Category: Personal Development

Our memory has been subject of investigation since ancient Greek times. Indeed, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, tried to comprehend it in his treatise entitled ‘On the Soul’. Aristotle believed we are all born without knowledge, and that what we become is an accumulation of our experiences. We now know that our early memories are actually ‘colored’ by our later experiences, and that as we change in life, so our memories are changed with us.

The Past Does Not Equal the Future

In his Continue reading “How to Improve Your Memory: Transfer Information from Short to Long Term Memory”

Yes, you can speedread and mindmap every subject you are reading/learning, but if you don’t have the energy to start, then it’s going to be a long and heavy road. When I was still at Uni, I was totally amazed by how much food I could eat. And most of it was things that nowadays I’d call non-live-food. You know the stuff I mean right? The cheap and convenient foods that give you that instant sugar rush. Things like chocolate bars and fizzy sodas. You can study pretty effectively for the next hour or so on those, and then you start to feel pretty tired again. Actually, you start to feel even more tired than you were before.

“But why is this?” Continue reading “How To Improve Your Memory: What To Eat For A Better Memory, Concentration and Sex”

We, as human beings, have been making notes for a very long time. And this unnatural way of thinking has buried itself  so deep into our brain, that now we have to force ourselves to unlearn. In other words, you will be inclined to make sentences and long lists in your Mind Map. Bear this in mind, but also persevere. Apply the rules of Mind Mapping until you master them, and you’ll experience a new and enriched way of natural thinking. To help you do this, I have written down some practical advice and guidance. Follow the tips below and you will soon become a master mind mapper.

Tip 1. Be Flexible On Your First Mind Map

Start by making Continue reading “How To Improve Your Memory: 7 Tips to Become a Great Mind Mapper”

In my previous post, How to transfer information from short to long term memory, I mentioned that memory has been subject of investigation since ancient Greek times (at least). Greek (and Roman) philosophers, for example, practiced different techniques in order to remember much more than the average human being. In Latin this practice was called Ars Memoriae (art of memory), and it was often performed together with other intellectual activities, such as logic and rhetoric. Ars Memoriae is a set of principles and techniques that are used to arrange memories, enhance remembrance, and stimulate ingenuity. It is also referred to as mnemotechniques.

Mnemotechniques

Tony Buzan defines a mnemotechnic as a method in which different concepts are related through various aids which stimulate your memory. These mnemonic aids, which will help us remember certain information, can be mechanisms such as schemes, images, or words. You’ve actually used such things to remember information already, and you probably did so, among other times, when you were at school. For example, the sentence ‘Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally’, as used in mathematics to help us remember Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction.

The Basis of Mnemonics

In another post, Why use different parts of your brain, I explain that multiple areas of your brain are involved in the storing of a ‘memory track’. Therefore, it’s of great importance to use as many memory systems or areas of our brain as you can when memorizing information. Indeed, it’s essential to combine the abilities of the two halves of your brain; the left that is specialized in logic, lists, numbers and words, and right that is specialized in imagination, color, dimension, and rhyme. The ancient Greeks, through their practice of Ars Memoriae, already knew that our brain stores things by connecting information. And it is this fact, along with the conditions mentioned above, that has lead us to two fundamental memory principles:
1. Imagination
2. Association

The following might sound a bit cliché, but it is definitely true; An image says more than a thousand words. We simply remember images, especially colored, extravagant images, much easier than plain text written in black and white. And the results of association, as taken from the third and fifth condition (which I mentioned in the post How to transfer information from short to long term memory) clearly show that: If you associate something you want to remember with something known or to an experience of your senses, then this image will stick in your mind.

Tip: How to Stimulate Your Memory by Using Imagination, Association, or Both? Tony Buzan differentiates ten sub principles of mnemonics which are used in combination with association, imagination, or both. My tip is to use these sub-principles in everything you study. If you do, it will not only be much easier to remember, but also a lot more fun to learn.

