Jefferson had a strategy for retaining what he learned. From multiple fields. The way that Jefferson tracked his knowledge helped make him great in multiple fields. I’m talking about everything from agriculture to technological innovations in writing, language learning and politics. Everything about his ability to challenge conventions and relentlessly pursue that knowledge that helped him change the fabric of society boils down to four things: His personal knowledge management systems His polymathic mindset His community-focus His consistency Combined, Jefferson’s life of achievement offers us a blueprint for how we can become better polymaths ourselves. So if you’re interested in constant growth as you explore multiple disciplines, the lessons I’ve extracted for you from Jefferson’s life will ignite your potential. Let’s dive in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrmsVLJr-zc What is a Polymath? Why Thomas Jefferson Perfectly Fits the Definition In case you’re new to the term, any individual with deep knowledge and proficiency across multiple disciplines, counts as a polymath. It matters that this knowledge has already been established, distinguishing the polymath from the multipotentialite. When it comes to Jefferson as a polymath, here’s a rapid-fire overview of some of his skills and accomplishments in a variety of domains: Linguistics: Mastered Latin, Greek, Anglo-Saxon, and Italian. Jefferson created his own Anglo-Saxon dictionary by tracing thousands of words to their Old English roots. Science and Invention: Participated in testing early carbon paper and using a pantograph for simultaneous copying, along with a portable copying press. He also designed a “mould board plow of least resistance.” Agriculture: Kept a detailed “Garden Book” tracking meteorology and plant imports. Education and Mentorship: Founded the University of Virginia, planning its buildings and rules; mentored students with curated book lists and study plans. Law and Politics: Drafted the Declaration of Independence, researched and challenged primogeniture, advocated for free schools and a free press. Literature and Analysis: Produced the Jefferson Bible through textual analysis. Maintained a commonplace book for reflections, akin to a Zettelkasten system. Organizational Skills: Tracked data in pocket-sized memorandum books and erasable “ivory books.” Skillfully outsourced tasks, matching people to roles. Music: Played violin daily. Designed his 1776 lap desk, mirroring other polymaths like David Lynch who crafted his own furniture for films like Lost Highway. Persistence and Vision: Contributed to libraries and universities despite personal debt. Jefferson persistently pushed for educational and social reforms. Where do all these talents come from? Let’s look at the origins of his polymathic study habits next: Setting the Foundation: Jefferson’s Early Learning Experiences A polymath is also not necessarily an autodidact, though usually some form of self-education is involved. That was certainly the case in Jefferson’s life, including from a young age. For example, in his first known letter at just 17 years of age, Jefferson expressed concern about anything that would take his time away from studying Greek, Latin and mathematics. He was already committed to extracurricular learning. Thanks to his father’s library, he was able to read some of the greats at a young age, including Shakespeare, Swift, Bacon, Locke, Newton and Cervantes. One of his polymathic skills involved book curation and storing them. Despite losing his first library to a fire at his Shadwell home in 1770, he rebuilt his collection. By 1815, he had amassed 6,487 volumes, not counting many folios. “Folio” can mean different things, but in his time, the term typically referred to large-format volumes reserved for authoritative works. The fact that Jefferson collected such books demonstrates his scholarly ambitions. His collection with also multilingual and well-organized. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuX9U2SVF6o As we’ll discuss later, Jefferson kept a variety of notebooks and special kinds of flashcards to assist in his style of structured learning. In particular, Jefferson’s habit of keeping a “commonplace book” has helped historians track his many polymath personality traits. As Jefferson once wrote: “I was in the habit of abridging and commonplacing what I read, meriting it, and sometimes mixing my own reflections on the subject.” This comment further underscores his disciplined approach to learning. Finally, we should note his modesty. He was skeptical of honorary degrees, viewing t

