3 Life-Changing Memorization Secrets

Image Source

Memorizing is easy. Yes. I know you probably find that pretty hard to believe (that is, if you haven't been reading my blog regularly. Shame on you.) While most students find memorization painful and difficult, it doesn't have to be. In fact, the fact that you find memorization painful and difficult is a probably just a sign that you're not doing it right.

Memorizing in the way that most students have learned to memorize is like doing a workout with poor form. You're not going to see the results you want and you might just injure your future attempts to study. Keeping the following 3 life-changing memorization secrets in mind you should be able to turn your poor flopping around study routine into the easy process that it should be.

One point is absolutely essential to note though: Memorization is not the same thing as studying. Memorization is remembering specific information. Studying is attempting to use the information and be able to apply it for more than just a test.

1. Memorization Requires Testing

Image Source

The majority of students try to memorize by picking up their textbooks and reading. That is studying but it's definitely not memorizing. Reading information does not help you memorize anything. Your brain doesn't memorize any information that it doesn't feel the need to memorize. When you're reading it out of a textbook, you give your brain absolutely no reason to actually remember the information. The key is to take the information off of the page and find connections.

Reading is good for getting information to stick in your short term memory but that doesn't help you in most test situations. That information you read will be forgotten completely in a couple of hours. What you need to do is transfer that information from your short term memory to your long term memory.

Transferring information from your short term memory to your long term memory can be a little unpredictable but there is one basic concept that you need to focus on. To remember anything, you need to make connections in your brain. Those connections link all the information you're learning together in some way. The way you can make those connections naturally is through quizzing yourself.

You need to quiz yourself (while you can't just look at the answers.) The easiest way to think about it is with flashcards. You need to ask the question (on one side of the card) and find the answer only using your memory. If you can't do that then you're not actually learning the information. Every time you follow through with the question and find the answer, your brain lays the framework for remembering it long term.

Many students wait until the test to find out if the information they tried to study stuck. That usually leaves them disappointed.

2. Understand Short Term Memory

Image Source

Notice how I mentioned your short term memory storing the information while reading? That's important because it introduces one of the most overlooked tricks of memorization.

Most people's short term memory is absolutely amazing. (Despite that, most people think they're slightly deficient in memory anyway.) Short term memory can remember information significantly quicker than your long term memory. If the information has even the slightest bit of importance to your day then you can remember it in the short term fast. The problem is that it only lasts a little while before getting forgotten.

Despite that disadvantage, you can use your short term memory to prepare for a test. If you need to memorize a lot of information for a test then one way to significantly improve your grade is to perform your memorization within 20 minutes of starting the test.

Studying right before the test is one of the most simple ways you can see a huge improvement in your grades with almost no studying. While it's not a magical way to get a perfect grade, with the right combination of preparation and last minute studying, you can do amazing things.

That being said, it comes with some disadvantages for some students. If you tend to get stressed before a test then it might be in your best interest to save this study trick for the least stressful of your tests.

3. Meaningful Memorization

Image Source

The worst problem students can suffer from with their memorization goals is a lack of motivation. If you're not absolutely committed to memorizing something then you're going to be fighting against your own nature to memorize it. That's not good.

When you study something that you care about, absolutely every ounce of focus in your body can be used to make the connections. When you study something you're not too fond of, the opposite takes place. Almost every ounce of your body is looking for an excuse to get distracted. You can sometimes recognize this when you're studying something like Abraham Lincoln and somehow start thinking about your favorite television show.

When you have to memorize something, don't memorize it. Yes. You read that right but I probably don't mean what you think. Having to memorize something is trying to force yourself to study. Guess what... you don't have to memorize anything. Every time you pick up the textbook it's your choice. Every distraction you let get in the way is your choice. Sometimes it's a good choice. Sometimes it's not. You are responsible.

Do you not want to study? Don't study.

That being said, never forget to think about the things you miss out on when you choose not to study. When you don't study, you are sacrificing your grades. With that, you may be sacrificing more. Does sacrificing them help or hurt what you'd like to achieve in life?

Really, don't force yourself to memorize. If you can't find a meaningful or interesting reason to be memorizing something then you're doing something wrong. Try to find meaning in anything that you are going to study. Without it, you'll be fighting against your own nature and just hoping something sticks.