10 Principles that Stimulate Imagination and Association:

1. Color. Colors stimulate your brain. It’s pleasurable for us to look at colored images, they bring memories to life, and lively memories are easier to store than dull ones.
2. Exaggeration. Memories that are exaggerated are given extra life. Just think bigger, louder, higher, smaller, or crazier than reality and that ridiculous image will stick with you. For example, it’s hard to forget characters from a Roald Dahl book. Think of the Oompa Loompas in Charlie and the chocolate factory.
3. Rhythm, Movement, and Dimension. Buzan believes that movement makes your facts more striking. He also believes it helps your brain to connect the information to a story. Once again, information stored in this way is much easier to remember.
4. Senses. The perfume of a random passer by can trigger all sorts of alarm bells. Maybe your brain thinks it belongs to an old flame; someone you still secretly love. You see, as everything you experience passes through your senses, they are a very strong stimulation to the mind. In this case, you should imagine or actually smell, hear, feel, or visualize what it is you want to remember.
5. Order and Patterns. My mother always says “A tidy house is a tidy head”. It’s the same with your thoughts. When organized or placed in a sequence, it will be much easier to visualize where and how you’ve placed them. Buzan says this tidying of your thoughts is very effective when used with the other memory principles. Try to organize your thoughts by size, color, or year of their occurrence.
6. Numbers. Buzan explains that numbers create order in our thoughts and strongly influence our memory. He thinks that the presence of numbers helps to make our memories more precise.
7. Symbols. Symbols stand for much more than just the sign itself. They stand for a concept, a story, or a process. Personally, I have always used symbols in my notes or summaries, they save space on my page, and they enable me to remember better. This is because symbols connect a meaning to an image. For greater meaning, I also found it better to create the symbols myself, using my own imagination to do so. In fact, I actually think that symbols belong to the next group of principles, because they stimulate your imagination and your ability to associate.
8. Positive Thoughts. Our mind automatically tries to block out our bad experiences. It’s a built in survival mechanism. Consequently, it’s easier to remember your positive thoughts.  So, to benefit from this, you should try to find a positive mood when you study and fill your world and your senses with happy thoughts.
9. Humor. I also link this principle to positivity, since we feel good when we laugh. The way to use it to your advantage? Just seek out the fun, and the funny, and then remember it. Enrich your life and your memory all at once.
10. Attraction. I think attraction is also about feeling good. We like to look at, smell, or touch something we are attracted to because the experience is pleasurable for us. Sometimes, for me, the image of a painting or a sculpture comes to mind. And when it does, I instantly feel how I felt when I was actually there, looking at it. This is why my last tip is to use your imagination and to make those boring old texts seem a lot more attractive. To do so, I want you to use all the other ingredients I’ve mentioned above. Go on, try it. You’ll capture those thoughts forever, and fall back in love with your work.

These principles can be considered as the main ingredients of your study sessions and your summaries. The best way to study, however, as well as how to remember things easier with mnemonics (and how to make a mind map) is discussed in the following posts of this series.

For Further Reading About How to Become a Great Mindmapper, I Recommend:

• [amazon_link id=”0563520337″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Brilliant Memory: Unlock the Power of Your Mind,[/amazon_link] by Tony Buzan
• [amazon_link id=”0452273226″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Mind Map Book[/amazon_link],  by Tony Buzan

• Introduction
• Why Train Your Brain
• Why Use Different Parts of Your Brain
• How to Transfer Information From Your Short Term Memory to Your Long Term Memory
• What Are the Most Popular Mnemonics
• 7 Tips to Become a Great Mind Mapper
•  How to Make a Mind Map
• What to Eat For a Better Memory and Concentration
• How to Study Most Effective
• Tips to Study Better From the Most Inspiring People in the World

In my previous post, ‘Why Train Your Brain‘, I explain how the memory track is formed. In this post, I will explain how memory tracks are stored in different parts of your brain, and that each has their own specialization.

