sharpen memory
2008
A Quick Guide to
Sharpen Your Memory
Improve Your Memory in Fun yet Brilliant Ways!
KENNY TRAN - WWW.KENNY-TRAN.COM
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
2 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
About Kenny Tran
Kenny Tran is currently living and working in Singapore. For
the last few years, his passion for entrepreneurship has
brought him to continually explore and invest in many fields
of interest.
Being a person who loves to improve himself every day,
after finishing his degree, he continues to spend many
thousands of dollars and hours to invest in his education
with countless of home-study courses, books, training
programs, etc. on several top ic s suc h as s elf-d evelopment,
investment, trading, management, leadership, Internet
marketing, etc.
Besides learning, he also has a genuine passion for putting his skills, knowledge and talents
into practice. His personal and entrepreneurial aspiration is sharing knowledge to the world.
Therefore, despite of his hectic schedule, he is running two fast growing publishing
businesses, both online and offline, with his team of competent web master, designer,
content producer and editor.
His first book published has become one of the national best-sellin g books aft er only two
months thanks to his successful Internet marketing campaign.
His high-quality and yet easy-to-read eb ooks b ecome mor e and mor e p opular among offline
and online communities.
His personal blog and his business blog are receiving thousands of page views per day.
You can find out more about Kenny and his publications at www.kenny-tran.com
4 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Contents
Legal Notice ........................................................................................................... 3
About Kenny Tran................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 7
Chapter One - S harp Memory Factors ................................................................... 10
You Are What You Eat ........................................................................................... 11
Reduc e Stress ...................................................................................................... 12
Music and Memory ................................................................................................ 13
Sleep an d M emor y ................................................................................................ 14
Learning and Emotions .......................................................................................... 14
Chapter Two - Attention ....................................................................................... 16
Chapter Three - Basic Memory Tools .................................................................... 21
Association........................................................................................................... 22
Visualization and Imagination ................................................................................. 23
Clustering ............................................................................................................ 24
Chapter Four - Overcoming Forgetfulness ............................................................ 26
Chapter Five - Memory and Your Sen ses .............................................................. 31
Sight Impressions ................................................................................................. 32
Hear ing Imp ressions ............................................................................................. 33
2-in-1 Combo ....................................................................................................... 34
Chapter Six - How to Remember Names an d Faces .............................................. 36
Chapter Seven - How to Remember Numbers
....................................................... 40
Senses ................................................................................................................ 40
Association........................................................................................................... 41
Convertin g Numbers to Wor ds ................................................................................ 41
The Picture Code................................................................................................... 42
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
The Maj or Memory System ..................................................................................... 42
List of Memory Words
............................................................................................ 43
Rememb er in g Dates .............................................................................................. 45
Rememb er in g Chann els ......................................................................................... 46
Chapter Eight - How to Remember Places ............................................................ 47
Rememb er in g Direction s ........................................................................................ 49
Remembering Addresses
........................................................................................ 49
Chapter Nin e - How to Remember Events
............................................................. 51
Chapter 10 - Oth er Memory Tools
......................................................................... 52
Memory Organ iz ation ............................................................................................ 52
The Story M ethod ................................................................................................. 53
The Facts As sociation ............................................................................................ 53
7 Principles of Memory .......................................................................................... 54
Conclu sion
............................................................................................................ 56
Resources for Your Memory ................................................................................. 57
6 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Introduction
A good memory is truly important for anyone to possess. Your memory of faces, names, facts,
information, dates, events, circumstances and other things concerning your everyday life is the
measure of your ability to prevail in today's fast-paced, information-dependent society. With a
good memory, you don't have to fear forgetting/misplacing important stuffs and you can
overcome mental barriers that hinder you from achieving success in your career, love life, and
personal life.
Your memory is composed of complicated neural connections in your brain which are believed
to be capable of holding millions of data. The ability of your mind to retain past experiences in a
highly organized manner gives you the potential to learn and create different ideas. Your
experiences are the stepping stones to greater accomplishments and at the same time your
guides and protectors from danger. If your memory serves you well in this respect, you are
saved the agony of repeating the mistakes of the past. By remembering crucial lessons and
circumstances, you avoid the mistakes and failures made by other people.
Unless you have an illness or handicap, a poor memory is often attributed to lack of attention
or concentration, insufficient listening skills, and other inherent bad habits; however, it can be
honed and developed using the right methods.
Many people believe that their memory gets worse as they get older. This is true only for those
who do not use their memory properly. Memory is like a muscle - the more it is used, the better
it gets. The more it is neglected, the worse it becomes. This is the reason why older people have
more trouble remembering than younger ones. However, people increasing in age can
overcome this dilemma and can even further improve their memory by continuing their
education, by refining their minds, by keeping themselves open to new experiences, and by
keeping their imagination working. An important thing to realize is that different people have
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various ways of learning. The way in which people learn is often a factor determining the
subjects they choose to study, instructors they relate to, and careers they select.
Memorization or retention of data operates by loading images, sounds, taste, smell, and
sensation (touch) in a very organized and meaningful combination in our brain.
There are three types of memory.
• Sensor y Memory is where temporary information is briefly recorded. Images such as a
picture in a magazine and the design on your customer's clothing are momentarily
stored in the sensory memory. It will be quickly replaced by another sensory memory
unless you do something to retain it.
• Short-term Memory, characterized by 20 to 30 seconds of retention, involves a limited
amount of information, and is necessary in traditional processing of experiences and
ordinary data gathering (everyday sensation and perception). For example, you were
taught by your professor some great techniques on how to easily solve complicated
Math problems. The next time you take a Math exam, you may possibly remember
some of the formulas, but it's doubtful you'll be able to recall and apply all the methods
being taught.
• Long-t erm Memory involves consolidation and organization of complex knowledge and
information for further reference and other cognitive (mental) processing such as the
application of learning or information into meaningful experiences. Examples would
include your birthday, your father's name, and your home's appearance.
Short-term an d long-term memories are concerned with how you continually organize data
that are stored in your brain. In short, human memory is like a vast and comp l ica ted yet
organized library, rather than a trash can or disordered store room.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
In order for you to further develop your memory capacity in various tasks, it would be helpful if
you consider points and ideas in improving your memory. This would make your retention
practices more efficient and sharper.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter One - Sharp Memory Factors
If someone was to read a list of words to you, it's most unlikely that you will remember all the
words in the list. You'll be able to recall most of the words at the beginning, some at the
middle, and a few at the end. These effects are known as p rimacy (words at the beginning) and
recency (words at the end).
The only way that a normal person can effectively recall all of the words in the list, is if he
applies a mnemonic technique to help him remember. You'll also find that it's easier to recall a
word if it's repeated several times in the list, or if it's related to the other words in any way, or
if it stands out among the other words (for example, the word "ruby" will stand out from a list
of vegetables).
To take advantage of your primacy and recency, you must find a middle ground. If you are
doing something that requires a lot of thinking and you do this non-stop for hours, you'll find
that the dip in the recall between the primacy and recency can be quite considerable.
If, on the other hand, you stop to take breaks too often, your brain will not really re a c h it s
primacy because it keeps on getting interrupted. In a more practical application, instead of
continuously studying or working for hours, you might want to try pausing and resting after 30-
50 minutes of working, just to give your brain time to refresh itself and to maximize the time
when your primacy and recency are balanced.
Contrary to popular belief, being smart is not synonymous to having a good memory or good
retention. You don't have to force yourself to study and understand more in order to improve
your memory; the key is ac tually in your lifestyle, your attitude, your diet, and your habits.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
You Are What You Eat
It is often said that your brain is probably the greediest organ in your body, and it requires a
very specific type of nutrition from your diet. It shouldn't be surprising that your diet affects
how your brain performs, and it performs well with a steady supply of glucose. Before you go
out of your house in the morning, it would be great if you can give your brain the fuel it needs
by eating a hearty b r e a k fa s t . A salad packed full of antioxidants, including beta-ca ro tene a nd
vitamins C and E, should also help keep your brain in tip-top condition by helping to reduce
damaging free radicals (damaging molecules). As you grow older, your b ra in has lesser capacity
to defend itself from daily threats like free radicals, inflammation, and oxidation. That's why
aging people need more nutrition than younger ones.
