The 5 Biggest Reasons Entrepreneurs Need Memory Techniques

| Podcast

Entrepreneurs need a ton of skills to achieve their goals.

And let’s face it:

The amount of material entrepreneurs need to learn can be downright discouraging. Just to stand a chance of “making it” requires so much know-how that a lot of people give up.

Here’s the good news:

You don’t have to give up on your entrepreneurial dreams.

You can learn and remember everything you need to know.

And you can recall it all with ease.

But as they say in the entrepreneurial world, a lot of success comes from first knowing your “why.” That’s why in this post I’m going to talk about the 5 biggest reasons entrepreneurs need memory techniques.

 

Don’t Discount Any Of These!

 

Each is important, and you’ll find that the Magnetic Memory Method covers each.

If you haven’t already taken the free course I’ve got for you, grab the memory kit by subscribing above and get ready for an amazing memory boost that will impressive the pants off you and everyone you know.

 

1. Not Being Able To Remember Numbers
May Be Causing More Lost Revenue
Than You Can Imagine

 

Numbers overload the average life lived in business:

Conversion rates

Tax percentages

Statistical formulas

Phone numbers

Identification codes

Dates and times

… and many, many more.

A huge part of the success of any entrepreneurial enterprise links directly with how well you can manage numbers like these. You can’t wring more profit out of numbers you haven’t remembered, after all. And you can’t even begin to understand math concepts you haven’t committed to memory.

To get better at memorizing numbers, it’s important that you learn the Major Method (sometimes called The Major System).

 

What Is The Major Method?

 

It’s a way of quickly memorizing numbers by turning them into images.

There are different ways of using the Major Method, but to get started, associate each number from 0-9 with a sound. Here’s what I use based on a standard approach popular around the world:

0 = soft c, s, z
1 = d or t
2 = n
3 = m
4 = r
5 = l
6 = ch, j, sh
7 = g, k
8 = f, v
9 = b, p

But right now, you’re probably wondering …

 

How On Earth Am I Supposed
To Remember All Of That?!?

 

It’s pretty easy – if you’re willing to experiment. I won’t give you an example for each number, but to get you started:

For zero, you could see a giant snake hissing as it eats its own tail. The shape of a snake in a circle resembles the digit 0. The sound of hissing reminds you of the ’s’ and soft ‘c’ sound options.

For nine, look closely: From one perspective, it’s like a ‘b’ standing on its head. From another perspective, it’s a golf club facing the wrong direction and driven down into the ground.

Check out five. If you hold out your left hand and stick out your thumb, you’ll notice that you have five digits. The pointer finger and thumb make an L-shape.

 

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

 

Let’s put it all together.

If you wanted to remember a number like 905, the Major Method gives you several options with these letter-sounds. You’d just need to pop in a few vowels so you can make a word.

For example, 905 could be:

Basel (the herb) or Brazil (the country on a map or the Terry Gilliam movie).

509 could be an image of yourself speaking with a lisp.

590 could be Jennifer Lopez. Make her leaping to compound the 5 and 9 and it’ll be even easier to remember.

This Is Just The Beginning Of Remembering Numbers With Ease

Give this memory technique a try. You’ll find that it does wonders for your memory improvement.

And it’s fun to give your friends challenges, like Jonathan Levi and I have done. Even just a short run of numbers like the serial numbers on a dollar bill makes for great memory exercise in a restaurant.

Just make sure that you’re not totally exhausted – and even then the techniques can still work wonders. Here’s the full story:

I can’t stress how important the ability to remember numbers is for an entrepreneur so please get busy and let me know how you fare.

 

2. A Simple Way To Remember Names That Works
Even In The Noisiest Convention Halls And Business Meetings

 

As an entrepreneur, you meet a lot of people.

And there’s nothing worse than forgetting someone’s name.

It’s embarrassing. It’s crude. It’s unnecessary.

To learn how to remember names, check out this Magnetic Memory Method Podcast and the accompanying illustrations. You’ll find it useful.

In brief, all you need for getting started with remembering names is the ability to make associations. You can create your Magnetic associations in advance or on the fly.

Let’s look at both options. I will ultimately suggest that you learn both … you’ll need them!

 

The Magnetic Memory Method Name Crib 

 

Some people who use memory techniques create databanks of celebrities in their minds. That way, whenever they meet someone new, they can make instant associations.

