Anthony Metivier's Magnetic Memory Method Podcast

Do you need to focus your mind? And while you’re at it, would you like to increase your concentration power? If so, I have 3 simple tips for you that are more powerful than a fistful of focus vitamins or a scientifically questionable brain training app. And I’ll even reveal what happened when I was attacked personally in an examination and needed these tips in order to keep focused so I could get my Ph.D.! Want to know the focus secrets that will help you perform even under the most hectic of situations? Here’s what this post will cover: 1. Focus Your Mind on the Body 2. Focus Your Mind on the Breath 3. Focus Your Mind… on the Mind? How Do You Mentally Focus? Let’s get started. 1. Focus Your Mind on the Body https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-zTkA8MW2k   Did you know that you can’t effectively work on your mind without also working on your body?   It’s critical to start here because a lot of people think their mind is somehow different than their body. In fact, your mind is produced by your brain, a clump of physical cells located in your skull. The quality and health of these cells directly shows up in your ability to focus and concentrate. To start improving, learn to relax your body every time you sit down to study. You can do this by performing muscle relaxation exercises, breathing exercises, and daily meditations. Let’s look at how to combine all three in a quick morning ritual: Get a foam roller or lacrosse balls to help relieve shoulder pain Use trigger point therapy to get knots out of your shoulders And release a tight IT band (Be sure to check with your doctor or a physical therapist before taking on any new exercise or physical program.) I have been using rollers like these for years, and they really set the stage for much greater mental focus than I thought possible. We all hold far too much tension in our bodies, and this is a simple way to help release a TON of it. Perform these exercises every day for five minutes before you read or study, and you will undoubtedly note a huge difference. And if you are a student attending lectures on campus, consider getting a therapy massage cane — you can easily put it in your backpack along with your lacrosse balls for use before lectures. If you can’t carry such items with you, a simple body scan and deliberate squeezing of your major muscles is another possibility. For example, before I sat for my dissertation defense – arguably the biggest exam of my life – I moved from my feet all the way up to my forehead, squeezing and releasing my muscles. No one noticed at all, and I waltzed into the room completely relaxed. In addition to muscle relaxation, I had two other secret weapons that enabled me to focus in the heat of battle where I was attacked personally and managed to do better than survive. Thanks to relaxation and memory techniques, I recited quotes and page numbers and pulled all kinds of abstract knowledge from my head. In fact, even after I was grilled intensively and even aggressively by one person on the committee, the head examiner said, “Anthony, the only guy cooler than you is Miles Davis.” What was my second secret weapon? 2. Focus Your Mind on the Breath My second secret for how to focus right now is breathing. My favorite breathing exercise is called Alternate Psychic Nostril Breathing. It’s called “psychic” because you imagine in your mind that you’re inhaling through just one nostril — unlike Alternate Nostril Breathing, where you actually use your hand. But I didn’t have the concentration and focus skills for that level of kinesthetic visualization in the beginning. So I just started with the regular version. When you’re ready to switch over to the “psychic” version, just pretend that the nostrils are blocked as you go back and forth. With practice, you’ll find that you can do it all day. And even if you don’t, you can drop back into it during a moment of tension or stress. For example, when I was told during my doctoral dissertation that an entire chapter I’d written on Nietzsche had no Nietzsche in it, I didn’t get stressed or choked or panicked. I just squeezed the muscles in my hands and feet and imagined I was inhaling only through my right nostril and out through my left. By that point, I’d been practicing the technique for a while, which is why it took such immediate effect. Don’t expect to try it once and suddenly be as calm as a Shaolin Monk! After this examiner made this accusation and I’d quickly centered myself, I calmly remembered the page number my Nietzsche chapter started on and asked everyone to turn to that page. Then I quoted Nietzsche in German, one of the most important passages he wrote about friendship, which I’d written about in my dissertation. That quote helped me establish the theoretical grounding I’d laid out, not just in that chapter, but throughout the massive document everyone was now focused on. But I didn’t have to look because I knew exactly what I’d written and exactly where in t

The center of our solar system is the sun. Moving out, we encounter… Mercury. Venus. Earth… But wait. There’s more than one planet that starts with M. What’s the difference between Uranus and Neptune? And what the heck happened to Pluto? If you find yourself wondering how to remember the planets, you’re in luck. When you need to know how to remember the planets in order, there’s an easy (and fun) way to memorize them. You can use an acronym or acrostic. But I recommend using the Memory Palace technique or method of loci. Why? There’s no perfect mnemonic for the order of the planets You can use the planets themselves AS a memory palace! But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look at what this post will cover: Eight Planets, Or Nine? Acrostic or Acronym to Remember the Planets? What Else Can You Use as a Memory Palace? Ways to Remember the Planets with Ars Combinatoria Solar System Mnemonics Make a Memory Palace With the Planets in Order What Are the Best Ways to Remember the Planets? Ready to remember the planets in order? Let’s get started. Eight Planets, Or Nine? Back in 2006, Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet. You might not think something as simple as a planet at the very edge of our solar system could be a source of outrage, but the reclassification ruffled feathers around the globe. According to NASA, “Pluto isn’t considered a planet because it hasn’t cleared the neighborhood around its orbit of other objects.” So let’s just say – whatever your opinions, thoughts, beliefs, or fantasies about what a planet is or isn’t – that Pluto isn’t a planet. We’ll leave NASA in charge of the classification and leave the Pluto question out of today’s discussion! The good news is, the techniques in today’s post can extend to any and all astral bodies. And if you want to go even further, you can combine the power of the Major Method and using Memory Palaces to memorize vocabulary to memorize anything in our sky. These techniques will work for you whether you want to memorize: The order of the planets in our solar system, Stars, moons, and dwarf planets, Spacecraft, astronauts, and astronomers, or Celestial bodies in galaxies far away. And if you want to learn more about our solar system, I highly recommend The Planets — a companion book to the BBC series. According to the publisher, “Andrew Cohen and Professor Brian Cox take readers on a voyage of discovery, from the fiery heart of our Solar System to its mysterious outer reaches.” Now let’s look at one of the first ways people usually learn the planets in order. Acrostic or Acronym to Remember the Planets? For the purposes of today’s post, we’ll stick to memorizing the order of the primary planets in our solar system, in order from closest to furthest away from the sun. What if you could take a “backpacking” tour of the solar system as part of your quest to understand how to remember the planets in order? Or, you could use an acronym to remember the planets… but MVEMJSUN isn’t a very sensible one, right? Instead, what if you used an acrostic? An acrostic is a poem or composition that uses certain letters in each line to form a word. So for our planets, we might see acrostics like: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles. A fun brain exercise is to think of as many different acrostics as you can using the first letters of each planet. Quite frankly, I think acronyms and acrostics are not good ways to remember the planets. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense, in my view. And I believe we can do better! I think that we can do it in a way that allows us to turn what we do to memorize the order of the planets into a memory palace. In fact, it’s not just the planets you can use to create a memory palace — let’s look at your other options. What Else Can You Use As a Memory Palace? In the image below, we supposedly see Giordano Bruno looking out beyond the known solar system to imagine all the stars that lay beyond. Photo credit: Flammarion woodcut of Giordano Bruno I particularly enjoy the work and writing of Bruno, and have incorporated him into a series about the Art of Memory on YouTube. His book De Umbris Idearum and Ars Memoriae: On the Shadows of Ideas & the Art of Memory (as well as other works) talk a lot about the stars and the constellations, and how to use them as memory palaces. If you go on to read The Hermetic Art of Memory by Bruno’s student Alexander Dicsone, you’ll discover a means of using the mansions of the moon as Memory Palaces. In part two of the Art of Memory playlist, I show you the quote where Bruno essentially tells us (here I’m paraphrasing), “My solutions are just examples. Go your own way. Make your own mnemonic examples. You don’t have to memorize what I have memorized or use my tools…” And if you really want to understand The Art of Memory you do need to understand something about the stars, what Bruno may have done with them, and what this practice is all about. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkZ2FG

If you need to memorize the 27 Amendments to the American Constitution, you’re probably thinking it’s going to be a lot of work. Instead of indulging in overwhelm, consider the following fact: For thousands of years, people have been using memory techniques to commit far more than 27 pieces of information to memory. In fact, there are people alive today who have committed entire books to memory — including the Constitution itself! So if you’d like an easy way to memorize the amendments, today’s your lucky day. There are at least three ways to do it, and I’ll reveal all on this page by covering: 1. The number rhyme system 2. The pegword system 3. The Memory Palace technique Let’s get started. 1. How to Memorize the Amendments Using a Number Rhyme System Number Rhymes are very basic and visual, which is why they work so well. Basically, you will associate each number with an object or person. For example: 1 is a bun 2 is a shoe 3 is a bee 4 is a door 5 is a hive The trick is to make sure you make each rhyme and image much more specific than an abstract old bun. For example, I think of the buns you used to get with Kentucky Fried Chicken when I was a kid. (I don’t eat fast food anymore and haven’t for over a decade to protect my memory. I eat these foods that improve memory instead.) To create a number-rhyme system, get out a piece of paper and make a rhyme for each digit. Make sure you think about specific shoes and bees that you have a special connection with. Then, when you think of the first amendment, which discusses “Freedom of Religion, Assembly, Petition, Press, Opinion, and Speech,” imagine that specific bun you’re thinking of with a gag on it while it’s trying to give its opinion. If “one is a bun” doesn’t work for you, try RhymeZone for ideas. You might choose the sun, or combine a bun with the sun. For example, you can imagine your opinionated bun having his rights burned up in the sun. Let’s try the second amendment: “The freedom to bear arms.” You have to admit that it’s pretty unforgettable to imagine your favorite pair of shoes signing its application forms to purchase a new handgun. What about something a bit more abstract, such as the third amendment: “No military in your home except in wartime”? Provided you have some specific bee or bees in mind, this should be no problem. For example, I think of The Bee Movie, starring Jerry Seinfield. I have him and a swarm of bees dressed as soldiers trying to enter my home. I meet them at the door with the third amendment to remind them they’re not allowed here. Is this method the best? It certainly is effective because it tells you the number of the amendment, but it’s also a bit random. It’s also relying solely on the strength of two levels of association: a rhyme and an object or cartoon character. But what if you have to memorize the exact amendment word for word? We’ll get to that with the Memory Palace technique, but first, let’s consider a similar alternative to the number-rhyme approach. 2. How to Remember the Amendments with a Pegword System Pegwords are very similar to number-rhymes. It’s just that there’s no rhyme and people tend to use the alphabet. For example, let’s say you’re memorizing the fourth amendment, “No unreasonable searches or seizures.” Let’s use the letter D and assume that we’ve covered the first three amendments with A, B, and C. With this approach, you assign a person or object to each letter. For example: A = Al Pacino (insisting he has the right to speak freely) B = Ben Kingsley (registering for a firearm) C = Cookie Monster (refusing the military entrance into his home. For the fourth amendment, you might assign Dracula to the letter D and imagine him explaining to a cop that he has the right to be free from search and seizure without good reason. If we assign E and Ernie from Sesame Street to the fifth amendment, you could have him almost incriminating himself and then catching himself just in time. Can you spot the weakness with this technique? It has all the same problems as the number-rhyme approach — but in this case, you have to know the number of each letter of the alphabet. That said, you could combine the two. In fact, if you did, you would quickly learn the number of each letter of the alphabet. For example, if you decide that six is drumsticks, you could have a philosopher like Michel Foucault for the letter F in your association. He could be pounding away on drums and chanting that he has “the right to a speedy and public trial.” If you would like lists of all my images for number-rhymes and the alphabet, please see my post on using the pegword method. 3. Using The Memory Palace Technique to Remember the Amendments A Memory Palace is probably your best bet. It will allow for a few things: It helps you have a “canvas” for leaving your images so you can find them later You can remember the number of each station by using a number-rhyme You can use Recall Rehearsal to harness the serial-position, primacy, and re

If you’re looking for a review of the Mega Memory program, you probably just want to know: Does it work? The answer is yes and no. If you’re a beginner, this book will almost certainly help you understand the basics of association and develop a peg system. If you’re an intermediate user of memory techniques, it might give you a few insights. If you’re an expert mnemonist, it probably won’t add much to your skillset. But you might find it useful and interesting for historical purposes. You can also consider it a chance to review core concepts and potentially think about the memory techniques from another angle. But will it “work”? No. And that’s because memory techniques are not things that do anything. It’s people who put the techniques into use. Just as no machine or dumbbell at the gym builds any muscle until the owner of the muscle puts the weight into motion, no memory technique does anything unless you put it to work. When you put any memory training to work, you can almost certainly expect: Better memory Increased focus and mental clarity Boosts in confidence But it’s you who does the work to learn the techniques and put in the practice. (How could it be otherwise?) With this core principle in mind (one that is true of all memory courses on the planet), let’s take a deep dive into what Mega Memory is and think about whether or not it’s worth your time. Here’s what this post will cover: Mega Memory by Kevin Trudeau: Everything You Need to Know What is Mega Memory? What Mega Memory Covers Who is Kevin Trudeau? Mega Memory Review: Can It Help You With Memory Improvement? Let’s get started. Mega Memory by Kevin Trudeau: Everything You Need to Know First, we’ll clarify what exactly Mega Memory is (and is not). What is Mega Memory? It’s important to know that there are multiple versions of this memory training. These include: Multiple print editions Multiple audio editions (Mega Memory and Advanced Mega Memory) Some of the audio editions may or may not include: A workbook A pocket guide In this review, I’ll be referring to the print and audio editions. For all intents and purposes, they are essentially the same. The audio program has the benefit of the speaker’s enthusiasm and asides, though some listeners may find these aspects tedious and even grating. The book opens with a very important list of acknowledgments and thank yous. I point this out because the creator, Kevin Trudeau, never claims to have invented or even innovated any of the techniques taught in the book. Instead, he places himself in the position of the learner, which is what all of us should strive to be for the course of our learning lives. Unfortunately, many reviewers often state that there is “nothing new here.” Such assessments are problematic for two reasons: If you don’t know these techniques, they are definitely new to you. There are innovations to the memory techniques all the time. Individual readers might not be able to spot them due to a lack of context. It’s dangerous to pay attention to such reviews because you simply don’t know what you don’t know. This raises the question: What can you expect to know about memory after you go through Mega Memory? What Mega Memory Covers The program opens with tips on how to make the most out of the learning experience. You are given ground rules, which are generally good to follow for many courses of study. These pointers include: Go through the lessons in order Study in short blasts Take breaks Schedule your practice Remove distractions Do not eat before reading or practicing Trudeau also asks you to self-test your “teachability.” This is important because some people just aren’t willing to do what it takes to get results from memory improvement courses. This point links to an insight given by David Berglas in A Question of Memory. In this book, Berglas describes memory not as a “unitary mechanism” or thing — instead, memory is a behavior. It is something we do and how we do memory matters a great deal. Next, you’ll learn: How to make associations How to chain associations together (sometimes called linking) Creating and using the pegword method Creating various lists that amount to using your body and home as a Memory Palace Applications for the memory techniques including names, numbers, vocabulary, and spelling How to memorize playing cards You also get lists of words for stimulating what amounts to your own 00-99 object list based on the Major System. You also get an extensive “name guide” to practice with — something that might be useful for even the advanced practitioner who wants to practice in a park without the distractions of a smartphone or other device that goes online. Who is Kevin Trudeau? Unfortunately, many people missed the opportunity to learn from this book due to a few colliding issues: According to Wikipedia, the FTC required Trudeau to stop marketing Mega Memory using infomercials. He made claims about photographic memory that are obviously false because photographic m

It’s hard to find a decent guided visualization specifically to reduce anxiety, isn’t it? That’s because too many people focus on the “visual” part, when really good guided meditations always include multisensory experiences. You really need to dig deep into all the senses to root out anxiety issues, after all. In fact, without integrating the visual with the kinesthetic, auditory, emotional, conceptual and senses of space, taste, and smell, using your mind’s eye on its own can never be as powerful as what I imagine you want to achieve. So let’s look into how to point guided visualizations toward tackling anxiety in depth. Then I’ll give you a guided visualization with tips on how to build your own multisensory experience for tackling anxiety with even better results. I used my own self-crafted visualizations during my PhD. They helped a ton specifically because I created them on my own. Here’s what this post will cover: What is Guided Visualization? The 3 Key Benefits of Guided Visualization 3 Guided Visualization Exercises That Reduce Stress and Anxiety Other Forms of Guided Visualization You Can Try Let’s get started. What is Guided Visualization Specifically For Stress Reduction? Humans have been guiding each other’s mental states since the dawn of language. Plato’s Dialogues are filled with stories like the Allegory of the Cave and the Tao Te Ching uses many metaphors to teach us how to live better in the world. Although these texts are typically read (or heard as audiobooks), they rely upon similar techniques in order to guide us to certain conclusions. Perhaps Franz Mesmer (1734-1815) is the person who really started working with guided visualizations. Mesmerism evolved from “animal magnetism” and the use of magnets on the body to a practice that involved the “mesmerist” staring, waving hands, and using language to try and induce healing for the sick. We now classify mesmerism along with other pseudosciences like phrenology and alchemy. According to Sabine Arnaud in On Hysteria: The Invention of a Medical Category between 1670 and 1820, it is possible that Mesmer’s greatest influence was on other practitioners, not patients. He was known to tell people, “Go forth, touch, cure.” This suggestion directly influenced the development of hypnotism. Although discredited, to this day people still use pseudoscientific techniques that resemble Mesmer’s strategy, including bracelets, crystals, and forms of touch they believe to have an effect on the “animal magnetism” of the human body. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) later developed the hypnotism spawned by Mesmer and used mental imagery in psychoanalysis. Inspired by his teacher, Jean-Martin Charcot, Freudian concepts of “free association” encouraged patients to generate and describe their own mental imagery. They were typically guided by the analyst’s encouragement to speak “whatever comes to mind,” and overcome their inner objections or “resistances” to sharing their thoughts and fantasies. Guided visualization really hit its stride with figures like John Grinder and Richard Bandler, who arrived in the world of hypnosis around the same time the mass production of audio and video distribution became possible. As these men worked on developing neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), they drew heavily upon the ideas and therapeutic work of Milton H. Erickson. One of Erickson’s main observations was that not all people respond to the direct commands of hypnosis. For example, direct commands will involve statements like, “When I end the count of three, you will close your eyes. One… two… three…” As an alternative to this kind of command structure, Erickson developed a number of “passive” or “indirect” statements that led individuals to follow commands as if it was their own idea. “Whenever it feels right, you may like to close your eyes, if you feel your lids growing heavier along with the sound of my voice.” These statements not only make you feel as if it is your choice to follow along, but they are multi-sensory. Although some of the people I just mentioned have been controversial, we know from more conventional studies like this one, that significant reductions in anxiety are possible when you find or create guided visualization experiences that work for you. Now you have a brief history, let’s look at the benefits you’ll get. The 3 Key Benefits of Guided Visualization Given the questionable history of these techniques when it comes to real results, are there any benefits to practicing any kind of visualization? Yes! There’s a catch, however. There always is. Perhaps a personal story will help explain the benefits and encourage you to experiment with an open mind — but not one so open that your brains fall out. 1. Defining Outcomes and Creating Action in the Absence of Motivation When I was completing my Ph.D., I absolutely did not want to write my dissertation. I spent a few years gathering research, but my graduate supervisor told

Are you looking for the perfect set of memorization techniques? Yet, you keep getting frustrated? Well, don’t blame yourself. Because it is frustrating, isn’t it? I mean… everywhere you go people are using different terminology. Linking… P.A.O. … Mind Palace… Roman Room… Journey Method… Mnemonic Peg System… How Real Are The Promises Of Memorization Techniques For Students And Mature Learners?   Very real! But we still have to deal with a lot of different terms. I mean, lets face it: All those terms sometimes make the whole memory improvement world feel a bit like a hoax. After all, even if science backs up the memorization techniques we talk about on this blog 100%… Why the heck can’t people get their terms straight!?! Well, let’s get the painful truth about the world of memorization techniques out of the way: Whether you want to know how to memorize a speech fast or are desperate for memorization techniques for studying… You’re going to come across a lot of different terms. That’s just the way the world of memory improvement ticks (and other professions that rely on terminology). Things have been this way since humans started developing memorization techniques to help them survive. And it’s only getting more complex! But in reality, a lot of those techniques are essentially the same. Each and every one has a location-based element in one way or another. That means that all memorization techniques are spatial. And as Thales, the first person in the West to be considered a philosopher and scientist in the same body, said: Megiston topos hapanta gar chorei (Space is ultimate for it contains all things) That’s the very cool thing about the discoveries here at the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast. Once you understand this and practice with memorization techniques from this basis, your results will accelerate. And the complexity eases down, even if there will still be ins and outs to consider. And if you’re interested in more about the history of where mnemonics come from to help humans deal with complexity and how they used space to do it, please check out Lynne Kelly’s The Memory Code. Just as we do here on this blog nearly every week, Lynne’s book will show you exactly how learning these techniques will help you deal with extreme complexity in modern life. My course which you can subscribe to at the bottom of this post will take you through everything too. It’s free. For now, let’s persist and do our best to get past all the confusing terminology. Let’s talk instead about the…   5 Memorization Techniques You Can Use To Learn Anything Faster 1. The Memory Palace Technique Ultimately, the memorization technique that will help most people the fastest is the Magnetic Memory Palace. You’ll hear this technique called by different names, such as the “method of loci” or the Roman Room. All you’re doing with this mnemonic device is turning a familiar location into a mental “journey.” You then place associative images along this journey so you can revisit them later according to a specific pattern. This pattern is known as “Recall Rehearsal.” It lets you get information into long term memory quickly and with a high level of accuracy. This outcome happens because the Memory Palace technique lets you harness the power of: The Serial Positioning Effect The Primacy Effect The Recency Effect The Von Restorff Effect Using all of these techniques combined can take a bit of practice, but if you’ve ever wanted to know how to to improve focus, this combination of techniques is the ultimate way to do it. Of course, it helps too if you know about motivation in learning too, such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. 2. Multi-Sensory Association Imagine walking into an exam that you know you will pass with 100% certainty. It’s totally possible if you have the right memory techniques on your side. Like the Memory Palace technique. (In this episode about Giordano Bruno, Scott Gosnell talks about how you can create a Memory Palace out of the examination room itself.) But in order to use the Memory Palace well, you have to know how to place the best possible associations inside of them. To do that, you need to look at the spellings and sounds of words and then creating links or stories in your Memory Palace. This website is packed with mnemonic examples showing you how association works inside of a Memory Palace. Have a look at these details tutorials for a number of visual examples: How to Memorize Anatomy How to Memorize the Periodic Table How to Memorize the Presidents How to Memorize a Song How to Memorize a Speech How to Memorize Vocabulary   3. Acronyms   As one of the supporters of the Magnetic Memory Method once said: Use the right memorization technique for the job or go H.O.M.E. The acronym stands for: Huge Outcomes Means Exercising And let me tell you, if you want to know how to remember things you read or learn a new language, y