Free radicals are like cavities to your teeth; they slowly build up if they're not cleaned out. As
the brain cells grow older, they sometimes stop communicating with each other. As an effect, it
slows down essential processes like thinking, short-term memory retrieval, and regenerating
new cells. Therefore, an ti-oxidants are essential to maintain not only good health, but a good
memory as well. Good sources of anti-o xid an ts a re:
• Vitamin A and beta-carot ene: Carrots, spinach, cantaloupe, winter squash
• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes
• Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds, vegetable oil, wheat germ
Studies show that fatty food that causes artheosclerosis (clogging of arteries) are also the same
type of food that disrupts neural activities. Cut back on the fat and replace it with foods rich in
anti-oxidants. Nothing will replace a well-balanced meal, but to make sure that your body
doesn't lack any of its nutritional needs, it would be a good idea to take food supplements. As
the name implies, they're supplements, and not replacements.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Scientific research also indicates that eating fish can indeed sharpen your memory. Most fish
fat contains the polyunsaturated fatty acid DHA, which performs a significant part in the brain
development of young children. Tests show that kids who consume adequate foods containing
DHA score better on IQ tests than those who take lesser amounts of DHA. Fish also contains
omega-3 fatty acids which opens up new communication centers in the brain's neurons. This
allows your mind to operate at its peak performance.
Another significant finding suggests that smoking can affect the ability of the brain to process
information properly. Chain smokers have higher risks of impairing their visual and verbal
memories. So the next time you think of smoking, remember that it's not only dangerous to
your health, but you are sacrificing your memory functions as well.
Caffeine and alcohol causes anxiety and nervousness. This may hamper information from
properly entering your mind because memory works best when you are relaxed and focused.
Reduce Stress
Medical researches show that people who are always anxious produce "stress hormones" like
cortisol, which damages brain cells. Make it a point to do something that will relax you every
day. Try meditating, yoga, drinking tea, taking a long bath ... whatever works for you. A very
effective method to reduce stress is deep breathing and visualizing the expected outcome of
any situation to turn out well. Don't forget to get enough rest.
Poor memory is often a result of poor self-image. After all, it all starts and ends in the mind. So
to have a healthy mind, believe that you can achieve anything you desire. Boost your self-
esteem and be confident in your abilities. Your attitude should be supportive of your goals.
Car diovascular exercises like walking improves blood circulation and are good for the heart and
brain. Research also indicates that walking helps release hormones that aid in regenerating new
brain cells. If you're bored with just plain walking, engage into sports that you love. P l a y
basketball, volleyball, tennis, or anything that excites you. By exercising, you can lessen your
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
chances of developing high blood pressure which contributes to memory loss when you get
older. So get up and get moving. Not only will you be getting a fit and healthy body, but you'll
also sharpen your memory and improve your creativity. Not to mention the fun and
camaraderie you'll be getting with your teammates and competitors.
Just like any muscle, you also need to exer cise your brain so that it doesn't deteriorate. Engage
in games that will help you think. Talk to people, read informational books, listen to educational
tapes, and make it a habit to continuously learn and experience new things. Remember that
when your neurons die, they don't come back to life anymore. So you better use them, or you'll
lose them.
If you feel that your memory really isn't how it used to be, go and see a physician. Sometimes,
memory loss can be a symptom of more serious diseases and can go undetected for years
because you don 't really feel anyth ing else o ther than mem or y lo ss.
Music and Memory
Elderly people suffering from dementia were said to have better reasoning about their
backgrounds and personal history when there was music playing in the clinical area than in
silence, during an experiment conducted by Elizabeth Valentine, a psychologist at the University
of London and co-author of new research on music and memory. Increasingly, music is
accompanying traditional medical therapies to help people heal faster. Experts say music has
the power to calm and to energize the spirit.
The British researchers conducted a test on 23 people (ages 68 to 90) with mild dementia. The
test was done with different sounds playing in the background. While asking the questions, the
researchers either played: a familiar tune (Win ter, from Vivaldi's Four Seasons), novel music
(Hook, by Fitkin), or pre-recorded cafeteria noise - or asked the questions in stillness. Over four
weeks, each person was tested in all four situations.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
The participants answered more questions correctly with sound in the background rather than
in silence, and they scored even better when music was playing. "Whether the music was
familiar or new did not seem to matter. The music probably aroused the particip ants and
helped them focus," the researchers said.
Sleep and Memory
Research indicates that you can better remember the information you are reading if you will go
to sleep right after learning it. But there are two limits:
• The material that you intend to recall should be easy to understand, or you should
already have a fair amount of knowledge or experience in the topic being discussed.
• You must not be too tired or exhausted when reading the material.
The next time you need to learn something, try this procedure and see if it works for you. It
worked for me!
Learning and Emotions
As discussed earlier, emotions and feelings play a very important role in the process of learning
and memory retention. Music has been said to affect learning and memory in psychologically-
challenged patients. On the other hand, internal factors such as feelings and emotions should
also be considered in retrieving data or in decoding stored information in your brain.
The creation of a good mood in producing better temper, positive outlooks, or even in
relaxation are very popular nowadays in creating a holistic approach in wellness and mental
health. The balance between mind and body and the conditioning that happens inside your
brain may affect your acquisition of knowledge and information. That is why, it is very
important to have a good mood in perceiving, receiving, and retrieving emotional as well as
mental information.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Here are some of the valuable tips or techniques in mood conditioning that will definitely help
you improve your mental capacities.
• Close your eyes and repeat a chant that will help you recall a picture, a scenario or a
very relevant experience. You can also do this by repeating a very positive statement
like: "No matter what you say or do to me, I'm still a worthwhile person!" Remembering
such words can also boost confidence during exams or in periods of learning or even in
daily struggles. By saying positive things regarding your life, you are increasing the
chances of associating your experience with pleasant feeling, and this would help you
remember more of the good things than the bad ones that could lead you down.
• Imagine a face of someone who has put you down in some ways in the past (e.g. a
family member, a teacher, a friend, or an ex lover). After getting the picture of his or her
face, say, "No matter what you say or do to me, I'm still a worthwhile person!" This
would relieve you and put you into a positive consciousness in dealing with people or
strangers. Mental pictures can also relieve you from the stress brought about by bad or
traumatic experiences.
• There are physical ways of improving mood or the place where learning has to take
place. Scented candles, aromatic objects, or the creation of illusion of relaxation (with
the use of verdant or calmed colors such as pastel, earth tones, or non-solid shades) are
some of the practical ways in helping you to relax while learning or acquiring knowledge
or information. In uncontrolled environments which require spontaneous reaction, it
would still be best to create mental pictures (imagining the blueness and calmness of
the sea, or the very refreshing scene of a green countryside) while undertaking learning
tasks or act ions.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Finally Revealed... Learn The Powerful Memory
Techniques Used By The Greatest Minds of This Century!
In Just A F ew Easy Lessons You Will B e Able To Re call Anything, And
Increa se Your I.Q. At The Same Time!
Dear Frien d,
Have you ever wondered w hat it would be like to recall any piece of information instantly,
w ithout having to refer to a sheet o f paper every five seconds? Well, get ready for the
shocking truth... You r brain already has this ability... You just haven't been taught
how to use it!
UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR BRAIN THINKS
Since the moment we are born our brains have been taught to learn in a very
cumbersome way, we have been taught to rely on our left -side brain, which controls logic
and reasoning. However, in recent years science has proven that ou r mind's memory
f acilities are totally visual. This visual aspect of the brain is controlled by our right-
side, which governs our emotions and visualization ability. It also controls our daydreams
and artistic sens ib ility.
