How to Memorize Anything (42 page)

Puzzles, mental games, meditation, and various other activities can help in enhancing the powers of the brain.

Q8. Do memory techniques help in making money?

Ans
.
‘Time is money.’ ‘A penny saved is a penny earned.’

These popular sayings show you the importance of saving time. Memory system aims to do that and much more. Here is a short list of some of the concrete examples of where memory systems can make or save money:

• Without memory aids, an executive spends 30 minutes a day looking for things on his desk.
  
• As you will be able to remember all the points discussed in a meeting, even if it was an informal one, it will create a positive impression on the client or the other party.
  
• Having information on your fingertips instead of your gadgets increases you credibility thus resulting in better business.
  
• It results in better relations with clients by recalling more about them.
  
• It helps in strengthening relationships with your employer as well as employees, thus enhancing productivity.
  

Q9. I feel confused about which memory technique to apply in which situation. What if I learn only one method and apply it in all scenarios?

Ans
. When you learn something new, it always seems complex in the beginning. But with practice, you gain expertise in the same area. The same is the case with memory techniques. You might find one method easy and another one difficult, but if you give it time, you can be a pro in all methods and will enjoy them even more. Once you start using these techniques in various fields or subjects, you will be able to decide which method works in which situation. When you think of making a delicious dish, you have to use many ingredients as each ingredient has a unique and special quality. Similarly each memory technique has its own unique utility. Generally when you have to memorize a data in points, the chain or hide-and-seek method is suitable. For numerical information, pegs are most appropriate. But you will notice that many a time only one method is not enough and you will have to use a combination of memory techniques to memorize the given information.

Q10. In the hide-and-seek method, is it okay if I remember all information using only one route?

Ans
. It is not advisable to use a single route or location every time because it will lead to confusion. A single thing or location will remind you of many things that you have associated with it. It’s better to use a different setting to memorize different information. But if you are remembering things like shopping lists or points of speech or a number sequence, where information is not actually required after the work has been done, you can use the same location. Your brain can hold information for only a few hours if you don’t constantly rehearse your images or associations. So it will automatically help you delete the old information and save the new one on that route or location.

Q11. When associating information to facial features, what if I find it difficult to notice anything unusual in the person’s face?

Ans
. When we look at somebody for the first time, there is always something in his/her appearance that attracts attention. You have to be a little attentive to find that detail. But if you are not able to find something unusual or distinctive, put your imagination at work. Try and enhance the features a little more in your mind and then associate the information.

Q12. Is it not risky to associate information to someone’s hair as one might change one’s hairstyle?

Ans
. When you are linking some information to a person’s hair, it is advisable to link it to the texture of the hair rather than the hairstyle. For example, a person having curly hair can change his hairstyle but the texture of hair will remain curly. Or a bald person, in all possibility, will remain bald. So you can easily use this feature to memorize his name.

Q13. I work as a translator at an embassy and need to remember what is being said as I translate. Can you help?

Ans
. I would suggest that you only try and remember key words as someone speaks. For example: ‘Sir, last Monday I was travelling from Delhi to Agra by train with three of my friends when I realized that my passport had been stolen. Although I reported the matter at the Agra station, I have not received a reply from them.’ Out of these lines if you were to remember only key words, you could pick ‘Agra to Delhi’, ‘train’, ‘Passport stolen’, ‘reported’. Now you just have to remember these four words and the related information will come to your mind when you mention them. Along with remembering only key words, I would suggest you to take notes using a mind map instead of conventional notes.

Q14. Can we make world record using these techniques?

Ans
. Yes, in fact many of our students have made national records and world records. Many of them got their names registered in the
India book of Records
as Mind Masters.

Q15. Does ‘photographic memory’ exist?

Ans
. Wow! Having a photographic memory sounds great. Imagine you simply look at a page from a book and then perfectly reproduce an image of that page in your mind.

But the bad news is that photographic memory has never been proven to exist. Scientists have done many experiments to prove this and have found that it’s impossible to recall images with perfect accuracy. Some people do have phenomenal memories but they cannot be excellent in all areas. A chess master may beat multiple opponents but he may be bad at remembering birthdays and anniversaries.

But there are some exceptions. A few autistic people might have something close to this kind of memory. For example, ‘Kim Peek’ from America has memorized almost 12,000 books and only takes 8–10 seconds to memorize each page. The character Raymond Babbitt played by Dustin Hoffman in the film
Rain Man
is inspired by him.

Q16. Do you think supplements can help me boost my memory?

Ans
. Today the market is full of medicines and other supplements that claim to increase your memory, but there are no studies to prove the same. Physical and mental exercise along with a proper and healthy diet is a more powerful way to boost your memory, even in old age. But sometimes a lack of some minerals in your body might affect your brain function and your doctor might prescribe some dietary supplements for it. Taking these will help prevent memory problems. Currently there is no proof that these supplements help in normal cases. People suffering from dementia are advised to follow the doctor’s advice, as these are a different type of drug, necessary to take in such cases.