For example, I have Tom Cruise as my instant go-to name when I meet a new person named Tom. When I meet someone named Lars, I whip out Lars Ulrich, the drummer from Metallica. New people I meet named Sarah are instantly paired with Linda Hamilton, who played Sarah Connor in The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

The great thing about having predetermined celebrities and fictional characters is that the associations require zero thought. You meet the new person and then – BAM! – you can instantly see your new pal Tom in a fistfight with Tom Cruise.

The Martial Art Of Remembering Names Method

 

But what happens when you meet someone with a name from another culture? It’s not that the name “Gangador Dianand” is unusual – it’s just not one you’d expect to come across every day.

Yet, it is a real name and if you’re serious about memory techniques, you’re going to want the ability to memorize it as quickly as you can memorize a name like Tom.

In this case, you need to be able to chop the name into pieces and use Magnetic Memory Method Word Division. This mnemonic tool helps with associating images to just the “gang” part of “Gangador” and another image with the “ador” part.

Also super-easy. All you need is to see something like a gang bursting through a door. If the gang “adores” the door they’re banging through, all the better. Just think about how you can make that “adoration” visual in your mind’s eye.

What about “Dianand”?

Also not a problem.

Remember Princess Diana? I sure do. And I also know what an ampersand is.

All that’s needed after that is a way of getting Diana and the ampersand interacting in a strange way.

And when you put it all together, you can make a little story:

A gang who adores a door bust through and catch Princess Diana smooching with an ampersand.

 

But Wait! I’m Not That Creative!

 

I hear this excuse often.

Here’s the thing:

You don’t have to be creative to get started.

As Benny Lewis points out in Fluent in 3 Months, using these techniques makes you more creative. And the more you practice creating associations, the easier and faster it gets.

Just give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how practicing memory techniques rewires your mind and memory for entrepreneurial success at many levels.

 

3. Join The Elite Crew Of Entrepreneurs
Who Can Quote The Facts Right Every Time

 

There’s nothing more impressive than an entrepreneur who has a handle on the facts.

Let’s face it. Consumers are more skeptical than ever. If you haven’t got your details in order and wind up stumbling all over the place to communicate your business knowledge, you have no reason to expect anyone will take you seriously.

The only question is … how do you remember facts?

You’ve got options, but the number one technique to learn is how to create and use a Memory Palace.

 

What’s A Memory Palace?

 

A Memory Palace is a mental construct based on a real building. It can also be an imaginary, “Virtual Memory Palace,” but for beginners, taking something simple like your childhood home works the best.

Remember how we were just talking about Jennifer Lopez and 590?

Well, the way a Memory Palace works is that you would place an image of her leaping all over the place on the desk in your study. Or you would have her leaping in the clothes washer.

You can place images like Jennifer Lopez anywhere you like, but it’s best to have a strategic way of creating your Memory Palace so that you’re not just placing her any old place and hoping and praying you’ll find your way back to her. Make sure you’ve taken my free course to ensure that you know the best ways to create a Memory Palace and avoid all problems.

Then, when you have some facts you want to memorize, create images that help trigger those facts back to you. For example, a few weeks back, I memorized some information about Canada’s second-ever Prime Minister.

You can model this approach for any facts that you’d like to memorize. It’s easy, fun and will rapidly increase your expertise.

 

4. The Ability To Remember Quotes That
Will Get Everyone Talking About You

 

If there’s one thing that binds entrepreneurs together, it’s the love of quotes.

You’ve probably heard this famous line from Zig Ziglar, to take one example:

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”

As cool as Ziglar’s quote is, it really means nothing if you can’t remember and pull it out at the right time. Entrepreneurs equipped with memory techniques have no problems, however. They can simply use the tools of the Magnetic Memory Method and zip any motivational quote they want into memory and recall it with ease.

The Memory Palace is also the go-to technique in this case. Once you know how to use it, you just need to prepare and organize the quotes you want to memorize. When you hear a good one, you can also memorize it on the fly with ease so long as you have a solid understanding of how to use the ground beneath your feet as a Memory Palace.

 

Wisdom Is Just One Vertical (Or Horizontal) Pillar Away

 

When memorizing poetry using a Memory Palace, the temptation is to work horizontally.

Nothing wrong with that. It works gangbusters.

But for shorter pieces of information, like quotes, the entrepreneur can also try memorizing the words in vertical pillars.

I recommend starting from the top corner of a room and then working your way down.

For example, if you want to memorize the Ziglar quote, you can try seeing Pippi Longstocking in the ceiling corner attacking a jury with a vicious motive. “Pippi” basically sounds like “people” and her having a motive for the attack will help recall the notion of “motivation.”