Once we understand this fact, we can begin to teach the mind using both sides of our
brain. This method of learning creates a balance, and as a matter of fact, it is how w e
have evolved. By primarily employing our logic side (left-side) for learning, we are only
using a small fraction of ou r brain's natural ab ility.
Y ou have no doubt heard the sa ying, 'We only use a small percentage of our brain.' This
statement is absolutely true, but with these memory expanding techniques you will be
u sing more of your brain, and as a result increase your awareness and you r I.Q.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Two - Attention
Before you can expect to remember or memorize a thing, that thing must have been impressed
clearly upon the records of your subconscious. And the main factor of the recording of
impressions is that quality of the mind that we call Attention, which is the ability to focus and
give meaning to a particular data or stimulus.
Our capability to process information is somewhat limited. Therefore, we must constantly
select and decide which data are relevant and which are not. Stimuli or sensations that you
perceive and organize into meaningful thoughts are selectively analyzed by your brain. If the
stimuli or data is relevant or applicable for further use or access, your brain transfers this
information to the long-term storage center. However, for this to happen, attention must take
place.
One of the most common causes of poor attention is the lack of int erest. You are more inclined
to remember the things in which you have been most interested, because in that emanation of
interest, there has been a high degree of attention exhibited. A person may have a very poor
memory for many things; but when it comes to things in which his interest is involved, he often
remembers the most intricate details. This is called involuntary attention. This type of attention
does not require special effort or exertion because it follows upon interest, curiosity, or desire.
The other type of attention is called voluntary attention. This form of attention is granted upon
objects not necessarily interesting, curious, or attractive. This requires the effort and usage of
the will.
Every person has more or less involuntary attention, while only a few possess developed
voluntary attention. The former is initiated by instinct, while the latter comes only by practice
and training.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
For attention to take place, you must diligently practice the art of voluntary attention. Here are
some succ essful strategies to help you acquire this essential skill.
• Turn your attention upon some uninteresting thing and study every detail until you
are able to describe them. This will seem boring or tiresome at first but you must stick
to it. Do not practice too long at a time at first; take a rest and try it again later. You will
soon find that it comes easier, and that a new interest is starting to manifest itself in the
task. For example, pick a flower. Touch it. Smell it. Feel its texture. How many petals
does it have? How long is the stem? What is the color and shape of the petals? By doing
this simple task, you will be surprised at the quantity of little things that you will notice.
This method, practiced on many things, in spare hours, will develop the power of
voluntary attention and perception in anyone, no matter how deficient he or she may
have been in these things. Begin to take notice of things about you: the places you visit,
the people in the rooms, etc. In this way you will start the habit of "noticing things,"
which is the first requisite for memory development.
• Eliminate distractions. Even though you may have heard of multi-tasking, it is very
difficult for people to do more than one thing at a time. For example, you're a law
student studying for the Bar Exams. You wouldn't be able to absorb properly into your
mind what you are studying if your radio is playing loud rock-and-roll music, or if you're
hearing the video games being played by your kid brother. As much as possible, avoid
any possible distractions such as TV, radio, or other people chattering.
• Retain focus and concentration in the process of learning or memorization. Let's say
you're busy preparing for an important presentation tomorrow. A new employee was
introduced to you while you are working. In this case, there would be much less chance
for you to remember anything about that new employee because you are concentrating
on something else which you regard as more urgent or important. If you want to
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
remember something well, shift your focus on that one thing and willfully commit it to
memory.
• Keep track all of your thoughts . Whenever you become aware that your thoughts are
losing, yell "STOP!" in your mind. This will bring your drifting to a halt and redirect your
attention to what needs to be done. Remember that good concentration breeds good
memory. If you find that your thoughts are traveling, be conscious that your attention is
drifting.
• Get interested. To have good memorization skills, you should also like what you are
doing. To vividly memorize a visual, an image, or even text, engage yourself into it. You
should put your heart in every activity you're working and doing. If you don't like to
engage in a certain activity, there's a slim chance for you to remember aspects about it.
Let's say your parents want you to become an engineer, but you dream of becoming a
musician. If you studied engineering because your parents forced you to, you won't
have the dedication or desire to retain information from your engineering books. Don't
push yourself to do something that you have no interest in. As Leonardo Da Vinci said:
"Just as ea tin g against one's will is injurious to healt h, so study without a liking for it
spoils the memor y, and it retains nothing it takes in."
• Get motivated. Now let's say you want to become a doctor. Why are you familiarizing
and memorizing into such ambiguous medical or biological terms? For one thing, you
might want to be on the top of the class. Or you might want to be popular in your
school. Or you might want to be a good doctor someday to help your community. Goals
and timeframe nourish motivation. And motivation promotes a sharp memory. To
further motivate yourself, reward yourself for any tasks that you have accomplished. Set
a particular incentive for every objective. For example, treat yourself to your favorite
restaurant after finishing a project. When you've accomplished a bigger task, go on a
vacation. Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completing a certain
undertaking. Remember: Man by nature is a go-getter. He will get whatever he aspires
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for. In a consumption-based and technologically-driven world, one should have a stake
or goal to feed his symbolic ego. By rewarding yourself in every success you account for,
you will aspire for more and will develop interest on your activity. In the process, your
interest will make you more productive and successful.
• Give your subconscious a mental command to bear in mind what you want to
remember . You may say, "Here, you take note of this and remember it for me!" You'll
be astounded by what the subconscious can do for you.
Before you can memorize or remember anything, you should be able to perceive well
through proper attention. Use the methods above and you're well on your way to a sharper
memory.
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zero tolerance applies), on strict condition that the entire contents remain intact
and the report is distributed at no cost to recipients.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
MasterYourMemory.com
THE BEST MEMORY IMPROVEMENT BOOK EVER WRITTEN!
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Young or old it's never too late to improve your memory
No matter from what level you start, and no matter how old you are, you can and
will imp rove your memory.
With a better memory will come satisfaction, confidence and the ability to continue
imp roving your memory.
You are never to o old to get a better memo ry! Reverse the cause of memory loss.
It's so easy it's like a game
21 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Three - Basic Memory Tools
No one is born with a bad memory. Unless factors such as your lifestyle, health, or other
conditions have affected it, you can sharpen your memory with the proper knowledge and
practice. In this chapter, I'm going to discuss the basic concepts of memory.
Association
If you want to efficiently remember something, it is necessary that it be regarded in connection,
or in association with one or more other things that you already know. The greater the number
of other things with which it is associated with, the better chances you will be able to recall it.
Two popular techniques of association are acronyms and acrostics.
• An acronym is an invented combination of first letters of the items to be remembered.
For example: an acronym commonly used to remember the sequence of colors in the
light spectrum is the name ROY G. BIV: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and
Violet. Sometimes, the acronym can be more familiar than the complete name itself,
such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or SCUBA (Self-Co ntained Underwater Breathing
Apparatus).
• On the other hand, an acrostic is an invented sentence where the first letter of each
word is a cue to the thing you want to remember. For example, Eve ry Go od Bo y
Deserves Fun is an acrostic to remember the order of G-clef notes on sheet music - E, G,
B, D, F. An acrostic for the nine planets of our solar system would be My Very Eager
Mother Just Sent Us Nine Peaches (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, Nep tune, Pluto ).
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Visualization and Imagination
Images are internal sensory representations that are also used in the creation of memory. They
can bring words to mind, which can arouse other images or pictures. The formation of images
appears to help in learning and remembering what has been learned or experienced in the past.
Images and words can help you in remembering things by bringing pictures in your head instead
of just words or figures. Let's say, in learning the process of cell mitosis or cell division, most of
the books that contain concepts or scientific ideas have pictures to describe scenarios that are
sometimes difficult to be seen by the human eye. Another example would be the structure of a
bacteria or a virus. Graphic elements and visual tools, therefore, may become guiding principles
in learning conceptual or precisely scientific ideas.
