Monday, July 22, 2013

Use Memory Training To Transform Your Memory Recall

By Lachlan Haynes


How many people do you know that complain about having a "bad memory"? You know the people I'm talking about. The ones that constantly talk about how they would do so much better if they could remember things more easily! But how many of those people spend even a small amount of time doing some memory training so they can understand how their memory works?

What do you think about your memory? Do you think you have a "good memory" or do you think it could use some work? And what does having a "good memory" even mean to you? Does it mean you can remember people's names? Or does it mean you can remember everything that ever happened and everything you ever learnt?

The truth is that our memory works the way it is designed to work. But we don't take the time to understand just how it works! You see, the key for improving your memory recall (also known as "remembering things") is to move your memories from your short-term memory to your long-term memory (and to then remember those memories in great detail!)

How happy would you be if you could remember all of the information you needed to ace a test? What if you could remember the name of every person you ever met? Would life be easier for you if you could remember everything? It would be awesome wouldn't it! Well to achieve that level of memory mastery you first need to learn and understand the five pillars of memory.

Pillar One - Association. Your memory finds it much easier to recall events or experiences when you associate it with something you are already familiar with. How often do you hear someone say (for example) "Oh yes, I remember that day well because that was the day I got my hair cut at a new hairdresser." Linking things together through association is extremely powerful. So start associating everything you want to remember today!

Pillar Two - Imagery. Your memory recalls events or experiences as images and pictures. It's like you have a camera in your head constantly taking snap shots. So if you want to remember some information draw an image or make a mental picture of what you want to remember (as opposed to just reading the information or writing it down). Images are far easier for your memory to recall so start using them as often as you can.

Pillar Three - Time. It stands to reason that as time passes our memories fade, but that's only because we unconsciously allow it to happen. When events are not unique or interesting in some way our mind will not see this as a memory worth storing. However, if you want to recall an event you must regularly re-live the event and recall it deliberately over time (writing it down would also help). Similarly, if you learn something new and then don't make any effort to move it to your long-term memory, time will ensure that you quickly forget what you have learnt.

Pillar Four - Repetition. Ever noticed that you forget your password when you haven't logged in to your account for a while? What about forgetting names of people you knew years ago? Things you easily remembered some time ago can quickly be forgotten when we don't keep using the memory. The more you repeat the experience of what you want to remember, the more easily you will move it into your long term memory (and remember it!)

Pillar Five - Intensity. When an experience is intense, shocking or downright strange you are far more likely to recall it. Most people can recall where they were when important world events occurred but how many people can recall where they were two days later? The point is, if you want to remember something you need to give your mind a reason to remember it. Use intensity, shock or weirdness to make your memories more vivid and the memories will move to your long term memory.

By engaging in memory training you can become a memory master. It does require some work, but it's much less than you think! Starting today, you can use the five pillars of memory to ensure that you are actively seeking to move your memories from your short-term memory to your long-term memory. This is the key to having a brilliant memory. Good luck!




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment