WOW!
I just read a post written online title ‘How to Memorize Anything‘ by a guy named John who said that in college he memorize the first 7 chapters of a text book word for word! That is 23,000 words!!! This guy was not a memory trainer or memory expert but just a REALLY smart guy obviously. With a little extra time and a lot of extra motivation.
He said that it was a challenge for him because his professor said that no one had ever scored 100% on the first exam and all the answers to the first exam were in the first seven chapters. So, ‘What the heck!?’ He decided to just memorize EVERY WORD and ace the test! wow! And he did it!
Now the method he used I would NOT recommend because in my opinion it doesn’t used pictures or the method of loci which is the most powerful method. But he listed his steps as:
- First, use a pencil or word processor (I prefer the latter because it’s faster) to type, in complete sentences, any fact you think might appear on the test. Use short sentences because they’re easier to remember.
- Take your printed notes into a quiet room, shut the door, and eliminate all distractions.
- Look at the first sentence in your notes and read it out loud. Then, close your eyes and say the sentence without looking at it.
- Repeat the step above, this time with the first 2 sentences.
- Next, try it with 3 sentences. Then 4. Repeat until you have memorized every sentence in your notes.
You can read the full article here http://johnplaceonline.com/study-smarter/how-to-memorize-anything/
What he DID say in his article that I LOVED was that he would take a nap after memorizing a little. Sleep is great for the memory. We all know it is important to sleep well before a test but also just as important to memorize something and then take a nap. This helps cement it into your memory.
Can you memorize anything with John’s method? I guess so. He did. I won’t quarrel with what works. With that said, if you really really really want to learn how to memorize anything I suggest the memory palace or method of loci. It is what all the true memory experts use who compete in events like the USA Memory Championship or World Memory Championships
My name is Ron White and I am a 2 Time USA Memory Champion, oh I also am a memory speaker and would love to speak at your next event :)