Another example would be in memorizing the lyrics of the songs or in remembering stories that
you might have read before. In these two examples, the memorization process becomes easier
if you imagine the images conjured by the lyrics of the song or if you create vivid images in your
mind as you read or recall a narrative or tale. Picture the actual scenario described by the
sentences or paragraphs.
To further intensify your imagination, you have to actually feel what the character is feeling. If
you're reading a story about a knight in shining armor fighting a dragon, then feel your
strength, the power of your sword, the heat of the fire from the dragon's mouth, and even the
kiss of the princess after saving h er fro m the m ons ter.
Images and the formation of which, in the process of learning or remembering, can therefore
help you in improving your memory. Here are some of the valuable methods which you can use
in achieving an imaginative memory.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
• Learn to think with both words and figures. For example, in reading a book, it would be
helpful to stop for a while and reconstruct the suggested scenario inside your head. This
way, you are also increasing the chances of not only recording linguistic data but also
some of the essential cognitive aspect of remembering, like the reconstruction of
perceived or imagined senses in your brain. The smell and taste of ice cream, the
redness of a strawberry, or the thickness or thinness of blood described in a crime novel
that not only gives chill or excitement in reading but also makes your reading experience
more memorable.
• In learning new ideas, associate these concepts with a very particular image or picture
that is very personal or relevant to you. Put some premium on what you already know
or on what is easily conjured by your brain in experiencing these words (like in learning
a new language or subject). Put some personal relationship with these words like
knowing the origin of their meanings (etymology) or by giving them a concrete symbol
in your head.
• If you're reading a very technical manual or theory pamphlet, what you can do is
imagine yourself doing the scenario suggested by the book. This is also what we call as
vivid reading. Words and sentences become alive not with their meaningful connections
but with their correlative value with reality. In fact, writing prose or poetry involves a
highly developed skill in imagery and mental mapping. Poets and creative writers are
said to be good not only in remembering details or facts, but also in the creation of
worlds or situations found within the mind.
Clustering
Grouping of details and data in recalling names or numbers is very essential in the process of
retention. The associative power suggested by groups or grouped items help us further
organize or give direction in memorization. Pairing words, for example, either synonymously or
with their opposing meanings, like "fair" and "square" or "man" and "woman" helps us
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
remember data more easily because they are not only singularly meaningful but at the same
time relative to other words or data that we already know from the past.
Clustering numbers (memorizing telephone numbers by threes or by fours) or in whatever
relevant grouping, is one tendency that leads to easy access from these numbers or even word
groupings. Clustering is one way we can further improve our memory . Exa m pl es of th ese
include:
• Grouping by numbers, colors, or under the same category.
• Grouping words and concepts by their opposing meanings or through antonyms: (bitter
vs. sweet, love vs. hate)
• Grouping words into pictures or through subjective organization.
Subjective organization depends on the way we recall or organize our materials by our own
categories or devices. For example, learning a list of new words or vocabularies can be
developed through subjective interpretations of these words or groupings. The better we
organize or become aware of how we build a system of information, the better it would be in
performing cognitive or mental tasks such as memorization or application of our memory.
One example of this is cooking. We may follow a recipe or procedure dictated by the recipe. But
the way we cook food or give meaning to the process of cooking is different from one another.
Thus, the procedure is also similar in getting information and knowledge. It would be better if
you:
• Think of the process of how you solve your problems or in getting the necessary
information.
• Know your capacity in the process of learning or memorization. Are you the type of
person who easily gets the information by clustering them into meaningful categories,
or are you the type of person who learns better if you follow a direction or picture inside
your head?
• Analyze the situation, the details, or experiences. Try to remember the relevant facts
and remove unnecessary data or information.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Four - Overcoming Forgetfulness
"The existence of forgetting has never been proved: We only know that some things don't
come to mind when we want them," Friedrich Nietzsche once said.
Being forgetful causes a lot of anxiety in people today, especially with the increasing awareness
of memory-related diseases like Alzheimer's. On the other hand, new studies show that the
human mind, not traumatized by serious injury or disease, never forgets. Experts say forgetting
is not akin to losing information, but more so because there might be slip-up in the way the
information was stored or in the way it is being retrieved.
But then, if the problem really lies on information-gathering and retrieval, why do most of us
still tend to forget, no matter how hard we rack our brains? We forget where we put those
keys, that much-needed item in the grocery list, or worse, those very important answers in an
exam that might spell the difference between a passing mark and a failing grade.
A variety of factors contribute to the way our brain stores and supplies information. Although
schools of thought and psychology are still debating on how the human mind works, they agree
for one thing that memory is affected by our overall experience - from our genes, to the kind of
childhood we had, down to the food we ate for breakfast this morning.
Some scientists liken the mind to a video camera because of its ability and nature to record
everything a person experiences. Thus, looking for a particular event in your past is similar to
searching for a scene in a video footage: a person can select the target scene, view it in slow
motion or fast forward, even pause or zoom in to a particular detail. It is from this view tha t
techniques to retrieve memory using hypnosis, truth serum, meditation, therapy and other
similar forms come from.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
On the other hand, despite the mind's "video graphic" eye, it was discovered that the mind
does not have perfect archival properties, similar to a videotape that can gather mildew, lose
sharpness, and age over time. The brain is also likened to a computer chip. While it may hold
very large amount of information, its capacity to store data nevertheless has its limitations. To
make way for "new data," the mind reconstructs the stored information from time to time.
Thus, events may not be perfectly remembered. Over time, some elements may be lost, details
may get blurry or gradually be gone. "Trigger" elements such as a song, a photograph, or a k ind
of smell may bring back a long-forgotten memory. Still some fragments of our past can be gone
forever.
In this chapter, we will discuss the ways and techniques on how humans, from scientists to
mystics, deal with the trait of forgetting.
Forgetting is what we refer as the temporary or long-term loss of details, stimuli record, or
memory materials that has been learned or stored in our brains. A forgotten item may be
stored in memory but unavailable for retrieval or recall. There are several theories or
explanation regarding forgetting.
• Decay of Memory Traces - This is the oldest explanation regarding forgetting. Memory
is said to have a natural tendency to decay with time. When a word or a name of person
is no longer relevant, such memory item may eventually lose its significant place inside
our brain.
• Distortion of Memory - Some experiences may be learned or retrieved in a much
distorted form. Such inaccuracy may lead to a different or false memory or may even
defeat the process of retrieval since what are being accessed are wrong traces or leads
in our brain.
• Interference - This experience may have been a result of in-between situations or
uncontrollable variables during the experience of learning or memorizing. This also
includes what occurs before, during, or after learning. Activities done before a task may
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
confuse the retention process or what psychologists call as proactive inhibition. The
more previously learned task there are, the greater the forgetting of the new tasks or
operation. However, the more meaningful the material to be learned and retained, the
less effect of such proactive kind of inhibition. On the other hand, an opposite effect
happens during the retroactive inhibition, in which there are interfering activities
occurring after a learning period. Usually, people who have to learn a second task forget
more of the first than those who are given only one task to do. That is why, it would be
advisable to master a particular task or skill before going on to the next activity, because
retaining too much information require complex interactions of your memory and
psychomotor skill. Such example is proven during the period of learning how to drive.
Motor skills and various movements are necessary and may sometimes look confusing
at first since they require synchronicity. However as we slowly start to learn to put
individual bodily tasks into a cohesive and unified action, we begin to think in a very
precise and completely organized manner. This means we have already learned or
memorized different tasks and have already put them into order. Therefore, in order to
remember more, one must have mastery of a particular task or skill before engaging in
other activities which require particular specialization.
• Motivated Forgetting - This is a variable in forgetting which involve the individual's
motive or desire to remember or forget. People seem to repress certain memories or
suppress the process of retention or memory retrieval. More often remembered are
pleasant events than unpleasant ones. Emotion also plays an important aspect in this
explanation regarding forgetting. Some people prefer to forget experiences that are sad
or traumatic. This may be a wise move. If you spend less time recollecting your failures
and disappointments in life, you'll have better capacity to retain the positive and
essential information in your mind. Because negative thoughts aggravate stress, you
should learn to relax and forget about past mistakes. The past is done. Focus and reta i n
only positive thoughts.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
• Lack of Cues or Guides - We are able to retrieve material to the extent that we have
cues to remind us of it. When we remember something, it is as if we search our memory
with the help of cues or guides that point the way to the desired materials. When we
forget, it is because we may lack the necessary cues or guides in getting back the
information stored in the vast neural connection of our brain.
