TL,DR: By harnessing our memories of food, we can quickly and enjoyably recall relevant financial concepts.

Our brains can store an almost infinite amount of information when that information activates our senses. Visuals are the most common example of this phenomena.

Memory scientists once showed a slide show containing thousands of images to a class of students, flashing each image on the screen for a mere fraction of a second. The students were then shown a new slide show, this time mixing in new images with the ones they had already seen. When asked to identify whether an image was new or original, the students performed remarkably well, identifying well over 90% of the images correctly. This is because our brains capture visual information with unfathomable precision, mostly due to a reliance on understanding our surroundings in order to find food and survive.

People that compete professionally in memory challenges begin with visual spaces, but engage all 5 senses. In order to memorize a string of numbers, they construct elaborate stories in their heads filled with sweet and pungent aromas, soothing and searing noises, soft and sharp edges, powerful visuals, and mouth watering tastes. The events are then strung together in their minds, and filled with lewd, inappropriate, and otherwise memorable backstories. In fact, one individual managed to memorize 70,000 digits of the number pi. They did this by creating sequential associations with sensory inducing imagery.

The task at hand pales in comparison to numerical recall, but the same principles of memory apply. Our memories actually depend on creativity to succeed. In practice, competitive memory techniques are relatively easy to implement. When you think about an association, like the aforementioned SPYDR ETF representing a diversified smoothie of stocks, don’t stop at the word smoothie. Imagine the burst of flavor on your tongue, the cold glass in your hand, and the beads of condensation running down the side. When you hear “ETF”, embrace the thought of the blender filled to the brim with a diverse stack of yellows, reds, and blues waiting to be pureed.

While some people succeed with rote memorization, the consumption of information through repetition, this strategy lacks creativity and is extremely inefficient. Whether you are a student or working professional, your time is limited. If you know you are interested in mutual funds, skip everything else and jump immediately to the page featuring refreshing fruit salads. The book is an encyclopedia, not a novel. We’re cooking with gas and our goal is to waste as little time as possible.

TL,DR: By harnessing our memories of food, we can quickly and enjoyably recall relevant financial concepts.

Our brains can store an almost infinite amount of information when that information activates our senses. Visuals are the most common example of this phenomena.

Memory scientists once showed a slide show containing thousands of images to a class of students, flashing each image on the screen for a mere fraction of a second. The students were then shown a new slide show, this time mixing in new images with the ones they had already seen. When asked to identify whether an image was new or original, the students performed remarkably well, identifying well over 90% of the images correctly. This is because our brains capture visual information with unfathomable precision, mostly due to a reliance on understanding our surroundings in order to find food and survive.

People that compete professionally in memory challenges begin with visual spaces, but engage all 5 senses. In order to memorize a string of numbers, they construct elaborate stories in their heads filled with sweet and pungent aromas, soothing and searing noises, soft and sharp edges, powerful visuals, and mouth watering tastes. The events are then strung together in their minds, and filled with lewd, inappropriate, and otherwise memorable backstories. In fact, one individual managed to memorize 70,000 digits of the number pi. They did this by creating sequential associations with sensory inducing imagery.

The task at hand pales in comparison to numerical recall, but the same principles of memory apply. Our memories actually depend on creativity to succeed. In practice, competitive memory techniques are relatively easy to implement. When you think about an association, like the aforementioned SPYDR ETF representing a diversified smoothie of stocks, don’t stop at the word smoothie. Imagine the burst of flavor on your tongue, the cold glass in your hand, and the beads of condensation running down the side. When you hear “ETF”, embrace the thought of the blender filled to the brim with a diverse stack of yellows, reds, and blues waiting to be pureed.

While some people succeed with rote memorization, the consumption of information through repetition, this strategy lacks creativity and is extremely inefficient. Whether you are a student or working professional, your time is limited. If you know you are interested in mutual funds, skip everything else and jump immediately to the page featuring refreshing fruit salads. The book is an encyclopedia, not a novel. We’re cooking with gas and our goal is to waste as little time as possible.