The Two Hemispheres of Your Brain

Your brain consists of two main parts, which are also called hemispheres. The right part is commonly known as the emotional side, with the left part being the rational side. One of the reasons for this is that your right hemisphere has more connections with other parts of your brain, such as the limbic system. Your right hemisphere also specializes in spatial and visual memories. The left hemisphere, on the other hand, specializes in the storage of words and numbers. It focuses on details, tries to bring order to the received information, and is very good in analysis; whereas the right hemisphere tries to comprehend the complete picture.  Together they provide the perfect synthesis.

What are the Specializations of the Two Hemispheres?

Tony Buzan has given a very clear summary of the specializations in his Mind Map Book.  In the image below, I have applied a trick called mnemonics, which is a device to help you remember something easily. In this case a list of facts.

The Subdivision of the Two Hemispheres

Each of the hemispheres is divided into four lobes, and each of these has their own specialization. They are the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobe. Of these, the temporal lobe specializes in hearing and language. The occipital lobe controls your ability to see. The frontal lobe controls your muscles and your movement, but is also responsible for your motivation and the formation of your identity; which it does by giving meaning to your memories and actions. And the parietal lobe connects your senses, but is also the area that defines your orientation and let’s you know where you are in a certain space.

What Are Other Essential Parts of Your Brain?

As I mentioned above, the right part of your brain is better connected with the limbic system than the left part of your brain. It’s therefore considered your ‘emotional side’. But the limbic system consists of several essential brain parts:

• The hippocampus; which is responsible for the transfer of information from your short term memory to your long term memory.
• The amygdala; which is vital if we are to record the emotions that accompany certain experiences.
• The hypothalamus; which directs the endocrine system (secretion of hormones) and the autonomous nerve system (regulation of unconscious functions such as the beating of your heart, breathing, and digestion).

How are the Two Hemispheres Connected?

The two hemispheres are connected by the corpus collosum, which enables them to communicate with each other. The corpus collosum is an elongated strip which mainly consists of axons. These axons come from neurons which are situated in other parts of the brain.

Did You Know?

That women have a larger corpus collosum than men. In other words, the strip has  more connections between the left and right side of the brain. This means the two sides are able to work better together, which explains why women are more intuitive than men. It’s why, for example, a woman can often sense the emotion behind what’s being said. Men, on the other hand, lack this ’emotional radar’.

The Different Parts of Your Brain Co-operate As One System

So to recap, your brain is made up of different parts and every part has a different specialization. Some parts are very good at storing forms, while others are very good at storing words. However, what you should also know, is that all parts of the brain work together, and that memory tracks are stored in multiple parts of the brain. You see, your memory works as a complete system and multiple parts of your brain are used in everything you do. Even the simplest activity. For example, when you ride your bicycle, you might see a junction ahead (visual/spatial memory), know instinctively to stop and give way to the right (complex conceptual memory), then hit the breaks to slow down in time (movement- sensory and spatial memory). And for more complex activities? Well, Einstein noted that using both hemispheres consistently helped him to unleash huge amounts of ‘brain energy’.

TIP: Involve Multiple Memory Systems When Storing Information

Since there are always multiple memory systems involved, even with the simplest activity, it is also easier to access (remember) a memory track when the happening or information is stored in multiple ways. So when trying to memorize certain information, you should involve as many parts of the brain as possible. This will make it a lot easier for you to store it. By stimulating different areas of your brain simultaneously you improve your ability to think, you will remember more, and you will be able to recall things much quicker. This fact forms the basis of mnemotechnics and mind mapping; which are explained in my following post. But for now it’s enough to know, that if you’re studying you should use both  hemispheres and associate the experiences of your senses with the material you’re reading. For example, when I have to remember boring facts, I will:

1. Make them rhyme
2. Fit them it into a song that I like.

Later, when I need to recall these facts, I simply start the tune in my head and the facts come to me naturally.