Here are some effective techniques to overcome forgetfulness or absentmindedness:
• Write down your detailed list of "things to do." Group or arrange your tasks into
categories (and subcategories if applicable). Cross off activities that you have done and
add new tasks along the way. If possible, stick your notes in objects that are familiar to
you (television, refrigerator, entrance door, etc.)
• Use your imagination and humor. Let's say you have an appointment with a potential
client, Mr. Anderson, this coming Friday. If you love to watch TV every night, imagine
Mr. Anderson acting like a clown on TV. You may even see him coming right out of the
boob tube and saying, "See you on Friday!" To rememb er Friday b etter, yo u can
visualize Mr. Anderson on your TV screen dressed as a chef and "frying" (Friday) some
delicious foods. Come up with funny images that will help you remember your schedule.
The funnier and more exaggerated, th e b etter .
• Associate a task with a routine activity or with something that you regularly do. L e t ' s
say you always forget to bring your cell phone every time you go to work. See to it that
before you brush your teeth or take a shower, you put your cell phone inside your bag.
Just make a task that you often forget a part of your daily routine.
• Create a visual hint. Let's say you invited your boss to dinner at your house on Tuesday
night, and you must buy some potatoes for the dessert you'll be cooking. With your very
busy schedule, you can easily forget to buy it. To aid you in remembering, you may put a
29 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
pack of potato chips or a toy potato at the top of your TV or in the middle of your dining
table to remind you of the task that needs to be done.
• Focus and say your task out loud. Have you ever experienced coming up to your friend
because you want to ask something? Next thing you know, you completely forgot the
things you're going to inquire him. Well, don't panic. Many people have been in your
situation and you're not alone. With today's hectic lifestyle, even those with good
memory can forget what they're thinking about in a split second. The solution here is to
focus on one task at a time, and repeatedly say out loud what you're going to do: "I'm
going to ask John about the rules in joining his contest." If in case you still forget about
what you're going to do, try going back to your place of origin where you said the task
out loud. Oftentimes, that specific place would help you to recall your task by
assoc iating that location with what you have said.
• Don't procrastinate. If you have a certain activity that needs to be done, get it over with
as early as you can. When you need to pay your bills, do it now before it becomes
overdue and before it starts charging interest. If you really can't attend to it now, then
us e yo ur i ma g in ati on , visual reminders, or other helpful tools to remember it.
• Get a companion. Some people living in solidarity can become absentminded and can
suffer memory loss. That's because they don't have anyone to talk to, so their mental
capacity is limited and not utilized well. Having a smart companion to discuss various
topics with, and to share your knowledge and experiences with, can sharpen you
memory. They can even act as your back-up. Just tell them to remember something and
you'll have another memory working on your behalf. Just be nice to your buddy.
30 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
"How You Can Unlock The Secrets To A
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The Truth about your Memory
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31 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Five - Memory and Your Senses
Did you know that the impressions received from your five senses of sight, hearing, taste,
touch, and smell have a significant role in the retention of information in your mind? These are
called Memory of Sense I mpressions. However, when you come down to a systematic analysis
of sense impressions retained in the memory, you'll find that the majority of such impressions
are those acquired through the two respective senses: sight and hearing.
Sight Impressions
We are constantly exercising our sense of sight, and receiving thousands of different sight
impressions every hour. But most of these impressions are insignificantly recorded upon the
memory, because we give them little attention or interest.
Before the memory can be stored with sight impressions, before the mind can recollect or
remember such impressions, the eye must be used under the direction of the attention. We
think that we see things when we look at them, but in reality we see only a few aspects, in the
sense of registering clear and unique impressions of them upon the depths of the subconscious
mind. We look at them as a whole rather than see them in detail.
For example, there was a man who was attacked by a robber. The man had a close view of the
thief's face. When the victim went to the nearby police station to report the unfortunate
incident, he was asked by the police officer to describe the criminal in details. The victim,
although having a close view of the man's face, was unable to give an accurate description to
the police. He was unable to perceive well because he's in a state of nervousness and shock
while the thief was assaulting him.
This is a case of "looking without seeing." The way to train the mind to receive clear sight-
impressions, and therefore to retain them in the memory, is simply to concentrate the will and
32 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
attention upon objects of sight, endeavoring to see them plainly and distinctly, and then to
practice recalling the details of the object some time afterward.
Will and attention would not be effective if not combined with interest. You must have the
desire or passion to really accomplish the task at hand. Shift your mental focus, by means of will
and attention coupled with interest, to overcome the mere "seeing and observing"
phenomena. In order to remember the things that pass before your sight, you must begin to
see with your mind, instead of just looking with your eyes. Let the impression get beyond your
retina and into your mind. If you will do this, you will find that memory will "do it's thing."
Hearing Impressions
Many sounds reach the ear but are not retained by the mind. We may pass along a noisy street,
the waves of many sounds reaching the nerves of the ear, and yet the mind accepts the sounds
of only a few things, particularly when the novelty of the sounds has passed away. It is again a
matter of interest and attention in this case.
To acquire the faculty of correct hearing, and correct memory of things heard, the mental
faculty of hearing must be exercised, trained and developed. It is a fact that the mind will hear
the faintest sounds from things in which is centered interest and attention, while at the same
time ignoring things in which there is no interest and to which the attention is not turned. A
sleeping mother will wake up at the slightest cry from her baby, while the booming sound of
drums in a parade, or even the firing of a gun in the vicinity may not be noticed by her. A skilled
physician will detect the faint sounds indicating a respiratory or cardiovascular illness in
patients. However, these same people who are able to detect the faint differences in sound,
above mentioned, a nd a re often known as "poor hearers." The reason is because they hear only
that in which they are interested, and to which their attention has been diverted. That is the
whole secret, and in it is also to be found the secret of training of the ear-perception. The
remedy for "poor hearing," and poor memory of things heard depends on your level of interest
and attention.
33 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
The reason that many persons do not remember things that they have heard is simply because
they have not listened properly. One cannot listen to everything, as it would not be advisable.
Persons who have poor memories of ear-impressions should begin to "listen" attentively. You
will find the following technique helpful:
Try to remember words, phrases, or sentences that are spoken to you in a conversation. You
will find that the effort made to imprint the sentence on your memory will result in a
concentration of the attention on the words of the speaker. Do the same thing when you are
listening to a teacher, singer, actor, or lecturer. Pick out the words for memorizing, and make
up your mind that your memory will receive the impression easily and retain it well. Listen to
the tiny bits of dialogue that come to your ears while walking on the street, and aim to
memorize a sentence or two, as if you're going to relate them to another person. Study the
expressions and inflections in the voices of persons speaking to you. You will be astonished at
the details that such examination will reveal.
Listen to the tones of various people and strive to distinguish the differences in sound between
them. Have your friend read a line or two of poetry, and then endeavor to memorize it. Keep
doing this and you will significantly develop the power of voluntary attention to sounds and
spoken words. But above everything else, practice repeating the words and sounds that you
have memorized, as many times as possible. By doing this, you will get the mind into the habit
of taking an interest in sound impressions.
2-in-1 Combo
In some cases the impressions of sight and sound are joined together, as for instance in the
case of words, in which not only the sound but the shape of the letters composing the word, or
rather the word-shape itself, are stored away together, and consequently are far more readily
recalled or remembered than things of which only one sense impression is recorded.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Teachers of memory use this information as a means of helping their students to remember
words by speaking them aloud, and then writing them down. Many persons memorize names in
this way, the impression of the written word being added to the impression of the sound, thus
doubling the potential.
