Magnetic Volume 1 March 2013 PDF

People around the world dream of becoming fluent in another language or
becoming experts in a professional field. Yet so few will ever develop the
vocabulary needed to achieve these goals. Even with the best intentions
and the best of instructors, people struggle to memorize enough material.
Why is vocabulary such a struggle? Many people blame a lack of time.
Some claim that memorizing the words they need to know is too hard.
Others try to learn by rote, desperately copying the words they need to
learn hundreds of times by hand, or by playing repetitive language-
learning videogames. The biggest excuse heard around the world is the
saddest of all: far too many people claim that they have a bad memory.
I sympathize with this. I used to love claiming that I have a poor memory.
In fact, the first time I studied a foreign language, I silently swore in
English so vehemently about my bad memory that I would have been
kicked out of class if my teacher had heard me speaking my frustration
out loud. And he didnt even know English!
I remained irritated with what I perceived to be my poor memory until I
decided to do something about it. I studied memorization and ultimately
devised the unique Magnetic Memory system described in my books. It is
an easily learned set of skills based around the alphabet, one that you can
completely understand in under an hour. It is a system that will have you
acquiring countless vocabulary words at an accelerated pace. Instead of
struggling to learn and retain one or two words or pieces of information a
day, you will find yourself memorizing dozens of words every time you
practice using my strategies.
It pleases me immensely to help people memorize foreign language
vocabulary and specialized terminology, especially when people regularly
describe to me how easily they were able to memorize their first 100
words in under an hour using the Magnetic Memory method. These
achievements are thrilling to me, thrilling for the people who use the
techniques and they will thrill you too.

Magnetic Memory Mondays
Newsletter
Volume 1
By
Anthony Metivier, PhD

For Language Learners Everywhere

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Table of Contents

5 Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good Memory

How to Improve Your Memory By Rolling Dice
Lowering Your Memorization Hurdles
Try Every Skill You Want to Learn at Least Twice
What the Flu Made Me Realize About Memorization
What If I Want to Learn 3000 Words?
Using Big Box Stores for Memorization
Memorization Happens in the Heart
What if I wanted to memorize a chapter in a textbook so I could ace a
test on that subject?
More on Memorizing 3000 Words
Can I use Video Games as Memory Palaces?
Todays Free Magnetic Memorization Gift
Magnetic Memory Motivation
The Pains of Perfectionism in Magnetic Memorization
Magnetic Memorization Time-Management
Free Memory App
Magnetic Memorization at the Grocery Store
Magnetic Memorization and Visuality
Magnetic Memorization Question: Using English Words to Find
Target Words?
How to Use Free Email Services for Your Magnetic Memorization
Goals
Pay Attention in the First Place
Magnetic Memorization Kryptonite
Free Magnetic Memorization Excel File Video Walkthrough
Magnetic Memorization Sequencing
Conclusion
About the Author
Five Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good Memory

Dear Memorizers,
I've got the itch this week to talk about how we sometimes ruin the
perfectly good memories we've worked so hard on.
I'm thinking specifically of 5 fatal mistakes learners make that cause

people to leave some seriously important memorized words floating in the
mist.
But because I don't want to overwhelm you with too much at once, we're
going to have 5 separate emails this week. And we're going to go through
these 5 ways to ruin a perfectly good memory in reverse order, beginning
with ...
5. Not Picking a Place for the Memory
Once upon a time, a client in my Magnetic Memory coaching program

said that it wasn't necessary to "locate" his remembered words anywhere.
I'm not one to argue with people because when it comes to memorizing
words, phrases, terminology or longer things they're working on like
poems and speeches, it's important to go with what works.
In this case, my client was working on Spanish. He told me that when he

wanted to remember something like that "vaca" means cow, he simply
needed to see a cow vacumming. For him, it was just a concept that
floated around in the inner space of his mind.
If that works, great.
Yet, a few weeks later, I asked him, "say, what's the Spanish word for
cow?"
It took him about a minute to "find" it in his mind.
That's actually not too bad, but I know it can be better. I know it can be
better because people who take the time to establish a location just for "V"
words are essentially creating a groove in their mind, a place that they
know where to go to look for words. It's kind of like dropping a needle on
a record (you do remember records, don't you?)
A common objection to using this method is: "great, but what if I can't
remember that the word begins with a "V"?"
To tell you the truth, I haven't got a hard boiled answer to this question.
What I do know is that, merely by making the effort to place the letter in
an alphabetically arranged "palace" in your mind (like a palace just for
"V" words), your brain has paid attention to that word and done so in a
very specific way. You've magnetized that word and given it a special
charge. When the time comes to find and use that word, you're much more
likely to be drawn to it.
Even if you're remembering something on the fly, stick it somewhere.

