Hello, everyone! I’m new here, and I’ve decided to start my daily memory training.
I have no significant previous experience in mnemonics, so I thought it would be a good idea to document my progress here and use this as a way to keep myself accountable.
Anyway, I’ve decided to start by getting comfortable with memorizing numbers first. I created ten visual images for the numbers 0 to 9 and began combining them into scenes. Then, I placed them into my memory palace. This took me a total of 30 minutes, maybe a bit more. By doing this, I managed to memorize three phone numbers today.
I memorized three more phone numbers, and it took me significantly less time 15 minutes, to be precise. I’m starting to see how this system might be hard to sustain in the long run. I already notice the images becoming repetitive because they are assigned to the same ten numbers, which limits the number of possible combinations.
Now I see why Foer used the Major System to memorize 100 digits of Pi, it’s much more versatile. However, I tried it once two or three years ago and struggled to build images from just a couple of letters.
Idk, I’m going to stick with this system for now, but I think I could add two more images for each number, which would make it less repetitive.
If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears. See you tomorrow!
Absolutely this. A single digit system is great for learning the concept and the basic formula for memorizing. It is massively limiting for everything else.
You could. But really, at that point, all you’re gaining is a LITTLE bit of variety to your mnemonic elements. You’re not improving your efficiency, you’re just delaying moving on to a stronger more longer-term solution.
In spite of this, I’d highly recommend you look at 2-digit systems. My personal preference is to use the Major system. It’s worth putting in a bit of effort to learn the sound associations (there are only 17 total sounds, mapped to just 10 numbers.) With some consistent practice and good examples to learn from, you should be able to start using it within a week or two. Once learned, you really can just “read” numbers directly like words. If the words you associate with your numbers are nouns, it becomes second nature to start seeing the numbers as those images just like seeing the word “dish” or “mouse” can cause an image of that thing to effortlessly spring to mind.
The other huge benefit from upgrading to a 2-digit system like Major is that you double your efficiency for data compression. Right now you have to intentionally evaluate, translate, visualize, and encode each digit into a representative mnemonic element. It’s a 1:1 digit-to-element compression ratio, not very efficient. A 2-digit system provides a 2:1 compression ratio. Double the digit storage per element, allowing you to encode in twice the speed, and only need to recall half the images compared to your current single-digit structure.
A 10 digit phone number currently requires you to use 10 elements to encode and visualize in the correct order, whether through a story, linking, or whatever. So like 860-555-0119 needs something like “a Snowman swings a Golf Club and hits an Egg that land in a Wheelchair which smashes into two more Wheelchairs, which rolls over another giant Egg, splattering a Candle which tips over and lights another Candle on fire, which lights the ear of an Elephant on fire.” Building scenes like this is a LOT of work to encode 10 digits.
Compare this to using the Major System where this same phone number would be encoded with something like “a FiSH slaps a SeaL, who spits out a LoLLy, that lands in a car SeaT that is attached to the car with tons of TaPe.” Those 5 key elements represent all 10 digits.
And here’s an example of the kinds of words that can be used to fill in People, Objects, and even Actions and Adjectives using the system. (For now, just try to find a single good match for each number, a Person or an Object, so that its very easy to visualize.) It’s best to try to come up with your own words to associate with each number, simply because if your own brain comes up with it, you’ll have the advantage of some kind of connection already being present. If you have to force associations from someone else’s list, it can take longer to burn them in. That said, feel free to pull from that list or use a resource like memcoder.com to help if you get stuck trying to find fits for some numbers.
It may seem like a big undertaking to pre-define and learn 100 new associations but in the grand scheme of things, this one-time upfront cost will bring a huge return on investment. If you use a flashcard program and work on learning them for about a half hour or so each day, sets of 10 or 20 per day, you’ll have them pretty solid within a month.
Down the road, you can expand the system to include a person and an object for each number (both following the system structure) to provide even more variety to your scenes. You can even add actions and adjectives to spice things up further, turning 6 or 8 digit sequences into sentences that can be read into visually unique single scenes.
One final benefit I’ll mention to learning a 2-digit system is that if you have any desire to try memorizing playing cards, you can easily map all 52 cards on to your numbers and give you a two-birds-with-one-stone system.
TheHumanTim Thanks for the info. Today’s practice showed that it’s inevitable that I’m going to have to change the system. I’m deciding between the Major System and the Association System.
I don’t really understand one thing about the Major System. From what you said, I kind of got the idea that you’re supposed to create one association for every number from 0 to 99. I’m not sure if I understood this correctly, but isn’t that just the Association System? I thought that in the Major System, you create new images every time for each new number. That’s how I understood it from the video where Joshua Foer was memorizing 100 digits of Pi. He was just using a set of sounds associated with the numbers 0 – 9, which he would then transform into images, and it seemed like there were no pre-made images in his head.
But it would make sense to have a fixed set of images because, as you said earlier, after enough practice, you could probably recognize them almost as easily as reading numbers.
And one question about PAO, you mean I should create a 0 – 99 system for PAO as well? That does make sense since it would definitely reduce repetition, but it would probably take two months or more to complete.