For Further Reading About How To Improve Your Memory By Using Both Hemispheres, I Recommend:

• [amazon_link id=”0452266033″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Use Both Sides of Your Brain: New MindMap Techniques[/amazon_link], by Tony Buzan
• [amazon_link id=”1406644269″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Memory Book[/amazon_link], by Tony Buzan

• Introduction
• Why Train Your Brain
• How to Transfer Information From Your Short Term Memory to Your Long Term Memory
• What Are The Fundaments of Mnemotechniques and Mind Mapping
• What Are the Most Popular Mnemonics
• 7 Tips to Become a Great Mind Mapper
•  How to Make a Mind Map
• What to Eat For a Better Memory and Concentration
• How to Study Most Effective
• Tips to Study Better From the Most Inspiring People in the World

 

Our brain has many different functions. Some of them we’re consciously aware of, like solving a difficult mathematical question, but most we are not aware of at all. This is a shame, as in the absence of such knowledge, we may not realize how amazing our brain really is.

Tony Buzan Discusses Five Brain Functions

1. Reception; of external stimuli.
2. Retention; of information through memory.
3. The memory processes; encoding, storage, retrieval of information.
4. Analysis; such as processing of information and recognition of patterns.
5. Expression; such as thinking and conversation.
6. Control; of all physical and mental functions.

How Does Our Brain Work…

This is nice to know, you might think, but how do these functions actually work? I thought the same. Specifically I wanted to know:

1.  How external physical stimuli are translated into thoughts?
2. How thoughts arise in our brains?
3. How the thinking processes take place?

I wanted to know these things so I could stimulate and improve my cerebral functions. Functions such as remembering, analyzing, and sharing of information. But I also wanted to stimulate and  improve my creative thinking processes. The first step, therefore, was to understand the brain’s mechanisms. And the first step towards that, is knowing how it’s built up.

How is Our Brain built up?

Your brain and spine form your central nerve system. For the brain’s part, it’s estimated there are a trillion neurons (brain cells), with each neuron consisting of a body, called a soma, a core, called a nucleus, and a great many tentacles. One of these tentacles, the axon (from the Greek word axon which means axis), is long, while the others, the dendrites (from the Greek word dendron which means tree), are short. Dendrites are mostly used to receive information, while axons, generally, send information out. All of these tentacles have knotty ends, called synapses, and these are linked together by a synaptic cleft.

The Actual Processes in Our Brain

Neurons are information processors and messengers that can receive and send signals without any loss of strength. A signal, caused by a stimulus, can either originate at one of our senses (a physical phenomenon is turned in to a neural signal) or at the neurons in our brain (caused by a thought). Both types of signal are electrical and they’re passed on from neuron to neuron by the synapses (the knotty ends of the tentacles). When an electrical signal arrives at the synapse, a chemical substance is released into the synaptic cleft. This chemical substance, the neurotransmitter, subsequently generates a new electrical signal in the next synapse, and the message is passed on.

Did You Know?

The right part of your brain receives signals from your senses and controls the muscles in the left side of your body, and the left part of your brain receives signals from your senses and controls the muscles in the right side of your body. The nerves through which the biochemical-electrical signals are transported cross each other in the medulla oblongata, which is embedded deeply into the lower half of your brainstem.

What Is a Thought or Memory…

The conversion from a physical phenomenon into a sensation, a memory, or a biochemical-electromagnetic signal, is something that science has all mapped out. But the genesis of an actually thought from ‘nothing’ is something that modern science still struggles with. In the case of the former, the biochemical-electromagnetic signal forms a route (or memory track) when passed on from neuron to neuron (Tony Buzan calls this a mental map). But here’s the essential part: the biochemical-electromagnetic resistance along the memory track decreases every time a thought is passed on from neuron to neuron. Buzan even believes that when a thought is repeated, it is more likely to occur again. Let’s compare this phenomenon with the road of a race track. Every time a car goes over the track, the road is made smoother and wider. Therefore, it will be easier to go over it the next time, and the driver can go much faster as well. It’s the same with your thoughts or memories. Every time a thought is repeated, the memory track is made smoother and wider. Therefore, the resistance is lowered, and you can think faster.

