Unlimited Memory Book Summary - Unlimited Memory Book explained in key points

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Unlimited Memory summary

Name: Unlimited Memory
Rating: 4.1 (438 reviews)
Author: Kevin Horsley

Kevin Horsley

How to Use Advanced Learning Strategies to Learn Faster, Remember More and be More Productive

4.1 (438 ratings)

14 mins

Brief summary

Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley is a guidebook for improving memory and retention skills. It offers practical techniques for developing a better memory, including visualization, association, and mnemonics.

Topics

Learning

Table of Contents

Unlimited Memory
Summary of 6 key ideas

Audio & text in the Blinkist app

Key idea 1 of 6

What’s in it for me? A better memory.

We’ve all been there: we see someone at a party or meeting, someone we’ve met at least two or three times before and even talked to for a few minutes. But the thing is, our memory betrays us, and we simply cannot remember her name.

Perhaps you devise some ingenious way to get it out of her without asking her directly. Or maybe you’ll run into a friend of yours and introduce him to this woman, hoping that she’ll then introduce herself by name!

Wouldn’t it be nice to finally put an end to forgetfulness? That’s where these blinks come in.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

why a pink tuxedo might be a good addition to your memory skills;
how you can turn your boring morning commute into a memory bank; and
what the sweetest sounding word is.

If you want to improve your concentration, you’ve got to clear your mind and be in the now.

Everyone wants to have excellent memory, right? But considering how many people find it hard to concentrate on details, remembering them just seems out of the question.

There are ways to do it, though. Here are some top tips to improve your concentration.

First, rid yourself of conflict – that is, anything that leads your mind in different directions and stops you from concentrating. Do you spend time switching between checking your e-mail and sending several messages on your phone? Well, that would make you like just about everyone else.

But how do you get rid of internal conflict without doing something drastic like joining a monastery? A good starting point is to stop multitasking. According to neuroscience experts, multitasking actually slows you down by 50 percent and increases your chances of making a mistake by 50 percent.

For example, chatting on the phone while driving will lead you to hit the brakes 0.5 seconds slower than normal. If you do the math, at 112 kilometers per hour, your car would need an additional 15.5 meters to come to a complete stop – and a lot can happen in that space, at that speed.

Another smart move is to prevent your mind from wandering by giving yourself a purpose. That way, you can easily remind yourself why you wanted to concentrate on something in the first place.

In this case, the PIC rule might come in handy: (P)urpose gives you a reason for learning. Take learning a programming language, for example. Your purpose there could be building a website for your family.

Once you’ve found a purpose, ask yourself questions so you become (i)nterested and (c)urious about what you’ve chosen to learn. “Is this currently relevant to my life?” or “Can I use this at work?” are great ones to start with.

So, now that you know how to improve your concentration, it’s time to discover how to retain information, too.

Use your creativity to bring information to life in a fun way that will help you remember it.

Have you ever read a page of a book and then immediately forgot what you just read? Well, that never has to happen again.

An easy way to remember a bit of information is to bring it to life, and this is all about using your creativity to make a memorable movie or picture.

Sort information into categories that already exist in your long-term memory.

Now that you’ve discovered how to create memorable images, it’s important to learn how to organize them in your mind. The best way to do this is to use the loci method, also knows as the route method, which is the practice of combining new information with something already familiar.

Humans are experts at remembering specific routes or places (just think about your commute to work), so most memory systems already make use of loci. It works by putting the items to be remembered at specific locations along a route that is already vivid and familiar in our minds.

Use sounds to remember numbers and dates.

It’s always remarkable when a person can easily recall complex mathematical facts or historical dates at the drop of a hat. If you want to be able to do the same, here’s a simple way to remember numbers that only requires three steps.

The idea is to transform numbers into images that’ll stick in your mind.

Use the four C system to remember names.

Is there anything more embarrassing than forgetting a colleague’s name? Well, when it comes to memorizing this kind of information, just remember the four Cs: concentrate, create, connect and continuous use. If you use this handy system, you’ll never have to deal with this awkward situation again.

First and foremost, you’ve got to concentrate on the person’s name if you want to remember and use it. Say the name out loud and then repeat it. If it’s a tricky one, just ask for the spelling.

Stop yourself from forgetting information by reviewing it.

Do you remember much of what you learned at school? According to the author’s research, within two years of finishing school, people can only remember the equivalent of about three weeks’ worth of lessons from 12 years of daily classes.

It’s no surprise, then, that without training your memory you’ll forget most of what you’ve learned.

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What is Unlimited Memory about?

Unlimited Memory (2014) explains memory techniques that will help you remember and retain any information you want to. These blinks will show you how to organize and store information in your mind so that you’ll never forget it.

Best quote from Unlimited Memory

Cultivate curiosity, and life becomes an unending study of joy. – Tony Robbins

—Kevin Horsley

Who should read Unlimited Memory?

Chronically forgetful folks
Fans of facts and numbers
Anyone who has trouble remembering names

About the Author

Kevin Horsley is an expert when it comes to how the mind works. As one of the very few people to receive the title of International Grand Master of Memory, he currently works as a consultant for organizations around the world on how to approach learning, motivation and creativity.

Categories with Unlimited Memory

Personal Development Education Productivity

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