Many people may be caring, loving persons but they go through each day in a cocoon of self-interest and worry which stops their minds getting the best mental images of the world and, especially, the people around them.
To improve the use we get from the very powerful storage and recall systems which we all have, our first task must be to remove that screen from between our eyes and our brain. If we don’t really see a person as more than part of the background scenery to our day, there’s not much chance that we will store a quality image of them which we will be able to recall without effort, is there?
It’s very simple to crack, and then remove, that screen. Just start to focus more on your surroundings and the people you meet, and then listen more closely to what they say.
This will take conscious effort at first, because you are replacing your habitual inward focus, which probably has been part of your life for years, with a healthier and more productive outward focus. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
You might want to try to get more rapid improvement in your focus with some of the simple exercises in this section. Set aside up to half an hour when you won’t be interrupted. Don’t stress yourself if your ability to recall the people described in the exercises is very poor to start with.
That’s very common.
The good news is that you will probably notice a fairly quick improvement just by repeating the exercise(s), but using different people as your subjects, a few days later. Don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself when doing the exercises. Your memory works best when you are as relaxed and focused as possible.
Don’t worry if your first attempts show gaps in your recall. These exercises are just for your benefit and are no-one else’s business.
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 9. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
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• While sitting comfortably, try to recall the streets and the people which you pass every day on your way to work. as if it was a movie showing on a screen in your mind. You probably know the names of the streets or stations which you pass every day, but the point of this exercise is to show how well you remember what you see almost every day.
Then, instead of burying your head in your newspaper as usual the next day, look at your surroundings and, especially, the people as you travel along. You’ll probably see many interesting things which you had not taken any notice of before.
Give yourself a break and then try the same exercise a couple of days, or even a week, later. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised at the improvement in your recall. That improvement should also be apparent in other situations as well.
• Choose somebody that you see regularly but don’t have a close, personal relationship with. Try to form a very clear mental image of the person; their face, stance and clothing.
What, or who, does their voice sound like? How do they walk? What exactly did you talk about on the last time that you spoke with them?
When you see them again, check how good that your recall of them was. Most people find that their recall is different in significant respects from the real person. That should encourage you to focus better on the people you meet in the future.
Try this same exercise a few days later with a different person.
• If you work outside your home, sit down when you have some free time at home and write a description of your office. Be as detailed as possible, but don’t put more than 10
minutes into this. It’s an exercise, not an essay.
You could include a diagram and mark the location of as many items as you remember.
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 10. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
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If you work at home, try this exercise with the layout and contents of a room other than the one which you’re currently using. Pick one that has a number of varied items in it, so that your recall gets a good test.
That sounds simple and it is. But you could find some things which you’ve seen every day, maybe for years, that you haven’t recalled when I asked you to unexpectedly.
• Our final example is a bit harder. Grab a magazine or newspaper and find a page where there are a number of products or separate items - at least 10, if possible. Give the page a thorough scan, then close the magazine and write down as much information as you can about the products and companies, or people, which you just read about.
Just doing these exercises should improve your mental processes to some degree. This preliminary test will show you the current level of recall which you have. That will enhance the buzz which you will get after you start to use the systems and tips, and then see your improved results.
You can expect to achieve them while expending less effort and time as well.
These simple exercises are just for your information – no-one else sees your results, so there is no pressure on you. It doesn’t matter whether you get a 60% improvement or only 10% - your investment of time is minimal and that improvement will continue for the rest of your life! It may even increase without extra effort from you as you become more familiar with the power of your own memory.
The reward for doing at least a couple of these tests at the start, is that you will more easily see your improved appreciation and recall of your surroundings and the people you see in the future.
Then, the systems and tips in this ebook will take you to the next level.
Copyright © 2006 by John Williams 11. http://www.ezymagic.com/
“Maximum Memory Power” by John Williams
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