The more impressions that you can make regarding a thing, the greater the chances f or you to
remember it. Likewise, it is very important to attach an impression of a weaker sense, to that of
a stronger one, in order that the former may be memorized. For instance, if you have a good
eye memory, but a poor ear memory, it is suggested to connect your sound impressions to the
sight impressions. And if you have a poor eye memory but a good ear memory, it is important
to link your sight impressions to your sound impressions. In this way, you take advantage of the
law of association.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Six - How to Remember Names
and Faces
You have probably heard a similar statement that says, "The most beautiful word an individual
can ever hear is his or her own name being called by another person."
However, this poses a great threat to people who have trouble remembering names, especially
those who are frequently attending important business meetings and gatherings. If someone
approaches you and called you by your first name, wouldn't it be embarrassing if you don't
reciprocate by saying his or her name back? And of course, it's more humiliating to directly ask
his or her name when that person expects you to know it.
The same thing stands true for remembering faces. Wouldn't it bother you to have met
successful entrepreneurs in a gathering, only to forget how they look like when you get home?
More often than not, the difficulty in remembering names and faces is caused by the fact that
names and faces in themselves are uninteresting, and therefore do not pull in or hold attention
as do other objects presented to the mind.
Here are effective strategies to help you remember names and faces easily:
• Instead of mer ely listening to the faint sound of a name, focus on hearing it clearly
and concentrate on firmly implanting it on your memory.
• Repeatedly say the name many times over in your mind. If possible, use the name as
often as possible. You can tell your friend now, and then your sister later: "I've just met
Jonathan Nowitzki." You can also make a comment about his name: "I have a former
classmate named Mark Nowitzki who is very good in electronics. Do you know him?"
36 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
• After hearing the name, wr ite it down sever al times. By doing this, you are acquiring
the benefit of a double sense impression, adding eye impression to ear impression.
• When you hear the name of a person being spoken, look purposefully at the person
bearing it. By doing this, you are connecting the name and the face together in your
mind at the same time. The next time you forget the name, just recall the face and you
might have a good chance of rem emb erin g i t.
• Visualize the name as an object in your mind. See the name's letters in your mind's
eye, as an image or picture. Exaggerate it as much as you can. You can imagine the
name "Nowitzki" in your mind as a big hairy object with 3 eyes and with spikes all over
it. For a clearer image, visualize Mr. Nowitzki himself lifting the giant word "Nowitzi"
over his head, like a weightlifter lifting a barbell. The more exaggerated or humorous,
the better chances it will get stuck in your mind.
• Connect a new person with a well-remembered individual of the same name.
Associate a new Mr. Coppenhagen with an old customer of the same name. When you
see the new man, you would think of the old one, and the name would flash into your
mind. You can even visualize the 2 Coppenhagens attached to each other like Siamese
Twins, to trigger the thought that they have the same name.
• Reminisce the atmosphere or environment. Recalling what you felt or what you did,
when you met a person, could trigger memories of how he or she was introduced to
yo u, how he or she looked like, and other aspects regarding the person.
• Analyze the distinctive features of the person's face. Notice what makes that individual
stand out or different from the rest. You may notice the eyes, nose, ears, lips, hair, or
other parts of the face. Such notice and recognition tend to induce an interest in the
subject of features. It forces you to focus on the person's face the first time you meet
him or her. Right now, you know the importance of having interest to remember things.
37 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
If you were introduced to a man who would pay you over $500 on your next meeting,
you would be very inclined to memorize his name and to study his face carefully to
recognize him, as opposed to a man who has nothing to give to you.
• Link a name with a visual object . Let's say you just met Mr. Quinlan. To remember his
name, you can visualize a land full of queens (Quinlan). Imagine the queens dressed in
elegant dresses and wearing shiny crowns with big jewels. If Mr. Quinlan is interested in
basketball and you want to remember that too, then imagine the queens wearing
basketball uniforms over their elegant dresses, and shooting hoops. And if Mr. Quinlan
is also a doctor, then visualize the queens in basket ball uniforms, having large
stethoscopes around their necks, shooting hoops. You can even imagine the queens
saying in a bugs bunny-like way, "Nyieh. What's up doc?" The funnier, the better.
Here's another example, but this time with a longer name. Let's say you've been
introduced to Mary Bennetton. Now how do you remember "Bennetton?" You can
divide it into "Bend-a-ton." Imagine a large piece of metal with the words "1 ton"
engraved at all its sides bending like a soft pillow. You can exaggerate it a little bit by
making that piece of metal cry in agony as the bending is taking place. If Ms. Bennetton
is a tennis player, you can imagine the bending piece of metal having tennis rackets
stuck on top of its head.
• Visualize the faces of persons you have met during the day, in the evening. Try to
develop the faculty of visualizing their features to practice your ability. Draw them in
your mind and see them with your mind's eye, until you can visualize the features of
very old friends. Then do the same with acquaintances, and so on, until you are able to
visualize the features of every one you know. Then start to add to your list by recalling
the features of strangers whom you meet. By a little practice of this kind you will
develop a great interest in faces and your memory of them, and the power to reca ll
them will increase rapidly.
38 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
• Make a study of names and faces. Start a collection, and you will have no trouble in
developing a memory for them. A good idea would be to analyze photographs in detail,
not as a whole. If you can incite adequate interest in names and faces, you will be more
prone to remember them.
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and the report is distributed at no cost to recipients.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Seven - How to Remember
Numbers
In almost everything we do, there are numbers involved - telepho ne n umbers, cred it card and
ATM numbers, zip codes, passwords, calculations, and many others! Whether you love them or
you hate them, numbers are here to stay. In order to cope up with today's hectic lifestyle, you
have to be able to remember a lot of numbers, or you'll end up getting all confused and
disorganized.
Contrary to words that can be associated with an object, numbers are difficult to remember
because they are abstract. If I say think of a pen, your mind immediately visualizes the pen. But
if I say 2473, you will have a hard time committing it to memory.
In this chapter, you'll be taught various memory techniques to remember numbers better so
you can perform your usual transactions quicker and more efficiently.
Senses
Your senses, particularly the ears and eyes, may prove to be effective in recalling numbers.
Here's how it works.
Repeat the number several times to yourself. It may be difficult for you to remember a number
such as "2895" as an abstract thing, but easy for you to remember the sound of "twenty-e i g ht
ninety-fi ve."
You may also visualize the number. Write it down several times to lodge it to your memory
bank. An even better idea is to create a vivid image of that number for better memory
retention. Visualize "2895" beautifully laid out on a billboard in large sizes and luminous colors,
with pieces of jewelry all around it. The number just follows you wherever you go. You see it
40 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
everywhere. It's on your bathroom mirror, on the TV screen, in the fireplace; it ju st won't let
you go! You can even intensify the image by making a jingle or slogan like "2895, I like you to
jive!"
You may forget that the number of a certain house or office is 2895, but you may easily
remember the sound of the spoken words "two-eight-nine-five," or the form of "2895" as you
see it on the door of the place.
Association
The Law of Association may be used advantageously in memorizing numbers. For instance, one
might remember the number 186,000 (the number of miles per second traveled by light-wa v es
in the ether) by associating it with the number of his father's former place of business, "186."
Another person may remember his zip code "1876" by recalling the date of the Declaration of
Independence.
Converting Numbers to Words
One very common yet practical technique to remember numbers is to transform them to
words. Probably the easiest way to do this is to assign each number 1 to 9 a letter equivalent:
A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, and so on. Using this technique, 742 turns into GDB. The letters GDB
doesn't make much sense, so you have to turn it into an acrostic. How about "Great Dancing
Bellies?" The next time you want to recall 742, just recall "Grea t Da nci ng Bellies" and convert
the first letters of each word back to their number equivalents. If you think the phrase "Grea t
Dancing Bellies" may still slip your mind, create an image of fat tummies dancing merrily to the
beat of the drum.