When I used to take the train across Germany twice every week for my
research, I always memorized the wagon and seat number on my ticket so
I didn't have to pull it out of my pocket every five minutes to make sure I
was standing in the right spot.
Let's say it was wagon 23, seat 92. Since 2 is "tin" in my memory and 3 is
a "dam," (the kind that holds back water), I would see a dam in the shape
of a Campbell's soup can bursting at the seams to hold back a river of
trains. I'd make it like something out of a disaster movie so that the image
was large, colorful and even quite noisy.
Even though I didn't really have to, in order to strengthen the memory, I
would make sure to "place" it somewhere. What better place than the train
platform itself? Merely by taking that extra bit of effort to locate the
image, even though I was mentally placing just right in front of me, the
memory was so much stronger when I wanted to recall it. Why? Because I
knew where to find it. I completely eliminated any anxiety that it might be
lost (more on that when we get to memory ruination point number 2).
The take-away here, my friends, is that memorization is a lot like Real

Estate: location, location, location.
4. Not Making the Associative Image Large, Colorful and
Exaggerated
For a lot of people, this is a tough nut to crack.
We shouldn't blame ourselves either. I myself am a very imaginative

person, but I'm not particularly visual in my imagination. I work better
with concepts.
However, I've trained myself to be more visual over the years. All it takes
is practice.
The funny thing is that I actually found myself "forced" to be more visual
when I got a research grant to work with an Art History department in my
other career as a Film Studies professor.
That's when I got the idea that people working with their memories who
suffer from what I call "image deficit" should spend some time looking at
books with large reproductions of art.
You don't have to spend a pile of cash on such books either. It's healthy
(and normal) to spend some time at the library or at a bookstore. I'll bet
that in your city or town, there are even free entrance nights at your local
art gallery.
The point is: you can train your brain to be more visual and you can use
that training in your memory work to make your associative images
brighter, more colorful and more exaggerated.
You'll also build a large pool of images from the world of art that you can
reference.
Who can forget Dali's melting clock in "The Persistence of Memory," or

the lone survivors in Bruegel's "The Triumph of Death"?
You can use these monumental images in your memory palaces. So look
at some art books and give this method a try.
3. Not Incorporating Action Into Your Associative Images
Action is crucial. It's not only a means of exaggerating your images, but
motion captures the eye - including the mind's eye. We tend to remember
the details of exactly how something happened very well, and so we need
to take advantage of this mental blessing.
Sometimes readers complain about the fact that I advocate using cartoon
violence in memorization work. As always, my answer is: use whatever
works for you. If sunshine and daisies waving in the wind on your front
deck remind you that "dactylomegaly" means an abnormal largeness of
fingers and toes, then by all means use it.
However, many people will probably find that enormous daisies with
huge muscles bearing hammers are pounding on your toes and making
them swell into a state of "abnormal largeness" is much more memorable.
Either way, it's a mistake not to incorporate action into your memory
work.
Tomorrow and on Friday, we'll talk about some of the ways that you can
allow your mind to come up with locations, imaginative images and
actions for those images easily and naturally.
2. Not Revisiting and Rehearsing
Think about memorizing vocabulary or terminology or facts like playing

music. Maybe you can "get" the song merely by looking at the sheet
music once, but chances are that you'll need to play it a dozen or more
times to become proficient and possible dozens more to "master" it. It all
depends on your level of proficiency with your instrument.
In this case, your mind is the instrument, your memorization techniques

are the music stand and the material you want to memorize is the music.
Is this rote learning? No.
The reason it isn't rote learning is because the only time you are going to
look at the "sheet music" on your music stand is to "test" that you've
gotten the memorized material right. When you haven't, you're going to
refine the images and the action, and if necessary, work on the location of
the memory as well. This is all part of mastering what you've memorized
and developing perfect recall. It's also the reason I ask my readers and
clients to use worksheets or Excel files to chart out their locations and the
images and actions they used to memorize their target information.
This is also tied to the principle of location, believe it or not. Merely by