When I started using memory techniques back in grad school, I worried that I was going to quickly run out of Memory Palace ideas. I had tons of textbooks to cover, after all! The same worry occurred to me later when I needed to learn German. In retrospect, it was a silly worry that I can laugh at now. But even though I’d heard that many memory champions and professional mnemonists typically developed hundreds of these mnemonic tools in short order, I still doubted myself. After all, back when I was in grad school I had barely traveled. I also still barely knew about the technique and how it really works. I needn’t have worried, however. And nor should you. That’s because today I’m giving you concrete examples from a wide variety of people. Some come courtesy of students who have completed my Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass. Others are from my friends in the worlds of either memory competition or memory training. Yet others have been handed down to us from the ancient history of mnemonic methods. I’ll even share with you a few of my own Memory Palace examples. So, are you ready to dive in and discover where to find Memory Palaces? Good. Let’s begin our search with a powerful tool for assessing what precisely makes the following possible locations worthy of your time and effort. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU3UjILxlJE L.O.C.I: A Mental Tool For Testing The Worth Of These Memory Palace Ideas Before I dive into a list of examples, it’s useful to have a means of deciding whether or not one of today’s ideas will work for you. Since the Memory Palace technique is based on the method of loci, I came up with a handy acronym for you: Location Does the memory space you choose support linear or logical navigation? Ownership Is the location lodged deeply enough in your memory that you feel like you “own” it? This guideline doesn’t mean that you remember every single detail. Just that it resonates with you in a personal way. Clarity Will you be able to clearly and distinctly navigate the space? Cluttered spaces with no clear journey can create obstacles that drain you of mental energy. Indexable Can you name the place or give it a number? Although not always necessary, it’s often important for mnemonic linking to be able to refer to the Memory Palace some kind of word-based or number-based label. Keep this “L.O.C.I.” acronym in mind as you sort through the Memory Palaces ideas that follow. Memory Palaces Based On Buildings The Memory Palace technique usually involves buildings you’ve visited. These can include: Your home The homes of relatives, friends, babysitters, real estate you’ve considered Churches Museums Art galleries Government buildings Schools and university campuses Swimming pools Pool halls Bookshops Grocery stores Arenas Concert stages Airports Libraries Clubs Cafes Workplaces (offices, warehouses, factories) To give you a simple example of how I’ve used one of these locations, check out this quick drawing I made of my mnemonic image for the German word for “area” inside Berlin’s Tegel Airport: Mnemonic Example for the German Word Bereich I know, I know. I’m not a great artist. But that’s not the point. The drawing involves Bender and the drummer Steve Reich in an area I was familiar with in the airport. I chose them because the sounds of their names combined reminds me of “Bereich” in Germany. Why did I stick this strange image in the airport? In this case, it’s because airport starts with the letter ‘A.’ And although you can’t see it in the drawing, they are situated in the “area” of the airport where you can buy pretzels. In German, pretzel is “das Bretzel” and Bender is trying to buy them from Steve Reich. But he’s getting drum sticks instead in that area of the airport. If you’re new to combining mnemonic images with Memory Palaces, I know this can sound like there’s a lot going on. But once you have a bunch of Memory Palaces, it will become very simple. Even intuitive. So to begin the journey towards the ease I’ve experienced now for decades, start writing down possible locations from you life based on the list above. And let me know in the comments: What additional possible Memory Palace examples come to your mind? I used this Brisbane skateboard park as a Memory Palace while preparing for a Mandarin exam in 2018. Memory Palaces Based on Outdoor Locations My personal preference used to be buildings and the only time I would stray was when I used vehicles to memorize playing cards. These days, I’ve expanded my collection of Memory Palaces and use: Streets Parks Skateboard parks Parking lots Rivers Mountain ranges Amusement parks Zoos Farms Bus routes Some outdoor locations are too difficult because they don’t have enough landmarks. So when I mention rivers, please unders

If you’ve heard the terms multipotentialite and polymath thrown around, but can’t tell what sets them apart, you’re not alone. These labels have different histories, for one thing. And although they both describe people who display diverse talents and interests, there’s a massive difference between them. Why does the difference matter? Because you’re not just interested in a few things — you’re fascinated by everything. In fact, your browser tabs are a hall of mirrors. Your bookshelves look like an interdisciplinary battleground. You’ve filled notebooks, journal apps, and your brain with treasure troves of knowledge… But then someone casually asks: “So… what do you actually study? What did you learn?” And just like that — your mind goes blank. You’re not alone. In fact, this problem has haunted some of the most brilliant, curious, and driven minds I’ve ever met — and I was once one of them. That’s why we need to dig deeper when it comes to terms like “polymath” and “multipotentialite.” As soon as you do, you’ll find that there’s no clear consensus on their meaning for good reason. And few are brave enough to criticize the cultural narratives behind these terms, including whether or not they are truly empowering. Or just being used in the modern world as part of marketing products you don’t need. That’s why today, I’m inviting you to dive deep with me to explore how these labels and concepts can inspire your own journey. All while avoiding the dead-ends and traps of empty promises offered by what are sometimes nothing more than self-aggrandizing labels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbsTUz2SsHw What is a Multipotentialite? The short answer is that a multipotentialite displays key characteristics like: Broad interests and high curiosity in a variety of fields, from coding to painting and entrepreneurship, often mixing them together in unique ways. Adaptability for learning quickly and picking up skills in ways that rapidly solve problems before moving on to the next challenge. Flexibility, which may involve a lot of gig-style jobs or hybrid roles that allow for a lot of variety. But where does the term first come from? In my research, the idea of having potential for multiple skills comes from a 1972 book called Recognizing and Assisting Multipotential Youth. In this book, authors Ronald H. Fredrickson and John Rothney explain that a multipotential person is: Any individual who, when provided with an appropriate environment, can select and develop any number of competencies to a high level. The book is a passionate appeal for both the educators, local governments and the state to identify and nurture students through what they call “enrichment.” They list several recommended procedures, many of which include encouraging young people to engage in autodidact efforts outside of the traditional classroom setting. These include: Participating in fairs, agricultural activities and contests Taking additional courses so they graduate early Working personally with teachers on enriched reading program Visiting professionals working in a variety of impressions Multiplicity in the Mind Next in history, we should also include Howard Gardner’s 1983 book, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. If nothing else, the concept of being a multipotentialite owes Gardner a conceptual debt. I feel this way because anyone who truly puts in the deliberate practice needed to learn new skills will need to exercise the different kinds of intelligence Gardner discussed. These include: Spatial Linguistic Logical Mathematical Kinesthetic Musical Intrapersonal and interpersonal Existential (in other words, the ability to ask certain kinds of ontological, philosophical questions) Overall, Gardner suggests that if someone is going to fulfil their potential, they need to leverage multiple intelligences. That way, they can blend strengths like verbal fluency and multiple kinds of creativity to navigate a variety of pursuits. Mainstream Attention for the Multipotentialite In a 2015 TED Talk titled “Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling,” Emilie Wapnick shifted the term to include people who thrive on diverse passions, resist specialization and weave their skills into a multifaceted career. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sZdcB6bjI8 Wapnick has also addressed those who criticize the talk’s specialized use of the term in writing. In essence, Wapnick argues that people should feel free to call themselves what they please. Plus, they should pay more attention to the meaning of the TEDx Talk, not the word “multipotentialite” itself. I agree, but that doesn’t free the use of the term from some much-needed critical thinking. But before we get into a deeper analysis of what might be driving this most recent use of multi-potentiality, let’s look at polymathy next. What is a Polym

The quick answer is yes, Memory Palaces absolutely do work. Scientific studies consistently show us that using this ancient memory technique enhances memory recall. Students in specialized fields love them because this technique works especially well for ordered lists, complex information and any learning goal where you need to establish long-term retention. The catch? Using this technique requires a bit of setup. How much depends on where you currently find yourself in life. For some people, mastery takes an incredibly short time. In other cases, I’ve seen students try to learn the technique in bits and pieces. As a result, it’s taken longer than necessary. Either way, the evidence stands in favor of the technique. So does the thousands of years of tradition and the decades of memory competitions. But it really wasn’t until 1885 that the first scientist truly put memory to the test. Starting with that groundbreaking study, let’s look at what researchers have found since. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJgiPBDWCEI Do Memory Palaces Work? The Essential Evidence Noting that the use of Memory Palaces goes back thousands of years, earlier even than the method of loci discussed in Greek and Latin training manuals like Rhetorica ad Herennium, it was Hermann Ebbinghaus who helped us first understand why this technique works. Thanks to his research on memory in the 1885 book, Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology, we now have incredibly useful terms. These include the primacy effect, recently effect and a memory strategy called spaced repetition. This term describes a specific review pattern you can use to overcome what Ebbinghaus called “the forgetting curve.” As his n=1 experiments showed, we lose 50-80% of information at a steady rate unless we review it. Learning to use spaced repetition to defeat the Forgetting Curve started in earnest with the research of Hermann Ebbinghaus. One of the best ways to defeat the forgetting curve? The Memory Palace technique for studying. You can literally use the technique for studying just about anything. Even shapes. Gordon H. Bower’s Analysis of a Mnemonic Device Between Ebbinghaus and the late 1960s, I’ve been able to find very little research that touches upon the classic Memory Palace technique. Partly, that’s because the proof was already abundant in how people practice the technique. But scientists of the mind were also pouring a lot of their attention towards topics like subliminals for memory and other types of subconscious influence. In 1970, Gordon H. Bower published “Analysis of a Mnemonic Device,” returning attention to this ancient memory technique. He asked a lot of interesting questions about the technique and included fascinating illustrations in this American Scientist article. For example, he showed how this mnemonic device works by showing tomatoes splattered on the door of a home. A person would image such a scene to help themselves remember tomatoes on their shopping list, for example. To make it work, the user would simply ask, “What was happening to the door?” and the scene would bring back the target information. As Bower puts it, the technique works because: “The loci on the list are well learned and are easily called to mind. Recall of the scene constructed at each locus enables him to recognize and name the other object in it.” Bower is exactly right and that’s why I always tell people taking the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass to use locations familiar to them. You certainly can use imaginary and virtual Memory Palaces. But you risk adding additional cognitive load that isn’t technically necessary. Although neurological evidence was slim when Bower produced this scientific article, he used the memory science on hand to hypothesize that part of this techniques success boils down to left hemisphere brain activity and verbal ability. Routes to Remembering by Eleanor Maguire The Memory Palace technique is all about assigning memory spaces for whatever it is you want to learn. Along with her team, Eleanor Maguire cut to the chase on that point when they named their Nature article, Routes to Remembering: The Brain Behind Superior Memory. To conduct the study, the researchers enlisted eight memory champions. Using brain imaging, they were able to determine that people who had developed superior memory skills showed specific differences. The test examined the mental athletes on numbers, faces, and even snowflakes. With all three information types, the reason for the benefits was clear: The memory champions had well-practiced spatial memories thanks to using the Memory Palace technique. Building a Memory Palace Within Minutes by Eric Legge A lot of people worry that it takes too long to develop Memory Palaces. Scientists have wondered about the time investment issue too. In Building a Memory Palace Within Minutes, Eric Legge and his team crea

Sure, some books on learning are good. But good isn’t enough in our era. At least not if you want real results. In a time when AI, remote education and cognitive breakthroughs are reshaping how we grow, you need exceptional learning guides. I’m talking about books that go beyond theory and actually rewire how you think, remember and master new skills. That’s exactly why I put together this list. But why should you care about my suggestions? As an author of multiple educational guides, I’ve spent decades refining the strategies that helped me get my Phd and later help thousands of learners. I must be doing something right because thousands of people have sought the lessons I’ve learned through my podcast, videos, courses and one-on-one coaching. And during the fifteen years I’ve been teaching accelerated learning skills, I’ve seen firsthand what works, what doesn’t and how different approaches resonate depending on what you’re at with your learning journey now. That’s why I’m not going to dump a generic list on you. I’ve carefully categorized these books based on specific learning goals. But I’m only human, and obviously not every book I list is going to resonate with everyone. So before we get into the various suggestions, let me give you a quick quiz that will help you determine where to start. It should also give you a solid framework for thinking about the kinds of books most likely to serve you. Which Learning Book Is Right For You? (A Learning Professor’s Quiz) I’m excited to give you my suggestions, but please first use your current reflective thinking skills to answer the following questions. Grab a notebook to jot down your thoughts in writing to these simple questions. There’s no pressure to come up with the “right” answer. All you have to do is be honest. When you tell it like it is, your answers will help point you to the perfect book for where you are right now as a lifelong learner. What’s your biggest frustration with learning something new? Here are some example answers to help prompt your reflections. I start strong but quickly lose motivation. I forget everything I study. I don’t know where to begin. I struggle to find the main points when I read. Answer this question will help pinpoint the exact issue you’re facing. Is it memory? Discipline? Overwhelm? These are all interrelated, but distinct issues. It’s worth figuring out which of them takes top priority as you look through the books below. How much do you know about how learning