Giordano Bruno wrote many fine books about the art of memory. Sadly, most of them were unavailable in English for the longest time. Things are different now. My guest today, Scott Gosnell, is the man to thank. He’s spent the better part of a decade translating Bruno’s books for modern English readers. The latest release in a very fine series is Song of Circe and On the Composition of Images. Scott is also the CEO of Windcastle Venture Consulting, a public speaker, part-time college lecturer and the author of Startup Geometry. In our conversation today, we talk about Bruno’s enduring importance for students of mnemonics. We draw out the core ideas of balance and how you can craft a relationship between imagination and memory and get the most out of Bruno’s theory of confabulation. We also discuss Bruno’s techniques for the Memory Palace and just how advanced his approach was for his time. Thanks to Scott’s work, these “next level” approaches are even more relatable for the here and now. So if memory techniques have you intrigued, but you want more, this episode is for you. Or if you’re having trouble fitting into the mold of how you “should” be committing complex information to memory, you’re about to find encouragement. Or if you’re seeking a fresh start along your career path and you’re overwhelmed by a lot of material to learn… Why not give the advice of a “heretic” a try? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbAUo5OHLTE Want to know more? Just press play above and to learn more about: The dual-role of student and teacher in academia…and the need for both The reason learning language out of necessity, not desire, can be of greatest motivation How variants of singular truth and dual, or even multiple, modalities can exist in harmony, and what this means for committing that “truth” to memory Bruno’s philosophy of a three-level universe (and how it’s even more relevant today) Why organization is subjective, and how you can make it work for you, even if to someone else it looks like a “jumble sale” The differences between copying and composition, and the reason the latter can be both more beneficial and easier Why memorization is not always a perfect recollection, but instead a simplified reimagination (and why it’s perfectly natural!) Why memory benefits both judgement and decision making How we simply break down Bruno’s ideas of subject, abject, and intention, to easily incorporate them into memory work The proven method for describing philosophical ideas – where, if we’re honest, we all can get stuck trying to memorize them Why Hermeticism is so attractive, especially to students of memory The Clavis Magna, perhaps Bruno’s greatest mystery Further Resources on the web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Bottlerocket Science – Scott’s blog and his own podcast Scott Gosnell on Twitter Windcastle Venture Consulting The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt – referenced in this podcast Scott Gosnell Talks About Giordano Bruno – our previous interview John Michael Green on Giordano Bruno, Memory, and Time More Memory Palace Books You Should Read The Art of Memory Playlist on YouTube

My biggest mistake as a kid was asking for cliche abilities like x-ray vision instead of the memory superpowers I really needed. And if you made mistakes like that too, it probably isn’t your fault. After all, we’re taught to daydream about easy solutions far more than to enjoy deep training. The question is… Why is it that our global societies don’t prioritize learning to use our memories better at a younger age? To help answer that, and help all of us correct course for the future, I sat down today with Nelson Dellis. Nelson is a four-time US Memory Champion and Grandmaster of Memory. He is an author, world memory record holder, co-founder of the Memory League competition, and founder of the Alzheimer’s awareness charity Climb For Memory. Today we discuss Nelson’s latest book, Memory Superpowers!: An Adventurous Guide to Remembering What You Don’t Want to Forget. This excellent follow-up to Remember It! is geared towards helping younger students enhance their memorization skills. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF_vOuyIx2A   In our conversation, we delve into the benefits memory training creates. These include: Thinking freely through the lens of memory Discarding the self-imposed filters we utilize in our daily lives to truly revolutionize our work The joy of letting our imagination run wild and boundless It’s been said that parents learn as much from their children as the child does from their parent along the journey of growing up and growing older…perhaps even those who aren’t parents can embrace those same lessons, viewing the world through the eyes of a child once again. So if you’re searching for an out of the box way to grow your memory practice… If you’re tired of the rules and the “shoulds” of how things should be done… If you’re a student and think memory work is something only grownups with “bad memories” do… Get this book, go through the interview and become the teacher of your children you need to be so you can learn from them a.s.a.p. Ready to dive in? All you have to do is press play above and listen in as we explore: The concept of “active” reading, and the more fitting title for anyone who turns the pages of a book The importance of engagement and immersion in learning How dialogue is an effective training method Why creativity is crucial in memory work (and how anyone can be creative…yes, you!) Perspective for memory training – because “easy and fun” is not always realistic The usefulness of simplicity (back to basics using the alphabet) …and in contrast the case for the “complicated” modern video games as memory palace inspiration The benefit of familiarity in constructing paths in The Journey Method Possibilities for linking ancient memory practices with modern technology…benefits for the screen-oriented An argument that mastery isn’t necessary for memorization, but instead, just the opposite! Yes, really! The demonization of memorization in the educational system, and why we should be praising its virtues instead. And so, so much more. Further Resources on the web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Nelson Dellis’s official website Nelson’s YouTube Channel Follow Nelson on Twitter Find Nelson’s books on Amazon (including Memory Superpowers!) Extreme Memory Improvement With Memory Champion Nelson Dellis How to Win the USA Memory Championship Memory Improvement Techniques for Kids

Do you want to give a presentation that everyone in the room remembers? I know I sure do. That’s why I did one thing first after getting the invitation to give a TEDx Talk: I picked up the phone and called Thomas Krafft. I’d seen Thomas give a presentation about a year earlier and knew he was good himself. I also knew about his Presentation Boss company and the help it offers people around the world through the Presentation Boss Podcast. I even wound up appearing on this episode of the show to talk about memorizing speeches. Although Thomas has now recast Presentation Boss as Blue Box Data Storytelling, I learned a ton as a result of working with Thomas when he was still coaching speakers. Plus, the proof is in the pudding. My TEDx Talk hit it out the park with over four million views, setting the stage for even better talks to come. Now… if you’re a regular here, you might be thinking… Hang on, Anthony! You’ve been speaking for years! What do you need a speaking coach for? Good question. Here’s the low-down: Although I’d been writing and delivering lectures at universities around the world for nearly ten years, not to mention using the best techniques to memorize my speeches without notes in oodles of videos and live streams, I was humble enough to realize that this particular stage was new to me. It’s also a huge opportunity and I didn’t want to “wing it” as I’ve done so many times before. Thanks to the help I got from Thomas in his role as a presentation skills coach, it’s been a tremendous success, though ultimately you have to be the judge of just how successful… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM It’s NEVER To Soon To Learn How To Present Better Frankly, I could have used help to become a better speaker much earlier. Speaking actually isn’t that difficult for me, and neither is writing talks or presenting based on notes. What is difficult for nearly everyone is being your own critic and seeing things from an outside perspective. For me, seeing my own weaknesses is excruciatingly difficult… and all the more so as my meditation projects reduce the amount of thoughts in my head. In other words, without the external feedback of an expert… just because you might be able to crank out lots of writing, memorize it and speak easily in front of a crowd doesn’t mean it’s going to be good. In fact, without expert help, you can pretty much guarantee it’s going to be far from world class. And that’s what you want, right? To be understood, and above all, remembered. A Good Presentation Changes Lives You also probably want to know that you’ve touched lives too. You probably want to receive feedback like this: Dr. Metivier, I wanted to thank you for helping me release an immense amount of tension and negative thoughts in a manner of seconds. I was sitting on my couch two days ago with a heating pad on a massive knot in my neck. I don’t generally have physical manifestations of stress, and this was new. This knot came from stress related to the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and what that will mean for the US and the upcoming election. My Youtube recommendations are mostly cooking or travel related and the very rare Ted talk mostly related to topics i can use in my classroom. Self-help is not a topic that I think of much or watch videos related to, ever. Something made me stop at your TedX talk that appeared in my feed with an incomplete title “Two Easily Remembered Questions That Help Silence Negative…” So I watched it, then watched it again. Then I tried it. My stress and negativity released almost immediately. And then the tears started. a middle aged man, with a heating pad on his neck, bawling on the couch. It was glorious. It was so easy. Thank you for that. Thank you so much for giving me this small tool, these questions and this mindset. Stay Well and Stay Safe. Chris Drake San Diego, CA USA Do You Want Your Next Speech To Create An Impact Like That? The important points in Chris’s email, and in many of the comments on the presentation video are these: The content was good enough to go through twice The content was good enough to create a response My listener took action and got results. Why? Because when it comes to how you can memorize speeches quickly, there are rules that govern how and why good presentations create such results. If you want to discover these simple rules, let me introduce you to my new “secret weapon” for giving world class presentations that reach and help positively transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people: About Thomas Krafft Thomas Krafft is the co-founder of Presentation Boss (now Blue Box Data Storytelling), Australia’s premiere communications consulting firm. Across his career, Thomas has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and businesses refine their communication, specifically pr

If you’re in a rush to improve your concentration while studying, here’s the research-backed criteria I used to survive university and eventually earn my PhD. You need to start: Using spatial anchors via a technique called the Memory Palace Study in a variety of locations, not just one Remove yourself from your phone as much as possible while studying Use box breathing for mentally resetting your focus on demand Stop trying to memorize everything If you want more detail than that, today’s your lucky day. Although I did eventually graduate, the tips I share on this page transformed my frazzled attention span quickly. Before I learned these tactics, I nearly had to drop out of grad school before I learned what you’re about to discover. But in a very short time, I turned my concentration around and you can too. Easily. So if you’re ready to start stacking the chips in your favor, let’s get started. Here’s what this post will cover: Why Can’t I Focus On Studying? How to Focus on Studying: 11 Proven Strategies 1. Create Clear and Achievable Goals 2. Keep A Rigorous Study Schedule 3. Use Spatial Anchors 4. Block Out Distractions The Easy Way 5. Train Your Attention Span 6. Place Long-Term Outcomes First 7. Put Accountability On Autopilot 8. Track Your Progress 9. Use Tangible Study Tools 10. Keep Your Body Fit 11. Breathe and Meditate How to Concentrate On Studies The Easy Way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqXPvCnd09s   Ready to learn more about how to concentrate on your studies? Let’s dive in! Why Can’t I Focus On Studying? The main reason people can’t concentrate isn’t because they don’t know how to focus on studying. In my experience mentoring students, a lack of focus usually boils down to a fail in one of these areas: Lack clearly defined goals Haven’t scheduled specific study times Do not study in specially designated areas Fail to strategically block out distractions Have not trained their attention span Focus on getting good grades instead of developing skills Do not seek accountability from mentors, peers, or themselves Have no tracking systems in place Rely on smartphones and apps instead traditional and tangible study tools like physical notebooks and flashcards Include no dietary and physical exercises regimes in their daily routines Do not meditate or have knowledge of breathing exercises that can create a state of presence Can you relate to any of the focus leaks above? I certainly could when I was in university, especially since I did almost nothing to take care of my health or train my attention span specifically for studying as fast as possible. To sum all of this up based on research, failing to attend to each of these points keeps you trapped in endless loops of mind wandering. According to scientists in the journal NeuroImage, too many learners have no strategies to help them focus on tasks. It’s not just that people have multiple tabs open on their browsers and allow themselves to be endlessly distracted by notifications on their phones. They cannot enter what is commonly called “flow” (governed by the Task Positive Network of the brain) because of all the factors listed above. As this study about the Task Positive Network Shows, keeping it in good shape helps people deal with the heavy cognitive load and other mental demands of studying. The good news is that optimizing this aspect of your brain is simple. Even the simple act of breathing strategically can calm your nerves within seconds. In fact, it can work so thoroughly that you can get through far worse than lack of concentration while studying. You can potentially even land a plane suffering mechanical failure! How to Focus on Studying: 11 Proven Strategies Let’s look at each of the eleven strategies in detail. 1. Create Clear and Achievable Goals (The 80/20 Rule of Active Recall) Have you ever caught yourself saying something like, “I’m going to read 11 articles by the end of the day and remember everything!” If so, I’ve been there. And guess what? It never works. Instead, I’ve learned to create goals I can actually achieve. Long before James Clear wrote his international hit Atomic Habits, I got so sick and frustrated with my fanciful overreaching that I knew I had to change. I took a long hard look at how I was reading and using memory techniques and realized I was trying to have it all instead of focusing on only the most relevant information. I started to think of it as the Faust Syndrome. (Faust is a fictional character who sold his soul to the devil in order to enjoy universal knowledge of everything. But he ultimately realized knowing everything in exchange for eternal torment really wasn’t worth anything compared to the satisfaction of functional knowledge.) Although it would be many years before I heard about the 80/20 principle, I was aware of something called “the rule of redundancy.” Basically, it means most of the words in a book have nothing to do with its core points. Rather, they’re neede

The reason why nearly every visualization reading strategy fails is simply this: Visualization is not about seeing pictures in your mind. It’s about multisensory visualization based on a strategic process with a well-defined outcome — better comprehension and memory. If you’re tired of Googling “reading strategies visualization” and finding the same ineffective talk about creating “pictures in your head,” get ready for the real deal. Here’s what this post will cover: What Is Visualization In Reading? 3 POWERFUL Benefits of Visualizing While Reading With KAVE COGS 5 Easy to Implement Visualization Reading Strategies The Ultimate Visualization in Reading Tactic Let’s get started. What Is Visualization In Reading? Visualizing text while reading is just what it sounds like: mentally picturing images and ideas as you read. Simple, right? Not so fast! For example, how do you “see” the concept of visuality itself? Chances are, so many possible answers emerge that the visualization of visualization quickly falls apart. Then there are those with aphantasia — these are people who are said to not have a “mind’s eye.” Yet other people actually see text versions of the words they hear. It’s called ticker tape synesthesia (and is very rare). The fact of the matter is that there are many kinds of mental imagination, and to reduce visualization down to “pictures” is simply false. Instead, it can be any of these imaginative processes: Kinesthetic: imagine the feel and weight of binoculars and how they feel when you put them to your eyes. Auditory: hear the sound of an electronic microscope zooming in on a subject. Visual: specifically imagine the color of a camera’s metal and plastic parts, or how the light bounces off its surfaces. Emotional: imagine how it feels to see a loved one again after a long time apart. Conceptual: think about the concept of something being visual, perhaps by imagining the word itself appearing on a screen. Olfactory: imagine the smell of rain after you’ve heard distant thunder and seen a lightning clap. Gustatory: imagine the taste of that same rain. Spatial: think about the size of your vision in terms of how far you can see or how big objects are relative to one another. To remember all of these options, think of the words “KAVE COGS.” Then, whenever you read, move through each step strategically in order to make sure you’re using multisensory visualization. The next step is relational, which makes any word instantly multi-sensory by creating associations. Let’s take a well-known example: “Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends. The question of self-pity.” — The Year Of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion The first thing to do here is focus on the first word and think about images that relate to it. For example: life cereal – life magazine – the tree of life. Think of as many as you can in the beginning and run them each through KAVE COGS. Then think about change. You might bring to mind a handful of coins or magicians you’ve seen who quickly change their uniforms. Again, run your choices through KAVE COGS. “Fast” offers many options — and to give you an example of the conceptual mode from KAVE COGS, you can think about the practice of fasting. Keep going until you’ve completed each word of the Didion example (or an example of your choice). With practice, you’ll be able to select keywords from sentences, find associations for each, and run them through the multi-sensory tool I’ve shared. Next, let’s examine the positive impacts of doing this. 3 POWERFUL Benefits of Visualizing While Reading With KAVE COGS With a visualizing comprehension strategy like KAVE COGS in place, you’ll soon experience the following benefits: 1. Greater Focus Having the ability to seize upon every word simply by creating an association and running it through KAVE COGS means you always have a way to keep concentrated on a text you’re reading. If you find you want even more granular “hooks” while reading, you can create associations at the level of the letter using the pegword method. As learning expert Dr. Erica Warren demonstrates, this kind of visualization has been cited as useful for focus as far back as Aristotle circa 384 BCE. 2. Greater Memory When you tap into all of your sensations as part of how you visualize text, you’ll remember more. For example, “Life changes fast” leaps instantly to mind because I can taste the cereal, feel what it’s like to change clothes quickly, and have the taste of that first morsel of food following a period of fasting. The tactics on this page are just one reason scholars Bob Algozzine and Patricia Douville urged teachers to use mental imagery across the curriculum. But you don’t have to be a student — anyone can benefit. 3. Greater Comprehension When you have a reading comprehension strategy like multisensory visualization in place, you’re going to understand more. This will happen because when your focu

If you want to concentrate better, you probably think it’s going to take a lot of work. After all, your brain probably feels as limp as lettuce. Mine used to be pretty soggy too. But after I learned what I’m about to teach you on this page, it has become laser sharp. Even with chronic pain and mental health issues, I’ve improved my concentration enough to participate in memory competitions, learn languages and even give a TEDx Talk. The best part? You can easily practice every concentration exercise I’m about to share. Here’s what this post will cover: How Focus Works How To Improve Your Focus: 15 Easy And Fun Strategies 1. Assess Where You Are 2. Stop Asking Search Engines 3. Meditation and Mindfulness 4. Memorize Information 5. Choose Long-Form Content 6. Invest In Ad-Free Content 7. Play Games That Improve Concentration 8. Practice Sleep Exercises 9. Get Into Nature 10. Coffee and Dark Chocolate 11. Mind Map 12. Let Go Of Outcomes 13. See More Friends, More Often 14. Have A Vision And Long-Term Missions 15. Seek Complexity and Question Simplicity Challenge Your Concentration Daily For Best Results Let’s dive in! How Focus Works Your brain actually operates in at least two different “zones” of focus: Default Mode Network Task Positive Network The DMN is slow, plodding, and constantly tricks you into thinking about your past and future. Worse, it keeps you daydreaming about an alternative future that does not and cannot exist. What a waste of time! As happened to me, lingering in this mode has been scientifically proven to keep you bogged down and depressed. That’s why I’m so glad I learned how to get into the Task Positive Network on demand. Basically, this is the part of your brain that creates those dynamic experiences of flow. You know the kind: When time passes without you noticing and you feel amazing. You’re completely focused on the present moment and enjoying everything – like when you’re on a first date, riding your bike through a fun park, or playing a stimulating game. If you want to instantly fall into this incredible feeling of focus, keep your eyes glued to this page. I have science that backs up everything I’m about to share with you. And the best part is that all of these focus exercises are fun and easy to complete. How To Improve Your Focus: 15 Easy And Fun Strategies Let’s break down all 15 strategies in detail. 1. Assess Where You Are One of the problems people face is that they haven’t got a concrete description of the problem. As physicist and science educator Paul Black has shown, self-assessment is a major key to experiencing any kind of development. To keep things simple and fun, get out a piece of paper and rate your daily concentration on a scale of 1-10. (If you don’t like that range, change it to 1-100 or whatever you like). For example, I would rate myself a 9 most days. If I haven’t slept well, it might be a 7 or 8. The point is just to get a sense of where you’re at — then you can journal a plan for how to increase focus immediately. I also suggest you give yourself a series of metaphors. This is a science-backed activity I talk about in my book The Victorious Mind: How to Master Memory, Meditation and Mental Well-Being. I’m not alone in pointing out such science. Nir Eyal talks about similar research in Indistractable (highly recommended). 2. Stop Asking Search Engines (At Least Not Immediately) Some friends visited me in Brisbane a while back. We were talking about music and Richard Marx came up. I started to guess the year and immediately everyone but me reached for their phones to check the year of one of his most popular songs. “Stop!” I urged them. “Let’s try to figure it out and exercise our brains a bit.” We did and we came very close to nailing the exact year. I was actually right the first time, but second-guessed myself by one year. Constantly looking things up has led to something called “learned helplessness.” Martin Seligman and Steven Maier are two of the first scientists to study the problem. It’s really insidious because the more you train yourself to look up answers, the more likely you are to: Continue looking up answers you probably could find in your memory if you spent a bit of time practicing active recall Blaming your need to look things up on bad memory The truth is, your memory probably isn’t as bad as you think. It’s just lacking exercise. The next tip will help you catch yourself looking things up and start using your brain more often. The benefits will astound you. 3. Meditation and Mindfulness Meditation is essentially a practice and mindfulness is the result. You’ll be more aware of your environment and the thoughts rolling around in your head. In other words, you’ll spend less time in the Default Mode Network and more time in the Task Positive Network. This is useful because you start to realize that you are not your thoughts. You are more like the conscious witness to your thoughts. Or to put it another way, your thoughts are like clou