Do what means something to you and you'll consistently be able to amaze yourself with the results.

Notes On The Elusive “Photographic Memory” (Improve your visual memory)

Image Source

If there were one intellectual pursuit I considered worth pursuing at a young age it was developing a photographic memory.

Imagine just how awesome it would be to look at a textbook page for a minute, and then remember the image of the textbook page like you could still see it. That means, you wouldn't even have to read the page. You could read the textbook page by looking at the image in your memory and reading it then. It would be amazing. That's the dream of a photographic memory.

A photographic memory is not just a good visual memory. It's a virtual reference folder of perfectly remembered pictures in your brain. Despite the salesman trying to tell you otherwise, this kind of memory has not been scientifically proven to exist.

The Science on Photographic Memory

There have been hundreds of studies looking for people with photographic memories as described above. The vast majority of those studies (particularly the more scientifically rigorous ones) have shown the traditional view of a photographic memory being almost complete bunk. That being said, the traditional view of photographic memory is very narrow.

Most people, do, in fact, have an amazing ability to remember certain images. Those images just aren't as beautifully accurate and accessible as the traditional view of a photographic memory would require.

For example, have you ever seen the face of a person you recognize but you still can't remember their name? That face is an image that's been stored in your brain. Despite that facial image being stored in your brain, you can't figure out when you stored the face and why it's being stored. You need to ask yourself question after question like, “Where do I know this person from?” Oftentimes, you still won't be able to figure the name out. That's our photographic memory's poor ability to archive the information. You can figure out the face is important but you don't know why.

On top of that, most people that recognize that face, still couldn't use that image of the person's face to draw the person without the real face for reference. Photographic memory seems to be more powerful on a subconscious level than a conscious one.

Faces aren't the only thing that brains are good at photographically memorizing though. Think biological requirements to narrow it down farther.

Ever been riding around somewhere out of town and realize you've been there before? You recognize a sign or something and it just clicks. Landmarks are also an example of the visual memory doing it's magic while not inviting you in to watch.

Image Source

The Magic Of Childhood

The closest thing to a photographic memory that science has actually proven is an eidetic memory. While a photographic memory is thought to be almost perfect, an eidetic memory is just a very good visual memory. The person may be able to remember an image with ~90% accuracy depending on the complexity.

Some people do have an eidetic memory. By some, I'm talking about a tiny minority of the population. Oftentimes, people with an eidetic memory don't even know they have it because it's that unimpressive. To them, it feels like they can just see things in their brain clearly. That might not even be noticeable because they never get the chance to compare their amazing visual memory to the average persons' blurry and narrow images.

An eidetic memory is something that nearly 10% of the population has while they're children but as they grow up, that eidetic memory starts to fade away. Many theorists suggest that's because the use of language eliminates the need for such precise images in the brain.

If we were to take that as a fact, it could be interesting to consider this possibility. Visual memory may actually be much less useful than the ability to memorize words. For example, let's say you see a guy kick someone. You have two ways of trying to remember the situation. One; you remember the image of the guy kicking someone. That memory includes tons of colors, streaming video, and provides very little context to the situation. Or two; you remember “That guy is a jerk,” or “That guy fights back.” Those are four words each and they can provide significantly more context than photo in that situation. 

Perhaps a visual memory isn't the most awesome thing in the world? You're regular memory just might be more useful.

How To Improve Your Visual Memory

Image Source

Spending years trying to figure out how to develop a photographic memory is awfully disappointing but it did come with a few perks. I was absolutely miserable with my visual memory before starting. I could barely get an image in my brain. I'm definitely not gifted in this respect but I was able to learn a few tricks for developing a more powerful visual memory.

First of all, focus on colors. The hardest point of memorizing an image for most people, is not understanding this basic formula. Colors are your vision. There is absolutely nothing else that you take in. Most people try to memorize an image through just closing their eyes and hoping. Instead of that, focus on getting the colors into the right spot. As soon as you can do that, you're on track to improve.

Developing the details over that color is where you're likely going to plateau many times. That is painfully difficult even  for people with an eidetic memory. Don't feel bad.