having a "hard copy" somewhere, even if you don't look at it, the mind
feels a sense of safety and security. We hate losing things, so when we
allow ourselves to keep a record, even if we never actually refer to it other
than for the purposes of testing once in awhile (once or twice a month is
recommended for 2-3 months per word), we know it's there. It has a place
and being able to conceive of that place in terms of a location has
psychological benefits.
I use this musical metaphor because I play bass, and I can tell you that my
fellow band members expect me to have the music down pat the first or
second time I see it before we get into serious rehearsal and then
performance without the safety net of sheet music. But it's still nice to
have the sheet music back home. I don't know about you, but I'm not too
proud to own a security blanket when it comes to something as precious
as the material I've memorized.
1. Not Being Relaxed
Relaxation is a key component to memorization that no one I've read talks

about. Maybe it's a just a given, but in my experience talking with readers
and clients, there is so much stress around memorization and memory in
general, that people often feel apprehensive when they sit down to work
on their memories. So many of us love to claim that we have bad
memories, and so when it comes time to memorize something, we're
already in a defensive position.
This is not ideal. In fact, it just won't do.
As a reader of one of the Magnetic Memory series books, you know that I
talk about the benefits of relaxation and give a few methods you can use
before starting a memorization session. These include a particular kind of
breathing and progressive muscle relaxation exercises.
Don't skip relaxation. Everything goes faster and smoother when you're
relaxed. Your imagination, which naturally knows how to provide you
with the perfect images, needs nothing more than a relaxed body to work
with.
So the next time you want to memorize, remove all distractoins. Close the
door, light a candel, meditate a little, do some pendulum breathing and do
some progressive muscle relaxation. You'll be so glad you did.
That's all for this short series on 5 Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good
Memory Palace from here at Magnetic Memory Mondays. Feel free to
share this entire article to your friends and social networks and let them
know to email me at learnandmemorize@zoho.com to be included on the
list.
As always, teach someone what you've learned about memorization. It's

the best way to deepen the techniques for yourself and make the world a
better place in the process.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
learnandmemorize@zoho.com