Zoning out sucks, doesn’t it? You’re sitting there, wishing you can concentrate, wishing you knew how to increase focus on demand … and yet … your mind is just dancing all over the darn place. Well, if you want to know how to improve focus and concentration so you can finally get those important things in your life done, the step-by-step process is quite simple: Get started by optimizing your environment, work on your body and start understanding how memory is involved in shaping your focus. There are nuances to those three steps that I’ve learned over the years as a PhD and full time memory researcher, so please make sure to read the entire post for all the details so you can enjoy rapid progress. Here’s a Table of Contents for you: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Focus The Fastest Way To Improve Your Focus How To Increase Focus With These 3 Quick Environmental Hacks How To Improve Focus By Concentrating On Your Body: 4 Simple Tips Want To Put These Instant Focus-Boosting Strategies To Work In Your Life? Ready to boost your focus? Let’s get started. Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Focus If you want to skyrocket your focus we need to start with the fundamentals first. Buckling down so you can get things done is not just about this mysterious thing we call “focus. It’s also about developing rock-solid mental skills that allow you to learn, memorize and recall anything. The process truly centers on memory because getting into focus draws upon a part of your psychological makeup called procedural memory. This means that in order to increase your focuse, you have to take action and start rewiring the brain consistently so that future focus-boosting actions start to take place almost automatically. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-zTkA8MW2k Here’s the deal, especially for people who regularly read this memory improvement blog: Without good focus, no matter how much time you spend using mnemonics or walking through Memory Palaces, very little will stick. Why? Because focus is to memory and attention what a key is to a lock. Yes, you can always force-open a lock. But it’s easier and smoother and faster with a key, don’t you think? As with increasing memory, far too many people get this point about focus wrong. They think it has to do with willpower. But willpower has been proven not to work: https://youtu.be/phhMItNvOac The Fastest Way To Improve Your Focus Meditation is great – and it’s probably where you think all of this is going. Don’t get me wrong. Its benefits are multiple and well proven. It helps improve concentration, mental and physical health. Even better, meditation keeps you young and happy. There is a downside to meditation though. It can take time to see the benefits. Plus, you need to commit to at least 4, 15-minute sessions per week. Well worth it, but not necessarily the path to instantaneous results. You have more pressing questions: What about that neuroanatomy revision for the exam tomorrow? Or the German phrases you need to memorize for your trip next week? Meditation is great and you should continue practicing it if you’re already doing it, but for all those moments when you need a quick focus fix, here’s my best tip: How To Increase Focus With These 3 Quick Environmental Hacks As great as meditation can be for increasing your focus, it’s not everything. So what else works? Making changes to my environment has been one of the quickest way to make an impact and offered the most bang for my buck. When it comes to making space work best for you, here are some of my best tips. 1. Create A Comfortable Workspace First, to focus on work better, improve the ergonomics of where you want to boost your concentration. Make sure your desk and chair are at a comfortable height so you don’t strain your back. Often a simple thing such as a small cushion or a rolled-up towel to support your lower back is enough to fend off that back soreness interrupting your workflow. Adjust the position of your computer and any other work tools you use. The optimal set-up for your desk space includes your monitor being at arm’s lengths away from your eyes and your wrists and hands on the keyboard straight at or below elbow level. These little tweaks will help your body stay comfortable at work. Check out this Mayo Clinic article for more info on office ergonomics. 2. Eliminate Noise Noise is another vital element of work environment many people don’t appreciate the effects of. Noise is not only a powerful distractor, but also forces your brain to do additional work by ignoring it. If you’ve ever worked in a noisy environment, you know how tiring this can be. Eliminating or minimizing noise in your environment can reap immediate benefits for your focus and memory. You don’t need complete silence, but at least try to minimize/eliminate conversations and anything that resembles con

You’ve experienced obstacles in your visualization meditation practice, right? I sure have, but I persisted and eventually found ways to break through all my blocks. But without any practical guidance, my progress took far longer than necessary. That’s why on this page, I’m going to share my best tips for visual meditation. The exact way to make substantial progress may surprise you. Here’s what this post will cover: What is Visualization? 5 Incredible Benefits of Visualization 4 Steps to Visualizing Through Meditation Meditation and Visualization, Simplified Let’s get started. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp3XNzfMA88   What is Visualization? We usually think visualization is about mental pictures. It is, but that’s just scraping the surface. And stopping at the visual level is why so many people get stuck. For example, did you know there’s something called aphantasia? It means not having a mind’s eye. I’ve been in this world, and yet I could still visualize while meditating. How? By using a full range of “Magnetic Modes” to experience multisensory visualization. We’ll talk about these visualization modes below. But for now, it’s important to consider what we get from going past pictures to multisensory visuals. 5 Incredible Benefits of Visualization There are a handful of important benefits a visual meditation practice brings. 1. Digital Fasting Boosts Memory Time away from devices creates mental focus, boosts concentration and extends attention span A lot of people look for visualization apps. In many cases, that’s going to be counterproductive. Instead, you get more benefits from leaving all the devices behind. I call this Digital Fasting. I try to get in at least one per day. Personally, I go to the local campus, sit on a bench, close my eyes, and visualize. By spending time visualizing with full knowledge that nothing will interrupt you, you’ll not only improve your mental imagery skills. You’ll also expand your attention span. Plus, the walking back and forth from your chosen meditation area gives you exercise and encourages diffuse thinking. As Alex Pang notes in his book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, many of the most productive authors and inventors visualized while walking. It was the walking itself that helped them come up with so many great ideas. 2. Creative Problem Solving When you visualize in a multi-sensory way, you practice what you can think of as “mental rotation.” You literally spin a problem around in your mind so you can see it from multiple angles. In the 13th century, Ramon Llull created a process called ars combinatoria that used visualization as a kind of mental machine. Not much is known about it, but one aspect seems to have involved thinking through a series of metrics. For example, you would think about how much something weighed, its length, width, color, and other aspects. Merely running through these characteristics helps the mind consider problems in a way that is not possible without multi-dimensional visualization. The 40 Triz Principles are a related, modern manifestation of this approach to visualization. You might look at something like this and ask, “What the heck does this have to do with meditation?” Please revisit point one and think of all the problems that people solved when they went back to first principles about certain problems and took a walk to “rotate” the various dimensions in their minds. 3. Encourages Deep Relaxation So long as you don’t place pressure on yourself, the benefits of visualization will shine clear on their own. But if you find yourself unable to ease into it without expecting a particular outcome, you can start by visualizing yourself as relaxed. You can imagine your own body using multi-sensory tools and then imagine each part relaxing. For example, you can visualize a warm blanket easing all the muscles in your feet, then your calves, thighs, lower back, etc. And by using a visualization of relaxing yourself, you get to meditate and practice meditative visualization at the same time! 4. Visualization Combats Negativity As I shared in my TEDx Talk, I think of negative thoughts in terms of the “like/dislike monster.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM Sure, that ancient image is a bit silly. But that’s the point. Visualizing attachments as a kind of dragon-like monster instantly helps me neutralize unwanted thoughts. In other words, you can use positive thoughts to get rid of unwanted ones through visualization. 5. Provides Emotional Stability When you practice visualization consistently, you have mental images you can revisit on demand. The more you practice, the more tangible they will be for you, leading to great mental strength. For example, when I went to defend my Ph.D. dissertation, I relaxed by mentally visiting my favorite bench near Lake Ontario. Although I was sitting outside the examination room in the Vanier College building of York University and should have been shaking in my boots, I wasn’

If you can’t stand your current lack of concentration, don’t worry. There are concrete steps you can take. They will reduce, and potentially eliminate, your problems with focusing. Fair warning: What you’re about to read is unlike anything else you’ll find on the Internet. You see, I once completed a Ph.D. during a time when I swallowed concentration-destroying antidepressants with beer. Yet… I had powerful strategies. Instead of experiencing difficulty concentrating, I was able to laser-focus on large amounts of information I needed to remember for my exams. Then, when I sat for those exams, I was able to recall that information with ease – even though I did not feel very well. In sum, pay close attention to the tactics I’m about to share. I learned them from real-world experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwfMHtPgXlE Curious about what this post will cover? Lack of Concentration? Here’s the Solution Proven Remedies For a Lack of Concentration The Science Behind Concentration Problems 3 More Common Causes Behind Your Difficulty Focusing 3 More Strategies for Destroying Your Lack of Concentration Conclusion: Concentrate On Creating Memories Worth Having Ready to get started? Let’s dive right in. Lack of Concentration? Here’s the Solution   The first step is to commit. Yes, you need to commit to becoming a dedicated student of focus and concentration. When I first realized that I was having concentration issues, that’s exactly what I did. In my case, I was used to committing to large learning projects. I’d completed a BA and an MA in English literature. Despite all the odds as a student with mental illness, I’d also managed to get into a Ph.D. program. Here’s a quick exercise: Get out a piece of paper and list 2-3 times you’ve accomplished a goal before. It could be completing high school, learning a language, getting a job after submitting multiple applications, or anything that has meaning for you. What you’re looking for is proof that you’re capable of completing learning goals. If you can do it once, you can do it again. Proven Remedies For a Lack of Concentration The second step is to find resources that will help you develop focus and remove your inability to focus. These resources are bound to be different for different people. 1. Meditation One of the most likely sources for most people is going to be meditation. However, you need to understand that there is more than one kind of meditation. Plus, your gender might play a role in which kind might be the right kind for you. That said, you should avoid thinking about meditation as a singular thing. In truth, you want to create a “meditation habit stack.” Literally erase the idea of mediation as a singular thing and start to think about meditations. For example, my meditation habit stack looks like this almost every morning (sometimes I do it in the afternoon or evening depending on my schedule): Stretching Reciting mantras Silent sitting Journaling (general autobiographical journaling plus gratitude journaling) Walking meditation Cold showers (often silently running through meditations as I focus the cold water stream at a spot just below my lower lip) You absolutely do not have to master your meditation habit stack overnight. I’ve been practicing for years and keep discovering new things. You can read more about my exploratory journey in The Victorious Mind: How to Master Memory, Meditation and Mental Well-Being. There are many other sources you can pursue. I would suggest books by: Gary Weber (Happiness Beyond Thought) Shinzen Young (The Science of Enlightenment) Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now) Greg Goode (Standing as Awareness) Richard Wiseman (59 Seconds) Finally, here are 12 concentration meditations that will put you in the zone. Practice these for the next 90 days and you’ll be amazed by how much your focus has improved. 2. Diet As part of your commitment to removing your concentration problems, you’ll want to do a thorough analysis of your diet. There’s no magic bullet when it comes to optimizing your eating habits for focus. However, it’s common knowledge that the foods we eat create our states of mind. Going back to the ancient world, people have known that there are at least three kinds of foods: Foods that make us feel lazy or tired Foods that make us feel energetic or agitated Foods that make us feel peaceful Everyone is going to be different. To find out how you respond to different foods, keep a food diary for the next 90 days. It’s not about right or wrong. You just want to look for patterns. For example, I find that I cannot concentrate well after eating rice. Does this mean that I don’t eat rice? No. It just means that if I need to read or write after a meal, I eat something else instead, like salmon with carrots and celery. For me, those foods keep my mind clear and focused. I only know these things because I’ve completed: Food elimination diets Rotation diets Low FODMAP diets LEAP assessments Food tolerance

I’ve you’ve misplaced your car keys and worry that its because of one or more memory disorders, you might also be experiencing symptoms like the ones we’re about to discuss. Forgetting a new acquaintance’s name, for example. Or feeling confused about what day of the week it is right now. Now, this kind of mental confusion could be a sign of a memory disorder. But these are also all common occurrences. They even happen to memory athletes who excel at recalling all kinds of information with high rates of accuracy. To help you decide to what extent you may or many not be facing a memory issue, I’ll walk you through 5 common memory disorders and their symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment on this page. I’ll also introduce you to a powerful technique to supercharge your brain power and help prevent simple memory loss. Who am I to talk about such problems? As a PhD and Mercator Scholar, I’ve been studying memory and teaching it for fourteen years. I’ve also had a family member suffer from early onset dementia. So it’s on the basis of more than a decade of research and personal experience that I’ll cover the following for you: What Are Memory Disorders? Five Memory Disorders: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Why Must Memory Disorders Be Diagnosed Early? How To Strengthen Your Memory? What Are Memory Disorders? An Overview Forgetting your house keys, or losing other common items is an example of basic forgetfulness. There are some fairly easy and direct ways to stop losing things, and they are well worth learning. As discussed in this tutorial on how to stop losing things, for example, struggling to remember things in a cluttered home is not a symptom of memory problems. It’s a clutter issue that can be strategically improved very quickly. But when memory impairment starts to interfere with your daily tasks, social activities, and work, then you might have a memory disorder. Memory disorders are problems associated with communication, decision making, recollection, reasoning, and cognitive skills. A memory problem could also occur due to neurological damage to your brain structure. Besides causing immense psychological stress, they also affect your ability to create, store, and recall memories. Memory impairment could occur due to: A side effect of medication Brain impairment Trauma to the head Substance abuse Vitamin deficiencies An untreated metabolic disease or infection Cardiovascular disease Heredity Aging It’s tough to pinpoint the actual reason for memory disorders. And this is what makes their diagnosis challenging. Plus, scientists continually identify new memory disorders. As this recent study shows, new ways of imaging the brain have led to knew theories of how and why the brain degenerates. It’s a constantly shifting field, so it’s important to keep yourself updated as much as possible. With that point in mind, I hope your curious to know if your memory problem is a memory disorder. Let’s find out. Do Age-Related Memory Problems Always Mean Memory Disorders? Cognitive decline usually develops with age. Older adults with no memory disorder problems may pause to remember directions, but they do not get lost in familiar places. Forgetting where you kept your reading glasses is just a sign of normal aging. In this normal aging process, your judgment remains intact, and the memory problem doesn’t affect your routines. However, if an older adult starts forgetting what reading glasses are and how they are used, it could point to a memory disorder. Research indicates that the amount of hippocampal neurofibrillary tangles or protein deposits in the cortex help differentiate between normal aging and a memory disorder. Are all memory disorders alike? Short answer: No. Different memory disorders have different progress rates and involve different brain structures. Some memory disorders like Alzheimer’s are progressive, and it may take years before the symptoms appear. Others like frontotemporal dementia are also progressive and cause reduced brain function in the frontal and temporal lobes. Damage to brain function caused by traumatic brain injury like a car crash has an immediate effect. Some of these cognitive disorders can be treated, while others like anterograde amnesia don’t have a cure yet. However, there are many scientific solutions to assist patients to go about their daily lives. Early clinical assessment can help determine the future course of action. Behavioral neurologists can assess the patient to understand the extent of cognitive impairment. Patients can take remedial steps by attending a memory disorders program to manage symptoms and improve their quality of life. 5 Memory Disorders: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment Let’s take a look at 5 common memory disorders. 1. Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease – a type of dementia – which causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. It also happen

If you want to know how to memorize the periodic table, chances are you’ve heard the following advice: Use songs Use flashcards Use acronyms or acrostics Use associations Use a Memory Palace Some trainings even suggest that you combine all of the above in order to speed up the process. If such vague suggestions make you want to pull your hair out, let’s talk about the truth so you have a real shot at getting what you want: The only way anyone can memorize the periodic table quickly is to already be good with memory techniques, ideally the Memory Palace technique. In fact, you’ll probably want several Memory Palaces in the manner I’ll show you in this guide. But don’t put the cart ahead of the horse. And don’t fall for the clickbait nonsense about memorizing the massive amount of information on the periodic table “fast.” Rest assured, there’s no question that it can be done. You just need to have the real secrets of how to do it already working for you. Here’s what this post will cover: The Right Way to Memorize the Periodic Table What Do You Need To Memorize From The Periodic Table? How to Memorize the Periodic Table: A Proven Process How to Remember Each Element How To Make Sure Each Element Gets Into Long-Term Memory The Problem With Software For Learning The Elements So if you’re ready for the real deal and really want to know how to learn the periodic table, let’s get started. The Right Way to Memorize the Periodic Table As I’ve just revealed, this process is only going to be fast if you already know your way around memory strategies like the Memory Palace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sahjk-OENKc But even knowing how to memorize the elements of the periodic table will not necessarily mean that you’ll actually do it. And it also doesn’t mean that you’ll understand the information encoded by the table. So the first step you need to cover has nothing to do with memory techniques. You have to know your reason why. Seriously: Why do you want to memorize this information? If you don’t already keep a Memory Journal, get one. Then, on a fresh page, write out at least 5 reasons why you want to memorize this particular information. Is it to show off? To pass an exam? To become a great chemist? If you cannot find five distinct reasons why, then it’s time to face the facts: You’re probably going to give up because the sheer mental strength needed without a reason why is just too much for most mere mortals to pull through such a goal. What Do You Need To Memorize From The Periodic Table? Next, think about exactly what you need to know. Do you need to know the names? The abbreviations? The atomic numbers? Do you have to recall each element in order? Do you have to be able to visualize the table in your mind? These possibilities are important to know, because this information will shift how thoroughly you approach the task. Next, I want you to make sure you perform a bit of “brute force learning.” This means knowing: Who created the Periodic Table When it was created Why it was created What changes have been made to it over time What problems it solves How it solves those problems As you go through its Wikipedia and associated information, you’ll be laying the groundwork for some of the next-level memory tools that will help you truly learn it, not just memorize its information. You’ll see just how important this will be for your success soon. How to Memorize the Periodic Table: A Proven Process Now that we’ve abandoned the fantasy that this task can be done quickly without pro memory skills first, and covered having a good reason why, here’s the next step most memory experts and memory athletes would use: Have a number of Memory Palaces ready. I think of these clusters as “Memory Palace Networks.” To create them quickly, go back to that Memory Journal. How long should it take to create each Memory Palace? The answer depends on your current level of skill. But for most people who complete my training, each one should take no more than 2-5 minutes. I suggest you draw them and there are at least three reasons why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtbecR_HgaE   Now, there are many different ways you can configure your Memory Palaces. I’m going to take you through an intermediate-level suggestion that will hopefully get you excited so that improving your skills with memory techniques is a no brainer. But always remember this: How you choose to proceed will depend on your exact goal, something only you can identify. Let’s continue with the steps you need to consider. Obviously, you’ll want a diagram of the Periodic Table. You can download this one for free at Pixabay. I suggest you print it out and paste a copy in your Memory Journal. Put a second one on your office wall, or somewhere you’ll see it every day. That’s not to help you remember any of the information. It’s to help you remember your commitment to the goal of memorizing everything on it. Spend some time just looking at the information.

