Secret to Successful Learning: How to Make Memories Stick

The key to successful learning is ensuring that what you study stays in your memory. But with the sheer number of things we have to remember daily from where we parked our car to our social media passwords it can be challenging to retain everything effectively.

 

Remember Everything You Learn

If you struggle to keep details sharp, you're not alone. Fortunately, there’s a group of individuals dedicated to mastering memory retention “memory athletes.” These champions travel the world to showcase their skills, and some will compete in the Extreme Memory Tournament in San Diego, California, from June 24–26.

But memory champions don’t just compete they also offer valuable strategies for improving memory. Here are five effective techniques to help you remember what you learn.

1. Create a Memory Palace

The memory palace technique is based on the idea that our spatial memory is much stronger than our ability to recall specific words or objects. For instance, you can likely remember where you store holiday decorations in your home. The same concept can be applied to memorizing harder-to-recall information, such as a grocery list.

Try it: Imagine walking through your home and associating each grocery item with a specific location. Picture kids bobbing for apples in your living room, paper towels draped over furniture in the dining room, and a giant snacking on loaves of bread in your bedroom. The more vivid and bizarre the imagery, the easier it will be to remember.

2. Think of a Scene

Our brains encode visual memories like a camera capturing an image. However, when we perform repetitive tasks like parking our car in different spots our memories blur together.

To sharpen your recollection, create a distinct mental scene when placing objects. If you set down your keys, take note of the surface. Is it wooden, metallic, or glass? What color is it? Is there a photo or an object nearby that can serve as a visual cue? This method helps separate memories and improves recall.

3. Establish an Emotional Connection

Emotions play a significant role in memory retention. Studies from Harvard and MIT suggest that people remember photographs better than abstract shapes because they can connect images with personal feelings or experiences.

The takeaway? Attach emotions to what you're learning. If you're studying history, imagine living in that time period. If you're memorizing a speech, link key points to personal experiences. Emotional engagement strengthens memory retention.

4. Use Mnemonics

Mnemonics are tools that help structure information for easier recall. For example, the acronym ROY G. BIV is a popular way to remember the colors of the rainbow (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).

Mnemonics don’t teach new information but help organize details into an easily retrievable format. If you're learning a new concept, try creating a phrase, rhyme, or acronym to reinforce the information.

5. Connect New Information to What You Already Know

Memory experts suggest that linking new information to existing knowledge strengthens recall.

For instance, if you're introduced to someone with the last name Baker, the name itself may not be memorable. However, if you think of a baker wearing a white hat and covered in flour, the mental connection becomes stronger.

As the authors of Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning explain:

"The more you can explain how new learning relates to prior knowledge, the stronger your grasp of the new material will be, and the more connections you create to help remember it later.

---

By applying these techniques, you can enhance your ability to remember and retain information whether for school, work, or everyday life. Memory isn’t just about natural ability; it’s a skill that can be trained and improved with the right strategies.