The next thing you need to worry about is conscious awareness. To remember an image, you need to consciously try and remember it. It seems pretty obvious but it's overlooked by a ton of people, usually, after they missed their chance to become consciously aware of it. For example, test day comes and they think, “Why didn't my visual memory store this?!?” while they never actually consciously tried. They just kind of hoped. That can kill the motivation for any practice in the future.

You can't expect to memorize pages of textbooks using your visual memory but you can do some useful things with it. While a full page might be overkill, it's very practical to visually remember diagrams that are important. Instead of thinking through a problem logically you can imagine the diagram in your head accurately and get 90% of the way there. That 90% still, usually, requires traditional study to get the precision. The visual memory is more of a honing mechanism than memory system in this case.

So, I'm sorry to disappoint you but don't expect to develop a magical photographic memory anytime soon. While you can improve your visual memory, don't let it get in the way of using the rest of your memory.

Do you want to know how you can get grades like you have a photographic memory? You know what I''m talking about: spending 10 minutes studying and still scoring high on the test. It's possible. It's not magic but with the right tools it can look like magic to an outsider.
 

Be sure to follow this blog and check of some of the old articles to get started. (Or check out one of my books in the sidebar to get a head start.)

The Truth About The Loci Method

The Loci method of memorization is one of the most powerful methods used today. The top memory champions of the day use this to memorize unbelievably complex sets of information in very little time. This common usage among memory champions lead to an undeserved excessively positive reputation for it. By all means, it's an amazing method but there are times to use it and there are times when it's best to not use it.

Basic Overview

In case you're not familiar: The loci method is a memorization strategy. It involves picturing a location that you can imagine to walk through and putting strange and memorable objects everywhere. Those strange and memorable objects are used to help you remember the information that you want to remember.

If you were trying to memorize Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Eerie, and Superior (the great lakes) you might imagine something like this.

In the first room of your home (or first step in your location) you see a women and shes on a horse. You see her on (Huron) a horse. Then you can walk into the next room and see a gangster sitting on Terry Bradshaw's (a former football player) shoulders saying, “Yo.” Yes, that does sound ridiculous but it helps. You see the gangster on-terry(saying)-yo. (Ontario)

You'll notice how absurd this can get but that just increases the odds of it being remembered. Some of the greatest memory minds in the world use this strategy but it has many many problems.

Consistent Failures

The vast majority of people that try to use the Loci method fail miserably for a number of different reasons.

First of all, it requires a very intensive preparation period. You cannot just pick up the loci method and run with it expecting results. You need to prepare your map and practice different sets of information repeatedly. If you're not careful and focused using this method, you can get virtually nothing from hours worth of work.

Second, just because the top memory champs get the best results from the loci method, it doesn't mean you will too. Memory champions are not the average person in the population. They're usually naturally gifted and hard trained. Not everyone uses the Loci method effectively. (Usually the people that struggle the most are the ones that have trouble seeing images.) There are other methods that won't let the crazy miraculous memory feats possible but will provide much more memorization for the average person.

One of the most important reasons the loci method leads to failures is in assuming it's always the best method to use for memorization. It's like trying to use a hammer when you need a screwdriver. Not all memorization works best with the loci method. In fact, most memorization doesn't get much of an advantage using it. Studying for school in particular has problems with it. The loci method is designed for unrelated information. Studying is loaded with relatable information. Relating that information is usually just as effective.

When To Use The Loci Method

Image Source

Using the Loci Method comes down to a number of different factors. Of course, as mentioned before. The loci method is designed to connect unrelated information. It doesn't provide much opportunity for logical linking of information. It requires a very conscious effort that can increase the time investment considerably.

You also have to consider the amount of information you have to memorize. If you only need to memorize a few things or a short list, unless you're highly trained, the loci method is overkill. If you can get away with mnemonics or some other quick method then you should. If it's a lot of information then the Loci method may be worth the time.

If you've never used the loci method consistently then you may want to always avoid the loci method. It takes weeks of practice to make it efficient. For most basic memorization needs, it's not really worth it.

Effectively Using The Loci Method

Once you decide to use the loci method there are a few things you need to do to make it work effectively.

1. Focus

The magic of the loci method works through is intensity in your brain. You need to feel like you're really in the room with the information you're trying to remember. If you're mildly picturing it and thinking about what's on TV, you're not going to see any positive results.

2. Connection

The pictures you're using need to connect to the information you're trying to remember. When you're trained well this will be easy. When you're just getting started, you'll need to make the pictures pretty obvious. (Don't use the Terry Bradshaw example above when you're getting started.)

3. Emotional Images

Boring is your worst enemy in the images that you picture. A boring image is an image that you forget. Pick a picture and then aim to make it as emotionally memorable as possible. Most people do this from plain old weirdness but you can also make them memorable through making it disgusting, amazing, or even sexually appealing.

4. Movement

Do not settle for only images though. Once you get the image. Find a way for the image to move around the room. At the very least, picture yourself walking by the image you created. The more you feel like you're actually there, the better you will memorize it.

5. Multiple Senses

One of the easiest ways to strengthen your maps created with the loci method is by including multiple senses in your thought process. Don't just see it. Listen to the image. If you created something really interesting, it should make some kind of noise. Maybe you'll even have to smell it. The more you sense the room, the better off you'll be.

The loci method is not for everyone but it can be one of the most powerful tools for memorization when used right. If you want to use the loci method for memorization then you need to be willing to invest the time in making it come naturally. It's not as simple as following the steps. It's a process that needs to be done repeatedly to see it's true power. Sure, you can see good results from using it one time but it usually just costs a whole lot more time then just using the less flashy memorization methods.

Do you want to learn how to study faster? Be sure to follow this blog using one of the buttons in the sidebar. Also, if you found it helpful, be sure to share it.

How To Remember What You Read Better

Too many people struggle to remember what they read. It's a problem that a lot of people struggle with. It doesn't matter how interested you are in the material. It doesn't matter how well you think you're focusing on it. Some people always seem to suffer from can't-remember-what-you-read-itis. It's a creeping condition that seems to be showing up more and more these days. What makes it worse is that it seems like the people who suffer from this condition once are more likely to suffer from it again in the future. If you're looking to start remembering what you read then there are things you can do to change.

This is what you need to know to remember what you read better.

Speed Up

What?!? You're probably wondering how speeding up could possibly help your ability to remember what you read but it's actually one of the most important factors that people struggle with while reading. The number one reason that people don't remember information that they read is that they get distracted.

Getting distracted is easy. Reading a certain sentence just sparks a thought, that thought sparks another thought, then another, and it goes on until you're reading the next paragraph thinking about why pirates name their parrots “Polly.” At the very least, you're not thinking about the words on the page. This absolutely devastates any hope of remembering the information you're reading.

By speeding up, you force yourself to focus more on the information on the page and less on everything else. When you don't have enough time to think too deeply around what you read, you get to go deeper into the information as the author intended.

Make Reading Serious Business

Most people treat reading like it can be a passive activity like listening to music. People think that they can read and do other things at the same time. This falls down the same path of distraction as before but it gets even worse. If you choose to listen to music while reading, your brain is consistently having to choose between listening or reading. The mind is physically incapable of doing to things at once. The closest it can do is switch between tasks really fast. Having that choice, even if you think your completely into the material, will distract you.

If you want to remember what you read better, you need to treat reading as an intense activity. You should not let yourself get distracted by anything. That means you should shut the music off. Yes, even the classical stuff. It can distract you too. Turn your phone off if you have to. No, the TV isn't going to help you think either.

Remembering what you read requires focused reading.

Think About It Afterwards

Many people pick up their textbook for studying and read through hoping the information sticks. When they're done reading, they just put away the books and move on. Do not do that. Anyone that's ever gotten deep into a mystery novel knows this secret to remembering the story. When you put the book down, your job isn't done. That is the time that you need to think about what you read.

The more time you give yourself to think about the book after reading it, the better you're going to be able to remember it.

Sure, it requires more time but if you're speeding up your reading speed then you'll make up for it. Take the time to think about the material and you'll be

amazed how fast you can remember something weeks later.

Learning how to remember what you read is a skill that needs practice. There is no magic formula but using these three factors you'll be able to start seeing massive improvements in no time at all.