How to create an association!

2. HOW TO CREATE AN ASSOCIATION

Here is the how to create an association = connect two vividly imagined pictures:

Whenever you want to connect two vividly imagined pictures, then this connection has to be:

Illogical.

Or: it has to be larger than life, something that can never happen in real life, it has to be bizarre.

Important: If the connection is logic, it simply will NOT work, it falls through.

If you explain this to kids they prefer the word crazy.

And here is the key-point:

The crazier it is the longer it stays in your memory.

The crazier it is the easier is the recall.

And another added benefit:

The crazier it is the more fun you have when learning to improve your memory.

You could give this a go:

Stephen Covey suggests when learning a new skill to teach it to someone else. You can do just that with teaching

young kids (from the age of 3) the exercises in this section. Should you feel you are not sure how association works then teach your kids. Show them the exercise at the end of this text, and they will teach YOU when an association is ‘enough’.

It really is hilarious and really, really good fun.

You will surprise yourself with this experience.

In the beginning you may say: isn’t that a little bit ‘long-winded’?

It may seem so, however it isn’t.

This is actually the fastest element in the basic three steps towards a better memory.

Later on, after you have practiced for a while, it will become second nature; it will be very fast indeed; and above all: It is immensely fun!!!

When is a connection good enough?

This is something that is part of your 'how to' learning process.

Also, have in mind there are degrees.

Remember, the crazier the connection the longer it stays in your memory.

However: do you really want to keep the shopping list for the rest of your life?

Of course not.

And here comes the interesting bit: You can train yourself so that the quality of this connection is just right for you. You can train = practice so that you know when

the connection stays for an hour (i.e. shopping list) or a week (i.e. present for your partner) or until the exam; so that you can recall all the necessary information without hesitation.

What to do if a connection = association is simply not strong enough?

Give it more oomph.

Give it more power.

How to do that?

Make the pictures bigger and brighter.

Make the sounds louder and crisper.

Increase the emotion and really feel that feeling.

Increase the intensity of the colours (memory kaleidoscope)

Make the pictures moving. Maybe even like in cartoons.

Now here is a piece of home-work: watch Tom & Jerry or Rugrats or Spongebob.

They are brilliant. And good fun as well.

A good question how you can test the quality of your association is: