Secrets Of A Powerful Memory
by Dr Eugene Sern-Ting Tan
Do You Have a Good Memory?
In today’s increasingly complex and fast-paced information age, people who can learn fast and remember well will have a competitive edge over the others. Here, I shall share the best powerful memory beliefs and strategies that have worked well for me since my student days.
First ask yourself this question – “Do I have a good memory?”
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the majority of people out there believe that they have a poor memory. This is actually a disempowering belief that we will do well to avoid! The following are 3 common memory myths that you should shatter once and for all.
Myth #1: “I should only learn the best memory technique”
Many people ask whether there is an ultimate secret to a fantastic memory. If you read books on memory techniques or attend memory training courses, you will learn a lot about how your memory works and how to improve it. But there is no single memory method that can lay claim to being the “holy grail” or the best.
The memory method you use depends on the learning situation. For example, different methods are used for memorising different types of information such as a list of items, numbers, a speech or textbook knowledge. It also depends on the kind of remembering that is required, whether it is short term or long term. If you take time to learn and experiment with different memory techniques, you will know which one is most suited for each learning situation.
Myth #2: “I have a bad memory”
Some people are born with slightly better memories than others, but generally, unless you have a congenital brain defect or your brain gets damaged from trauma, chemicals or infection in the course of your life, all of us have a good memory by nature. The problem lies in the way we use our memory.
If you compare a large cardboard box versus a clear holder file, which one has more capacity in terms of the number of papers that it can hold? But suppose Person A throws all the documents into the box without sorting them, while Person B files his documents in proper order in the clear holder. Later on, each person wants to find a specific document, who do you think will be able to find it more easily?
This is a good analogy to illustrate the fact that the power of our memory doesn’t depend on the total capacity, but more on the method we use to store information. If you treat your memory like the big cardboard box, just throwing in information and hope you’ll be able to find it when you need it, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to recall it. Conversely, if you use proper memory techniques and principles to remember things, the success of recall is much higher!
Myth #3: “My memory capacity is limited, and it declines with age”
If the above statement is true, it would mean that all young students have much better memories than working adults and professionals! Of course it cannot be true. Your memory will only decline with age if you do not continue to use it actively. You should adopt the belief that your memory capacity is unlimited in your whole life.
As explained in the previous analogy in the 2nd myth, your memory power depends on how you learn and organize your knowledge in your mind. I like to think of my brain as a modern computer with enormous hard-disk space (eg. 10 TB), which has multiple USB ports for me to plug in thumb-drives and external hard-disks for additional storage if required. In short, I will never run out of memory space.
From this moment on, replace these fallacious memory myths with new empowering beliefs about your memory. Tell yourself that you have a fabulous memory with unlimited capacity!
Powerful Memory Strategies
Next, I will share with you the 3 key strategies to develop a powerful memory.
1. Meaning & Organization
We tend to remember things that are meaningful or well-organized. That’s why it’s easier to remember a 10 letter English word (eg. REPETITION) compared to a string of 10 jumbled letters (eg. ETNEIRPO). Techniques to help you to organize information to make it more meaningful include applying mnemonics, creating rhymes and recognizing patterns.
Mnemonics can often be applied to the subject matter that you are studying. For example, the mnemonic “OIL RIG” helps you to remember that Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain (of electrons). The mnemonic “Kings Play Chess On Fine Glossy Surfaces” helps you to remember the order of taxonomy in animal classification, which is Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. The best mnemonics are the ones you create yourself, because the thought process of creating them helps imprint the information in your memory.
2. Interest
If something is unimportant or uninteresting to you, you’ll probably not remember it for long. Any two people who walk through a department store or read the same book are likely to remember different things because of their different personal interests. Suppose there are two people who are taking a short course in French. One of them is planning to go for a holiday in France in two months. All other things being equal, who is more likely to learn and remember the French language better?
Another example – suppose you read somewhere that pericholecystitis is an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the gall bladder. You may not remember the meaning. But suppose you develop abdominal pain and after investigation, you are told by the doctor that you have pericholecystitis. In this case, you will be much more likely to remember it.
One more example – if you’re introduced to 2 people at a party, and one of them borrows $50 from you. Whose name do you think you’ll remember better?
3. Review & Repetition
This is the most underrated principle, yet it is the most important in helping us to remember better. Studies have shown that we forget about 80% of the contents of a speech or lecture 2 days after listening to it. Therefore, it is important to review what you’ve learnt at regular intervals. Research has shown that the most effective way to maximize long term retention is to review the information at the following spaced intervals: 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and finally, 6 months later.
Here is a quick tip on how you can apply this principle to your study routine. After reading a chapter of a textbook, don’t just go on to the next chapter without taking time to review and recall what you have just studied. Practise answering test questions to apply what you have learnt in the topic. Teaching your friends what you have studied is also an effective way to remember the information. To consolidate the new knowledge in your memory, review the same material one week later, and if possible one month later as well.
Conclusion
Here you have it – the 3 golden strategies to develop a fantastic memory. To sum up, you should organize the information into a meaningful structure/pattern, take a personal interest in the subject matter, and repeatedly review what you have studied at recommended intervals.
Keep these principles in mind at all times, and start putting them into practice from today. You will be amazed by how much more you can remember. Happy memorizing! :)
“You never realize what a good memory you have until you try to forget something.”