actually works? Your answers might look like: Barely anything. I just throw mud at the wall and see what sticks. I’ve heard a bit about spaced repetition and active recall. I’ve read a lot about memory science. Assessing your foundational knowledge will help point you toward introductory overviews if you need them. Or, you can take a deeper dive into something more advanced. It pays to when you’re on the hunt for the best books on learning. How much time do you realistically have to learn each week? Here are some sample answers I’ve received from my private coaching clients to whom I’ve given this quiz: 10 minutes a day. A few hours on the weekend. I feel so swamped, it’s as if I have no time at all. When you get more clarity on your scheduling constraints, you’ll find itself easier to match yourself to books that offer quick tips or long-term strategies. What’s one thing you’ve learned successfully in the past and how did you do it? Here are some possible answers to get you started: I learned to stretch properly by watching YouTube. I memorized medical terminology using flashcards. I winged a big exam and just got lucky… I guess. Really take your time on these questions. By uncovering your existing strength and previous wins, you can select books that will help you build on what’s already working. How confident are you in your current approach to learning? For this question, you can give yourself a numbered rating, i.e.: 1/10 because I’m just winging it. 6/10 because I’ve got a system, but it’s still hit or miss. 9/10 and I’m ready to level up. Gauging your self-awareness and current state of readiness using hard numbers is helpful because it will direct you to either beginner, intermediate or advanced learning books. What’s your endgame? Why do you want to get better at learning? Although all of the previous questions matter, this one is the most important. For example, you might answer: To switch careers. To help my kids. To enjoy a hobby better. To feel more mentally sharp. To master a new language. To pass an exam. Everyone’s priorities are unique, so make sure you clarify your personal motivations. It’s okay to have more than one. In fact, it’s ideal. That was you can interleave between more than one book about lea

If you want to know how to study effectively, please use the tips I’ve got for you on this page. As a PhD with two MAs and tenure as a Mercator guest professor, I’ve had to study a lot of things quickly. And remember them well. Using my suggestions, you’ll never feel like you’ve got exams breathing down your neck again. Instead, you’ll always be prepared. Quite the opposite. You’ll look forward to acing them. Better: Studying for long hours will be long gone. You’ll be able to retain information quickly and efficiently. And you’ll do it in a way that also helps you enjoy life as a happy and healthy human. To that end, on this page you’ll discover how to study and remember — and how to get all those books in your head, without all the stress. Here’s what this post will cover: 9 Strategies for How to Remember What You Study How to Study and Remember: 5 Mindset Techniques Study Effectively: The Mind-Body Connection 6 Environmental Factors of Effective Study Techniques Frequently Asked Questions How to Study Effectively, Right Now Ready to study effectively? Let’s get started. 9 Strategies for How to Remember What You Study I used to be president of the English Undergraduate Student Association at York University, so I had an office while I was in undergrad. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkZ2FGJhR5R8OR3Qofo3XLX3iVeqPZdO2   I used to stay until the library was closed, and then I would take huge piles of books to my office. I would read, I would study, and I would read and study some more. And then I would sleep in my office. And I remember waking up many times, laid out on a desk in that office with books everywhere… and feeling pure happiness. To study until the end of all time, until you couldn’t open your eyelids anymore, and fall asleep, and then wake up and study some more… it was bliss. But I know not everyone feels this way about studying. And studying for long hours is often frowned upon — people say you have to take breaks and you can’t extend it too long. And while there’s truth to that, I have also figured out how to study effectively for long hours over the course of many years. I absolutely love studying for long hours. The key to studying for long hours was having strategies and techniques in order to get the most out of it. Let’s take a look at 9 of the most important strategies I discovered, so you can learn to study effectively, too! 1. Schedule Everything The first strategy is simple: schedule your study hours. The technique I recommend is to make a spreadsheet. Create a schedule and include the date, topic, book you’re studying, and the memory palace you plan to use. Here’s an example of how you might build out your schedule spreadsheet: One thing I find incredibly powerful when using a schedule like this is to write down my start and end times. For example, when I was a student I used this technique to record when (and for how long) I studied each of my subjects. Instead of wondering where my time went at the end of the day, I had a written record of everything. This approach does take time and effort, but the results will speak for themselves. To build this into a habit, invest in a nice