Q17. Will these memory techniques work for me if I suffer from Dyslexia?

Ans
. As human beings, it’s not natural for our brain to process and store information in the form of words or numbers. And the reason is because our brain is hard-wired to process information in the form of
mental images
.

This is one of the reasons why many people struggle with Dyslexia. The challenge, of course, is that we live in a world full of words and numbers. To help overcome this challenge, in this book you’ll discover a system of techniques that will show you how to translate linguistic and numerical information into visual, mental images—tightly organized in your mind.

If you suffer from Dyslexia, the techniques taught in this book will help you take advantage of your brain’s naturally strong ability for mental images, overcome challenges you might have with words and numbers, and dramatically improve your memory in the process.

Q18. I don’t want to rely only on my memory to store my passwords. How can I create a secure backup for the same?

Ans
. Almost all internet sites give you the option of resetting your password in case you forget it. However, you can create a back up for these by associating them with images or a series of sketches in your diary. These images will remind you about the associations you created with them and will be difficult for others to decode, thus ensuring security.

Q19. According to you, what is a better option for keeping my brain active in old age? Paper-based puzzles or online/video-based games?

Ans
. There is no evidence to prove which is a better way of exercising your brain. It is entirely a matter of personal choice as to what challenges you want to do: puzzles and games in books or newspapers, or online games.

Q20. If I am confident that I understood the information correctly, do I need to still revise it?

Ans
. In our daily life we absorb a lot of information, but can you recall all the information that you learnt in the past? No. Only if you revise what you have learnt or you associate some new information to an already existing one that you will be able to recall it whenever you need it. That makes revision very important.

Q21. Many a times I review a material but still forget it. What should I do about it?

Ans
. First of all you have to identify the main problem. Ask yourself:

• Did you understand the information correctly in the first place?
  
• Did you encode it using correct memory techniques?
  

If the answer to the above question is yes, then you must consider how often are you reviewing this information?

It might be possible that you are giving too much gap in revision or you are not concentrating on it completely while revising. Even if you have to understand the topic again, don’t hesitate. Or you can change the memory technique that you were using to memorize it. Analyze all these aspects and then rectify the problem.

Q22. I have become so absentminded that I keep misplacing my books and notebooks. Sometimes I even forget in which book did I note down an important note. Please help.

Ans
. Everything needs a place. You must create a separate place for your notebooks so that you know where to keep it and can easily find it when needed. To make it more easily accessible, you can code it by using different colour papers for different subjects. You can also create an index in each of the notebooks which will make it easy for you to access the topics you noted down in each notebook.

Q23. Does our emotional state effect out ability to memorize? I am a pessimist and most of the time I am in a negative state of mind. What should I do?

Ans
. Yes. Our emotions play a very important role in the functioning of our brain. If we are anxious or worried, all our attention goes to those thoughts and it become difficult for us to concentrate on other things. If you are worried about something, face it and calm yourself down. Only then move on to learn something.

Q24 I am a pessimist, so even though I try hard to stay positive, I tend to start thinking about negative experiences that further makes me remember other negative memories. What can I do about this?

Ans
. Make an effort to improve your mood and recall happy memories. Put up photos of happy occasions in your working environment so you will see them during the day.

Q25. Are there any other ways I can improve how I feel in everyday life?

Ans
. People definitely differ in their general levels of happiness, and this seems to be more due to genetics than to their situation in life. However, there are a few things you can do to improve your general mood:

• Get regular exercise
  
• Don’t compare yourself too much with others and
  
• Don’t always take failures personally
  
• Meditate
  

Q26. Drawing even a simple straight line is a big task for me. Can I still use a mind map to memorize?

Ans
. Of course you can! Mind map is not a means to showcase your drawing talent. Your map need not have straight lines. It can have curved lines as long as it is drawn by you. The idea is to covert your notes into images so that it is easy to recall. So go ahead and enjoy converting long boring notes into amazing colourful mind maps.

Q27. Is there any software available online to create mind maps?

Ans
. Yes. There is a lot of software available online and I have used a few but I found drawing on paper to be most effective. Working with mouse and keyboard may be less free flowing than doing it on paper, unless you have really good touch screens that allow you to write on the computer free hand.

Q28. Do you recommend any memory training games available on internet?

Ans
. Well, there is a lack of strong evidence that such games boost your memory but there may be some other benefits like increasing concentration or motivating you to pay more attention, which may in turn improve your memory. This is due to your increased attention to your work at hand, but there is no proof as such that these exercises can increase your ability to learn or recall other information also.

Q29. If I am speaking to someone on the phone, like a new client, how can I remember his name without meeting him face-to-face?