If you have to remember lots of information to pass your subject and get a good grade then having a "great memory" is a must - and let's face it, what student wouldn't love to be able to recall facts and figures without any effort at all?
But how does our memory actually work? How come we can remember some information without any effort at all (often useless information like the names and theme songs of the cartoons we watched when we were children) yet often we when really want to remember certain things for tests or assignments we draw a blank?
The fact is that we all have a perfect memory and it functions exactly the way it is designed to function - except that we don't take the time to understand how it works.
For some reason, we expect to be able to recall information at will (usually just by constantly repeating the word or re-reading the information we want to remember) without any understanding of how memory recall even works. As a result, the way we approach memory recall is usually quite dumb.
Accessing the amazing power of your memory is about understanding how it works and then using that information to ensure you can remember whatever you want to remember.
There are many techniques you can use to improve your memory recall but today's lesson is about just one of them - the "What's in it for me" method. This method states that the more you can make something relate to you personally, the more about it you will be able to remember.
When it comes to memory, your brain always wants to know "How does this relate to me?" or put even more simply "Why should I even bother storing this as a memory?"
When a piece of data from the world is relevant to you and impacts you in some way, your ability to remember it (and remember it in specific detail) is drastically increased.
You remember to do things that are going to impact you directly (like making sure you buy a ticket to the next Green Day concert). You remember names of people and places and locations that are really going to impact your life. You remember prices of things that you really want to buy. You remember where, what time and with whom you are going out with on Saturday night. You remember the name and phone number of that girl or guy you like.
Now, you don't do this recall on a conscious basis, it just happens automatically. You simply called up the information and because it was important and relevant to you, it was easy to retrieve. However, the real question I'm sure you are wondering is how do we apply this rule of memory to our studies? Well, you simple need to think about how whatever you are trying to learn or remember relates to you and your life. Let's look at some examples.
In economics you learn about trends. Trends impact purchase power of individuals. Purchase power impacts your ability to go and that new pair of shoes you really want. So, does it make it easier to understand economic trends when you understand how it impacts you?
What about learning about different cultures, beliefs and customs than yours? If you were to think about your own culture, beliefs and customs then you can easily compare the two to each other. Now, if you compare them to yourself you will remember them wont you?
If you are trying to remember names and dates just focus on how do these names and dates relate to you. Ask yourself, "Do I know anyone by those or similar names? Do I like the name for some reason or do I think it's a weird name? Why is that? Did the people or dates that I have to remember ever impact my life in any way? Did anything happen on those dates that relates to me personally?"
There are many ways for you to improve your memory recall. The "What's in it for me" approach is just one. But it's one that is easy to use and it really works. Identify what you need to remember and then make it about it you. You will be very surprised at what happens next. Good luck!
But how does our memory actually work? How come we can remember some information without any effort at all (often useless information like the names and theme songs of the cartoons we watched when we were children) yet often we when really want to remember certain things for tests or assignments we draw a blank?
The fact is that we all have a perfect memory and it functions exactly the way it is designed to function - except that we don't take the time to understand how it works.
For some reason, we expect to be able to recall information at will (usually just by constantly repeating the word or re-reading the information we want to remember) without any understanding of how memory recall even works. As a result, the way we approach memory recall is usually quite dumb.
Accessing the amazing power of your memory is about understanding how it works and then using that information to ensure you can remember whatever you want to remember.
There are many techniques you can use to improve your memory recall but today's lesson is about just one of them - the "What's in it for me" method. This method states that the more you can make something relate to you personally, the more about it you will be able to remember.
When it comes to memory, your brain always wants to know "How does this relate to me?" or put even more simply "Why should I even bother storing this as a memory?"
When a piece of data from the world is relevant to you and impacts you in some way, your ability to remember it (and remember it in specific detail) is drastically increased.
You remember to do things that are going to impact you directly (like making sure you buy a ticket to the next Green Day concert). You remember names of people and places and locations that are really going to impact your life. You remember prices of things that you really want to buy. You remember where, what time and with whom you are going out with on Saturday night. You remember the name and phone number of that girl or guy you like.
Now, you don't do this recall on a conscious basis, it just happens automatically. You simply called up the information and because it was important and relevant to you, it was easy to retrieve. However, the real question I'm sure you are wondering is how do we apply this rule of memory to our studies? Well, you simple need to think about how whatever you are trying to learn or remember relates to you and your life. Let's look at some examples.
In economics you learn about trends. Trends impact purchase power of individuals. Purchase power impacts your ability to go and that new pair of shoes you really want. So, does it make it easier to understand economic trends when you understand how it impacts you?
What about learning about different cultures, beliefs and customs than yours? If you were to think about your own culture, beliefs and customs then you can easily compare the two to each other. Now, if you compare them to yourself you will remember them wont you?
If you are trying to remember names and dates just focus on how do these names and dates relate to you. Ask yourself, "Do I know anyone by those or similar names? Do I like the name for some reason or do I think it's a weird name? Why is that? Did the people or dates that I have to remember ever impact my life in any way? Did anything happen on those dates that relates to me personally?"
There are many ways for you to improve your memory recall. The "What's in it for me" approach is just one. But it's one that is easy to use and it really works. Identify what you need to remember and then make it about it you. You will be very surprised at what happens next. Good luck!
About the Author:
HelpMeToStudy.org is the best online resource for learning new study skills, changing your studying habits and discovering the best study tips available. We will help you change the way you think about study - and even better - we will show you how to study effectively: How To Study Effectively | Memory Training
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