physical journal so you can track time in your spreadsheet and on paper. Before you know it, you’ll build a habit and have a record of exactly how you spend your time. 2. Take Better Notes What do you do when you read? Do you just zip through a book or textbook and then have a hard time remembering what you just read? Instead of stumbling through your reading with nothing to show for it, use a note-taking strategy. To help you figure out what strategy will work best for you, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U64awMHJkAU Will this help you find the absolute perfect note-taking strategy for you? Perhaps. What I do know is that the video will be very useful to you. It’s up to you to pick a strategy, test it out, and see what works for you. For this step, watch the YouTube video above and decide on a note-taking strategy to implement. 3. Use Memory Palaces Here at the Magnetic Memory Method Headquarters, I’m partial to the Memory Palace technique — not because I’m deranged, but because it’s the most effective and exciting learning tool in the world. You don’t have to take my word for it, either. This study from the journal Neuron is just one of hundreds that show why and how this technique succeeds for learners. Once you learn what a memory palace is, take the time to create your own, and fully use your memory palace(s) from top to bottom, they become a key part of your effective study techniques. In brief, this technique involves simply crafting a journey throughout a familiar location. You then place the information your want to remember on spots like your desk, bed, kitchen counter, etc. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4J5ZUzCxZY You can literally master this technique overnight. But a lot of peo

It’s almost like something out of a Sci-fi movie. IQ scores across the globe started skyrocketing, an upward trend called the Flynn Effect. The scholar who first brought attention to the phenomenon was the IQ researcher James Robert Flynn. His work on the Flynn Effect reveals incredible insights about human intelligence and how it is truly possible for societies around the world to progress. However, the upward trajectory has slowed. Worse, in some regions, the trend has reversed. Now, shockingly, we’re faced with a new phenomenon. Not surprisingly, people are calling it “The Reverse Flynn Effect.” They’re fiercely debating both the rise and fall of IQs around the world too. The question is: What does the decline in IQ around the world mean for you? To help make sure you escape this downward trend (and your kids too), let’s explore the scientific research, causes and exactly what you need to do. What Is The Flynn Effect? By definition, the Flynn Effect refers to James Flynn’s observations that IQ scores rose over a short period of time. As you can see in this graph, IQ scores grew by approximately 3 points per decade from 1940 to 2010: More specifically, the Flynn Effect suggested that many people living in industrialized nations enjoyed higher IQ than their parents. Originally, Flynn argued that genetics did not cause IQ scores to rise over generations. He thought it mostly reflected environmental pressures and factors related to the measurement of IQ. However, as this meta-analysis shows, other researchers did believe genetics played a role. For example, this researcher argued that more randomness in people from around the world mating with each other. Ultimately, this thesis was rejected. At the end of the day, it’s important to understand exactly what Flynn observed. Not all areas of intelligence improved equally. The most dramatic improvements were seen in fluid intelligence, which is often confused with crystal intelligence. What Causes The Flynn Effect? If it’s not genetics, and researchers still don’t agree on why people like these have such high IQs, what else might have caused this upward swing. Although researchers continue to debate the exact causes and how more knowledge could be used to help people, some of the possible causes include: One: Improvements in Education Without a doubt, access to education has increased over the last 100 years. People have improved their critical thinking and developed more problem-solving models than ever before as a result. As this study shows, IQ gains in Korea have been especially high in ways that tie to education improvements. Two: Better Nutrition Access to memory boosting foods, especially during childhood, have helped many people develop healthier brains. Access to better food not only leads to stronger cognitive development. It means fewer incidents of malnutrition. As these researchers have found, malnutrition leads to lower intelligence. Three: Technological Advances Many people fear new technologies. But as AI expert Andrew Mayne has shown, things are getting better thanks to software programs like Chat-GPT. Long before the artificial intelligence revolution started ramping up, people speculated that video games were boosting intelligence. Researchers later validated the hunch in studies like this one. Four: Smaller Families Living in Cities Although many are concerned by plummeting fertility rates, studies like this one show that your emotional intelligence will be higher if you come from a smaller family. This effect likely happens because parents can pour more resources into the development of their children when they have more to go around. Although you might