Want to know how to memorize a monologue fast? I don’t blame you if your mind is bogged down with questions. When I was preparing to memorize my TEDx Talk, I wasn’t entirely sure how to best approach the task either. Strange, I know, especially given that I was invited to give the talk as a memory expert. All the same, I had the same questions that many people face when approaching a task that involves reciting a lot of text from memory… without any cue lines from other actors to help you out. These questions include: Should you memorize the monologue word for word? Or is there a form of “compression” that allows you to memorize any monologue without having to create a mnemonic association for each and every word? The answer is yes. There is an approach that makes memorizing texts easier and faster. And once you have this technique under your belt, all that stress and anxiety around your auditions will permanently melt away. So if you’re ready to impress every casting agent in the industry for the rest of your career, all you have to do is read this post. Then turn the knowledge and experience I’m about to share into action. Let’s get started. How to Memorize a Monologue Quickly in 10 Steps Most trainings on monologue memorization talk about breaking the piece down and emotionally connecting with the piece. That’s all fine and dandy. But the real magic happens when you have a robust mnemonic strategy that goes beyond your standard memory techniques. The ultimate of these strategies is called a Memory Palace. When using it, you’ll automatically break the monologue down into manageable parts. But to use the technique, you need to actually have a Memory Palace. But developing and using one is not necessarily the first step. I’ll walk you through the Memory Palace technique and give you some examples. First, however, please make sure to consider zooming out for one of the most important memory aids of them all. Step One: Read And Analyze The Entire Piece The Monologue Comes From So much of acting is actually understanding. You need to understand the motivations and the reason characters wind up having them in the first place. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to read the piece in isolation. Other times, you will benefit from additional research. Your character might live in a different era or area of the world, for example. Or your character might embody a belief system that is different than your own. It can be useful to know more about what the character you’ll be performing holds dear. Textual analysis will also be useful, but not necessarily by reading all kinds of commentary. You’ll want to think reflectively for yourself about what the text means. That will help you adopt the role and let the character (or your message) inhabit your mind more completely. Step Two: Choose A Suitable Memory Palace In case you’re new to the Memory Palace technique, it’s simple to grasp. All you do is select a familiar location, create a mental journey through it and then lay breadcrumbs that help you recall what you want to remember. For example, to remember my TEDx Talk, I chose the apartment I was living in and used the surrounding neighborhood. It was the perfect size for just over thirteen minutes of material. To rapidly create a Memory Palace without turning it into an epic task, I suggest you draw a floor plan based on the location you choose. Keep in mind the amount of material you need to memorize. For a four page monologue, I needed one apartment and the sidewalk space along a couple of short streets. If it helps your imagination, you can pick a location that is thematically related to the topic of your monologue. For example, if it’s about health, you could choose a hospital or a spa. If you’re reciting the speech of a criminal, you could choose the area around a police station, etc. Then, you want to break your text down into individual lines. Rather than try to tackle a “wall of text” in the form of long paragraphs, separate the text into 1-2 lines maximum. That will make it easier for you to focus on matching the lines to the various areas in your Memory Palace. Here’s the Memory Palace I used for the monologue I delivered for the TEDx audience. It’s based on a Brisbane neighborhood I used to live in. The red line indicates the journey I followed. Each of the tritons indicates the “stations” where I assigned the associations that helped me memorize each and every word of the monologue. I’ll explain how you can do this yourself next. Step Three: Assign “Magnetic” Associations When using a Memory Palace, we want to use as few associations as possible for the maximum amount of words without sacrificing accuracy. To show you how this is done, let’s take an example from Shakespeare. This is the opening of Hamlet’s famous monologue: To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings

When I first reached out to Joseph Rodrigues, I wanted to ask him about how he mind maps books. After all, I think you’ll be very curious too after you see the dozens of books he’s mind mapped on his YouTube channel. All of these map examples are dedicated to showing you the nature of your mind and how to deeply integrate your learning. Joseph is an entrepreneur, YouTube content creator, IT industry veteran, host of the podcast Insights & Perspectives, and management consultant. In addition, he develops courses in personal development and teaches entrepreneurship techniques to professionals of any age at Online Training for Entrepreneurs. Joseph’s journey, covered on his bio, is fueled by curiosity, a constant need to know, and in our conversation we explore the concept of knowledge and its unbreakable bond to questioning. Not only questioning “Why?” but, more broadly, “What –“ “How –“ and “What if?” All of this questioning leads, not necessarily to answers, but a skillful way of thinking called “discernment.” For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9JmZxqsslE Mind Mapping Helps Us Ask Better Questions Using mind mapping and this powerful method of asking questions, Joseph explains on today’s episode how this process adds fuel to the accelerated learning techniques our community uses. We not only explore the concept of mind mapping and questioning for personalized, accelerated learning, but how to integrate these techniques into our lives to create and nurture flow. This makes for easier choices in life as we combat chaos. Not only during the workday, but every day. So if you’re looking to get rid of that feeling that you need “just a few” more hours to focus on work… If you’re frustrated and have a feeling that life is just out of your control… If the restrictive box of being told how you “should” be learning just isn’t working for you… This podcast is for you! Stay questioning, stay curious and press play to tune in as we share ideas about: Comparing two popular methods for achieving mind map mastery and the pros and cons of each The many reasons knowledge is valuable (not just personally, but sharing what you learn with others!) The true definition of accelerated learning (Hint: It’s more than just speedreading!) Defining quadrant/format-based learning styles for effectiveness Why context is so important (and without it why you’re actually working against your learning goals) How Memory Palaces and mind maps improve retention (from a non-memory worker’s perspective) The truth and practical application of the 80/20 rule What M.E.A.T. really is (and why its opposition is more than something just vegans can get behind!) The two-fold secret to combatting information overwhelm Why staying “in flow” is so beneficial to life in multiple areas and the reason it’s a “universal language” What stagnation really means (it’s more than just “standing still”) Further Resources on the web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Joseph’s Official Instagram Joseph on Facebook Joseph’s Youtube Channel The E-Myth Revisited (Michael Gerber) – book discussed in this podcast Reality Transurfing (blog, books, and social media – official site) Concentration Meditation: 12 Focus Exercises to Get You in the Zone (MMM Blog) What is Mind Mapping? The Ultimate Guide to Using This Powerful Tool (MMM Blog)

Want a quick and easy way to memorize the presidents of the United States? On this page, I’ll show you how based on the ancient art of memory. Even better, I’ll show you an intermediate-level memory skill using some seriously high-powered mnemonis that will let you add the dates in office for each president. And if you want to go full-blown expert-level, you can add more presidential details too. The more you explore memory techniques for powerful learning goals like committing American historical figures to your memory, the more you’ll be up to the demands of even the most rigorous memory tasks. And when it comes to the historical importance of America as a shining light of democracy, it just makes sense to commit to memory as much about the presidents as you possibly can. Excited to master the entire list? Here’s the memory skills this post will cover: How to Memorize the Presidents: An Ancient and Proven Method A Proven 3-Step Process for Memorizing the Presidents with a Memory Palace Intermediate: The Best Way To Memorize The Presidents Advanced: Adding More Information to the Presidents Common Questions About Memorizing The Presidents Let’s get started! How to Memorize the Presidents: An Ancient and Proven Method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uokCF1viizk First, you need to build a Memory Palace that is suited to the task of memorizing the presidents. What’s a Memory Palace? A Memory Palace is a well-formed mental journey that you create in advance. Typically, it is based on a familiar building or route. You assign exactly the amount of “stations” or stops that you need for each president. Some people prefer indoor journeys. Others like a mix of indoor and outdoor locations. And some people only use the outdoors. Yet others use fantasy locations like the homes in TV series or the landscapes of videos games. How do you choose which approach to use? The answer is easy: Start simply and keep in mind that you need quite a bit of space for all of the presidents. So let’s do the math as of 2020. The current list involves 47 names. (Okay, Trump is repeated twice, but you’ll still want to distinguish which numbers he takes in the historical order.) That means your Memory Palace needs to have 45 different “loci.” That’s the Ancient Greek term used when talking about the Method of Loci. This has also been called the Roman Room method. To make things more contemporary, I now call these “loci,” “Magnetic Stations.” You’ll see why when we get to the more advanced techniques. Once set up correctly, you can use them to literally stick more information in place, just like a magnetic can hold a calendar to the surface of a fridge – and allow you to slip in receipts, concert ticks and more. Getting Started Tips: To create 47 stations, I suggest you draw them on paper and make a journey that is linear and logical. It should not be something you have to memorize. It should be a journey that is already in your memory. That will save you time and energy. For example, I will use this apartment and the surrounding neighborhood: A Memory Palace Example for memorizing the presidents based on my local neighborhood To identify 47 stations, I will start in the most logical spot that allows me to move slowly and in a linear journey. This is important because you want to move without confusing yourself as you proceed from one place to the next. Numbering the stations is easy and might look like this: Although this numbered Memory Palace won’t have all the presidents, it’s easy to “teleport” to a second one to finish the list. Of course, you don’t need to hire a fancy artist to represent your Memory Palace for the presidents. You just need to get out a piece of paper and draw it. Like this: Start small. You don’t have to memorize all of the presidents in the same Memory Palace. You also don’t have to memorize all of them at once. What you will need, however, is a strategy, and the Memory Palace technique is the best for reasons we’re about to explore. A Proven 3-Step Process for Memorizing the Presidents with a Memory Palace 1. At this point, we’ve got the first step covered: Have one or more Memory Palaces prepared in advance. This step is really important because you will slow yourself down if you create the Memory Palace as you go. This creates mental issues like worrying that you’ll run out of space or lead yourself into a dead end. 2. Step two is to begin with the first president and the first Magnetic Station of your Memory Palace. You need to bring them both to mind at the same time. Let’s start small with the first four presidents and just one room of a Memory Palace. This one is made from an apartment I used to rent in Berlin, Germany: In your imagination, place the first president in the first corner of the Memory Palace you create. If you’re not visual, a quick sketch will help. As I think about that first corner, I’m also going to think about George

Is it really possible to stop mental torment? Can the human mind actually completely stop thinking? These were the questions on my mind when I started combining my use of memory techniques with meditation practices. I had no idea what I was in for. But after experiencing incredible outcomes, I knew I had to share what I’d experienced with others. So I started writing a lot about the connection between memory and meditation. These writings quickly culminated in The Victorious Mind: How to Master Memory, Meditation and Mental Well-Being. In today’s episode of The Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I’m sharing the opening of the audiobook with you. And I hope you will enjoy it. First however, I have to offer you a… Trigger Warning: The opening of The Victorious Mind is gritty. But for those unfortunate enough to suffer from scattered thinking and endless torrents of negative thoughts, I’m confident you’ll relate to my story. And having heard from hundreds of readers about the impact it has made over the years, I have every reason to believe that The Victorious Mind will help you make a positive change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM About The Victorious Mind The Victorious Mind tells the story of how one man – film scholar and creator of the Magnetic Memory Method Anthony Metivier – overcame the mental distress that imprisoned him in a “highly functioning manic-depressive” identity, and almost took his life, using three practices: self-inquiry meditation, memory training, and “biohacking.” But more than a story of self-transformation, the book offers detailed guidance through the techniques Anthony used to release himself from the haze of lithium along with the illusion of self. Both entertaining and erudite, brain-science informed and stripped of BS, The Victorious Mind takes us along on a journey through cities of the world and Memory Palaces of the mind, where there are bad acid trips along the way but also Buddha Smiles. The Victorious Mind is peopled with a surprising range of figures, from members of his Magnetic Memory Method community and Ancient Greek mnemonists, to secular-spiritual teachers of today such as Gary Weber, whose translations of ancient Sanskrit self-inquiry texts play a central role in Anthony’s self-transformation. This book is ideal not just for those struggling with mental illness but for anyone suffering mental malaise – whether it’s digital amnesia and scatterbrain, depression or “control freakism.” What sets this book apart is also what defines its key message: there’s no one technique, no one path to freedom and quality of mental and physical life, and there’s no one teacher. Rather, it’s the act of assembling the insights and practices of others with experimentation in one’s own body and mind that will enable us to be our own teachers, bring peace of mind and focus, and free ourselves from negative thinking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ox4AyqQm_T4 Praise for The Victorious Mind If only The Victorious Mind had been written ten years ago… It would have saved me a lot of frustration and self-blame in failing to keep up my regular meditation practice. Now I not only know why I struggled so much, but what to do instead. – Seph Fontane Pennock, Co-founder, PositivePsychology.com In The Victorious Mind, Anthony Metivier brings his terrifying experience of mental illness together with his depth of knowledge of memory systems to show how using mnemonics systematically can ease a troubled mind and replace terror with joy. This is a unique book from an author who speaks from a lifetime of experience beyond anything I could have imagined. – Lynne Kelly, author of The Memory Code and Memory Craft Anthony Metivier has a compelling personal story and a remarkable, practical methodology of helping us move beyond our stories and into the living truth. With one foot planted firmly in the relative and the other rooted in the Absolute, Anthony has hit the sweet spot that combines the two – which is authentic nonduality. – Fred Davis, author of Awaken Now and The Book of Undoing With so many memory books out there, this is really the first I’ve ever seen that heavily intertwines the ideas of meditation and memory. I’ve always felt the two go hand in hand and Anthony really does an amazing job at showing that! I highly recommend this book! – Nelson Dellis, 4x USA Memory Champion and author of Remember It! The Victorious Mind is a masterful book written by a master of the field. Anthony Metivier has written an invaluable resource to anyone who wants to learn to fully utilize their cognitive capabilities to build a sharper mind and a better life. – Nir Eyal, bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable At last, someone has remembered the true purpose and potential of the Art of Memory. In times past, it was seen as a path of self development. Using its methods you could bring health, harmony and excellence in

Ever really stopped and thought about how language learning occurs? When you’re a child the majority of the way learning occurs is listening and speaking, right? But what about when you progress in school and you are taught a second language as part of your curriculum? Is it the same process? Or is the focus more on reading and writing? Listening and speaking are innate, they’re organic, and it seems like they just happen “naturally” after much “natural” coaxing from parents and other people in the environment. Or are they…? Normally, we might say that reading and writing are human technology, an invention that differs from language itself. But learning these tools of representation language visually also involves a lot of coaxing and they are not any more or less invented than language. And when it comes to writing, it’s just a fact that some people go to school for decades, earn PhDs and still can’t write their way out of a cardboard box. I know this from personal experience because I’m still struggling to de-academize my own writing after all those years of indoctrination! 😉 But guess what? Mastering your target language doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to be a struggle if only you make a shift in how you think about and approach the task of learning a language. Don’t think it’s possible for learning a foreign language to get easier? Think again and prepare to welcome the ease and flow that “just happened” with your native tongue. How? My guest today is John Fotheringham, the man behind AnywhereImmersion.com (formerly Language Mastery). He’s also the author of Master Japanese and Master Mandarin. He is self-taught in these languages and and now teaches others his techniques through courses and his podcast, The Language Mastery Show. John and I go deep into the “why” behind language learning. Sure, technique is high priority, but we dive into the reasoning and the psychology that drives (or can hinder) one’s learning journey, and the change necessary in institutions to truly revolutionize the learning process. We even go, as John says, “off the rails” a bit and veer into questions of free will, mortality, and their place in self-taught education. So even if you’re not currently on a journey to master a second or third language there’s something here for you as well. Finally, we explore the idea of depression, its role in learning, and how a modified framework through the lens of your personality type can help you achieve your learning goals. This conversation with John is broad, enlightened, and, above all, encouraging. If you’re struggling with not fitting into the box of how you “should” be learning John reminds us that, indeed, there is no “one size fits all.” Remember: You are not the problem. The problem is the box. You are not broken. The system is. Encouraged? Intrigued? Press play now and discover: Why mastery and fluency are very subjective, and why they should be defined loosely The importance of pronunciation in language learning, and why more emphasis should be placed on it The reason why learning should be shifted in focus to listening and speaking versus the more traditional reading and writing emphasis Why courage is important in language learning and the psychology behind it is just as important as technique or motivation The secret to avoiding “fossilized errors” with pronunciation with hyper focused minimal pairs How best to utilize your time when choosing material to practice reading in your target language Why curiosity should motivate learning, especially language learning Why morality and biology should be separated to avoid the guilt with undesirable tendencies, or even just “beating yourself up” for not obtaining language mastery as fast as you believe you should Breaking the stigma of language learning and its ease for children (pro-tip: the key may not be in the age of the learner, but relies on the “audience”) Why ego has no place in language mastery Why you can feel a sense of empowerment, even with depression, to achieve your learning goals The reason learning should be tailored to who you are (and how to do it) Further Resources on the web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: John Fotheringham’s author page on Amazon.com Lingodeer HelloChinese Memory techniques for Chinese with Mandarin Blueprint How I memorized Chinese characters to pass level III in Mandarin The additional method I used to help me learn Chinese Gretchen Rubin’s The Four Tendencies and Shinzen Young’s The Science of Enlightenment (referenced in this episode) Teach Yourself Using the Best Language Learning Books How to Learn a New Language Fast: A Step-by-Step Guide Bilingualism: Why Language Learning Makes for a Healthier Brain Sunil Khatri’s Japanese Mnemonics Mastery Success Story

If you want to know how to memorize a song, the process can be much easier. Yes, even if you need to memorize chords and lyrics at the same time. You can even speed up how you memorize solos on the guitar, keyboard or any instrument you play. How do I know? As a touring musician who also happens to be a memory expert, I’ve done more than merely explore various memory strategies for remembering all kinds of music. I’ve performed on stages around the world. I can also remember the first time I sang in front of an audience. Sure, I was just a little kid in grade two, and I didn’t have a guitar at the time. But it was still quite the experience. I remember that I used rote learning at the time, a process that was more difficult than it needed to be. These days I know better, and on this page, I’ll show you how to make the process a lot easier. I’ll help you memorize songs thoroughly — know the lyrics, the notes, and how to do individual runs or riffs. Ready to flex your music memorization muscles? Let’s get started! Memorizing Songs With Mnemonic Devices Vs. Without To begin, we need to discuss the elephant in the room: I teach and use mnemonics to rapidly remember pieces of relatively complicated music like this: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_HHChKwNkVU However, many people prefer to teach rote learning. Here’s what their advice typically looks like: Listen to the song repeatedly to familiarize yourself with the melody and lyrics. Break the song into sections and memorize using chunking. Separate learning the lyrics from learning the much. Visualize the song using images and scenarios that trigger your recall. Practice the lyrics without singing them, i.e. recite them as if they were poems. Engage emotionally with the music to make it more memorable. Repeat and use deliberate practice for the tricky parts. Practice regularly. Much of that advice is great. And it can work especially well if you’re already well-versed in music theory. However, I couldn’t use all of those tips when I was called to go on tour. I just didn’t have the time. For example, in the image below you see me playing in Berlin after being called in to learn ten complex songs for a tour with The Outside: In order to learn all of the songs in less than two weeks, I used a variety of mnemonic devices. These were important because as you can tell from a song like Empire, I had to remember notes, rhythms and understand chord structure for my limited, but vitally expressive bass runs. Here’s what’s involved. Memorizing Songs With Mnemonic Devices As we go through these mnemonic devices, please don’t feel overwhelmed. They can all be learned within a weekend. Once you have them, you’ll be able to apply them to all aspects of music. Music mnemonics come with a bit of a “catch,” however. Music is inherently mnemonic. As scientists have put it, music provides a kind of mental scaffolding, so the more you understand about your instrument and things like the circle of fifths, the less often you’ll need mnemonics. That’s okay. Once you know all the strings by note and how to memorize key signatures quickly, you can use memory techniques for many other things. Keep in mind too that performing from memory is not always desirable. As Jennifer Mishra’s research has shown, during certain historical periods, audiences did not like how performing from memory led to alterations of the music. Andreas Lehmann has also shown in Psychomusicology that various production factors influence the extent to which you need to memorize music. In my experiences, it totally made sense to read from sheet music while performing in an orchestra. But it never made sense while playing in a four-piece band. The key differentiator is style of performance based on audience expectation. With that in mind, let’s look at memory techniques for complex songs where you absolutely need to perform from memory without sheet music. One: Visual Associations For The Main Notes & Chords The basic strategy is simple. Rather than thinking abstractly about the notes by letter, give each one an image. Here’s how I do it for A through G using the pegword method: A = Al Pacino B = Bert from Sesame Street C = Cookie Monster D = Dracula E = Ernie F = Foucault G = Grover This simple foundation means that if a simple chord sequence moves A-G-D, then the story method helps me remember that Al Pacino is doing something weird to Grover who then does something strange to Dracula. Two: Add Mnemonic Images For Sharps, Flats & Naturals What you’ve just learned is the basic logic of how mnemonic images work. Using alphabetical association, you pair something highly familiar with something abstract. To know whether a note is sharp or flat, you can place objects in the hands of your famous figures. For example, take F#/Gb: Here, I’ve given Foucault a Swiss Army Knife because knives are &#82

Control. In everyday life, or for the layman control is defined as a power to influence or direct others. If you’re out of control you’re said to be “off the rails,” or too wild to handle. Unpredictable. But there’s another definition of control. Control, as defined by science is “a subject or group in an experiment where the factor being tested is not applied, hence serves as a standard for comparison against another group where the factor is applied.” When it comes to science, control is used to make the data we’re measuring immune to influence. Simple enough, right? My guest today is Boris Konrad, International Grandmaster of Memory. He is a four time Guinness World Record holder, and lecturer on and teacher of memory. Professionally, Boris works as a neuroscientist and researcher at Donders Institute in The Netherlands. He is also an award winning keynote speaker of the prestigious German title of “5-Sterne-Rednerpreis.” In his years of research, Boris has taken the idea of examining the element of control far beyond the constraints of the scientific method. As a record-setting memory champion he has incorporated a scientific approach to memory improvement, treating his own regimen as an experiment, marrying his experiences in neuroscience to stretching the limits of memory work personally. In our conversation, Boris shares his story of overlapping profession and self-improvement and how you, too, can serve as your own control, stepping into the role of scientist in the laboratory of your mind, no neuroscience degree necessary. We talk about all these matters, and so much more that will benefit your memory training. All you have to do is press play above and discover: What parameters should truly define science as a whole, and what distinguishes scientific guidelines How neuroscience research began with the work of a single scientist and has evolved into many areas of study Why retention time is influenced by the method by which information is encoded How memorizing for competition differs from memorization for the purpose of learning The tradeoff (and benefits) of investing time into experimenting with new memory techniques in your Memory Palace training routine What constitutes a real feat of memory (and it may not be what you think!) How mixing and matching memory techniques can be the most powerful tool for improvement The reason intelligent spaced repetition works (and why robots aren’t all that bad) How reusing Memory Palaces is possible without falling prey to the ghosting effect, no modifications required The cause of spatial memory and how exactly science has recently proven this hypothesis of organization Why the brain fills in gaps of what it fails to remember The benefits of solo memory training and using yourself as a control, rather than comparison to others for measured improvement Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Boris Konrad’s Official Website Superbrain! (Boris Konrad’s memory training course) Boris’s TEDx Talk Interview with Johannes Mallow