By the way, thanks for the video on the Major System! It helped clarify things a bit.
P.s. Idk how to replay on this forum, hope it worked.
My system indeed has significant issues with becoming repetitive. Today, it took me less than 14 minutes to memorize the 3 phone numbers, but I struggled a lot with making the images interesting in any way.
Plus, something I hadn’t considered is that I don’t have that many phone numbers to memorize in the first place. The ones I memorized today were the last ones that seemed worth memorizing. So, I might need to switch to Pi instead.
All number memorizing techniques or systems are intended to provide a way to convert numbers to images. Whether thats through sounds, letters, or lookalike replacements. Numbers on their own are abstract and difficult to memorize. Converting them to solid tangible forms makes them easy to put into scenes and stories and remember them.
The Major System is just one technique that converts numbers to sounds with which to make words that cause you to visualize tangible memorable things, like “Bike” would represent 97 and “Luke” represents 57. You learn to associate numbers with specific sounds kind of like learning a very simple hieroglyphic alphabet.
In application, a number system can be used in two ways. Pre-defined associations, and “on the fly” associations.
Pre-defined associations are king when it comes to being able to encode quickly. Because you have already determined which image goes with which number, you can practice reading those numbers as those specific images.
So 10 is always ToeS, 11 is always ToaD, 12 is always TiN, 13 is always ToMb… Etc.
Then when you need to memorize a sequence like 131112 you would fluently read that as “tomb toad tin” and very quickly be able to create a scene with those three elements interacting in order. By practicing reading those numbers and their pre-determined associations you can get to a point of unhesitatingly fluent reading and achieve some incredible speeds for long series of numbers.
The other approach is the “on the fly” technique, where you don’t bother pre-defining your associations, you just learn to read the basic conversions. So for Major, you just learn to read individual numbers as their sounds. Then when you encounter some numbers you need to memorize, you use your understanding of the sound conversion to come up with some kind of translation on the fly.
So that same sequence 131112 might give you like t-m-t-t-t-n which might make you think “tomato titan” and that would be what you’d visualize for that number sequence.
The thing with the on the fly approach is that it is MUCH slower than having a pre-defined list that you’re fluent with, but if offers a chance to craft more tailor-made sentences and longer words or phrases. This approach can be good if time is not a factor when memorizing. So something like your credit card number… You can take time to really analyze and compose a longer phrase using more numbers per word. But if you were given 16 digits and only 8 seconds to memorize them, you don’t have time to do that, you need to draw on a fluent pre-defined list.
Josh Foer (and all other champion level memory athletes) absolutely uses a pre-determined list of number associations, I believe he used a PAO (person action object) list. The title of his book “Moonwalking With Einstein” is literally a scene that he encountered when using his predetermined list during competition.
You can use the Major System to build your list of people and actions and objects. It can be tough at first, but it is well worth the time. If you look at it as a mental exercise game just like people do crossword puzzle or sudoku, then it can be approached as a fun thing rather than a chore.
I would encourage you to start by trying to build a list of people and objects based on major system sounds. Don’t worry about actions yet. Actions are the toughest to pre-build. And this way when you’re creating your little scenes you can make the person interact with the object in whatever way you want without worrying about having the action encode any data.
So you’d start with 00… A person might be SuZy. And the object might be SauCe. Choose a visual to go along with those. If you know someone named Suzy, thats great, or pick a memorable celebrity or fictional character with that name to be the SuZy. SauCe might be a big jar of pasta sauce or a squeeze bottle or bbq sauce or whatever you want. But choose a specific image to be YOUR “sauce.” The move on to 01. Maybe your person is represented by the word “SooT” and they are a chimney sweeper like the character in Mary Poppins. Maybe the object is a SeaT like a baby’s car seat. Or it could also be SooT, just a big messy pile of black soot that puffs and covers everything.
Keep working through the list with the numbers and their sounds and once you have 10 or so figured out, make some flashcards either in an app or with physical cards and drill them so that you start getting fluent with the sounds and the associations you make to the people and object for each number. Try to build some scenes using various combinations of numbers, the person for the first 2 digits does something to or with the object for the 3rd-4th digits. Create a few scenes like this and then recall them and decode the images back into the numbers. If you can remember 5 of these scenes in a row, thats 20 digits. Quite a feat compared to average human digit span of about 7 in working memory.
Anyway, I know this was a bit long, I have a tendency to ramble a bit in these replies haha, but I hope that clarified things a bit and gave you a direction to go for!
To echo what Tim has said, I’d not waste much more time trying to memorise phone numbers with a simple peg/single number system. They’re good for day to day use IMO - but not great for larger strings. I’d put your energy into a two digit number system ASAP if numbers is your main focus.
I created a strict Major PAO - which is great as it’s self referencing.
E.g.
00 - ZeuS - SieZe - SeeSaw
01 - SiD - SiT - SaTay
03 - SieNNa - SigN - SuN
52 - LeoN - LeaN - LioN
etc etc
I tend to use the P&O aspect of this mostly, as I’m finding I prefer to hook my own actions together to suit the person/object in a given scene (so creating 4 digit scenes instead of 6 - as I’m not competing) — regardless it’s been immensely useful to have this system on a day to day basis and for help remembering things like phone numbers, dates, years, measurements, counts etc.