think that living in a city raises IQ because you have greater access to libraries and museums, it’s not that simple. Cities are more complex to navigate. This leads to many more cognitive demands which leads to stronger spatial intelligence and problem solving. What To Make Of The New “Reverse Flynn Effect” As time has passed and more researchers study the Flynn Effect, decline has been observed. In places like the USA, these researchers have found a shocking drop. Compare this graph the one showing a dramatic rise I shared with you above: The key factors behind the decline? Again, researchers are divided, but some reasons probably include: Stagnation as advancements in both education and technology slow or become harder for many people to access Growing income disparity as “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” Disruptive policy changes in a large number of governments around the world Increased screen time causing digital amnesia and less engagement with meaningful reading materials Poor diet as people have started eating foods that are very bad for memory Rising anti-intellectual sentiments The various learning and memory trends I shared in my predictions for 2025 In addition, how IQ tests are

At age 12, Elon Musk coded a game in a weekend and sold it, all while navigating family chaos and international moves. Since this is just for starters from a man who has learned enough to found, co-found and outright purchase multiple companies, the answer to the question, is Elon Musk a polymath is absolutely yes. Although some people find Musk’s learning to be enigmatic, I believe that a combination of scientific analysis and historical study clarifies precisely how so much learning can take place in one person’s life. Just as Leonardo Da Vinci sketched flying machines while living in war torn Italy and Nikola Tesla imagined incredible inventions while facing a whole host of problems, Musk has proven he can learn substantially despite many challenges. Using strategies. Not luck. Not genetics. But the implementation of various procedures that lend themselves to learning. Of course, like most innovators, Musk is divisive. Loved by some and despised during certain political climates, his polymathic accomplishments can teach us a lot despite the latest headlines. In this post, we’re stripping away the noise to reveal lessons about learning from which anyone can benefit. So whether you’re friend or foe, let’s dive into the factors that will help you thrive as a learner, no matter what turbulence you face. I’m going to introduce some concepts and comparable figures you’ve likely never encountered before, so buckle up, dear reader. You’re about to learn what it really takes to develop mastery across multiple fields. https://youtu.be/UbgK7p8Q63I What is a Polymath & What Makes Elon Musk Part of the Club? Actually, there is no club. And although there are aspects to consider, such as a variety of polymath personality traits, nothing quite explains the ability to dream big and fulfil ambitious ideas that require learning the way we’re about to do. At its core, “polymath” simply means many + learning at the etymological level. In order to become a polymath, you need only do what other polymaths do. That way, you’ll easily fulfil the modern definition and be a “person of various learning.” To do this, you have to go beyond the cliche definitions found elsewhere on the Internet. Often you hear that polymaths need to be intellectually open. However, as Walter Isaascson’s biography of Musk shows, learning to being closed to a variety of options has been a massive driver of Musk’s success. This factor directly contradicts scientific findings regarding the benefits of openness to challenge. If anything, stripping away unnecessary challenge is one of the major things Musk has learned and applied to great success. Apart from that, Musk ticks just about every box that scientists have studied when it comes to polymathy. Cognitive flexibility Creativity, which scientists have demonstrated can be trained Divergent thinking and other forms of critical thinking High working memory capacity Analogical reasoning skills Strategies for handling ambiguity and uncertainty Intrinsic motivation Self-discipline and mental strength Consistency Mastery of accelerated learning techniques Breadth and depth of learning Creative problem-solving using what some scientists call stochastic behavior Genius or Chaos Agent? Let’s examine this point about stochastic behavior for clues. It reveals clues that will help you break out of learning ruts that you might find yourself in. Stochastic behavior refers to introducing randomness and uncertainty on purpose. Here’s a concrete example. Musk did reasonably well in school when it comes to mathematics. But he took an autodidactic approach to learning rocket science on his way to founding SpaceX. Rather than follow a linear and traditional path, he created his own self-education program. More than merely read books, he learned to fly to help himself visualize aerodynamics better. When it comes to the books he read, he didn’t rely on libraries alone. He picked up the phone and asked the best experts to lend him their old engine manuals. These primary documents introduced information to his learning that likely could not have been accessed any other way. The “Chaotic” Benefit of Holding a Personal Philosophy for Learning And because Musk’s philosophy involves the conviction that progress is not inevitable, taking these actions make his practice of “first order thinking” faster and more actionable. The breadth and depth of learning has made Musk’s various arguments and persuasion tactics more successful because he’s able to converse deeply with the best experts in a variety of fields. As a result, what seems to others as Musk making erratic bets really isn’t anything like that at all. Rather, Musk deliberately makes stochastic gambles in order to ensure new results lead to new learning. For example, Musk pressed through several Falcon 1 failures