Here's another example. If you need to remember your system password which is 135, t hen
you may imagine your computer "Allowing Cute Entrance" to someone as adorable as you.
41 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
The Picture Code
Using this technique, you assign an image to each number 1 to 9 that is similar to its
appearance. See how the numbers below look like the objects they are representing:
0 = ball
1 = magic wand
2 = swan
3 = fo rk
4 = sailboat
5 = seahorse
6 = bom b
7 = crowbar
8 = hour glass
9 = balloon
Memorize all the symbols above and their number equivalents. If you find that these symbols
do not stick in your mind, then convert them to something that you can remember better. After
memorizing the images, you can begin using this method.
Let's say you want to remember the street number of your friend's home, which is 289. You can
then visualize a swan (2) swimming with an hourglass (8) at it's back; and tied to the hourglass
is a big red balloon (9). Or let's say you want to remember 471. You can imagine a sailboat (4)
with a crowbar (7) hanging at its side; and glued to the crowbar is a long wand (1).
The Major Memory System
This method is a bit complicated and detailed; but once you get the hang of it, you can
remember long strings of numbers and you can even impress your friends! In this method, each
number is assigned a consonant or a consonant sound based on the following:
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0 = s, z, soft-c ("z" is fir st letter of zero )
1 = t ( "t" is similar to a 1 with a line through it)
2 = n ("n" has two bars)
3 = m (" m" has th ree b ars)
4 = r ("r" is last letter of four)
5 = L ("L" is Roman numeral for 50)
6 = j, sh, ch, soft-g ("g" is 6 rotated 180 degrees)
7 = k ("k" looks like two 7s rotated and pasted together)
8 = f, v ("f" written in cursive has two loops similar to 8)
9 = p, b ("p" and "b" looks like 9 in different angles)
Here's how this system works. Get the consonant or consonant sounds of the numbers, and
add vowels between them to form a group of words, phrase, or sentence.
Let's say the phone number you want to remember is 854-0341. Convert that to "flr-smr t." Add
some vowels and you will come up with something like "flower smart." The next time you need
to access that phone number, just remember "flower smart." You can even add a dash of
visualization and humor by imagining a flower with thick glasses and a diploma, reading
"Theory of Relativit y."
List of Memory Words
Let's take the Major Memory System to the next level. (Refer to the table in the previous
lesson) What you're going to do with the consonants or consonant sounds are to make a list of
words that relate to them. Let me give you some samples below:
1 = t = toe
2 = n = Noah
3 = m = Ma
4 = r = rat
5 = L = Law
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
6 = j = jaw
7 = k = key
8 = f = fee
9 = p = pea
0 = z = zoo
What about numbers with double digits? The word must start with the consonant representing
the first number, and must end with the consonant representing the second digit. Examples are
below:
10 = ts = toes
11 = tt = teeth
12 = tn = tin
13 = tm = Tom
14 = tr = tire
15 = tL = tail
16 = tg = tag
17 = tk = tack
18 = tf = Tif
19 = tb = tub
20 = ns = nose
These lists of memory words will help you associate something with a number. For example,
you made a list of things to do at your house and task number 7 is cleaning the refrigerator.
Connect the key (assigned image of 7) with the appliance. You can visualize a large key stuck in
your refrigerator door. If task number 9 is cleaning the toilet, you can imagine lots of peas
(assigned image of 9) floating in the toilet bowl.
This advanced tool can be pretty helpful in remembering items that are arranged in
chronological order. For example, in the Ten Commandments, you want to know
44 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Commandment Number 4 (Respect thy father and thy mother). So you visualize your parents in
elegant clothes holding white rats in their hands.
Once you've become familiar with the words you've made up to represent the numbers, you'll
be able to recall any item on a list just by hearing its number, regardless of the arrangement.
But how many words should you create? That depends on your necessity. Many people have a
list of a hundred words. Although that may seem extensive, as long as you know the consonant
or consonant sounds representing each number, you have nothing to worry about.
Remembering Dates
The Major Memory System, combined with a witty visualization, can also be used to remember
special dates.
Let's say you need to remember your friend's birthday, which is May 11. You can visualize your
friend with a birthday hat asking "M ay I clean your teeth?" ("Teeth" represents the number 11,
see table above).
How about if you want to remember a party scheduled on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.? For days of the
week, you may assign a number for each. (e.g. Sunday = 1, Monday = 2, Tuesday = 3, and so
on ).
Now we do the translation: 14 (1 being Sunday and 4 being 4:00 p.m.) For 14, we've assigned
the image of tire. A visualization of a wild party with tires being thrown everywhere would be a
great reminder that you have a party on Sunday at 4:00 p.m.
W ha t if it 's 4:30? Or 4:15? Well, simply use the words quarter, half, and three quarters to
represent the different parts of an hour (15 minutes past, 30 minutes past, and 45 minutes
past). Then you can inject it into your visualization.
45 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
For the example above, you can include quarters being showered (aside from the tires) if the
party starts at 4:15.
What if it's 4:25? Choose the nearest quarter hour so you won't be late!
Remembering Channels
You can sometimes end up confused over the many TV channels that we have nowadays;
therefore, you may forget some or a lot of them. Here's how to solve this dilemma:
Let's take NBC (National Broadcasting Company, Channel 7) for example. You can turn the
letters NBC into an acrostic like Naughty Big Cats. Visualize the largest unusual cats you've ever
seen, with bright green eyes and the longest tails possible, running wildly all over the place. To
remember 7, convert it into its word equivalent which is "key." So to remember that NBC is
channel 7, imagine Naughty Big Cats playing around with large, shiny keys.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
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47 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Eight - How to Remember Places
Different people have different abilities. Some are bestowed with the gift of direction. They are
the ones who never forget how to arrive at a place of destination, no matter if they have to go
through a labyrinth-like path to get there, and even though they've only been to that place
once.
However, there are many people who do not possess that keen sense of direction. These are
the people who just can't seem to remember the places they've went to, even if they've been
to these locations several times before. Well, there's no need to get frustrated.
The first concept necessary to develop a good sense of direction is to have a deep interest i n
the places. You should begin to "take notice" of the direction of the streets or roads over which
yo u tra vel - the landmarks; the turns of the road, even the natural objects along the way.
Studying maps could help in awakening a new interest in them.
One of the first things to do, after arousing an interest, is to carefully note the landmarks and
relative positions of the streets or roads over which you travel. So many people travel along a
new street or road in an absent-minded manner, ignoring the features of the land as they
proceed. This is fatal to place-memor y. You must tak e n otice of th e th orou gh fares and the
things along the way. Pause at the cross roads, or the street-corners and note the landmarks,
and the general directions and relative positions, until they are firmly retained on your mind.
When you go jogging or walking, start to see how many things you can remember. And when
you return home, go over the trip in your mind, and see how much of the direction and how
many of the landmarks you are able to remember. Take out your pencil, and attempt to make a
map of your itinerary, giving the general directions, and noting the street names, and distinct
features of objects along the way.
48 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Then as you travel along, compare places with your map, and you will find that you will take an
entirely new interest in the trip. You will see that you can now notice things you were not able
to recognize before.
Remembering Directions
It may be difficult to remember directions because of too many bits of repetitious, unfamiliar
data being fed into your mind. If you're going to remember a lot of left and right turns amidst
all the roads and blocks you'll be traveling, chances are, you will get totally confused.
What you have to do is to ask for a landmark. If your friend tells you to "turn right after the
third block," you can ask what landmark you will see when you turn right. If your buddy
answers that it's a barber shop, then you will certainly know in what block you will turn right to.
Another dilemma would be on how to remember all the "lefts" and "rights." The solution is
simple. You can convert "left" and "right" into clear images that represent these words. For
example, you can use "lizards" for left and "rats" for right. So if your friend tells you to "turn
right after the third block," you can imagine large furry rats scurrying all over the barber shop. If
you can exaggerate it further, like visualizing the rats in sunglasses an d gangster clothes, yo u
can remember it even better.
