Our brains naturally think in images and associations rather than words. Sensory information - mostly visual - is how our brains typically process information. This fundamental observation is key to understanding memory techniques.
When you think of something (like "school"), it triggers associated memories - teachers, friends, experiences. Our brains think in these associative chains:
Mind maps visually represent this natural brain function, with central ideas branching out into associated concepts.
Our brains remember things that are emotionally salient and distinctive:
Let's use these principles to remember 8 items:
In the heart of the city, a monstrous, evil pair of scissors stirs a colossal cup of coffee with an enormous spoon. The swirling liquid churns violently until it spills over, crashing onto the streets below, shattering the pavement and sweeping away unsuspecting civilians. Hundreds of people scramble for cover beneath a massive umbrella, huddling together in panic.
Suddenly, the ground trembles. From deep underground, razor-sharp fountain pens burst upward, piercing through the asphalt and shooting toward the sky like missiles. They strike the towering coffee cup, puncturing its sides. Cracks spread rapidly before the cup shatters entirely, unleashing a tidal wave of steaming coffee that floods the city.
You barely have time to react before a scalding splash hits your face—and your eyeglasses. Blinded for a moment, you remember the oversized toothbrush tucked in your pocket. Without hesitation, you whip it out and scrub your eyeglasses clean.
As you slip them back on, your vision clears just in time to witness a surreal sight—countless towels tumbling from the sky, drifting down like parachutes to soak up the disastrous spill.
Review Tip: If you miss an item, add more sensation, movement, or color to that part of the story.
To make information memorable, incorporate these elements:
Former world memory champion Ben Pridmore demonstrates these techniques in his music video "Scale It Back" with DJ Shadow. Watch it for motivation and to see memory techniques in action!
In the next lecture, we'll explore the "Link System" where we connect images in pairs using these memory elements.