How to triple your memory by using this trick | Ricardo Lieuw On | TEDxHaarlem
TLDRThe speaker, a psychology graduate and employee at Remind, shares a personal journey of learning and self-improvement. Initially struggling with traditional education, they discovered a passion for learning after a stint as a bagger in California. The speaker emphasizes the importance of memorization and learning techniques, using a creative memory exercise to illustrate how visualization can enhance memory retention. They advocate for the teaching of the 'art of learning' in schools and encourage individuals to experiment with different learning methods to discover what works best for them. The talk concludes with a call to action for continuous self-improvement and learning, regardless of age or stage in life.
Takeaways
- 📝 The importance of memorization: The speaker emphasizes that even in a digital age, the ability to memorize is still valuable.
- 🧠 Learning through experimentation: The speaker shares their personal journey of learning and how experimenting with different methods improved their study skills.
- 🏆 Overcoming educational struggles: The speaker's story of flunking a grade and eventually finding success through different learning techniques shows that anyone can overcome academic challenges.
- 🌞 Gaining life skills outside of formal education: The speaker's experience as a bagger in California taught them valuable life skills such as speed, driving, and social interaction.
- 📚 Discovering a passion for learning: The realization that the speaker didn't hate learning but the method led to a successful academic and professional path in psychology.
- 🎓 The role of effective study techniques: The speaker reduced their reading time per chapter significantly by experimenting with study methods, highlighting the impact of effective techniques.
- 🏆 The power of visualization for memorization: The speaker demonstrates a technique using bizarre images and associations with body parts to memorize the past U.S. presidents in order.
- 🤝 Encouraging a growth mindset: The speaker advocates for the belief that anyone can improve at anything through continuous learning and experimentation.
- 👴 Age is not a barrier to learning: The speaker challenges the notion that older generations are too old to learn, asserting that anyone can improve themselves through experimentation.
- 🔬 The three-step process of experimentation: The speaker outlines a process involving checking, experiencing, and experimenting to improve learning and other skills.
- 🌟 The art of learning as a valuable skill: The speaker concludes by advocating for the teaching of learning skills in schools and the importance of individual initiative in learning.
Q & A
What is the initial test the speaker asks the audience to perform?
-The speaker asks the audience to memorize 10 words in the right order within 30 seconds, then write them down in another 30 seconds, and finally check their answers in the last 30 seconds.
Why does the speaker suggest that memorization skills may be less important today?
-The speaker suggests that with technology, such as being able to take a picture of a list, the need to memorize information has decreased.
What did the speaker learn during their time working as a bagger in California?
-The speaker learned how to bag groceries quickly, how to drive a car, and how to engage in conversation with strangers.
Why did the speaker decide to study psychology after their time in California?
-The speaker discovered a passion for learning during their time in California and decided to study psychology because they were interested in the subject and wanted to learn more about it.
What was the main problem the speaker faced when they started studying psychology?
-The main problem was that the speaker had never learned how to learn effectively, which led to spending excessive time in the library without much progress.
How did the speaker's approach to studying help them achieve their academic goals?
-The speaker experimented with different methods of reading and memorizing texts, which reduced their reading time per chapter significantly, enabling them to complete an honors program and earn their degree.
What is the company Remind and what does it do?
-Remind is a company where the speaker works, which focuses on teaching people the science and art of learning. They aim to bring back into education what they feel was missing in their own learning experiences.
How does the speaker use visualization to help the audience remember the past 10 presidents of the United States?
-The speaker uses a method of associating each president with a bizarre and memorable image related to a part of the body, which helps the audience to recall the presidents in the correct order.
What is the three-step process of experimentation as described by the speaker?
-The three-step process includes the check (becoming aware of current methods), the experience (trying out new methods), and the experiment (applying the new method to see its effectiveness in one's own life).
Why is the skill of experimentation important according to the speaker?
-The skill of experimentation is important because it allows individuals to discover what works best for them, continually improve, and apply these learning strategies to various aspects of their lives.
What does the speaker suggest as the starting point for change in education and personal development?
-The speaker suggests that the most important change starts with the individual, encouraging the audience to go out and experiment, learn something new, or approach something old in a new way.
Why does the speaker believe that the art of learning should be taught in schools?
-The speaker believes that the art of learning should be taught in schools because it is a valuable skill that can be applied across various disciplines and can help students become better at not just the subject matter, but also the process of learning itself.
Outlines
📝 The Memorization Challenge
The speaker introduces a memorization test where participants must memorize 10 words in order within 30 seconds, write them down in another 30 seconds, and then check their answers in a final 30 seconds. This is followed by a reflection on the effectiveness of their memorization techniques. The speaker then contrasts the importance of memorization in previous generations with the modern reliance on technology to record information, suggesting that memorization may seem less critical today. The story of the speaker's own struggles with traditional learning and eventual discovery of a passion for psychology through non-traditional learning methods is shared, highlighting the importance of finding one's own learning style.
🎓 Transforming Learning with Visualization
The speaker shares their journey of improving study techniques, which included reducing reading time per chapter significantly. This newfound efficiency allowed them to excel academically and pursue a career in learning science with a company called Remind. They emphasize the importance of memorization beyond just academic subjects, as showcased through organizing the Dutch National Memory Championships. The speaker then guides the audience through a unique memorization exercise using vivid imagery associated with each body part to remember the past 10 U.S. presidents in order, demonstrating an alternative and engaging method of memorization.
🧠 Enhancing Memory and Learning Through Experimentation
Following the memorization exercise, the speaker discusses the effectiveness of creating bizarre images to aid memory and the strategy of associating these images with familiar places, like one's body, to improve ordered recall. They argue that improving in skills like memorization can enhance one's ability to experiment, a valuable skill in itself. The speaker shares their personal growth through experimentation, which led them back to education and public speaking, activities they previously thought they were not capable of. They encourage the audience to embrace the idea that anyone can improve by experimenting and to apply this mindset to various aspects of life.
🚀 The Power of Learning and Self-Improvement
The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of the process of learning and the skill of experimentation. They outline a three-step process involving checking one's current methods, experiencing new ones, and conducting personal experiments to apply these new strategies. The speaker encourages the audience to apply this approach to their own lives, to embrace continuous learning and self-improvement, and to recognize the value of the learning process itself. They advocate for teaching these principles in schools and stress that change begins with the individual, urging everyone to experiment and learn in order to unlock their full potential.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Memorization
💡Experimentation
💡Visualization
💡Learning
💡Education
💡Psychology
💡Dutch National Memory Championships
💡Skill Development
💡Public Speaking
💡Transformation
💡Art of Learning
Highlights
The speaker proposes a test to assess and improve memory skills.
Memorization is still a valuable skill despite technological advancements.
The speaker shares a personal story of struggling with traditional learning methods.
Discovering a passion for psychology led to a more effective and enjoyable learning process.
Experimenting with different study methods significantly improved reading efficiency.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of developing the skill of experimentation.
Visualization and associating information with familiar concepts can greatly enhance memory.
The speaker uses a creative visualization technique to help the audience memorize the past 10 US presidents.
The audience successfully memorizes more information using the visualization method compared to the initial test.
Experimentation is a key component of the learning process and can lead to discovering more effective methods.
The speaker advocates for teaching the process of experimentation in schools to help students continually improve their learning skills.
The process of experimentation involves checking, experiencing, and applying new methods.
By continually experimenting and learning, individuals can transform and adapt in various aspects of life.
The speaker encourages the audience to take action and start experimenting to learn new skills or improve existing ones.
The art of learning is a valuable skill that can be applied to any area of life.
The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of individual initiative in driving change and improvement.
Transcripts
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