Remembering Addresses
You can also use the methods you've previously learned in remembering addresses. For
example, you want to remember 32 Cottonwood Avenue. You can turn 32 into moon (3 = m, 2
= n, then add vowels). Then for Cottonwood, you can visualize a large plank of dancing wood
with cotton all over its body, eating cotton candy. Then link everything together. How about
that large plank of wood with cotton all over its body, sharing and feeding some cotton candy
to the bright round moon. Can you see them bond together so closely that they look like a
perfect couple?
49 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
For larger numbers like 142, you can convert that to train (1 = t, 4 = r, 2 = n). You can visualize
that cotton-covered wood riding a very happy train while they're singing a lively song together.
See? Not only do these methods help you to remember, but they are fun to do. Just keep on
practicing. And don't think this is a chore. Have fun imagining things and you'll end up with a f a r
better memory than ever before.
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A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter Nine - How to Remember Events
Can you still remember what your breakfast was 3 days ago? Can you recall what your boss
announced yesterday regarding the company's new mission statement?
Don't panic if things like these escape your memory. You're not alone. Sometimes, we become
too engrossed with a lot of our daily responsibilities that we tend to forget events or
happenings we haven't paid much attention to.
If you will give to the occurrences of each day a mental review in the evening, you will find that
the act of reviewing will engage the attention to register the events in such a manner that they
will be available anytime for future retrieval.
Let this work be done in the evening, when you feel at ease. Do not do it after you're tired. The
bed is made for sleep, not for thinking. You will find that the subconscious will awaken to the
fact that it will be called upon later for the records of the day, and will "take notice" of what
happens, in a far more diligent and faithful manner.
Try this exercise. Sit down alone one night and spend fifteen minutes attempting silently to
remember exactly the important happenings of the day. You may find that you could recall only
little at first. You may not even recall what you had for breakfast. But after a few days of
practice, you will find that you could recall more. Events will come back to you more precise l y
and more clearly than at first. If possible, relate to people close to you, the events of the day
instead of recalling them to yourself. If the people you're relating the events to are interested
in them too, you would become more motivated to remember them.
51 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Chapter 10 - Other Memory Tools
Just when you thought you already know a lot of memory tools and techniques, we have more
in store for you in this chapter.
Memory Organization
Being disorganized can surely take up a lot of your time, and it can negatively affect your
efficiency. Your memory works the same way. Much like folders in a filing cabinet, you can also
create mental folders to retain details in an organized manner .
How do we do this? We create mental folders out of aspects that we can never forget or that
are stored in our long-term memory, like days of the week and parts of the body. For this
example, we shall take the parts of the body which are the hair, eyes, nose, lips, shoulders,
chest, tummy, thighs, knees, and foot. Please take note that you can choose other body parts
that are more familiar to you.
Let's say you have a list of tasks to do. If task number 1 is watering the plants, you can imagine
your hair having flowers and leaves growing all over it. The flowers in your hair are happily
dancing about as they are enjoying the fresh feeling of water being showered upon them. If
task number 2 is cooking fried chicken for dinner, you can visualize your eyeballs to b e shaped
like whole chicken. The chicken looks so juicy while being fried to perfection.
Do this with the rest of your tasks. Assign a task to each file folder and create an exaggerated
and humorous visualization for it. Have fun.
52 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
The Story Method
This method requires the creation of a whole story, but it doesn't have to be extensive as long
as all the things to remember are included in the story. It establishes a connection between all
the objects, where the sequences of events are easier to remember.
For example, your best friend requested you to serve these 7 dishes on his extravagant
homecoming party, namely: prawn, crab, spinach, salmon, roast beef, pasta, and pizza. To
remember them, you can come up with a similar story like this: The prawn and crab were
walking side by side until the spinach came and yelled at them to pay their debts. Salmon and
roast beef came along to stop the quarrel, but pasta and pizza showered them all with a water
hose because of the disrupting noise being created.
It doesn't matter if your story sounds silly. You're not writing a book or report anyway. And
remember, the sillier the story, the easier it is to remember.
The Facts Association
We are continually acquiring items of information regarding all kinds of subjects, and yet when
we wish to collect them, we often find the task rather difficult, even though the original
impressions were quite clear. This is because we have not properly classified and indexed our
bits of information, and do not know where to begin to search for them. It is like the confusion
of the entrepreneur who kept all of his papers in a cabinet, without index, or order. He knew
that "they are all there," but he had hard work to find any one of them when it was required.
When you wish to consider a fact, ask yourself the following questions about it.
• Where did it come from or originate?
• What caused it?
• What history or record has it?
53 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
• What are its attributes, qualities and characteristics?
• What things can I most readily associate with it? What is it like!
• What is it good fo r-how may it be used-what can I do with it?
• What does it prove-what can be deduced from it?
• What are its natural results-what happens because of it?
• What is its future; and its natural or probable end or finish?
• What do I think of it, on the whole- what are my general impressions regarding it?
• What do I know about it, in the way of general information?
• What have I heard about it, and from whom, and when?
If you will take the trouble to put any "fact" through the above rigid examination, you will not
only attach it to hundreds of convenient and familiar other facts, so that you will remember it
readily upon occasion, but you will also create a new subject of general information in your
mind of which this particular fact will be the central thought.
The more other facts that you manage to associate with any one fact, the more pegs you will
have to pull that fact into the field of consciousness and the more cross indexes will you have
whereby you may "run do wn " the fact when y ou need it.
7 Principles of Memory
The principles below may be applied to every aspect of your daily life: at home, at school, at
work, and in your leisure time. Know that memory definitely involves learning, and both are
complimentary activities for better survival and achievement in our modern world.
• Learners learn from their behavior. Thus, learner errors should be minimized in order to
achieve better memory and mastery of skills.
• Learning is most effective when correct responses are reinforced immediately. Feedback
should be informative and rewarding whenever the response is correct as discussed
54 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
above regarding memory and motivation. Punishment may be effective if used but data
also shows that it may also inhibit learning than increase learning and memory
improvement. It may temporarily suppress an incorrect response, but the response
tends to reappear when the punishment stops. Punishment can also be emotionally
disruptive and may become an interfering cognitive dissonance in the process of
learning and storing of information. For example, children who are punished for making
an error while reading aloud may become so upset and distracted by the punishment
that they will commit more mistakes.
• The frequency of reinforcement determines how well a response will be learned and
retained.
• Practicing a response in a variety of setting increases both retention of data and the
transferability of these data into other information. This means one may involve a
constant rethinking of ideas or imaging the self in a reactive activity (silently talking to
oneself in order to elicit conscious response) in order to enhance better thinking and
memory.
• Motivated conditions may influence the effectiveness of positive thinking and memory
and may play a key role in increasing the level of performance in memory retention.
• Meaningful learning is more permanent and more transferable than memorized
learning. Understanding what is memorized is better than just practicing how to become
a good memorizer.
• People learn more effectively when they learn at their own pace.
55 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Conclusion
At this point, you've learned a bunch of techniques for memorizing things more effectively:
forming vivid and funny images, making associations, converting numbers to picture words, and
many others.
Remember, there is no "right" or "wrong" way to memorize something; the idea is to simply
take the information and techniques you've already learned and adapt them to the specific task
or activity at hand.
But above everything else, I encourage you to practice memorizing things every day. Consider
this: If someone teaches you how to drive an automobile, and you study the car owner's
manual carefully, and learn perfectly everything there is to know about driving a car, that
doesn't mean you can jump in a car and start driving flawlessly in downtown New York City!
You know what you need to do. Keep on practicing the memory techniques you've learned until
they become second nature. Look around you and find things to memorize, such as your
cousin's telephone number, your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, the call letters of your
local TV stations, the vocabulary words in your school science textbook, your license plate or
driver's license, or whatever! Go for it, and remember to have lots of fun!
56 Kenny Tran
A Quick Guide to Sharpen Your Memory 2008
Resources for Your Memory
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57 Kenny Tran
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