How do i train using my own PAO?
I have a 2 digit PAO, and i cant really remember the image after i made the 4th or so image.
So how do i practice both issues?
Colin
Sorry, i meant 1 digit PAO
By “image” do you mean the complete pao scene that represents 3 digits? Or do you mean a single element, like the P or the A or the O? In other words, are you having trouble holding the imagery for 4 digits or 12?
You haven’t said how you’re actually doing the memorizing part.
A typical suggestion is to use the PAO technique alongside of a memory palace journey.
You would place your compound scenes along a sequence of landmarks, allowing those landmarks to provide context for and interaction with your scenes.
So if you need to memorize 107 359 579 042 628, you would use 5 locations. The first would contain the 107 pao scene, the next would be for 359, etc.
By mentally navigating these landmarks, you should be able to recall the unique scene that happens at each and then translate the elements of those scenes back to numbers.
If you make a strong enough connection between the locus/landmark and the representative scene, you really should not have much difficulty memorizing and recalling 5 scenes / 15 digits fairly quickly.
Work on establishing a connection so that as you recall each landmark, something about that lanark clues you to the contents of the scene.
A 1-digit system is ok when you’re first starting out, but I think you’ll quickly see the limitations in terms of data compression efficiency. Recommend trying a 2-digit PO system sooner than later!
Okay Thank you.
Do you advise i should already begin making the 2 digit so i wont start at he “wrong” way?
And i read something so also should i combine it with the Major System (im already comfortable with it)? And if so how?
(Im memorising numbers btw random numbers, dates, pi etc.)
Colin
Hello, I am also interested in working on a system to memorize numbers. Keep in mind, I am a complete novice when it comes to this practice of memory, and this will be my first project.
I was thinking of coming up with a 00-99 PAO system that is inspired by the major system/association/dominic system combined.
For example:
11 = Kyrie Irving dribbling a basketball (Association - Kyrie Irving’s number is 11)
94 = Borat high fiving a stop sign (Major system -Borat is the major system equivalent of 94)
83 = Freddie Mercury screaming into a microphone (Dominic system - FM)
So then the number 94-83-11 would be Borat screaming into a basketball.
The only issue I have with making a system like this is that I think it is overkill. I don’t plan to participate in any memory competition, or memorize thousands of digits of pie. The only goal I have is to memorize some important historical dates, phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, etc…
I don’t think that investing time in this kind of system would be efficient timewise for my goals. Thoughts?
In my opinion, this is a bad idea. Mixing can create lots of hesitation, frustration, and confusion. You don’t want to have to think hard about every number and figure out which are the exceptions and which systems go with which elements.
You want to have as few “mental conversion” steps as possible from number to image. If you think about how you would think about converting those numbers, you’ll see how you might have to run through trying to pronounce them via major, then trying to determine initials, then seeing if the number triggered an association. This is a giant pain (at least for me.) I tried it with my 3-digit system in the early days of building it, where I based everything off of Major but occasionally tried the instinctive association for easy ones like 007 (james bond) and 666 (satan.) I found that when those numbers came up I didn’t actually recognize them as the instinctive exceptions but kept trying to sound them out via major. I eventually went with a consistent single system approach and it works so much better.
A 2-digit PO is pretty easy to make. Don’t worry about making actions. Try using major and come up with people based on first names… "00 SoSa, 01 SiD, 02 SuNNy, etc… and objects based on major as well “00 SauCe, 01 SeaT, 02 SuN, etc…” Don’t worry about pre-coding actions. Let them just flow naturally based on the person and object that are dictated. This is only 200 total elements. If you work on 20 per day you can learn them in under 2 weeks. 2 digits is SO much better than 1-digit.
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Don’t worry about making “mistakes.” You can always change words or even entire system techniques later. Its really not too bad to overwrite associations or change tactics. Don’t let an unrealistic quest for perfection prevent you from starting to learn how your brain works in relation to different techniques. There is no “perfect” system for everyone and nobody can tell you what will be effective for you as an individual. The only way for you to find what works “best” for you is to try and see for yourself.
There are many ways to go about it. I shared my full list HERE. It has associations for People, Actions, Objects, Adjectives, Locations, and even playing cards all fully derived from standard Major System sounds. (Although if you’re interested in doing a single card system based on Major, I have an updated technique that I think is more intuitive and can also be used as a transition to an eventual 2-card system. That may be overkill at this point but you may be interested in checking it out… HERE.) It’s best if you can come up with the element words and images yourself, but this list could give you some ideas of how its possible to build it out.
I’ll take your word for it! I’ll just stick to the major/PAO system then and try and get 10 numbers a day memorized. For this however, I have a quick question which I think will be easier to answer with an example:
Suppose I come up with an equivalent to the number 37:
Michael Jordan making a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal (n this case the action also fits the major system but, in your advice, I could also use something like “knitting” or “creating” etc…)
Now that I’ve come up with an image, what practices do you advise I do that would help commit this image to memory and have it associate with “37”. In other words, how do I not forget that MJ making a stuffed animal Mickey Mouse = 37. Do I place that singular image in a memory palace, or do I try and imagine MJ making Mickeys in my house, do I try to make another two images first and then mix them around to see what other images they create?
Thank you