How to Improve Your Memory By Rolling Dice

Dear Memorizers,
This is kind of a funny story ...
I was at a concert last weekend and met a person who gave me a flyer to
another concert I attended last night. He was really interested in my band
and wanted me to see his to see if we could work together to put on a
show.
As it turns out, the concert took place in a youth center. Now, I'm not
exactly old, but I do have grey in my beard and felt kind of out of place,
especially when the kids at the ticket counter (a wobbly table, actually)
asked me to roll dice from a cup. Normally when I go to concerts they
take your money or your ticket and usher you in without any fun or games
like this.
And of course, this game got me very curious.
But when I asked them why they wanted me to roll dice, they just urged
me to stop thinking about it and do it.
So I shook up the cup and let the dice fall onto the unstable table these
emerging music icons and music industry tycoons were seated around.
I rolled Snake Eyes, one and one.
"Whoa!" the kids shouted. "That'll be twenty cents."
"Twenty cents?" I asked.
They explained that since the concert was a charity event for the youth
center, they were asking for donations at the end of the evening, but
basing the actual entrance fee on chance.
So I paid up my twenty cents, got stamped and headed into the concert.
As I was waiting for the first performance to begin, I started thinking:
Using dice could be a great way for people in the Magnetic Memory
family to challenge themselves and shake things up a bit (literally).
For instance, if you've set a goal to memorize new vocabulary words, but
have been doing, say, ten a day per Memory Palace for so long that the
routine has become a bit of a drag, why not roll some dice to determine a
new number? If you get a six, memorize six words per Memory Palace on
that day. If you roll eight the next day, do eight per Palace and so on. This
has the benefit of building anticipation for yourself, and also giving you
various degrees of challenge. You also get to add new variables. Maybe
you'll roll just one die for a couple of weeks and then later add two or
three or even four. If you feel like having an easy day, then you can scroll
things back to one.
If variety is the spice of life, then maybe, just maybe dice are the spice of
memorization.
By the way, I left the concert organizers a crisp twenty before leaving. If
you feel like doing something nice today for your fellow world citizens,
here's an alphabetical list of charities to choose from (or maybe you have
your own already in mind):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_charitable_foundations
Until tomorrow, make sure to teach someone what you have learned about
memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own understanding and to
help make the world a better place. The more we remember, the more we
can remember, and the more we learn, the more we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Lowering Your Memorization Hurdles
Dear Memorizers,
Last week I had the honor and privilege of speaking with the ESL students
of my "comrade-in-memorization," Joshua Smith.
The meeting took place via video teleconference. It's amazing how - a few
techno-struggles aside - Google Hangout connected Joshua's valued
students at Hi-Tech English in sparkling warm Brazil with me and my
laptop in freezing cold Berlin. (It's March 10th and there is a thick blanket
of fresh snow on the ground this morning - yikes!)
The best part is that Joshua linked the teleconference to YouTube where it
was broadcast live and stored for future access. In just a few short
paragraphs from now, I'm going to offer you a link where you can watch
the entire presentation for free ($25 value).
One of the most interesting points that Joshua pointed out while
masterfully hosting the presentation was that I have the noble fault of
setting the bar quite high for myself and others. As we all know, I
advocate that Magnetic Memorizers have all 26 A-Z Memory Palaces in
place, but Joshua had a great idea that might help a lot of people
overcome overwhelm and just get started.
Work with just one Palace to begin with. Pick your favorite letter, find a
palace that works, identify 10-12 stations, and then work on populating
those stations with words. Get comfortable with just one letter first before
branching out to the next Palace.
If you watch the presentation, you'll hear Joshua calling this simplified
approach "lowering the hurdles." It's a great way of putting it. I want you
as a member of the Magnetic Memory family moving forward, not
clipping your toes on all kinds of obstacles as you move along.
You can also start with just one-syllable words to make things even more
simple. Scan through the dictionary or encyclopedia for one syllable
words beginning with, say 'A,' and work on developing them one station
at a time in your 'A' palace. There may not be a whole lot of them in your
target language, but again, the emphasis is on getting started.
For those who may be struggling with the words in your target language
more than with the memorization technique itself, here's another tip:
Don't start your memorization practice with your target language. Start
with your native language. I've forgotten the point, but when working
with my very first Magnetic Memory coaching client, this is exactly what
we wound up doing. Instead of having her work on her German Memory
Palaces first, we familiarized here with the Magnetic Memory method by
working on English words first. Somehow the comfort and safety of
working with in her mother tongue first gave her all the confidence she
needed to make the leap over to the foreign language she wanted to learn.
It wasn't long after that before she contacted me to end our coaching
sessions. What a triumph!
A triumph, you ask? How can losing a client be a triumph?
Well, first of all, I didn't lose her. She's still a great friend, and as I state in
my Magnetic Memory coaching ad, I only work with clients until they've
got their first 100 words memorized. If I can't help them make that happen
for them within four hours of coaching, I work with them until I have
without any further charge. I call this commitment my "Right Decision
Guarantee."
But in this case, my client had her 100 words memorized after only 3
hours of coaching. She didn't want to claim her final hour at all because
she preferred to spend the time soaking up new vocabulary. But we're
holding that hour for a refresher session sometime in the near future.
So here's the deal: if you'd like the link to the video teleconference
presentation I gave to Joshua's students at Hi-Tech English in Brazil, just
respond to this email with SEND ME THE LINK in the subject line. I'll
be out tromping around in the snow for the rest of the day, but I'll send it
to you later today after I return and have gotten all warmed up.
With this link in your Memorizer's hands you'll get to:
Watch a 1hr+ slideshow-assisted training in real-time and with real