Instantly memorizing what you need to know is the ultimate dream, isn’t it? Mnemonic devices can get you quite close to that learning goal. But let’s face it. There’s no such thing as perfect memory. What we do have are the kinds of mnemonic tools we’re going to discuss today. Including examples of people who have absorbed astonishing amounts of information using them. How do I know so much about all of these memory boosting tools? In such depth? For the past fifteen years, I’ve been operating as the host of the Magnetic Memory Method podcast. I have interviewed dozes of memory experts and memory athletes. Not only do I interview people who use these techniques. I use them myself and have written many books about them. As a result, I’ve received dozens of questions every week since 2012 from people who read my books and this blog. I share my knowledge openly, especially since mnemonic devices to help me memorize a variety of things to complete my PhD during a time of intense struggle. Later, mnemonics helped me learn German so I could teach in Germany, which I did for several years. But for many people who don’t yet understand what mnemonic devices are and how to use them, their inability to remember anything presents the ultimate nightmare. One reason people struggle to master their memory is simple: There are so memory experts out there who use different terms for the core memory techniques you need to succeed. It can be confusing. Don’t fret. on this page, I’ll help you understand everything and help you find the memorization approach that will work best for you. Here’s what this post will cover: What Is A Mnemonic Device? Mnemonic Devices Examples – Personally Created Flashcards – Acronyms – The Memory Palace Technique – Associative Imagery, Linking, and Pegwords – Story Method – Major System and Dominic System – 00-99 PAO – Mind Maps https://youtu.be/OqmUKcu6Gog So if you’re ready to dive in, let’s get started with… What Are Mnemonic Devices? The best mnemonic device definition we can start with is this: Anything that helps you remember better is a mnemonic. Even the dictionary says that mnemonic devices are anything: “assisting or intended to assist the memory.” Many of them operate like mental snapshots. But that’s a modern metaphor. As you’re about to learn, the techniques are rooted in the ancient world. They’re perfectly validated by modern memory science too. Researchers have tested everything from Aboriginal memory techniques, to mnemonics that are science-backed for use in schools. Overall, “mnemonics” is a highly adaptable term. It’s ultimately an umbrella term that covers a wide range of tactics and strategies. As you’ll see, you can optimize in your personal practice. Mnemonic Device Types Keeping the ancient world in mind, here are the major types of mnemonic devices in use today: Personally created flashcards Acronyms Memory Palaces (sometimes called a Mind Palace, the Method of Loci, Journey Method, or Roman Room) Associative imagery, linking, and pegwords Story method Major System or Dominic System 00-99 PAO Mind Maps … and more But here’s something to notice that might be helpful. Flashcards really are “devices.” They are objects that you create and sort through using your hands. Memory techniques like the Memory Palaces, however, involve the use of mental imagery as a process. As memory expert David Berglas made clear in A Question of Memory, memory is not a unitary mechanism or a “thing.” It is a behavior. And that is how you use mnemonic devices. You understand them as processes and then you sprinkle mnemonics into your life strategically so that applying them becomes part of your learning behaviors. Of course, there’s more to it than that. Let’s have a look. How Mnemonic Devices Work In The Brain: The Neuroscience Of Memory As a technique, mnemonics leverage visual memory, auditory memory, spatial memory and other natural types of memory. At a basic level, research shows that mnemonics create stronger connections in the brain. Here’s what weak memories look like in your brain.   When you use mnemonic devices to create stronger connections throughout your brain, the scans clearly paint a picture of much stronger memory: One of the most impressive mnemonic tools you can use is the Memory Palace. As this study from the brain science journal Neuron has shown, Memory Palaces helped people go from recalling an average of 30 words (from a list of 72) to remembering more than 60. In other words, using this specific mental tool helped people double the amount they could remember. A Personal Example Of How A Variety Of Mnemonic Devices Helped Me Let me make these research findings concrete for you: When I gave a TEDx presentation, I did more than merely memorize my talk. On the day I delivered the speech in Melbourne, Australia,