Changes in Your Brain: Neuroplasticity

The physical changing of your brain with every emotion, thought, or action, is called neuroplasticity. It’s a phenomenon you can use to your advantage, since the only thing necessary for it is repeating what you want to learn or master. But it will take devotion, you’ll need to repeat it so often that it’s literally carved into your brain. In his book ‘The Winner’s Brain’, Jeffrey Brown discusses neuroplasticity and its links to successful people. He points to much research which proves our brain alters in accordance to our most frequent activities. Cab/taxi drivers, for example, have a strongly developed hippocampus, the part of our brain concerning spatial navigation and memory. This is because they drive around the city all day and have to know all the streets.

TIP: Train Your Brain to Become a Winner

So my first tip in this series on improving your memory and brain abilities is: The more you learn, the easier it gets to learn. Again, the only condition for success here is devotion. You must want to improve and you need to be interested in the subject or activity you want to master. But the thing is, you don’t even need to perform the actual action. This is because your brain can’t differentiate imagination from reality. Therefore, the renowned sports motivator, Tony Robbins, believes that if you visualize yourself carrying out a swing and you can see the golf ball going in the hole, you will actually be training yourself to play golf.

For Further Reading About Why And How to Train Your Brain, I Recommend:

• [amazon_link id=”B003DYGOIW” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Winner’s Brain[/amazon_link], by Jeffrey Brown
• [amazon_link id=”0983263302″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Brain Rules[/amazon_link], by John Medina

• Introduction
• Why Use Different Parts of Your Brain
• How to Transfer Information from Your Short Term Memory to Your Long Term Memory
• What Are the Fundaments of Mnemotechniques and Mind Mapping
• What Are the Most Popular Mnemonics
• 7 Tips to Become a Great Mindmapper
• How to Make a Mindmap
• What to Eat for a Better Memory and Concentration
• How to Study Most Effective
• Tips to Study Better From the Most Inspiring People in the World

Being a student at the University of Amsterdam was definitely a challenge in many, many ways. Yes, the work was hard too, but it was the many other distractions, and especially the need we felt to crash every party, which really pushed me to my limits. Luckily, along with speed reading, I found another way to maximize my time. I call it speed learning.

What I discovered, is that a great memory is not just something you’re born with. Indeed, your memory, like any other skill, is something that can be developed. This is because your brain, the most magnificent and complex organ of all, has the ability for continual change, even after adulthood. Yes, it’s true you learn most as a child, but adults can continue to develop their brain as well. And we definitely should. It’s like a muscle, you see, and if you don’t use it, you lose it! Or at very least you waste its potential. The thing is, you can improve your memory and logical reasoning simply by understanding and then stimulating the mechanisms of your brain. In fact, even the ageing of your brain, something feared by many, is a process you can delay.

Change your Lifestyle to Remember Better

There are a few techniques that will improve your memory, but mastering one will not be enough. Moreover, to improve your memory it will also be necessary to change your way of life. Exercise, relaxation, and food are all essential for your brain to function.

Boost your Memory and Accomplish Any Goal

Your memory skills form the basis of your mental capacity. By improving your memory, it will be easier to overcome challenges and to accomplish any goal you set yourself. This series of posts, however, is not just about improving your memory, it’s also about improving the way your brain functions. Therefore, the following subjects will be discussed (for better understanding I advise you to read them in the given sequence):

• Why Train Your Brain
• Why Use Different Parts of Your Brain
• How to Transfer Information from Your Short Term Memory to Your Long Term Memory
• What Are the Fundaments of Mnemotechniques and Mind Mapping
• What Are the Most Popular Mnemonics
• 7 Tips to Become a Great Mindmapper
• How to Make a Mind Map
• What to Eat for a Better Memory and Concentration
• How to Study Most Effective
• Tips to Study Better From the Most Inspiring People in the World