students
Enjoy "in-person" clarification of the Magnetic Memory method
Hear the story of exactly how and why I developed my own take on
mnemonics for learning and memorization
Learn the one major memorization mistake I made when teaching
students about how I memorized their names at the beginning of the
school year
Discover why it's important to use exaggeration and why it's critical
not to judge your imagination
Listen in as Joshua's students challenge me to memorize Portuguese
words on the spot and I demonstrate exactly how I do it ... and I still
have those words today and am totally tempted to start memorizing
Portuguese vocabulary and writing a book that documents my
memorization adventure!
... and much, much more.
Again, to get this presentation, just respond to this email with SEND ME
THE LINK in the subject line.
Before I go, I wanted to tell you that Joshua has written a book of his own
about becoming fluent in a language. It's called Breaking Through to
Fluency and was a bestseller for several weeks when it first appeared on
the market. There's a link in the book guiding you to where you can
download the audio version for free, and the simple, but critical concept
that Joshua talks about will revolutionize anyone's language learning
journey.
Until tomorrow, dear Memorizers, make sure to teach someone what you
have learned about memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own
understanding and to help make the world a better place. The more we
remember, the more we can remember, and the more we learn, the more
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Try Every Skill You Want to Learn at Least Twice
Dear Memorizers,
There are two rules that apply to the process of acquiring almost any new
skill.
Rule #1: The first attempt is almost always sloppy and frustrating.
Rule #2: The second attempt is always easier than the first attempt. And
it's usually a lot less sloppy and a lot much more fun.
The problem is that most people quit after their first attempt just because
things haven't gone so well the first time. But we shouldn't be frustrated.
It's perfectly normal for that to be the case.
The truth is that you will always get a better sense of how a skill works on
the second attempt. And you'll know it even better on the third, and so on.
But 95% of people, if not more, give up after their first try. They decide
whether or not they like a new technique based only on that first
experience.
Here's the good news. As a member of the Magnetic Memory family who
always gives a new skill at least one more try, this means that it will take
you just the slightest amount of effort to walk 100% farther than the
masses who give up. And you'll do this merely by trying this new
memorization skill just one more time if you don't fall into it naturally
and easily the first time.
But as I was saying yesterday, it's been brought to my attention that the
goals I set for my readers (i.e. the same goals I set for myself in terms of
creating an entire alphabet's worth of Memory Palaces straight out of the
gate), may present some unnecessary hurdles for people just starting up
with the Magnetic Memory method.
That's why I want to remind you again about the video teleconference call
I gave last week with Joshua Smith for Hi-Tech English in Brazil. You'll
hear Joshua encourage me to simplify the method and give some great
ideas about how you can start simply with just one letter in the place your
currently live. And as I was talking about yesterday, you can even start
with English words that you're already deeply familiar with or even a set
of facts you've always wanted to learn (if you missed yesterday's message,
just let me know and I'll send it along to you).
The point is to get started, and then try again just one more time if you
get lost, frustrated or something in life distracts you from getting deeply
enough into the method for it to stick and start becoming a habit for life.
So if you'd like the link to the video teleconference presentation I gave to

Joshua's students at Hi-Tech English School in Brazil, just respond to this
email with SEND ME THE LINK in the subject line. I've got some things
to do today, but I'll send you the link at some point this evening (Eastern
European Time) after I've received your confirmation that you'd like
access to this valuable presentation.
As I mentioned yesterday, with this link you'll get to:
Watch a 1hr+ slideshow-assisted training in real-time and with real

students
Enjoy "in-person" clarification of the Magnetic Memory method
Hear the story of exactly how and why I developed my own take on
mnemonics for learning and memorization
Learn the one major memorization mistake I made when teaching
students about how I memorized their names at the beginning of the
school year
Discover why it's important to use exaggeration and why it's critical
not to judge your imagination
Listen in as Joshua's students challenge me to memorize Portuguese
words on the spot and I demonstrate exactly how I do it ... and I still
have those words today and am totally tempted to start memorizing
Portuguese vocabulary and writing a book that documents my
memorization adventure!
... and much, much more.
Again, to get this presentation, just respond to this email with SEND ME
THE LINK in the subject line.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
What the Flu Made Me Realize About Memorization
Dear Memorizers,
I'm a bit late getting out my correspondences today ... I have a terrible flu.
Probably the worst I've had in a decade. It had been Spring in Berlin, so I
turned off the heat for the first time at night a few days ago.
Big mistake.
Not only did I spy over a foot of snow on the ground outside my window
the next morning when I woke up, but I also had a terrible sore throat.
It's been rough-going ever since.
But ...
It has given me the opportunity to get around to something I've wanted to

do for a long time:
Hold a Tom Cruise marathon.
In my other life as a Film Professor, I often like to watch the arc of an

