The difference between passing and failing can very often be all about what you can remember - not what you know. As a result, the focus on being able to remember lots of information is absolutely crucial to your success.
But how many students actually take the time to understand how their memory works? We'd all love a brilliant memory but we spend very little time (if any) using the techniques that make this possible. Don't you ever wonder why you can remember lots of seemingly useless information but when it comes time to recall all that information you learnt in science class during the year you can't remember a thing?
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 one reason or another, we all seem to think that by constantly repeating information to ourselves we will imprint the information into our memory. This works occasionally, but it's clearly not the best approach and it usually indicates that we don't understand our memory at all.
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 ways to increase the power of your memory recall. This article looks at just one - the "All about me" technique. The rule of this technique is that when you make something about you, the ability to remember the information is drastically increased.
It's a simple idea with a simple execution. Your memory will create more memory traces, which in turn increases your memory recall, when it knows that what you are trying to remember is important to you in some way. And how does it know that? Well, it's when it's all about you.
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?
If you are learning about other cultures (for example) you can simply compare their culture to your own. In what ways does the culture differ from your own? In what ways does it match? In what ways is it kind of similar but not really? Asking yourself these questions may seem silly but the more questions you can ask that are actually about you, the more you will remember.
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 many students actually take the time to understand how their memory works? We'd all love a brilliant memory but we spend very little time (if any) using the techniques that make this possible. Don't you ever wonder why you can remember lots of seemingly useless information but when it comes time to recall all that information you learnt in science class during the year you can't remember a thing?
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 one reason or another, we all seem to think that by constantly repeating information to ourselves we will imprint the information into our memory. This works occasionally, but it's clearly not the best approach and it usually indicates that we don't understand our memory at all.
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 ways to increase the power of your memory recall. This article looks at just one - the "All about me" technique. The rule of this technique is that when you make something about you, the ability to remember the information is drastically increased.
It's a simple idea with a simple execution. Your memory will create more memory traces, which in turn increases your memory recall, when it knows that what you are trying to remember is important to you in some way. And how does it know that? Well, it's when it's all about you.
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?
If you are learning about other cultures (for example) you can simply compare their culture to your own. In what ways does the culture differ from your own? In what ways does it match? In what ways is it kind of similar but not really? Asking yourself these questions may seem silly but the more questions you can ask that are actually about you, the more you will remember.
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!
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