As you sit down to read… Your Messenger beeps. An email alert shows up next. A child wails outside. And your neighbor decides to practice his Conga drums (very loudly) on this bright, sunny morning! You need to turn on your selective attention. Now, where’s the remote to that thing? Spoiler alert: Getting your selective attention to work impeccably is not as simple as pressing a button. But if you are willing to put in the effort, I have some quick and easy ways to help you master the art of concentration. In this post, I’ll explain how selective attention works and how you can use it to improve your attention abilities. Here’s what this post will cover: Selective Attention: The What, Where, and How? A Walk Down History: Selective Attention And Its Theories Are There Different Types of Selective Attention? The Link Between Selective Attention And Memory Why You Must Strengthen Your Selective Attention 5 Magnetic Ways to Boost Your Focus & Memory Ready to get started? Let’s go! Selective Attention: The What, Where, and How? Before you can learn how to improve your selective attention, it’s important to understand just what it is. What Is Selective Attention? Selective attention is the process of concentrating on certain stimuli in the environment and not on others, according to the American Psychological Association. This allows you to push all incidental or unnecessary stimuli into the background or to the periphery of your perception, without actually removing the interferences. So, what is attention, you ask? In cognitive science, attention is the ability to focus on a particular stimulus, sustaining it and shifting it at will. There are four types of attention: 1. Divided Attention: Doing more than one task simultaneously. 2. Alternating Attention: Also known as attention switching — where you switch attention between two things. 3. Sustained Attention: Focusing on one thing or activity for a long time. 4. Selective Attention: What if you were able to direct your attention only on your presentation deck – or your novel or your driving – despite all the distractions around you? That is selective attention. The amount of selective attention you apply will depend on your capacity to concentrate and the interruptions around you. It can be a conscious or unconscious effort. In his book The Principles of Psychology, pioneering psychologist William James, famously says: “Focalization, concentration, of consciousness, is of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatter-brained state which in French is called distraction, and Zerstreutheit in German.” Where Do You Use Selective Attention? Here are some examples of the usage of selective attention ability in everyday life: Studying or working with the TV switched on. Listening to a podcast on the radio amid noisy traffic. Listening only to what the teacher says despite friends talking next to you. Reading a book or memorizing from a text book without getting disturbed by the noises in a coffee shop. Hearing the cry of your baby even if you are completely engrossed on your laptop. Hearing the ambulance siren, and making way for it, even if your attention is on the radio. How Does Selective Attention Work? Selective attention in young and older adults is a great example of contextual modulation by the brain and the visual cortex when it faces a cluttered scene (visual, or relating to any of the senses). Let’s try to understand the neural functions behind selective attention. Experiments by Basilis Zikopoulos and Helen Barbas of Boston University revealed a pathway from the amygdala to the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). The amygdala assesses the physical characteristics and importance of stimuli and relays it to other parts of the brain. TRN is a hub for attentional processing. Scientist Francis Crick called the TRN an “attentional searchlight” due to its orientation as the primary inhibitor of the sensory thalamus. More recently, a team of neuroscientists at McGill University led by Julio Martinez-Trujillo also got evidence of a neuron network in the lateral prefrontal cortex of the brain being responsible for visual processing and filtering visual features. They implanted a multielectrode-array implant (red square) in the lateral prefrontal cortex area (8A) of two macaques. This is where the active neuron network filters visual information and allocates attention, and is resilient to interference. Source: Neuron Now that you understand the what, where, and how… let’s look at a few of the models behind selective attention. A Walk Down History: Selective Attention And Its Theories Selective attention has been a focus area in the study of experimental psychology. To fully grasp why and how your attention span works, it is important to go through the various theories. These theories help pinpoint how individuals prioritize

Can you really supercharge your memory with memory vitamins? There is a multi-billion-dollar industry touting “advanced nutrition” to “upgrade your intelligence” with a “proprietary blend” of magic nutrients. Let’s find out if these ginkgo and ginseng pills can improve your cognitive faculties or cure absent-mindedness and dementia, as their labels claim. In this post, I’ll dive into numerous memory supplements available today, and the truth behind them. I’ll also show you three natural, effective ways that guarantee improved concentration and a razor-sharp memory. Here’s what I’ll cover: Why Do We Take Supplements to Boost Memory? Can Vitamins and Other Supplements Really Help you Improve Memory? The Truth Behind Memory Supplements Things to Remember When You Buy Memory Supplements Do Your Lifestyle Choices Affect Memory? 3 Effective Alternative Ways to Boost Your Memory Why Do We Take Vitamin Supplements to Boost Memory? Cleverly packaged and marketed vitamins for memory are too attractive to ignore — thanks to some of the perceived long-term effects and benefits. Memory vitamins claim to: Enhance blood flow in your brain. Boost energy. Promote communication between brain cells. Help brain cells form new connections, increasing plasticity. Increase motivation and creativity. Improve focus and alertness. Lower fatigue. Help in Alzheimer’s prevention and in curing other neurodegenerative diseases. Prevent oxidative stress in the brain. Lower the damaging effects of free radicals and brain inflammation, and more. How true are these claims? We need to delve deeper. Can Vitamins and Other Nutrients Really Help You Improve Memory? There are plenty of single-vitamin supplements or proprietary blends available today. They could be vitamins and minerals (vitamin B, C, D, E, K), herbal extracts (Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Curcumin, Bacopa), natural molecules (Acetyl-L-Carnitine amino acid, Docosahexaenoic Acid, Huperzine A, Magnesium l-threonate) or synthetic compounds (Choline bitartrate). To understand whether they help, it is important to look at the clinical trials linking them to memory improvement. Vitamin B: Vitamins B12, B3, B6, and folic acid slow down cognitive decline, lower high homocysteine levels, and are used in Alzheimer’s treatment. Homocysteine is an amino acid. It is also believed that folate might prevent Parkinson’s disease. Studies show that these vitamins slow the atrophy of brain regions that are involved in Alzheimer’s disease. However, vitamin B12 and folate supplementation may not always reduce memory problems. Vitamin E: This antioxidant lowers oxidative stress in your brain cells. A study proved that adults with high levels of vitamin E are less likely to suffer from memory disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) slows down functional decline in people with moderate symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin D: This vitamin protects against cognitive decline and dementia, and reduces the risk of heart disease. However, patients suffering from heart disease may not benefit from higher doses of this vitamin. Older adults who had severe vitamin D deficiency were found to be more likely to develop cognitive disease like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Be aware that excess amounts of this vitamin can lower your reaction time. Vitamin C: Apart from cutting your colds short, vitamin C helps improve brain health with its antioxidant properties. It also crosses the blood-brain barrier to remove heavy metals like lead. Researchers found higher vitamin C levels in those who were cognitively intact versus those who were cognitively impaired. But it’s not clear how much of it is needed to support cognitive function. Also, your intake may not always translate into enough of the vitamin in your blood. Check out this Chief Life article for more on the benefits of Vitamin C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bekJx1fDJE0 Vitamin K: High levels of this vitamin are known to improve verbal episodic memory in older adults. Elders with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease were observed to have a deficiency of this vitamin. High doses can worsen clotting problems in those who have severe liver ailments. Ginkgo biloba: Bottled ginkgo biloba contains ginkgo leaf extracts. It is said to prevent mild cognitive impairment and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients. It is also considered to be beneficial in treatment of Parkinson’s disease. But, a 2008 study demonstrated that it could increase the risk of stroke. That’s why I personally skip using it, along with many other so-called natural memory enhancers and memory supplements. Ginseng: Ginseng is a slow-growing, short plant with fleshy roots. While American ginseng improves working memory performance, Asian ginseng improves brain performance and lowers mental fatigue. It is also effective in counteracting the aging effects of free radicals. Curcumin: Curcumin or turmeric root is

No one has demonstrated the multi-sensory nature of memory techniques with as much grace as Anastasia Woolmer. In fact, Anastasia has literally married memory training with physical activity. This means that she’s released the Memory Palace journey and associated memory techniques from the mind. One of those ways is through dance. This is wonderful, because I’m asked frequently about how to memorize movement. Although I’ve played around with it, finally our community has access to the processes by someone who has spent a great deal of time with this memory-movement skill. It turns out there’s a lot to it – and some standards that already exist in dance. To supplement the audio, you can check out a demonstration for yourself by watching Anastasia’s TEDx presentation. Then, dig into this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method and learn the “mnemonic logic” behind the movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gA2lcNWloU   As you can already tell, Anastasia reminds us that mental imagery is not just visual. Indeed, the best memory strategies always encompass all our senses. The most solid and beneficial techniques incorporate all these senses into a unique and powerful tool that is universally accessible. The Path Of A WorldClass Memory Expert and Memory Athlete On top of being a self-taught, two-time Australian Memory Champion, Anastasia is a public speaker, memory coach, former professional dancer and contestant on Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders. As the Australian Memory Champion, she was the first female to hold the title in the country. Anastasia set the record for the most binary digits remembered in five minutes at 360, the most numbers remembered in 15 minutes, 304, and the most consecutive spoken digits without an error, at a remarkable 86. Anastasia and I discuss her path, and transformation, from a widely-held (and untrue) belief that her memory was fixed and could not be improved, into a history-making Australian memory champion. As we proceed, you’ll learn more about how she married ancient memory techniques to modern dance to create a method that truly worked for her. And this podcast and her wisdom is not just for aspiring dancers or choreographers. As Anastasia demonstrates during our chat, you don’t have to settle for rigid and inflexible learning techniques. You don’t have to be frustrated with attaining your learning goals. You are not tied down to any “right way” to do things. In the world of dance, I believe this is called free-styling. You’re not bound by the choreography of what moves you should make. Listen to your body, all your senses, and make the journey, and the dance, your own! Press play now and discover: The two components necessary to be a “fit” human How economics relates to memory improvement The best way to deal with the “initial panic” of an influx of new information to be committed to memory The benefit of memory exercise in a variety of environments, and why noisy surroundings can actually be great for memory training The “trick” to multitasked focus, and a simple activity that anyone can do to strengthen that skill The best method for recovering from memory mishaps, even in a public speaking setting How to use the Method of Loci to memorize and deliver a speech The similarities between writing a story and creating a Memory Palace journey When you shouldn’t memorize anything verbatim (even if it seems like a good idea and you want to strive for perfection – hint: you shouldn’t!) How learning more, more information, more skills, and taking on more hobbies, is an endless cycle, and why you want to be on it! The secret dancers naturally utilize that you will want to always employ in learning new information Why the best methods to memory improvement are multifaceted, multi-sensory, and completely inclusive and customizable, and why individuality is the most important facet of incorporating memory training into your life Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Anastasia Woolmer’s official website Anastasia’s Master Recall courses Anastasia Woolmer on Facebook 5 Sensory Memory Exercises for Better Memory Palace Success (MMM Blog) Aphantasia: Develop Your Memory Even if you Cannot See Mental Images (MMM Blog) Tansel Ali On How Gratitude Can Help You Remember Almost Anything 2023 follow-up interview with Anastasia as she preps to memorize the entire dictionary!

Do you remember your first trip? Maybe it was to Paris, or just a school outing. My first travel memory is with my family. We crossed much of Canada, camping and fishing our way from British Columbia to New Brunswick. And my first school trips were to a farm and a chocolate factory. You better believe I will never forget the chocolate trip! No matter where you went for your first outing, I bet you can describe it in all its technicolor details. Or how about this: Do you know the capital of Iceland? Or what about some other fact you memorized for a pop quiz or trivia night a few months ago? In all these instances, it is your explicit memory that helps you intentionally recollect facts and personal experiences. Amazing, isn’t it? In this post, I’ll explain all about explicit memory, how you form them and how you can build better and stronger memories. This is what we’ll cover: What is Explicit Memory? Are There Different Types of Explicit Memory? Implicit and Explicit Memory — How Do They Differ? How Do You Form an Explicit Memory? How Does Your Brain Retrieve an Explicit Memory? 3 Fun Ways to Boost Your Explicit Memory Let’s get started. What is Explicit Memory? Explicit memory or declarative memory is part of your long-term memory. You use it throughout the day. When you recall the time of your dentist appointment or recollect your 16th birthday party, you are using your explicit memory. Explicit memory needs conscious awareness. The cognitive processes of forming explicit memory are also often associative — you link different specific memories to form one consolidated human memory. There are two types of long-term memory: implicit and explicit memory. While implicit memory or procedural memory are skills that you pick up unconsciously and unintentionally, explicit memory is everything you actively work on remembering. Some examples of explicit memory include trying to remember the name of people you meet or trying to cram into your human memory that the capital of Iceland is Reykjavík. Although implicit and explicit are subtypes of long-term memory, when you think of memory function in “general,” you are referring to the explicit segment. What’s more? Implicit and explicit types of memory get affected differently with Alzheimer’s disease. While explicit memory is damaged in Alzheimer’s disease, implicit memory remains intact. Both implicit and explicit memory systems work together in healthy individuals. Fun fact: there are two other memory processes – short-term memory (also called working memory) and sensory memory (it retains sensory information like those from sounds in the form of echoic memory). A memory must move through these before a lasting long-term memory can be formed. Are There Different Types of Explicit Memory? We can categorize explicit memory into episodic memory and semantic memory. In 1972, Canadian experimental psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist Endel Tulving found a few differences between episodic and semantic memories and proposed the distinction between these two types of explicit memory. Curious? Let’s take a quick look: What is Episodic Memory? Episodic memory, like the name implies, is a memory of a previous experience, past event, or activity. Memories of specific events like your first kiss, that fantastic trip to Greenland, or your first prom are all episodic memories. Some episodic memories are also autobiographical, like remembering your date of birth or the street name where you grew up. You can consciously recollect these past personal experiences. You’re usually able to associate how you felt during these specific memories. That’s because your emotions are essential when it comes to memory consolidation. Your brain’s hippocampus is in charge of processing and storing your episodic memories while your cerebellum is involved in retrieval. If you can recall the excitement of your first day at university or the stress of moving to another home, you can very clearly remember everything that happened on that day based on how that episode made you feel. That’s the main difference between this type of memory and semantic memory. What is Semantic Memory? Semantic memory is usually based on knowledge that you picked up throughout your life and your capacity to recollect this knowledge at will. These aren’t based on personal episodes in your life. Semantic memory usually refers to general knowledge. Things like how WWI started in 1914 or how the White House looks are examples of semantic memory. However, it’s not just limited to general knowledge. For example, you know that the sky is blue, what an elephant is, and how to ride a bike. You probably started learning all of these when you were a kid, as you were starting to experiment and interact with the world around you. You don’t remember how you learned them and yet they’re still consolidated in your mind. These specific forms of memories aren’t tied to a feeling or to any personal experience. Implicit and Explicit Memory

We’ve all been there. Drudging through a book that’s hard to grasp without any decent reading comprehension strategies. What started out with such enthusiasm soon becomes a joyless task. ‘’What does that mean?’’ you cry out. And just as soon as you start getting into a reading flow… you’re rewinding again. It’s a killjoy. It sucks the pleasure out of reading. It’s enough to make you quit. And the scary thing is you miss out on so much when your reading becomes stagnated. But reading comprehension strategies are not just for teachers or struggling students. Mature learners need to keep pace with the younger generations and test their comprehension, too. With better comprehension, you can remember and use more of what you read. Here’s what we’ll cover today: 1. Something’s Missing From Your Learning Toolbox 2. Be Purposeful For Pleasure’s Sake 3. Physical Books — One Antidote to Digital Amnesia 4. Evaluate and Expand Competence 5. Monitor Understanding To Leap Ahead and Recalibrate 6. Recognizing Story Structure and Maps 7. Generate Questions to Branch Out 8. Make Inferences (and Predictions) Along The Way 9. Seeing With Graphic Organizers 10. Summarizing And Panning for Gold 11. Memory Palace a Stairway To Heaven 12. The Major Method — Where Numbers and Letters Collide 13. Input-Output Lifestyle Choices The Four Levels of Reading Your Next Chapter! Let’s jump in, or if you prefer watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anRi9lhlfvs 1. Something’s Missing From Your Learning Toolbox How do you improve reading comprehension? Maybe you’re a teacher and want to help your students with reading comprehension. Or you’re simply trying to uncover reading comprehension strategies for adults. Whatever the case, you realize it’s not just the topic you need to master first, but the correct tools for learning. In a well-known essay, Dorothy Sayers discusses the lost tools of learning: ‘’Although we often succeed in teaching our pupils ‘subjects,’ we fail lamentably on the whole in teaching them how to think: they learn everything, except the art of learning.” Since reading uses the information you already know, better memorization leads to clearer reading comprehension. The result? You can understand and remember more of what you read. The cumulative effect is powerful. 2. Be Purposeful For Pleasure’s Sake Being purposeful about your reading goals and the reading techniques you use aids comprehension in and of itself. Drill down into your intentions and ask, ‘’what’s in it for me?’’ Why are you reading anyway? If reading isn’t meaningful it can become an empty pursuit. It’s another reason people quit in the second round. On the other hand, when your reading is aligned with a clear aim, enjoyment follows. Not only that, it aids your memory as time marches on because: Pleasure is instantly easier to remember! If you’re still uncertain, start with steps that feel more basic. For example, start practicing regular reading with less challenging novels — this will blend enjoyment and momentum. Then when you decide to tackle tougher books your comprehension skills are already well-honed. 3. Physical Books — One Antidote to Digital Amnesia While digital books have many excellent benefits (cost, search ease, mobility, sustainability, sharing) it’s worth remembering the trusty paper book. But why would you choose physical books over digital or eBooks? For one thing, your precious memory plays a vital role in reading comprehension. Digital amnesia affects our cognitive ability to remember – and learn more – faster. Since your aim is to become a better reader through magnetic memory, paper books help to: Index the material better in your mind Reference and re-reference while reading Keep the books visible Use reading to practice Digital Fasting Remember page numbers and details Assimilate reading into your life, and… Demonstrate the values and virtues of reading from real books and remembering as much as possible from them In a world of devices, wi-fi, hotspots, and tabs… your physical book can become a spiritual retreat. 4. Evaluate and Expand Competence Let’s face it: some textbooks are long and (frankly) scary. Every reader can struggle with how these books are presented — with lengthy paragraphs and sentences, and challenging vocabulary. A good place to start is to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. The trick is to gauge your level of competence and gradually expand it (E.E.C. = Expand Existing Competence). What does your typical reading session look like? Do you start daydreaming after 30mins as your energy drains? If so, try to push 10 minutes beyond. You might use a Pomodoro timer to take a break after 30 minutes. It helps to understand your levels of processing effect in the Big Five of Learning: In other words, your ability to read, write, speak, and listen comes from memory. When you read, write, speak, and listen you put comprehension into memory in the first place.

