Delayed Gratification Tips For Memory Training With Matt Dobschuetz

Elaborative encoding isn’t the sexiest term memory science has come up with, is it?

No, but it sure is fantastic when it plays out in real life.

After all, use this memory technique well, and you can memorize a dozen names (or more) at any meeting or party.

Not to mention several dozen details about:

• Occupations
• Hobbies
• Relationship statuses
• Locations
• Educational and professional backgrounds
• ... and much, much more!

Imagine being able to remember so much about all the people you meet... within seconds of hearing the details.

Wouldn’t that be a great skill to have?

(If you don’t think so, I’d love to hear why not in the comment section below!)

The best part (when you have these skills)?

You’ll have it all perfectly organized and reachable in your mind. These details will have literally gone from short term memory to long term memory within seconds.

Don’t Fear Memory Science!

Now, I realize that a lot of people hear the scientific terms for how memory techniques work and are immediately turned off.

If that’s you, here’s the blunt truth:

You’re missing out on a huge opportunity to improve your memory by understanding more about how and why it works.

And even though a term like “elaborative encoding” sounds complicated, it is actually:

• Simpler than you might think
• Something you’re doing already ...
• And always beneficial to practice so you get better over time

To help you out, I’ve designed three memory-boosting elaborative encoding exercises.

But first, you’ll be best served by understanding exactly what elaborative encoding is.

Effective elaborative encoding is like having a vibrant, multi-connected ecosystem of connections in your mind

What is “Elaborative Encoding”?

Defining elaborative encoding is elementary! Yes, really!

And it’s not so much a thing, as it is a thing you do when using memory techniques.

This simple mental task starts with linking information that you want to remember with existing knowledge.

For example:

There’s a guy named Hunter at Burger Project (in Brisbane) where I go to get grass fed beef burgers (no bun).

I memorized his name almost automatically because I linked the information, Hunter’s name, with information I already know about hunters.

And I put several layers of that information together within seconds of hearing his name. I linked him to a camouflage-clad man with a gun, and not a generic one. Rather, I used my favorite Looney Tunes hunter, Elmer Fudd.

Elmer Fudd with the old Nintendo gun for Duck Hunt worked great as my Magnetic Image for “Hunter”

At the same time, I put that old plastic gun from the Nintendo game Duck Hunt in Hunter’s hand. (Not in reality, but in my imagination.)

By taking his name and associating it with Elmer Fudd and then going one step further and adding Duck Hunt, I was elaborating my mental imagery. In addition to thinking about what all of this looked like, I also:

• Heard the sound of a duck-hunting gun and Elmer Fudd’s voice
• Felt the Nintendo gun in my hand
• Imagined the smell of gun smoke
• Imagined the taste of roasted duck

In each case, I made the image weird, larger than life and filled it with vibrant action. Hunter literally shot Elmer Fudd before I started eating him as if he were a duck.

All combined, these layers of elaboration made the name Hunter even more memorable. This process only took a few seconds, and I’ve never forgotten his name since.

What Else Can This Style of Mnemonic Elaboration Be Used For?

Not, you may think that this all sounds fine and dandy for names. But here’s the thing:

Elaborative encoding can be applied to any knowledge.

If you can take that knowledge, make associations and manipulate size, color, speed, duration, distance, mood, emotion, and space... you can memorize anything.

When can elaborative encoding be used?

Any time.

But in the beginning, just focus on the keywords related to the information you want added to your knowledgebase.

From there, you can branch out t...