I think its worth noting too - that when I started numbers were not reccomended as the place to learn nor really interesting enough. What I read led me to memorise lists of (relatively) useful data. Initially things like the 10 super foods, the order of the planets, 7 deadly sins, 10 types of intelligence etc, astrological signs. Then moved onto longer lists like counties of the UK, US States, State Capitals. Then Countries + capitals and best picture Oscar winners with dates etc. These relatively smaller tasks help you build fluency with the palace method, demonstrate its power, and help define and understand how to use principles like SEE (senses, energy, exaggeration), SEE — LINK — GO or SOGAMA. Number systems are one aspect of a wider toolkit.
And one key component to be understand (if you haven’t yet) is all of the data you commit to a palace will need spaced review/repetition. Often at first — then steadily over the first few months or so. Or those numbers you memorised on day one will fade quickly.
Unfortunately, I was not able to dedicate much time to mnemonics in the last few days, but now I’m back. Anyway, I’ve considered TheHumanTim’s advice about building a two-digit PAO, and it made more sense than just adding new images to the system I had before. So, I started building my Major-PAO. So far, I’m only 25 people in.
I decided to use only people for whom I can find images (actors, politicians, movie characters, etc.) because I think it will be easier to imagine them later.
P.S.
Thanks, TheHumanTim, for the links on the Major System and PAO, and for the advice on using flashcards too!
Keep in mind that “people” is a loose term that really refers to “characters” or “sentient beings capable of action.” Don’t shy away from using cartoon or video game characters or non-humans or aliens or robots or whatever as long as you can picture them as the main subject doing something in a scene.
One other piece of advice as you build your character list. Variety is crucial. Try not to have multiples of similar people. Example: f you had 5 or 6 soccer players in your list, it may be tough to differentiate them when you go to recall your scenes later. Similarly if you have 10 male politicians… What makes them all uniquely identifiable?
If you only have one soccer player in your list and you go back to recall some sequence of numbers and can’t remember the scene clearly but you sort of remember the person was kicking something or get a feeling like they were a soccer player, its much easier to lock back into who it was accurately if you only have one option for who it could be.
(This also applies to your object list, try to avoid similarities like having a “cup” and a “mug” or a “bowl” and a “dish” unless you can visualize them as being clearly and drastically different.)
Getting back to what you said about memorizing small things to build confidence, that sounds like a great idea. But due to my studies, I have more need to memorize texts, so I’m trying to figure out how to approach this.
On the forum, I found old advice from Bateman on how to memorize books, and it’s pretty good but takes a lot of time (probably because of my lack of experience). I don’t need verbatim memorization, just all the ideas. I found a method where you just read the text a couple of times and then memorize the first letter of every word in the text and try to recall from that. I’ve heard it’s pretty good, so I’m probably gonna give it a try.
About the PAO
I decided to use (when I can) names that start with the same sound and use both first and last names instead of just one name. Right now, it seems a bit confusing.
Example:
05 - Stan Lee
06 - Steve Jobs
07 - Zendaya Coleman
08 - Zac eFron
Thx, great point! I’ve noticed that in my list, there are too many actors (idk, they were the easiest). I think I should include cartoon characters and video game characters—maybe historical figures if there are drawings or pictures of them.
I’d suggest trying to make single names and finding people with that first name. This way there are literally only two sounds to blend for a single word/name.
Look at something like 03 (S-M). That would naturally give me “SaM.” That could be Samuel L Jackson, Yosemite Sam, Sammy Davis, lots of variety possible to pick from. By limiting to initials, it can also prevent you from using words that aren’t names to represent people, which can even be more distinctive. Like a SuMo wrestler for 03.
Major is really designed to help generate words via CONSECUTIVE consonant sounds. When you skip sounds like in initials based structure, Zendaya Coleman, you lose some of the advantage that major confers. 02 could be ZeN and use Zendaya as the associated person.
To keep consistency and prevent confusion, always use the first consonant sounds in order, up to the amount of digits your system represents. You’re building a 2-digit system right now, so you would just focus on the first two and ignore any trailing sounds.
02 = ZeN(daya) : Z = 0, N = 2
At first, your “internal monologue” (if you experience that), will be something like “0, 2. Seh Nuh? Suh Nuh… Zeh Nuh? ZENUH, ZEN, AhHA! ZENdaya!” But eventually with practice you’ll know the association well enough that you’ll see 02, and you won’t have to guess whether it was a Z or an S or a Suh or a Seh sound… You’ll automatically see it and just think “ZEN” and your subconscious fills in with the image of Zendaya without you having to think or subvocalize the full name. You won’t have to actively convert and brute force the sound options, you’ll just “know” that 02 is ZeN and that ZeN is Zendaya. Then after some more work it will just be “02 = ZeNdaya” without any active conversion steps at all. That is when you know you’ve started to hit fluency.
The advantage here too is that you only need to learn a single word association for the number that works for the person and the object. “Canapé” (character) is the monster. “Canapé” (object) is a regular old inanimate sofa.