Do you ever feel helpless? Like your brain is fuzzy and you just want to pull the covers over your head and leave life’s challenges for another day? Or maybe you just want someone else to come along and tell you what to do, say, think, and feel. If so, you’re not alone. In fact, my mind used to be pathetic and weak. I endured so much suffering, with a mind that had no power, no individualism, and no ability to rise up to life’s challenges. I constantly sought others to pick me up and guide me along. During this time period, I was in deep and profoundly painful “learned helplessness.” I had no mental strength — because I had no mental strength strategies. But there’s a happy ending to this story. With hard work and determination, I pulled myself out of this helpless state. I created strategies that worked for me. And today, I’m sharing everything I learned so you can do the same. Want to see what’s ahead? What Does Mental Strength Mean? How to Test Your Mental Strength How to Be Mentally Tough 1. Know and Evaluate Your Values 2. Seek Greatness 3. Water, Weed, Repeat 4. Track Your Progress 5. Accept Mistakes 6. Embrace Discomfort 7. Build Character 8. Craft Your Moral Compass 9. Practice Gratitude 10. Remind Yourself of Your Responsibility 11. Follow Through 12. Regulate Your Emotions 13. Take Care of Your Physical Health 14. Be Flexible 15. “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” 16. Practice, Practice, Practice How to Be Mentally Tough: Book Recommendations Mental Toughness Workouts Become a Mental Strength Master https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxH06MEuYjY Ready to build your mental stamina and become strong and resilient? Let’s get started. What Does Mental Strength Mean? Before you can build mental strength, you have to understand what it is. Mental strength is a state of uninterrupted focus you can use to get the best quality from the effort that you put into a task. Basically, knowing how to build mental toughness begins with having a strategy in place. It means having a plan for when things don’t go the way you expected — and the resilience to bounce back in the face of challenges. Let’s look at a few other ways you might have heard the term. Other Terms for Mental Strength Resilience — if you look into psychology studies you’ll find the term “resilience” comes from engineering. It means the ability to spring back into shape. If you have a baseline level of performance and your focus gets interrupted, how quickly can you spring back into focus? These interruptions can be of several different types: • Food interruption. You’re hungry and wander into the kitchen looking for a snack. • Noise interruption. The phone rings or the neighbors are playing loud music again. • Shiny object interruption. Something new and much more fun grabs your attention. I use the acronym U.S.S.R. to assess my focus. In this case, resilience means being able to get interrupted and “spring back into the shape” of Uninterrupted Silent Sustained Reading. Mental Stamina — stamina is both a duration and a qualitative notion. It’s not just that your focus lasts for a certain amount of time, but also maintains a certain shape and level. It’s essentially grit, a kind of toughness. And sticking with something over time and with a certain maintenance of a level. You might need to start with shorter periods of time (for example, focusing for 15 minutes instead of an hour) and then extend the time frame as you get more comfortable. Discernment and Decisiveness — how easy is it for you to make decisions? I use the acronym W.R.A.P. (from Decisive, by Dan and Chip Heath) as a tool to help me make decisions. Widen your options Reality test Attain distance Prepare to fail Now you know what mental strength is, how do you get it? Mental Toughness Training You may wonder: can mental toughness be taught? The answer is… of course, yes. But also no. In the end, it’s up to you to teach yourself how to be mentally tough. The Feynman Technique – a method that allows you to learn complex concepts easily by explaining them in simple language – can be used to develop self-resilience as well as how to study more effectively. Mental fortitude can be learned, by learning how to teach yourself. Seek teachers who teach by abandonment — they will have either limited availability or the skill of asking you questions that cause self-reflection and self-analysis. These teachers will help you fly on your own and rely on yourself. For example, I always like James Swartz, who talks about how he approaches enabling students like this: “Let’s get you in the door, and back out again, as soon as possible, because you’ve got it, you learned it, you’re ready to go.” That’s the best possible kind of teaching. Next, you will develop a testing mentality and be a scientist in the laboratory of life. You’ll gather evidence that confirms or denies your hypotheses or propositions. You’ll test them through your own personal experience

If you want to know how to improve crystallized intelligence, you definitely can do that. In fact, I’m going to share five simple steps to walk you through giving this specific type of intelligence a boost. But it’s important to first make sure you understand what crystallized intelligence is and how it interacts with fluid intelligence. To get started on understanding the tricky nature of the difference, imagine the following dialogue: Jane: “Did you hear Jonas’ speech? He spoke so well! Expressive and kept the audience enthralled. Very intelligent!” Amanda: “Yeah, he was great! Creative, definitely! But intelligent?” Jane: “It’s the same. You don’t need to be a mathematician or scientist to be intelligent.” Is Jane right? And what does she mean by intelligence? Is she talking about fluid intelligence, crystal intelligence, or both? Let’s delve into these two types of intelligence (Fluid Intelligence and Crystallized Intelligence). Once you know how they work together, you’ll learn how to improve your crystallized intelligence in just 5 steps. And later I’ll give you an additional 5 steps so you can also boost your fluid intelligence at the same time. With all of this is mind, here’s what you’ll discover on this page: What is Intelligence? What is Fluid Intelligence? How to improve Crystallized Intelligence Can Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence Work Together? Is Fluid Intelligence More Important Than Crystallized? 5 Magnetic Ways to Keep Your Fluid and Crystallized Intelligence Sharp? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjFcIrybp78 What is Intelligence? It’s a tough question. Many of the world’s most ‘intelligent’ scientists, researchers, and psychologists have been debating ad infinitum over a standard definition of intelligence. For our understanding, intelligence is your ability to learn new information and use that knowledge to identify and solve problems. You are deemed intelligent (read: smart) if you can use logic, reasoning, quick thinking, and planning to conduct daily activities effectively. The good news? You are not born with finite intelligence. You can boost your intelligence and thereby your social capital by using a proper memory method. (More about this later). Are There Different Types of Intelligence? Yes. Intelligence is subdivided into two distinct types — fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence. They also go by the nicknames of gf and gc, where “g” stands for general intelligence. The theory of fluid and crystal intelligence was first proposed by psychologist Raymond Cattell in 1963. He referred to the ability to reason as fluid intelligence, and the capacity to acquire knowledge as crystallized intelligence. The concept was further developed by his student, John L. Horn, in the 1970s and 1980s. Their findings came to be known as the Cattell-Horn Theory of Intelligence. The natural intelligence displayed by humans is very different from artificial intelligence (AI), which is intelligence demonstrated by machines. Our intelligence also differs in its cognitive capabilities from that demonstrated by open-source intelligence, which uses information collected from publicly available data sources. That’s not to mention our intelligence for developing concentration and memory through meditation. A Fun Definition of Fluid Intelligence Once, at a Paris hotel, my shower wasn’t working. I had checked in late at night, so there was no possibility of calling the plumber. But I did manage to take a quick bath. I used the Indian bucket bath method: where instead of a bucket and jug, I filled the drinking glass with water from the tap to pour over my body. Genius, or what? It was my fluid intelligence hard at work to come up with a novel solution to a unique problem. Fluid intelligence is your ability to analyze, reason, and think out-of-the-box to find original solutions to new problems. Your fluid intelligence uses logic in new situations or tasks, recognizes patterns, and incorporates abstract reasoning towards problem-solving. Often, fluid intelligence is used when you solve math problems or jigsaw puzzles. You also use fluid intelligence when you start plucking on a guitar without prior training. Your fluid intelligence does not depend on previously acquired knowledge. A person who is ‘street smart’ uses his fluid intelligence very effectively. Fluid intelligence depends on your working memory, which is stored in the prefrontal cortex of your brain. It is governed by the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex — regions of the brain responsible for attention and short-term memory. More Examples of Fluid Intelligence You use your fluid intelligence when you: Identify patterns in logical reasoning questions, Assemble a complex jigsaw puzzle using a picture, Develop strategies or a game plan to solve problems, Think outside the box when solving problems, or Eliminate unwanted information when you conduct resear

Simon Luisi is a memory enthusiast who has helped organize memory competitions in Canada. There are the type of events where memory athletes work at completing seemingly impossible feats like memorizing 130 random words in a minute. Or how about 1170 binary digits memorized in five minutes? It seems impossible. Yet, most memory competitors will tell you that they have completely normal minds. Often, they’ll also admit that they have terrible memory skills. Except when they’re using memory techniques. I have been reporting on the world of memory competitions for over fourteen years now. I’m also a student of memory science and a practitioner of memory techniques myself. That’s why it was a delight to sit down with Simon for this detailed discussion of memory techniques and how memory competitions encourage more and more people around the world to explore the world of mnemonics.   Who Is Simon Luisi? Simon does a lot more than jsut serve as the chairperson of the Canadian Memory Championships. He is aalso a keynote speaker on memory and inventor of the directional memory method for card memorization. As if that weren’t enough, he is also a Gold Award winner for Toastmasters and a chess enthusiast. Pictured above, you’ll see James Gerwing who won the 2019 competition. Simon is behind him to the right. (James took the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass and you can hear us discussing his win on this episode.) Simon and I discuss the skills necessary for memory competition, how they can improve your day-to-day as a lifelong learner, and why a personal memory training routine is necessary for any kind of personal development in memory arts. If you know that a one-size-fits-all practice isn’t for you…if you’ve tried other techniques and failed because they were too rigid…or you just didn’t know where to begin… If you want to break into the world of memory competitions, but believed those athletes to be “way out of your league”… Or you just want to understand the hype and what the Major Method’s all about… This podcast is for you. All you have to do is press play down below to listen in on: Why Simon prefers the term Memory Castle to Memory Palace, what’s the difference, and which one you should use What’s required (or not) to participate in memory competitions (it’s easier than you may have been led to believe!) Which memory disciplines to devote daily practice to to become a champion of memory…even if you don’t ever compete The reason a distraction-free study zone isn’t ideal for optimal memory training, especially if you study tough subjects How memory competitions can be revamped in order to give a real challenge Simon’s tweak to the Major System that revolutionized his practice (and it can do the same for you and might be interesting, even if you’re using the Dominic System!) Why customization and self-leadership in memory systems is important The reason to be a self-learner if you truly want to improve your memory How photography and film exposure relates to memory training and time (well-spent) in practice Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: 7 Memory Champs Reveal Their Language Learning Secrets Simon’s official home on the web The Canadian Memory Championships Simon Luisi’s Twitter Memory Athlete Braden Adams On The Benefits Of Memory Competition Katie Kermode On Memory Competition and Casual, Everyday Mnemonics

When James called me this morning from the cafe, I was able to give him exact directions to my pad thanks to having strong cognitive maps. I did not have to think about the route. I did not have to look it up on Google Maps. The path from my favorite cafe to my apartment is laid out clearly in my brain. Every turn, every lane is distinctly mapped in my memory. How can I do this? It is my superpower. Voila! Okay, that’s not correct. It’s not my superpower. We all have this superpower. We all use cognitive maps or mental maps every day to navigate unfamiliar territory, give directions, learn or recall information. In this post, I’ll explain what are cognitive maps, how do they work and how to use them in memory strengthening exercises like memory palaces. Here’s what I’ll cover: What are Cognitive Maps? Importance of Cognitive Maps How do Cognitive Maps Work? Are Cognitive Maps Accurate? Are Cognitive Maps Different from a Mind Map? How to Build Memory Palaces with Cognitive Maps? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zjn0ndC5h6Q What are Cognitive Maps? In brief, they are mental representations or images of the layout of one’s physical environment. That spatial representation can include the exact specifics of a location and the general area of a location. As we interact with our surroundings, we interpret and encode them into mental maps or nodes of knowledge. We then use these mental maps or spatial information to travel to our favourite restaurant, nearest hospital or just get to the office. We can also use mental maps to form powerful memory palaces and memorize anything. I’ll tell you more about this later. Edward Tolman coined the term “cognitive maps” in 1948. Coined in the 1940s by American psychologist Edward Tolman, cognitive maps are an internal spatial representation or mental model of the landscape in which we travel. The term and the concept were introduced by Tolman in an article in the journal Psychological Review in 1948. Cognitive maps are also known as mental maps, mind maps, schemata, and frames of reference. They are a small part of a person’s spatial cognition. The branch of cognitive psychology that studies how you gain and utilize knowledge about your environment to identify where you are, how to obtain resources, and how to find your way home is known as spatial cognition. According to D.R. Montello, in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001: “The cognitive (or mental) map includes knowledge of landmarks, route connections, and distance and direction relations; nonspatial attributes and emotional associations are stored as well. However, in many ways, the cognitive map is not like a cartographic ‘map in the head.’ It is not a unitary integrated representation, but consists of stored discrete pieces including landmarks, route segments, and regions. The separate pieces are partially linked or associated frequently so as to represent hierarchies such as the location of a place inside of a larger region.” Importance of Cognitive Maps Cognitive mapping has a definite function. It is an essential skill for many living organisms, and it is the reason we do not get lost in places we have been in before. Tolman believed cognitive mapping to be a type of latent learning where individuals acquire large numbers of signals or cues from the environment and use these to build a mental image of their environment or a cognitive map. The fun part? When you drive or walk the same route every day, you learn the locations of various objects and buildings and build mental models of these routes. The cognitive processes take place automatically. You are usually not cognizant of this latent learning. Now when you need to find a building or object on that particular route, your cognitive mapping of that route comes into play. Your cognitive processes use existing knowledge of the environment to generate new knowledge or pathways to find the building or object. You usually do not have a problem locating a familiar place, even if you have access to a wide range of mental models. Cognitive Maps & Mazes Edward Tolman’s experiments involving rats and mazes was how he was able to visualize the importance of cognitive mapping in the human brain. Tolman placed a rat in a cross-shaped maze and allowed it to explore the maze. After the rat had explored the maze for a bit, it was placed at one arm of the cross, and food was kept at the next arm to the immediate right. Since the rat was familiar with the layout, it learned to turn right at the intersection to get to the food. Next, the rat was placed at a different arm of the cross maze. Tolman was interested to see if there was a change in behavior. Did it get lost? No, the rat was still able to move in the direction of the food no matter where in the maze it was placed. Differences in the position of the rat did not matter. Tolman stated that this was because of the initial cognitive map it had created of the

Writer and philosopher Paul Virilio famously said “The invention of the ship was also the invention of the shipwreck.” In this day and age, how true, how fitting… With every success comes unforeseen consequences. Just look at Facebook. Once touted as a revolutionary social networking giant, and undoubtedly the forerunner of modern digital communication, it is now more famous for its “scandals” in the 2016 US Presidential election and data breeches (i.e. selling your private data). Do you think Mark Zuckerberg could ever have imagined this level of influence and power could be his when he dreamed up the platform in his dorm room? Or the consequences and downfall that comes with it? And that’s just the “big stuff.” What about the role of tech and social media in our everyday lives? Don’t we enjoy a rush of adrenaline or a bit of a dopamine spike when our device lights up and sounds that familiar ping, or we see our phone buzz on our desk? We are, without a doubt, under a spell. And it’s not just Facebook. I’m looking at you Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Tiktok (and whatever the hot new app is coming down the pipeline next). The notifications call. We answer. And just like the Titanic, we unwittingly are steering our ship towards an iceberg, all due to distraction. But what if our lives weren’t ruled by the hefty priced device in our pocket? Today I sit down with bestselling writer, Nir Eyal, author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Nir is a former Stanford Graduate School professor and accomplished and successful angel investor, consultant, and teacher. We discuss Indistractable and how you can break the cycle of “ding, glance (or in reality 30 minutes later), return to task/conversation/work/sleep, repeat.” You don’t have to live as a slave to technology. You are not a slave of your own making. You are the captain of your ship. Curious and want to know more? All you have to do is press play (above) now and you’ll discover: Why “indistractable” is a noun, and not an adjective How a moniker can set you up for success The reason we can look to religion as an example of healthy habits…even if we’re “nonbelievers” The benefit of teaching others to form your own identity The tactful way you can encourage those around you to be “indistractable” How we define social antibodies, and how they can help culture, as a whole Why we should lead by example where technology dependence is concerned… but, at the same time, need to push back on the techno panics (I agree to large extent with Nir on this point, but still feel Digital Amnesia is a pressing issue and we’re too early in the game to say much either way) Where blame really lies for technology addiction (and it’s not what you think) Why detoxes, “30 day plans,” and other extremist responses aren’t the solution to calm a distracted mind and life The reason distraction doesn’t always look like what we think (it’s not all Instagram and Candy Crush folks!) The real cause of our distraction and the greatest source of distraction (hint: it’s not an outside source and Evernote is probably okay to use) Why a five year plan approach isn’t the most effective measure of your values…and what is The three key areas to consider when dividing and prioritizing your time Do I Recommend Indistractable? As a matter of fact, I do. Even though I’m goofing around in this photo, the fact is that without the techniques Nir shares, I’d be a nutcase. No kidding. Without knowing how to deal with distractions, I’d never be able to keep up the pace of releasing: A nearly-weekly podcast Weekly YouTube videos Weekly blog posts Quarterly new memory training products Reading 2-3 books weekly So yes, learned new concepts from this book. Very importantly, reading it reinforced old ideas that were well worth revisiting too. Even if you think you’ve heard it all before, I promise you this book will give you some surprises, compelling new research findings and unexpected help. To wit, you even get a precious analog device that could be worth millions to you one day. (No exaggeration.) And if you are that rare cat who really has heard it all before, then you already know the wisdom of reinforcement. You have already used the speed of implementation rule to order your copy. Congrats! In case you don’t know that rule, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=386LzJmXWHE Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Nir And Far (Nir’s official website) Special link for ordering Indistractable Nir’s scheduling tool Nir’s distraction guide Nir’s article on habits vs. routines Nir on Twitter Nir Eyal’s Morning Routine on Business Insider Indistractable’s feature on Forbes.com Timothy Moser Talks About Memory Skills and Productivity (MMM Podcast) 3 Shocking Ways Smartphone Addiction Erodes Your Brain and Mem

Memory competition is one way to train your brain and keep your mind sharp. And who best to talk about how the benefits you can expect from joining a competition than one of the most disciplined students and trainees of memory? My guest today is fellow Canadian Braden Adams from Chilliwack, BC. Braden is the cofounder and board member of the Canadian Mind Sports Association on top of being an accomplished memory athlete himself. He is a multi-time Memory Champion including wins like the 2018 CMSA’s National Memory Champion and the 2018 IAM Canadian Memory Champion. On this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, Braden shares his personal memory journey, beginning purely by chance, and evolving into an absolute passion for mental athleticism. Braden shares his tips and secrets to his success that just may have you interested in going toe to toe with one of the world’s premiere memory athletes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqazyPfDHYw Just press play now and you’ll learn all about: The (perhaps unintended) introduction to memory techniques that (probably) 80 to 90 percent of memory athletes in the last decade share Which book may be the most polarizing in the memory world Why memory competitions aren’t as intimidating as you may think How to prepare for “real life” memory challenges in environments that are less than ideal The two-fold benefit to competing in memory sports How memory techniques can help even those with a naturally good memory Why memory training is not so different from drinking water or hitting the gym The way to maximize your time to get the most out of memory exercise How a beloved TV sitcom can help you to remember more than you thought possible The reason magicians make great memory competitors (hint: it’s in an unassuming prop) Why we cannot place limits on our memory Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Braden Adams on Twitter Braden’s interview with CTV News Braden’s The Star interview from 2018 “Memorable Victory” on CBC News 2019 Canadian Memory Champion Reveals His Memory Secrets (James Gerwing’s interview referenced in this podcast) How to Memorize 70 Decks of Playing Cards Simon Luisi on Expanding the Major System in Your Memory Castle Anastasia Woolmer on Memorizing Movement and Mastering Recall Ready to enter a competition? Read more about the Canadian Mind Sports Association’s 2019 National Memory Championship or check out Art of Memory’s current memory competitions list

Focused attention is…look a squirrel! Aren’t they the cutest? Gotta get to the laundry. Now, wait a minute…where was I? Right! I was writing about focused attention. It is usually the squirrel’s fault, but often deliberate use of focused attention is needed to do the task at hand or to know what’s happening around you. So what is focused attention? In this post, I’ll explain all about it plus give you five magnetic ways to improve your concentration abilities. Here’s what I’ll cover on this page: What is Focused Attention? A Few Risky Examples Of Focused Attention Different Types of Attention What Happens if Your Focused Attention is Damaged? The Link Between Focused Attention and Stronger Memory 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Focused Attention (Once you have it) What is Focused Attention? Focused attention is the ability of your brain to concentrate on one activity for a specified period of time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tSbVxdwww0 When you use focused attention, your brain allocates cognitive processing resources that allow you to choose and concentrate on one task at a time. It is an essential skill that enables you to carry out different tasks in your daily lives with a high level of efficiency. However, you need to understand that to pay attention to one stimulus or action, your brain, by default, ignores all other stimuli. If every stimulus had to be perceived, we would go crazy. For example, you are at a loud, crowded party, looking for your friend. You look for her blue sequined dress, and you concentrate on hearing her voice over the music. Your brain is continuously, moment by moment, ignoring the voices of other people to focus its attention on finding the voice of your friend. And there she is! Calling out your name, which your mind was able to hear over the general uproar due to its use of focused attention. A Few Risky Examples of Focused Attention Imagine watching TV while cooking. You are doing two things, but if your focus wanders away from the pot, you may burn your sauce or over boil the pasta. On the other hand, when you are concentrating on cooking, you may miss the next Kardashian scandal. In effect: Your brain uses focused attention to do one task at a time. If you try to multitask, your performance levels would be low for each task. For instance, it is not possible to try to study while watching TV and retaining the information presented by the book as well as the TV show accurately. Hanging out in a coffee shop after an intense learning session in Brisbane However, there is something called selective attention that you use when working from a noisy environment like a coffee shop. How does that work? A coffee shop is not a quiet place. There are customers ordering lattes, people exchanging gossip or speaking loudly on the phone. However, these levels of background noise are low enough for the mind to concentrate on the work at hand. You use focused attention every single day, from when you clean up the table after dinner to when you pick up something that fell off the desk. Before we move on, let’s take a brief deep dive into other types of attention. What Are the Different Types of Attention? The American philosopher and psychologist William James defines attention as “the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others…” (The Principles of Psychology, 1890). Attention is not a simple process. It is the beginning of other cognitive functions. You need to pay attention before you can comprehend something. The Sohlberg and Mateer Hierarchical Model breaks attention into five sub-components. The model was initially used to test the recovery and development of attentional function in long-term coma patients (after they were awake, of course). However, it was soon found to be useful in determining attentional skills in other people – including students, making this a popular model for the study of “attention”. The sub-components of the Sohlberg and Mateer Hierarchical Model are: Focalized (Focused) Attention: This refers to your ability to focus attention on one stimulus. For example, when you are writing an exam and need to concentrate entirely on your answers. Sustained Attention: This is your ability to attend to an activity or stimulus over prolonged periods of time. For instance, when you are playing a video game. Selective Attention: This refers to your ability to focus on a specific stimulus in the presence of other distracting stimuli. For example, in a classroom, this would be a student’s ability to maintain focus on the lesson while his peers chatter or pass notes. Alternating Attention: Commonly known as multitasking. This is your ability to change focus attention between stimuli that need different cog

