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16 key learnings from journalist Joshua Foer's year of memory training, from reporting on a memory contest to winning the US championship. Each takes about 40 seconds to read. Swipe, use the arrows, or your keyboard.
All 16 learnings · one per slide
Joshua Foer, in bytes
16 key learnings on how a journalist trained his memory to win a championship, and what it teaches about learning.
Learning 1
From the book
Foer went to the US Memory Championship to write about it, met competitors who said anyone could learn their methods, and decided to try.
The result
After a year of training, he won the 2006 US Memory Championship.
In real life
Many 'gifts' turn out to be techniques anyone can learn with practice.
Try this
Pick a memory skill, like names, and practise it for a month.
Learning 2
The idea
The method of loci places vivid images of things to remember along a route through a familiar building.
From the book
Legend says the poet Simonides identified victims of a collapsed banquet hall by remembering where each guest sat.
In real life
To remember a shopping list, picture each item in a room of your house.
Try this
Memorise a ten-item list by placing each item along your walk to work.
Learning 3
The idea
We remember things that are strange, funny, emotional or vivid far better than plain facts.
From the book
Memory athletes create bizarre images to make information stick.
In real life
To remember a client named Baker, picture them pulling bread from an oven.
Try this
Turn a dull fact into a weird mental picture.
Learning 4
From the book
People remember that someone is a baker more easily than that their surname is Baker.
Why
A job carries meaning and associations; a name is just a label.
In real life
Linking a new colleague's name to something meaningful helps it stick.
Try this
When you meet someone, link their name to an image or meaning.
Learning 5
The idea
Experts group information into meaningful chunks, so they can hold more in mind.
From the book
Chess masters remember real board positions far better than novices, but not random ones.
In real life
A phone number split into three parts is easier to remember than ten digits.
Try this
Group information you need to remember into meaningful chunks.
Learning 6
The idea
Much of expertise is a rich memory of patterns built from experience.
From the book
Foer describes chicken sexers, who learn to sort chicks with uncanny speed through trained perception.
In real life
An experienced auditor spots an odd entry instantly because they've seen thousands of normal ones.
Try this
Study many examples in your field to build pattern memory.
Learning 7
The idea
Once a skill becomes automatic, we stop improving. Foer calls this the OK plateau.
From the book
He hit a plateau in memorising cards until he used deliberate practice ideas from Anders Ericsson.
In real life
Typing for years without getting faster is an OK plateau.
Try this
Push slightly beyond your comfort zone, and track your mistakes.
Learning 8
The idea
Improvement needs focused practice on weaknesses, with feedback.
From the book
Foer timed himself, studied his errors, and practised specifically on what he got wrong.
In real life
A public speaker records talks to spot filler words and works on removing them.
Try this
Record yourself doing a skill and review the weakest part.
Learning 9
The idea
Memory athletes assign a person, an action and an object to each card or number, combining them into vivid scenes.
From the book
Foer used such a system to memorise decks of cards quickly.
In real life
Simpler versions help remember PINs or long numbers.
Try this
Create a vivid scene to remember a four-digit number.
Learning 10
From the book
Foer describes S., a Russian journalist studied by psychologist Alexander Luria, who seemed unable to forget anything.
The cost
Remembering everything made it hard for him to think abstractly.
In real life
Forgetting details helps us focus on what matters and generalise.
Try this
Decide what you actually need to remember, and let the rest go.
Learning 11
From the book
Foer meets EP, a man who lost the ability to form new memories after an illness, living in a permanent present.
The lesson
Memory gives us identity and continuity.
In real life
Shared memories are what bind families and friendships.
Try this
Write down three moments from this week to remember.
Learning 12
The idea
Writing, books and now the internet have replaced the need to memorise.
From the book
Foer notes that Socrates worried writing would weaken memory.
In real life
Relying on phones means we often can't recall a single friend's number.
Try this
Memorise one important phone number this week.
Learning 13
The idea
Facts in memory help us think, make connections and be creative.
From the book
Foer argues that memorising isn't the opposite of understanding; it supports it.
In real life
A doctor who remembers key facts can spot connections quickly.
Try this
Memorise the core facts of your field, so you can think with them.
Learning 14
The idea
Days without new experiences blur together, making life feel shorter.
From the book
Foer suggests new experiences create more memories and make time feel richer.
In real life
A holiday week feels longer than a routine month at the office.
Try this
Do one new thing this week to create a fresh memory.
Learning 15
From the book
Foer questions whether some famous 'savants' have truly special memories or use learned techniques.
The lesson
Extraordinary feats often have ordinary explanations.
In real life
Be curious about how impressive performances are achieved.
Try this
When amazed by a skill, ask how it was learned.
Learning 16
The idea
Foer's conclusion: memory techniques are learnable, and memory matters for living well.
Why
What we remember shapes who we are.
In real life
Remembering colleagues' names and details builds trust.
Reflect
What would you like to remember better?
All 16 learnings complete
Memory is a skill, not a fixed gift. What would you like to remember better?
Summaries are written in my own words for learning. Read Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer (2011) for the full stories. More Books in Bytes