Beneath that, you can see her bathing in a huge bathtub full of calendars. That will help you remember the core idea of bathing and the calendars will help you remembering that bathing, like motivation, is something entrepreneurs require daily.

Heck, everybody could use a dose of both daily hygiene and continually renewing impetus … don’t you think?

 

5. The Ability To Conceive Of And
See Large Systems Full Of Moving Parts

 

At the meta-level, perhaps the most powerful reason entrepreneurs would do well to use memory techniques is how they get you working with macroscopic and microscopic pieces of information at the same time.

Think about it:

If you’re going to be an entrepreneur, you’ve got to have a handle on multiple processes all at the same time. And you’ve got to be able to see them in your mind at a glance.

What better way to prepare the mind for this need than working with a system of Memory Palaces and information that will make you a better entrepreneur?

Memory techniques not only help you with the skill of seeing the big picture and the granular details at the same time. Having a strong memory distinguishes you as a professional.

If you aren’t already using memory techniques, I strongly encourage you to get on board with them. They will not only change your life, but help you do much bigger things for the people you serve in your business.

That’s the desire that drives you every day and the next level is right around the corner. All you need to get started is a bit of training. Subscribe for my free Magnetic Memory Method training using the “Start Here” registration form above.

8 Responses to " The 5 Biggest Reasons Entrepreneurs Need Memory Techniques "

  1. Saheed Oladele says:

    Awesome. I watched the video twice.

    Tell you what, I’ll try to get more sleep. 🙂

  2. Chetan says:

    Dear Anthony,

    Thanks. This is a BANG ON post.

    As I eagerly proceed towards launching my blog, the memory techniques in general and MMM in particular has been a HORIZONTAL block for me upon which all my reading and learning rests.

    Ever since I took “Improving my Memory” to my heart with your help and other talented people, my learning is at least 10 times better and I am super confident with my learning.

    I don’t think I can ever learn without using any of these techniques.
    It’s so ingrained now and these techniques have given me a competitive advantage at work as it shows up in day today conversations when I quote facts – quotes and numbers and names 🙂

    The techniques mentioned in this post works like a charm for me and
    I don’t even remember when I was NOT creative. I think its one good thing to forget 🙂

    Images, celebrities and stories automatically form when I learn Numbers, Names, Technical concepts from articles and books and meetings.

    I can’t thank you enough for sharing MMM with us and outlining these thoughts.

    Keep Writing. Keep Shining.

    • Thanks for the kind words, Chetan. So glad that you’ve gotten these results and they’ve helped you on your entrepreneurial journey!

      It’s also great that your imagination works so effectively now. My prediction is that it’s just going to keep getting better and better the more you use it.

      Look forward to seeing your new blog soon! 🙂

  3. Jared says:

    Hey Anthony,

    I really liked tip number 2 on the Martial Art of Remembering Names. I’ve always struggled with remembering more difficult and exotic names and I love this tip.

    I think taking the time to come up with a creative way of breaking up the name will help me remember them a lot easier.

    Thanks for writing and sharing this with us.

    Jared

    • Hi Jared,

      Thanks for the comment!

      Yes, exotic names can be a challenge, but with practice, even the most difficult only take a few seconds to handle.

      Plus, there are ways to buy time when memorizing names. If push comes to shove, you can always just say something like, “I’m sorry. I’ve been working on improving my memory and am not quite sure I got your name right. Could you say it again?”

      You have to play that one on a case by case basis, but in general, it’s a cool way to practice and no harm is ever done. And memory techniques are a great ice-breaker and talking point. I don’t know why, but just about everybody loves to talk about their bad memory abilities. I’ve learned a lot just by giving one of my memory demonstrations and then shutting up. 🙂

  4. Alex says:

    Hi Anthony,
    Very instructive and refreshing. I particularly like your anecdote about training with Tony Buzan. Many people would be crestfallen to make a mistake; but you see how to use it to improve.

    The Major system is so powerful, and I use it to remember phone numbers, addresses, access codes, account numbers, etc. It’s uses are boundless. Geography, history, science, business, math – on and on.

    When combined with memory palaces and other mnemonic techniques like rhymes or musical tunes or Acrostics, you keep adding memory layers and really embedding the topics.

    I listened a few times before commenting because I like to reflect on what you say. 😉

    • Thanks for these thoughts, Alex.

      As ever, mistakes remain our greatest asset. We just need to embrace them as such.

      Always love your comments and appreciate that you were able to listen to this one more than once. Thanks as always for your support! 🙂

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