How many books have you read this year? What about time spent reading news articles, magazines, or journals? The numbers are shockingly low. 24 percent of adults surveyed hadn’t even read part of a book last year. Even more surprising, in 2017, people in the U.S. over age 15 only spent, on average, 16.8 minutes a day reading for pleasure, or not required for work or school. It seems a bit surreal doesn’t it? Before television, radio, and, most recently, the smartphone, reading was one’s primary source of both entertainment and a source of news. If you wanted to stay up to date on current events you picked up a newspaper. If you were looking for a way to escape the day to day humdrum of life you picked up you searched out your favorite author’s newest work of fiction. It’s astounding to me that reading as a whole has declined so much. It’s no secret that reading is a great method of mental stimulation, stress reducer, and obvious knowledge booster and vocabulary expander. The benefits to reading expand far beyond these named few and even boast a benefit that may surprise you…the simple act of reading can improve your memory. Well, don’t fret. Because… Lev Goldentouch Has The “Key To Study” That Helps People Read More… Faster! My guest today is Lev Goldentouch. He is an author, machine learning and information expert, as well as a lifehacker and technology guru. Through his blog, Key to Study, Lev teaches eager students his methods for improving their reading speed, retention, and therefore, their memory. I know his skills in a more personal way too. We even share a cafe Memory Palace! Dr. Lev Goldentouch and Dr. Anthony Metivier in Tel Aviv So here’s why this interview is so important for you to hear: If you want to remember more of what you read with less effort… If you’ve tried other methods to improve your memory, relying too much on apps programs, and are looking for a change… If you have a desire to transform your life by picking up a good book… You’ve come to the right place. This podcast is a real page turner. It’s as simple as clicking the play button above to discover: The difference between a memory expert, a speed reading expert, and a machine learning expert The overlooked way that people can forget things they would have liked to have remembered (Note: developing some dual-handedness skills can help too) How to compare and contrast the different kinds of reading Why actually having an interest in a subject is an important prerequisite to reading The secret to becoming both more creative and spontaneous (it may surprise you) How visualization is a universal tool, even for those blind since birth Why your goals should meet certain criteria in order for you to be able to achieve them The reason to copy a teacher and not a god or fictional character The power of dancing to improve your memory How it is possible to shape your future and to overcome bad fortune What style of teaching makes a teacher the most effective I hope you enjoy this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast and please consider investing in Lev’s complete training course. If you struggle with getting through learning materials, here’s how to complete a memory course rapidly. Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Lev Goldentouch’s Key to Study Premium Training Course Lev Goldentouch on Amazon Lev Goldentouch on Twitter The Simple Reading Technique That Prepares Your Memory For Anything (MMM Blog) How to Study Fast: A Guide to High-Volume Learning At Speed 11 Reasons You Should Re-read At Least One Book Every Month

Have you ever seen or heard something that felt… just a little off? Maybe you’re fairly certain you remember an event one way, but when you do a Google search, the information you find doesn’t line up with your memory. It can be frustrating, confusing, and can even make you wonder if you’re starting to lose your mind (or if you’ve stumbled on a government conspiracy). Turns out, there’s a name for what you just experienced. It’s called the Mandela Effect, and it’s more common than you might have imagined. But what is this phenomenon, and why is it called the Mandela Effect? What Is the Mandela Effect? The Mandela Effect is a strange occurrence where large groups of people remember an event that didn’t occur or something that never existed. The group usually recalls the exact same thing in the exact same way. It’s named after Nelson Mandela and his supposed death in prison in the 1980s. In fact, this former South African president was released from prison in 1990 and lived until 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBRnKl7h0hw   Back in 2009, Fiona Broome launched a website dedicated to the exploration of the Mandela Effect. She wanted to explore and document “memories that didn’t match our current reality and its history.” Since that time, the Mandela Effect has continued to capture our collective attention. Fun fact: the subject was even broached by the writers of The X-Files (the recent reboot). Now that you know a little more about what the effect is, let’s look at three of the most famous examples. Mandela Effect Examples You Might Recognize What types of events and products could cause mass mis-remembering? Here are a few times where memories don’t match the facts. Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 1980s The phenomenon that started it all… Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid political leader who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Before he was elected, he served a total of 27 (non-consecutive) years in prison for various political crimes against the state. While he did suffer from tuberculosis in the late 1980s, he did not die. In fact, he was released from prison in 1990, and went on to be elected President just over 4 years later. I know these facts because… I went and bought the book. This is my copy of The Long Walk to Freedom, and I read it as part of walking my talk by using the critical thinking suggestions I’ll share with you below: Reading is a great way to get acquainted with the facts. The Berenstain Bears are a family affair One of the most famous examples of the Mandela Effect are the Berenstein… err… Berenstain Bears. If you Google “Berenstain Bears,” one of the first people also ask questions is: “why did they change the name of the Berenstain Bears?” Since their original publication in 1962, these delightful treehouse-dwelling bears have been beloved by many. In the 1980s, the characters experienced an upswing in product licensing. This included an animated series, software and video games, museum exhibits, and even an off-Broadway musical. So, despite a large number of parents and children remembering the “Berenstein Bears,” there’s more than enough evidence out there that the name was always “Berenstain.” Obi Wan killed your father! One of the most famous (and most repeated) misquotes comes from one of the greatest movie franchises in history. In the dialogue between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in 1980’s Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Vader does not say “Luke, I am your father.” Despite what the widely repeated and meme-d quote would have you believe, Darth Vader’s revelation has one single word changed: “No, I am your father.” Sorry, movie buffs. You’ve been saying it wrong for almost 4 decades. Now that you’ve seen a few Mandela Effect examples, you might wonder: how can so many people be convinced of the same (wrong) events and occurrences? The Explanations Are Out There There are many different explanations for what’s going on, ranging from the fanciful to the mundane. Storytelling is woven into the human experience. From our earliest recorded history, human beings have told each other stories to share wisdom. And the more imaginative the story (including reincarnation memories), the more entertainment value it holds for the listener. When it comes time to explain what’s really behind the Mandela Effect, stories come out of the woodwork. Multiverse, Parallel Universe, or the Matrix? One of the most-shared fanciful storylines is that humanity is experiencing an alternate reality. Alternate Realities Some people believe we’re constantly sliding between parallel realities, and the memories that don’t make any sense are from an alternate reality. Say, one where the Berenstein Bears existed. Another angle on this theory is that we’re experiencing a many-worlds interpretation. It’s a theory of quantum mechanics, implying that all possible outcomes are physically realized in some universe or other. Others beli

Want to become a memory champion? Great! Competition can encourage you to function at your absolute highest level. Even if… You’re retired. Yes, I said retired. You see, age need not reduce your ability to enjoy strong memory. In fact, people with more years to their credit can use memory techniques better. Why? Because mnemonics are based on the principle of: Spatial association People association Object association Sound association This means that the older you are, the more references you’re able to make. You have a distinct advantage over younger people, who might not be able to come up with nearly so many mnemonic devices. To help you understand exactly why and how anyone in their later years can success with memory skills, today’s guest is 2019 Canadian Memory Champion, James Gerwing. I’ve known James for many years. In fact, I’ll never forget when he wrote after a long gap to tell me this: Anthony, Jim Gerwing, here. About 5 years ago, I began taking your online course and then went into some memory competitions. I am the 4 time, current, undefeated (and record holder) of the Alberta memory championships. Even better: I just won the 2019 Canadian Memory Championships (AND the first ever pan-provincial championship). Thanks for your input. As you’re about to learn, I had no solid idea just what he meant by “input”! But I wasn’t entirely clueless either… As you can see from my State of Your Memory Address from 2016, he’d already broken a few memory competition records back then. You just have to love what emerges from consistent practice and exploration of these powerful techniques! And that’s why I just had to get James on the show to talk about how exactly the Magnetic Memory Method served along the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAOzUFMXr7U About Memory Champion James Gerwing James is the 2019 Canadian Memory Champion. He’s also the winner of the 2019 and 2017 Alberta Memory Championships, and earned the bronze medal at the 2018 Canadian Memory Championships in Toronto. He’s obviously a memory expert too, and has even created his own “Mind Sharp” course. In this Magnetic Memory Method Podcast interview, James shares his personal journey of memory improvement, and eventually, entry into the world of memory competitions. Now retired from an impressive career as an educator, James plans to continue competing. I’m confident he will continue to win! Do You Have To Become A Memory Champion To Learn These Techniques? No, but some experience with competition helps. For example, my own memory skills accelerated in unexpected ways after I sat to compete for charity with Dave Farrow. Obviously, competition isn’t for everyone, but as Simon Luisi has written on the Canadian Memory Championships site: “One of the best ways [to improve memory] is to participate in a memory competition.” Whatever side of the fence you stand regarding competition, I encourage you to take a few minutes and listen to James’ perspective. James Gerwing at a 2018 Canadian Memory Competition on the road to winning the 2019 national top spot. You just might reconsider where your opinion falls. I know I had and it handed me more knowledge than I ever could have expected! Just press play above and you’ll discover: How a love of memory can be ignited at a young age, and memory techniques are vital to the education system The reason competition performance differs from private practice in memory work Why stress can be beneficial to memory improvement The rationale of why memory techniques are not utilized in everyday life…and why they should be How a memory champion really prepares for competition A practical example of the use of the Major Method, and a welcome hack for “odd numbers out” A proven way to relate cards, numbers, Magnetic Stations, and a PAO list Why Memory Palace journeys don’t always have to be linear When your memory associations are better off left unsaid The reason memory competitions aren’t actually an external competition, but a solo performance Plus much, much more, because… … a second part to this interview is exclusive to the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass. It’s already available in the card course James used to learn the skills that helped him win! Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: James’s interview the Edmonton Prime Times Major System Secrets And The Future Of Your Memory With Florian Dellé (referenced in this interview) Next Level Memory Training Secrets with USA Memory Champ John Graham (referenced in this interview) Katie Kermode On Memory Competition and Casual, Everyday Mnemonics Nelson Dellis on Remember It! And Visual Memory Techniques Idriz Zogaj On The Truth About Memory Training Apps Memory Improvement Fun And Games: Mark Channon Talks About How To Remember Anything Do you want to join in the competition? Check out Art of Memor

She disappeared in a flash, but when I closed my eyes, I could see her beautiful face looking pleadingly in my direction. Reads like romantic fiction, doesn’t it? It’s actually your iconic memory recalling a visual stimulus in its technicolor glory. In this post, you’ll learn all about iconic memory, why it’s important and how to improve it to enable better memory and recall. I’ll also break a few myths about picture-perfect memories. Here’s what I’ll cover in this post: What Is An Iconic Memory? Why Iconic Memory is Not The Same as a Photographic Memory How is Iconic Memory formed? George Sperling & Other Experiments How Does Iconic Memory Move to Long-Term Memory? What Function Does Iconic Memory Serve? How Can You strengthen your Iconic Memory? What Is An Iconic Memory? Iconic memory is one type of sensory memory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qU2zhO_UiE   It is a short-term visual memory and lasts only a few seconds before getting discarded. Your brain uses iconic memory to remember (for a brief time) an image you have seen around you. Your sensory memory stores all information that you experience through your five major senses – touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell. Check out these sensory memory exercises for a wild, mental adventure. Such storage of all stimuli is an automatic response by your brain. If sufficient attention is given to this stimulus, the information may then pass into your short-term memory, and from there, it can get encoded into your long-term memory. However, in most cases, sensory information is thrown out within a few seconds. This Puts The “Icon” In Iconic When some kind of sensory input enters your visual system, it goes into your iconic memory. The visual system includes the iconic memory, visual short-term memory and long-term memory. Iconic memory is simply your brain’s way of processing visual information. The brain sees this information as distinct flashes or ‘icons,’ hence the name iconic. For instance, imagine you are driving through the countryside and a lovely cottage with a red front door flashes past. You continue to drive, but can still see the “image” in your mind’s eye. This after-image of the cottage in your mind’s eye even after it ceases to exist in your visual plain is the working of your iconic memory. Here are some other examples of iconic memory: Your friend is reading a book, and you ask her which books is it. Your friend shows you the cover of the book for just a brief moment before hiding it, leaving you with only the impression, or iconic memory, of what the book’s cover looked like. You come home one evening and as you turn on the living room light the bulb burns out, leaving you in darkness. But your mind’s eye can still visualize (albeit briefly) what the room looked like in the luminance of the bulb. In other words, your brain takes a snapshot of every image it “sees” and stores that as an after-image only for a few seconds in your iconic memory. Apparently, this happens in your brain, even if you have aphantasia. The question is… how is it like a camera taking a picture? Is it the same as a photographic memory? Iconic Memory is Not The Same as a Photographic Memory Let’s get one thing clear. Photographic memory does not exist. The phenomenon where you have instantaneous recall of any and all events by uniting your visual, spatial, audio, and verbal memories is not possible by humans. You may have heard that Teddy Roosevelt could repeat aloud entire newspaper pages as if he was reading from it, or of artists like Arturo Toscanini, who was able to conduct the opera from memory after his eyesight became too poor to read the music. Many world champions and memory experts like Nelson Dellis can memorize and recall many digits of Pi, but there is no verified case which shows memory working like a camera with total and complete recall. But what if you can remember your experience in great detail – right down to the color of the car that you took to go to Disneyland when you were five years old? Does that mean you have a photographic memory? Simple answer: No. What you can have is an eidetic memory – a memory that is very vivid and has great potential for recall. However, to clarify – eidetic memory is not photographic memory. It simply means you can remember many things in great detail, but not all the details. More importantly, eidetikers may even invent details that were never there. Quick side note: Some researchers found that a mutated fruit fly could potentially possess a form of photographic memory. Over the course of their brief lives, a fruit fly with a boosted CREB gene could have a form of photographic memory. While humans also share DNA with fruit flies, the potential for a similar boost in humans is yet to be researched. So, if iconic memory isn’t photographic, why do we even need it? It seems unimportant, right? Maybe not. You’ll know in a minute. Let’s first understa

Ever heard the phrase “Work smarter, not harder”? Well, what if there was a way to translate this idea into your memory improvement efforts? Sure, there are a lot of apps and learning systems that promise big results. In reality, most fall flat as tools and memory aids. But there is something potentially revolutionary in the memory software world that I want you, the Magnetic Memory Method Community, to know about. Today’s guest, Matthew Snow is the creator of the app, MemoryFiler. A former Army serviceman, Matthew initially became interested in memory techniques as a way to better himself personally. Using mnemonics eventually grew to Matthew’s desire to help others attain their memorization goals through using his fascinating Memory Palace Software. Here’s a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXyLd94LmQ   Matthew’s Memory Palace Software is highly personal, and isn’t a hack or a shortcut. Far from it: You’re still putting in the work, but it actually aids you in remembering your Magnetic Imagery. You do the encoding, and you make the associations. However, with this memory software, your images are at-the-ready for Recall Rehearsal as you work on committing them to memory to use in your work. The Difference Between This Memory Palace Software And The Rest That’s the difference between MemoryFiler and the flooded market. It takes your best efforts, your commitment, your encoding, and your imagery, and gives you a little boost, so that you can work smarter, not harder. So if you’re looking for a way to maximize your imagery, and if you’re searching for a more high tech way to record that imagery instead of putting pen to paper – if flashcards simply aren’t a tool in your personal toolbox, listen up. Simply press play using the audioplayer at the top of this page to discover: How Matthew’s military experience was helped by the Memory Palace technique, and what servicemen and women really need to know for a promotion The secret to getting “unstuck” with visual imagery used in memory techniques What traits are necessary for success in entrepreneurship (and how consistency and routine relates to memory training routines) Strengths and weakness of kinesthetic and visual learning styles The benefit to reducing cognitive load through the use of apps, and why you shouldn’t “beat yourself up” over using them Why social media is really asocial media, and why this is a metaphor for other “memory games” on the market The need for analog and digital to work in tandem, and why we can’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater” when it comes to choosing one over the other The reality of the generational gap between Generation X and Generation Z, and the influence the digital age has had on these groups An explanation of dual-path readership and its development in modern culture Why you should be concerned with media sovereignty The real way to improve focus and concentration The reason pop culture junk may be more useful than you think for memory work (Hint: It has to do with semantic memory) Warning signs and indicators you’re dealing with the “pain of disconnect” Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Matthew’s App, MemoryFiler MemoryFiler on Facebook How To Find Mnemonic Imagery ANYWHERE (MMM Blog) 3 POWERFUL Elaborative Encoding Memory Exercises (MMM Blog) 4 Powerful Ways to Use the Pegword Method [10 Examples Included] (MMM Blog) 3 Blazing Fast Ways To Increase Memory Retention (MMM Blog) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er-k8Ecgdfo

Have you ever thought about how improving your memory can improve your life? Not just surface level, daily routine improvements, but really transform who you are as a person? Did you even realize that memory training makes personal improvement possible? Or do you limit memory improvement in your mind as merely a tool for remembering dentist appointments and names? Well, here’s great news: The art of memory goes far beyond showing up on time and not having to look down at name tags and desk plaques. With practice, thorough memory training based on a scientifically sound application of the Memory Palace technique will radically transform you. Not just your outward life and the things you do from day to day. It will expand the limited notion of what you think your “self” to be. This outcome isn’t just what the ancient gurus promised, but also the same kind of results respected neuroscientists like Sam Harris are actively promoting in our time. How is this possible, you ask? My guest today is memory expert Martin Faulks. He’s also an expert in the field of meditation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdAdxSp84bA Complimenting his mediation and memory training experiences, Martin’s a martial artist, yoga teacher, and author of over half a dozen books on subjects such as enlightened living and tai chi. His newest book, A Mosaic Palace: Freemasonry and the Art of Memory explores the link between the ancient tradition of memory techniques and the secretive fraternal organization, the Freemasons. But Martin also takes on fun and unique memory challenges. For example, check out this interesting memory demonstration. As you can see, you really can incorporate fun activities with personal self-development. To that end, Martin and I explore memory as an internal transformative art that can change the very core of our being. Martin argues that while in antiquity inner transformation through memory was a common practice, too much of this tradition it has been lost in our modern age. The secret then to restoring this idea lies in your approach to committing to the techniques themselves with carefully chosen goals. The best part? It’s possible to have that transformation with a bit of guidance because the keys are already within you. What you seek is attainable, and it is within your means to take control of your own life. Whether you suffer from anxiety, unhealthy coping mechanisms, constantly feel a sense of failure when it comes to interpersonal relationships, or you find yourself sabotaging your own success you can benefit from the advice Martin so freely gives in our conversation. All you have to do is click play to learn about: Memory training and the potential for learning leading to inner transformation (and how what you put into your consciousness can change who you are). How the Renaissance caused the art of memory to become a path of cultivation of virtue instead of simply utilitarian How Memory Palaces are useful as a form of meditation The impact of adaptive strategies on our personality and coping and life skills The hidden ways your mind is trying to help you The method in which you learn something affects how easy it is for you to reference it Why the church banned texts like the Ars Notoria as a “sorcery version of memory” How the memory method of corporeal similitudes is the most powerful way to create associations for memory The debate about whether Sherlock Holmes is a figure to look up to (otherwise known as a hero of an extra level of functioning) to when it comes to memory goals Comparing and contrasting memory and sorcery, and memory palaces and magic circles Why Giordano Bruno was a memory master and “terrible” teacher (yes, we question everything about him in this episode) The differences in the definition of a memory master according to various cultures You can also watch Martin demonstrate Bruno’s memory techniques in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ZWco1uLDA After listening to this interview, you might be wondering… Should You Read A Mosaic Palace By Martin Faulks? In my view, absolutely. Anyone serious about the memory improvement tradition owes it to themselves to read as much about mnemonics as they can. It’s not just about you, as you’ll discover today. It’s about everyone’s role in preserving knowledge for the good of the whole. The number of ideas you discover when you focus on continuous study will impact your practice. A Mosaic Palace provides historical insight, diagrams and multiple Memory Palace Examples that you can translate into powerful Memory Palace training exercises. For example, Martin’s book inspired me to rethink some of my previously held notions about how the method of loci was used in the past. Few memory books combine history, philosophy and technique directed at self-realization. In a world cluttered by competition-based books, A Mosaic Palace is a breath of fresh air. Plus, Martin has more e

Do you struggle with the Memory Palace technique to complete large learning goals? For example, have you always wanted to memorize a substantial body of scripture, but… Kept putting it off? I know, I know… We all have something in our life that continuously gets pushed to the bottom of our never-ending to-do list… We all say “I’ll eventually get around to it”… We’re all guilty of never making moves to cross that item off our list. And yet… My guest for this podcast, Mike McKinley, has managed to AVOID that mistake when it came to making steps toward completing one MASSIVE goal. Mike is an alumni of the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass. He is also an electrical engineer and specialist in the area of radio frequencies. https://youtu.be/s5HEffOd27Q On top of those duties, Mike is a husband, father, seminary graduate, and full-time employee. Using the memory techniques he’s learned from the MMM Masterclass, he completed a three-year seminary course and memorized 66 chapters of the Psalms (and counting)! So if you’re intimidated by the idea of undertaking an entire course to improve your memory… If you feel as though you don’t have the time to commit in an already packed schedule… Or you think, “How could I ever memorize something so lengthy?”… Just click play on the button above now and learn from Mike all about: Why information is easier to remember in story form The reason early Christians memorized the scriptures Why recitation is an important memory improvement exercise How actors and memory students are one and the same The way manufacturing “spoiled us” with uniformity The importance of small memorization goals and practicing the loci method when taking on large learning projects The role of visualization exercises in memorization The role of compounding or compressing in memorization A tip on how to “reuse” celebrities, like actors, multiple times as symbols in memory work The way long-form memorization is like running a marathon The reason dogma has no place in the world of memory training and why memory is a creative event Of course, you might be thinking… What if I Want To Memorize Scripture In Another Language? No problem! Check out this incredible success story from one of Mike’s fellow Magnetic Memory Method students:     (For more success stories, please visit the Magnetic Memory Method review page.) Like Jeannie, I also use a Memory Palace for memorizing scripture in other languages. Here’s a demonstration and discussion of how I make it work with a Sanskrit text called Ribhu Gita: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgNQ9bU-nEg What’s the secret to this memory method? Easy: Take it one S.I.P. at a time: Study memory techniques Implement what you learn progressively so you improve your… Practice (daily is best) It really doesn’t get any easier than that, and the outcomes of having scripture in your mind and heart are profound. Dive in! Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: How to Memorize Scripture And Verse Numbers In 5 Minutes Or Less (MMM Blog) 3 POWERFUL Elaborative Encoding Memory Exercises (MMM Blog) 4 Powerful Ways to Use the Pegword Method [10 Examples Included] (MMM Blog) How Do You Choose What Bible Passages to Memorize?

