Memory Improvement
I’ve experimented with every major techique for memory improvement, including memory palaces with hundreds of “loci”, spaced repetition with thousands of flashcards, and, these days, my personal Zettelkasten.
I’ve shared what I’ve learned through articles, books, and classes. (I’m even developing a game.) Unlike most memory “gurus”, I’m brutally honest about what works, what doesn’t, and just how time-consuming these techniques can be.
Can you memorize entire books? Sure. I have. (Short ones, but still.) You really can remember anything you want… if you’re willing to do the work.
Articles
I’ve published over 100 articles on improving your memory at YourAwesomeMemory.com.
Classes
I’ve taught in-person classes to paying students, helping them learn powerful memory improvement techniques at the time in their lives when they need them most.
I also offer a video mini-course for free online.
Here’s Video 1:
Books
Unleash Your Awesome Memory
You can remember anything you want.
How do I know?
Because you can read this. Seriously.
Several years ago, I dived in deep into memory techniques, and I figured out how to use them to memorize entire books.
It worked, and I was stunned.
I also experimented heavily with a special technique that will “guarantee” long-term memory retention. Like, for the rest of your life. With many thousands of flashcards, I learned both what did and very much did NOT work, in real life.
Many memory books focus on one or two techniques. I pretty much tried them all, and I want you to learn how to pick and choose which techniques are best for the job… and what really happens when you try to scale.
(In development.)
10 Memory Tools You Wish You Knew
Are you overwhelmed and frustrated by all the conflicting advice on memory improvement?
Some gurus want you to use memory palaces for everything. Others put everything into flashcards, even their emails. Don’t you wish you just knew what actually WORKED?
Here’s the secret…
There’s no one perfect memory improvement tool.
The trick is to learn all the best tools, and more importantly, when and how to use each one.
Summary Cheatsheet
This cheatsheet is one of my favorite attempts I’ve made to summarize this material.
Game
Palace Amnesia
You wake up in a hot field with your clothes drenched in water, no memory of who you are, and a strange little man peering down at you.
Behind him looms a fantastical palace, a labyrinth of ancient rooms stuffed with bizarre trinkets, puzzles, and lethal challenges. If you hope to recover your memory, you must wend your way through this warren, learning the ancient memory skills they profess to teach.
But a deep groan murmurs behind the locked door at the palace’s heart… and if you do ever recover your memories, you may wish you had left them lost.
Written using my custom parser, org2twee.
(In development.)
Digital Garden (Zettelkasten)
If you haven’t yet heard of the Zettelkasten, you’re missing out on a minor renaissance. More than a mere collection of notes, a Zettelkasten is a network, where each note is a “node” that is linked to at least one other note, and like a neuron, can be linked to as many other notes as you like. It may sound simple, but over time, patterns emerge that might blow your mind.
The vast majority of my Zettelkasten is currently private, but I’ve begun to publish a subset that others may find useful at notes.billalive.com. I use Org-roam, and thanks to its creator, this site features an innovative Hugo theme that keeps your trail as you explore the network.