Did you have toast and eggs for breakfast while reading the newspaper? If you can’t remember those specific words, then it is time to learn how to improve your semantic memory. What’s semantic memory? Check this out: The fact that you know and recognize objects like toast, eggs, and newspaper (without being told each time) is thanks to semantic memory. However, here’s what semantic memory is not: Recalling that you had toast and eggs for breakfast yesterday is part of what memory scientists call episodic memory (more about that later). In this post, I’ll explain what is semantic memory. Better, you’ll learn why it’s so important, how your brain forms these particular kinds of memories and how can you improve your semantic memory for words and facts specifically. Here’s exactly what I’ll cover: Table of Contents ToggleHow to Improve Semantic Memory?1. Use The Magnetic Memory Method2. Exercise Your Brain3. Learn a New LanguageWhat is Semantic Memory?Semantic Memory DefinitionSemantic Memory ExamplesHistory of Semantic MemoryIs it Different from Episodic Memory?A Brief Deep Dive Into Types of MemoryHere’s a fascinating fact:Why Is Semantic Memory So Important?How are Semantic Memories Formed?What Affects Semantic Memory?Higher Attentiveness = Improved Memory How to Improve Semantic Memory? Here are 3 simple techniques to improve your semantic memory: 1. Use The Magnetic Memory Method The easiest and most powerful way to improve your semantic memory, as well as episodic memory, is by learning how to build Memory Palaces using the Magnetic Memory Method. The Magnetic Memory Method Memory Palace approach is better for remembering and learning than something like mind mapping on its own. It is an incredible combination of intelligence and memory strengthening tool. Combined with Recall Rehearsal, this holistic process lets you move information from short-term memory into long-term memory faster and with reliable permanence. What’s more? You can use all other memory methods inside of Memory Palace, however, you cannot use a Memory Palace inside other memory techniques. This unique approach maximizes the power of the loci method and combines nicely with the pegword method. All that matters is that you don’t overthink the technique. We all learn it by doing it. 2. Exercise Your Brain It is essential. Exercising your brain regularly is the most effective strategy to improve memory and retention. Memory impairment or memory loss in older adults is common. However, there is a strong relationship between brain exercises and improved cognition and retrieval in older adults. Numerous tools and exercises can help you to assess your memory and enhance it through games and training exercises. It is a known fact that the more you utilize your neural circuit, the stronger it will get. This fact can also be applied to numerous neural networks associated with contextual memory, auditory memory, visual memory, short-term memory, working memory, naming, and more. You can improve your skill of identifying the right word to use for a concept or an object by training the neural network in your brain accordingly. Here’s a video that will inspire you to use memory techniques and treat them as the ultimate brain exercise. 3. Learn a New Language When you learn a new language, it requires you to learn and expand new sentence structures, grammar rules, and vocabulary. Such activities ensure that your semantic memory is continuously being utilized and strengthened as you make progress with the new language. Here’s a video that helps you learn and memorize the vocabulary of any language. https://www.youtube.com/embed/G1VNjzx31BI   What is Semantic Memory? Semantic memory is independent of the context of learning and personal experiences like how we felt at the time the event was experienced or situational properties like time and place of gaining the knowledge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrWFkmjOeCI The level of consciousness associated with semantic memory is noetic because it is independent of context encoding and personal relevance. This was the finding of Endel Tulving in 1985. For instance, you “know” that Mr. Darcy is a famous character from Pride and Prejudice, which is written by Jane Austen. You may have read the book, seen the movie or someone may have told you about this character and the author. How you acquired the knowledge and in which context is not essential. What is important is that your semantic memory stored that bit of information as general knowledge. You can now recall this bit of general knowledge whenever necessary independent of personal experience and of the space or time context in which it was acquired. That is the beauty of your semantic memory. Usually, the recall semantic memory is automatic when particular information is prompted. However, there might be cases where you have to really think hard about certain facts stored in your semantic memory. Semantic M

You’ve probably spent time in your educational career feeling frustrated, right? You know the routine: It’s the night before a test, and instead of resting… You’re “cramming” to try to remember the things that didn’t quite stick during a lecture. Here’s the thing. It’s not your fault. And there truly is a better way to learn. No, it’s not sitting and listening to a professor, reading or copying from a textbook, conversing with a language learning partner, or mindlessly practicing yet another skill suggested by a learning “guru”. To help explain what really works, my guest today on the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast is Scott Young, author of the new book, Ultralearning. In this book, Scott shares the stories of people like language learner Benny Lewis, Eric Barone, World Championships of Public Speaking finalist Tristan De Montebello, and the French Scrabble world champion Nigel Richards. These are people just like you. The only difference is they’ve discovered a better way to learn, through “aggressive,” self-directed learning. Today’s conversation with Scott not only explores the concept of “ultralearning,” but Scott shares his own efforts to learn more, better, and faster. To be frank, a lot of involves simply directing your energy towards what works. Isn’t that better than spending years trying to fit into a traditional learning model that may not work for you? So, if you’ve ever struggled to learn a new language through books alone… If you’ve sat in a classroom only watching a professor demonstrate a chemistry experiment and not been able to “get it” because you lacked hands on experience… If you’ve used trial and error to make the perfect recipe and still ended up with a soupy mess for pancakes or an overly salty roasted chicken… Ultralearning can be the breakthrough you’re looking for to finally discover what really works for you to achieve you learning goals. Press play now and learn all about: The definition of ultralearning and the origin of the term The difference between autodidacticism and ultralearning Why self-education is not always the best choice for effective and efficient learning The importance of being a skeptic while being a reader Why we really don’t know what we’re truly capable of…we’re actually shortchanging ourselves How ultralearning can be masochistic, yet beneficial Why you should actually care about the act of learning Why self-testing and feedback are necessary, even with self-directed learning The role of free will in education What meaningful progress looks like in achieving your learning goals The difference between procedural and declarative memory How and when mnemonics are useful Overcoming challenges with consistency in a learning practice Contrasting the traditional work model and entrepreneurship (pros and cons of each) When it comes to consistency in scheduling, Scott is also tremendously generous in sharing how he schedules his time. Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_BctXU7HWE So you see? It’s really not so hard. Does Ultralearning Get My Thumbs Up? You bet! I’ve actually been reading Scott’s emails for a long time and even sought out his okay to hold this live stream walkthrough of a piece on his blog about critical thinking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NxJab-JrvU I hope he and I will have a chat to discuss the role of critical thinking in learning more in the future. But for now… Don’t miss this book and make sure you follow Scott Young! Further Resources on the Web, this podcast, and the MMM Blog: Scott’s official website Scott Young on Twitter Scott’s Facebook page Scott’s YouTube Channel Scott’s interview with The Leefkoe Institute Scott’s follow-up book, Get Better At Anything 21 Study Tips on MagneticMemoryMethod.com

It only took three pages for Memory Craft to become my favorite book on the art of memory. Why? The answer is simple: Lynne Kelly, the author of Memory Craft, is devoted to helping people memorize information that matters. And in a world cramped with endless memory improvement books devoted to directing memory skills at insignificant trivia, Memory Craft is a breath of fresh air. Here’s why: Memory Craft concentrates on learning facts, languages and processes real people can use in every day life (like using the multiplication table directly from memory). She also addresses memory science and how these techniques can be used by young people. Now, you may remember Lynne Kelly from a previous interview where we discussed her fantastic book, The Memory Code. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jim_csNGV1Q I’m thrilled to have her return to The Magnetic Memory Method Podcast to talk about her newest release. The full title is: Memory Craft: Improve Your Memory Using the Most Powerful Methods From Around the World. For those of you not familiar with Lynne, here’s the lowdown: Not only is Lynne Kelly the author of several books on memory, but she is a highly skilled researcher, science educator, author and memory competitor. Most known for her theory about Stonehenge’s purpose, she has also contributed to work in popular science and is a promoter of skepticism. She’s even reported on the connection between learning and genetics to great acclaim. Lynne’s critical thinking and contributions to such a wide range of science subjects has led to awards from the Royal Zoological Society of South Wales among others. As a memory expert with a special focus on ancient memory techniques, Lynne Kelly is that rare practitioner who takes on large learning projects and shares the journey in addition to attending memory sport activities. And that’s what makes today’s conversation with Lynne so special. Lynne helps us explore our need as a species to treat our minds as “muscles” that deserve ongoing development, ideally through a combination of learning and play. Using tested memory techniques for completing fun and engaging memorization tasks, Lynne traces the timeline of the important role these skills have placed from ancient times to today’s memory competitors. As a unique book on accelerated learning techniques, you’ll discover visual alphabets, medieval bestiaries, indigenous learning systems, and modern card memorization as Lynne has explored and updated them for citizens of the modern world. If you want to learn a foreign language, you need to memorize and deliver a speech, or you’re a student preparing for an exam Lynne has a solution for your memory dilemma. The best part? Lynne’s suggestions for incorporating mental exercise into your daily routines work even if you only have 5 minutes a day. Intrigued? Press play above and you’ll discover: * The real reason why stores play such upbeat, catchy music. * Why outdoor Memory Palaces can be so helpful for memory retention. * The benefits of “setting aside” time for memory training versus incorporating practice into everyday life. * How vivid, violent, or vulgar imagery can bring abstract concepts to life. * Why “rapscallions” are useful memory tools and not just mischievous little creatures. * How art can help you remember more in a Memory Palace. * The pros and cons to living with aphantasia. * The key to using hooks and layering to create dynamic visuals. * How to “dialogue” with your memory aids. * Why we should encode using music and places for maximum mental skill (and possible mental health) benefits. * The usefulness of memory techniques for school aged children and their long-term effects. * The secret to overcoming “ghosting” when using memory techniques. Further Resources on the Web, This Podcast, and the MMM Blog: Lynne Kelly (The Memory Whisperer) Lynne Kelly on Twitter Lynne Kelly’s TEDxMelbourne Talk Lynne Kelly on Amazon

Do accelerated learning techniques really speed up learning? Well, if you’re looking for ways to maximize your study sessions and get the most “bang for your buck,” here’s the real deal: Most of the shortcuts people associate with “speed learning” and “speed reading” actually make things longer and harder. That’s right: Speed reading is not a shortcut! (This is because most people can neither comprehend nor remember when they’re skimming like a maniac.) But if you want a collection of techniques that will truly accelerate your learning process and help you master your discipline in a shorter amount of time, then it really does need to be just that: A collection. And to be clear: Learning “faster” isn’t always about efficiency. In fact, the fantasy of efficiency throws up one of the biggest barriers around. People waste time trying to master shortcuts that are never going to work. Why? Because they haven’t mastered the fundamentals that allow the learner to even understand the shortcuts, let alone effectively use them. And that’s why we’re going to start this training by busting some of the myths around learning techniques that some self-proclaimed learning gurus (strangely) vilify: Highlighting Re-reading Keyword notes We’ll cover when and why these 3 techniques can actually be great, and then explore 6 of the classic accelerated learning techniques everyone should know. What Makes A Learning Technique “Accelerated” I don’t know about you, but I’ve personally found highlighting and re-reading to be very helpful. But there is definitely a right and a wrong way to perform these strategies. In fact, they are deeply problematic if you don’t take into account what matters: Context and strategy. (Especially with respect to effective note taking techniques.) Whenever evaluating a learning technique, ask yourself important questions like, “What context am I in?” and “Does this apply to what I’m learning?” Take into account your desired outcome and the application of strategy in context. Use A Mind Map And Vision Statement To Help Literally map out what you want to achieve and see how relevant a learning strategy is to that goal. I suggest you use Tony Buzan’s Mind Map Mastery to help. I also suggest you create a vision statement. Here’s how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFz31HpVkj0 Then, analyze your results with the technique you implement into your study sessions. It literally requires some trial and error before you pass final judgment on what works in different contexts. Finally, you must be willing to conduct experimentation to improve your results. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes while searching for what works best for you. There is no end all, be all when it comes to study techniques. It doesn’t matter what others say. Highlighting can be useful in context, and I’ll explain why. Re-reading can be a great strategy for learning. Keyword notes can be extremely beneficial to achieve your desired outcome. My advice? Don’t listen to the critics who dismiss these techniques so easily…instead let’s explore them a bit more in depth. 3 Bad Learning Techniques Made Good (In The Right Contexts) Sensible Highlighting Highlighting can be useful for names, dates, key terms, and definitions. Why is it a useful technique? Certainly not because it helps you concentrate better while reading a text. After all, no matter how much you refine the approach, you’re still stopping and starting the reading process. Nonetheless, the benefit of highlighting’s usefulness is rooted in delayed benefits. For example, when you return to the text you can rapidly flip through the pages and say: “That’s information I need.” You don’t get the results immediately, but in context, the benefits can be powerful. Used in a sparse and targeted manner, highlighting is a great alternative to having to search for specific kinds of information. What kinds of information? When I was in university, I used highlighting for creating “beacons” that helped me rapidly gather: Names of people Dates Key terms and definitions I identified them on the first read, and then circled back to pick them up for memorization later. Color Coded Highlights? Should you experiment with color coding your highlighting? If it helps you rapidly distinguish names from dates, why not? I’ve personally never found pausing to change colors worth the time, but you might. For me, I limit this technique to specific “seek and find” tasks. Highlighting in just one color – sparingly – is the best strategy when I don’t mind marking up my books. Alternatives to Highlighting There are alternatives to highlighting as well. These are tidier and a bit easier on the eyes than a sea of neon in your text. For example, try something I’ve coined the Marginalia Dot, a simple dot in the margins. You can also use squares, circles, stars, or some other shape. These are much easier to scan and I find they work a lot bet

If you want to create an unshakable Memory Palace training routine, here’s the most important point: Your memory exercise routine needs to be immovable from your schedule. Like a mountain. Think for a second about what mountains represent: Mountains symbolize strength, and they dominate the landscape. Mountains endure extreme weather, erosion, and yet remain sturdy. Now, you may not think of your mind as being as sturdy and consistent as a mountain. But when it comes to establishing memory ability and the mental power consistent memory training can create in your life, this level of sturdiness is possible. All it takes is self-discipline, the application of the right techniques, and an established routine you love to maintain. But you might be thinking… That’s easy for you to say, memory man! I don’t even know how to get started! How To Get Started? The first step is to realize that you probably have mountain-sized obstacles in your path. For example, you might have these three BAD habits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAXBf61Q7Eg Now, it might take some time to get rid of those habits, but I’m confident you can do it. It wan’t exactly easy for me, but I was able to make progress. And the fruits of progress are very profound indeed. So let me me ask you: Mine are. And I’m so glad that I can say “yes!” But how do I really know they are rock sturdy? For one thing, I’ve recited the same passages from memory for nearly two and a half years (Ribhu Gita and Upadesa Saram). I talked about this project at a TEDx event, a talk I also memorized: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvtYjdriSpM Then there’s my personal productivity. For nearly ten years as of today, I’ve released podcasts, blog posts and videos with (almost) weekly consistency. Let me be clear: Only a regular memory practice and personal discipline makes accomplishing such goals possible. Along the way, I’ve interviewed and made friends with many of the best memory athletes and memory experts on the planet. They’ve inspired me on my mission to spread knowledge about memory techniques as far and wide as possible, and to keep up with memory training each and every day. So, to help you, on this page, I’ll talk about what I’ve learned about Memory Palace training routines along the way. How To Topple The Biggest Barriers To Consistent Memory Training First things first, you must master your mindset. This step will help you eliminate the pain people associate with training, and the flight mode the fear of pain places people in. Listen, I know it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re building your first Memory Palace Network. Heck, for some people, even the first Memory Palace can be a challenge. That’s why I created this free course and separated it into smaller and simpler steps: But here’s the truth: Even the simplest course in the smallest amount of steps will still challenge you. Not only is challenge to be expected… It’s normal! Authentic brain exercise that leads to better memory must be a challenge. Otherwise, you won’t grow. This fact (one that all scientists and top performers acknowledge) means that challenges are never a reason to accept defeat. Yet… I’ve heard the same complaint a thousand times: “Oh this is so much work.” “How will I ever have time for this? What if it doesn’t work?” How To Escape The “Pain Vs. Gain” Hamster Wheel Well, what if? Mental mastery starts with giving up fear of the unknown. Why is this so important? Because life is – and always will be – filled with unknowns! For example, I just started memorizing Chinese characters. All of a sudden, my brain starts melting under questions for which there is no answer: What if I spend time on characters I won’t use? What if I don’t have enough Memory Palaces? What if I give up? What if, what if, what if… The good news is: I know how to shut these questions about the unknown off. And I can help you. Here’s how: You need to separate your “pain thoughts” from your “gain thoughts.” After all, the dread created by thoughts of “so much work” erases the promise of what you stand to gain. Plus, you can get all kinds of interference, as memory scientists call it, just one of many causes of forgetting. How To “Flip The Script” Instead of focusing on the pain, flip the script. Ask instead: “What if I actually had a fully functional Memory Palace Network and could memorize information quickly? AND not only memorize it, but have it at my fingertips, when I need it?” Replace focus on the pain with a serious grasp on the outcomes, the benefits, and the goals needed to help you create your first Memory Palace Network. Then create the simple systems that will help you achieve those goals. Want proof that the Memory Palace technique works? This memory science makes it undeniable! All you need to bring is the practice. The tips below will help. Keep reading! Fig

Elaborative encoding isn’t the sexiest term memory science has come up with, is it? No, but it sure is fantastic when it plays out in real life. After all, use this memory technique well, and you can memorize a dozen names (or more) at any meeting or party. Not to mention several dozen details about: Occupations Hobbies Relationship statuses Locations Educational and professional backgrounds … and much, much more! Imagine being able to remember so much about all the people you meet… within seconds of hearing the details. Wouldn’t that be a great skill to have? (If you don’t think so, I’d love to hear why not in the comment section below!) The best part (when you have these skills)? You’ll have it all perfectly organized and reachable in your mind. These details will have literally gone from short term memory to long term memory within seconds. Don’t Fear Memory Science! Now, I realize that a lot of people hear the scientific terms for how memory techniques work and are immediately turned off. If that’s you, here’s the blunt truth: You’re missing out on a huge opportunity to improve your memory by understanding more about how and why it works. And even though a term like “elaborative encoding” sounds complicated, it is actually: Simpler than you might think Something you’re doing already … And always beneficial to practice so you get better over time To help you out, I’ve designed three memory-boosting elaborative encoding exercises. But first, you’ll be best served by understanding exactly what elaborative encoding is. Effective elaborative encoding is like having a vibrant, multi-connected ecosystem of connections in your mind What is “Elaborative Encoding”? Defining elaborative encoding is elementary! Yes, really! And it’s not so much a thing, as it is a thing you do when using memory techniques. This simple mental task starts with linking information that you want to remember with existing knowledge. For example: There’s a guy named Hunter at Burger Project (in Brisbane) where I go to get grass fed beef burgers (no bun). I memorized his name almost automatically because I linked the information, Hunter’s name, with information I already know about hunters. And I put several layers of that information together within seconds of hearing his name. I linked him to a camouflage-clad man with a gun, and not a generic one. Rather, I used my favorite Looney Tunes hunter, Elmer Fudd. Elmer Fudd with the old Nintendo gun for Duck Hunt worked great as my Magnetic Image for “Hunter” At the same time, I put that old plastic gun from the Nintendo game Duck Hunt in Hunter’s hand. (Not in reality, but in my imagination.) By taking his name and associating it with Elmer Fudd and then going one step further and adding Duck Hunt, I was elaborating my mental imagery. In addition to thinking about what all of this looked like, I also: Heard the sound of a duck-hunting gun and Elmer Fudd’s voice Felt the Nintendo gun in my hand Imagined the smell of gun smoke Imagined the taste of roasted duck In each case, I made the image weird, larger than life and filled it with vibrant action. Hunter literally shot Elmer Fudd before I started eating him as if he were a duck. All combined, these layers of elaboration made the name Hunter even more memorable. This process only took a few seconds, and I’ve never forgotten his name since. What Else Can This Style of Mnemonic Elaboration Be Used For? Not, you may think that this all sounds fine and dandy for names. But here’s the thing: Elaborative encoding can be applied to any knowledge. If you can take that knowledge, make associations and manipulate size, color, speed, duration, distance, mood, emotion, and space… you can memorize anything. When can elaborative encoding be used? Any time. But in the beginning, just focus on the keywords related to the information you want added to your knowledgebase. From there, you can branch out to more challenging memory tasks, like memorizing scripture. Otherwise, you’re creating more work for yourself before you have the needed skill set. Why put the cart ahead of the horse? The Main Tools of Elaborative Encoding Elaborative encoding is both semantic and echoic. Semantic encoding has to do with the structure, and oftentimes, meaning of information. For example, in learning the letters of the alphabet, you probably didn’t start with the letter Q. Instead, you learned your A, B, Cs through song, in alphabetical order (a structure). You concentrated on each letter individually as you learned the sound each letter makes. Later, you learned how to recognize them when written, and how to write them yourself. The Magisterial Role Of Mental “Free” Association To take another example, if I say the word “red,” you might picture a stop sign, firetruck, or big, juicy apple. You associate red with its meaning, with examples of that color in the world. This is an element of elaborative encodin