entire career, be it a screenwriter, director or actor. I've surfed the oeuvres
of everyone from Tarantino to Tarkovsky, Lynch to Lucas and Brando to
Brangelina.
Anyhow, as I've been watching I've been noticing what a "natural" Cruise
is ... or at least, has become over the years. It made me wonder how he
goes about memorizing his lines.
I know that Anthony Hopkins has said in this episode of the Inside the
Actor's Studio that he reads every script 250 times, and it is the stuff of
legend that in his later years Brando had enlarged copies of his lines lying
just out of sight when shooting so that he could just recite his dialogue
instead of having to learn it, but I know nothing about how Cruise works.
Remembering these details got me thinking that what all of these pros
have in common is their spontaneity and naturalness in everything they
do. They've lived those words and those words live in them.
And this is what having a dedicated memorization strategy can do for you.
One of the reasons the techniques of location, imagery and action work so
well is that we ground the memorization work in places we already know.
We connect everything we want to remember with locations that in one
way or another characterize our inner selves, not only our personal
habitations, but our social habitats (stores, schools, clubs, etc).
Acting is kind of like that too. The best actors connect the role with
themselves. They fuse this fictional person and the words he or she would
speak with their inner lives.
And in a round about way, this made me think that the whole
memorization technique is kind of like acting. When things get tough, or
something you're trying to recall isn't coming as quickly as you would
like, just remember that you're playing a kind of role. You've already
studied the script and internalized the words. Now all you have to do is
access the inner locations and personalized associations of imagery and
action you've placed there and do it naturally. Don't think about it too
much. Just relax and let the associations come back to you. Or perhaps
better put, let your mind to be drawn to them ... magnetically. Just like we
are magnetically drawn to the things we say in normal, everyday
conversation from the core of our being, the same way great actors create
the illusion of being magnetically drawn to what they say in their roles.
Well, these are the feverish thoughts of a memorization devotee during a

Spring fever Tom Cruise marathon. I hope these ideas give you a new
way to think about memorization and how to maximize the core principles
to help you reach your memorization goals.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
What If I Want to Learn 3000 Words?
Dear Memorizers,
Earlier this week I had been talking about simplifying the Magnetic
Memory method, or "lowering the hurdle." The theme of simplification
was also part of the free video conference I gave and have been offering
you (it's still available for the next little while, so if you haven't already
seen it and you want access to this 1hr+ video presentation, just reply with
SEND ME THE LINK in the subject line).
But I also received a great question last week from a Magnet Memory
reader last week. It's about making the Magnetic Memory technique more
complex.
Here's what he writes:
Hi,
I bought your book, it was great but I did not understand one thing.
(I am sorry for my english, I am trying to learn it in fact)
I am ok with the idea of building a memory palace (26 houses, and 10
rooms in each house).
BUT, how do I proceed if I want to learn 3000 words ?
It is impossible at least for me to create 3000 rooms! Even a memory
champion who designed a memory course has 1000 place for him to play
with (50 journeys of 20 places).
Please can you help on this point ?
Do you re-use the same journey ?
Thank you in advance
Regards,
Laurent
Here is my reply:
Dear Laurent,
Thanks for your message!
First of all, your English is very good.

Second of all, once you are more practiced with the basics of the
Magnetic Memory technique, you can do very interesting things within
rooms. Imagine, for example, having a bookcase in a room and placing 5-
10 words on each shelf. You can work from top to bottom or bottom to
top. Every room can have a real or imagined bookcase. Depending on
your skill level, your rooms can have multiple bookcases. Let's say that
you decide upon having 10 bookcases per room in a 10 room memory
palace. If each bookcase has 10 levels and you store just one word per
level, then you have a room with 100 words in it, with 1000 words total
when you add all the rooms together in just that one Memory Palace.
You can get started on a memorization project like this today merely by
picking a room that you are very familiar with and mentally building and
installing a beautiful bookcase. For the sake of this example, let's say the
bookcase has 10 shelves.
Decide in advance if you will memorize from the top to the bottom, or the
bottom to the top. I would go from the top to bottom myself, but go with
whatever works for you. The point is to move in a linear progression
without skipping shelves. As ever, you don't want to cross your own path
or somehow trap yourself as you move from station to station and word to
word
As a beginner, help yourself out by picking ten words that proceed in

alphabetical order, i.e. ten words that start with "an," or share some other
similarity. That way, you've eliminated a detail you have to remember
because you already know how the next word will start.
It's also good to have a key image connected with the "lexical bridge" (I
just came up with term ... how do you like it?) So for a lexical bridge like
"an," you could have Annikin Skywalker, or Anne of Green Gables or
anything concrete and visual that you associate with "an."
Now as it happens, I've just been working on a portion of my 'A' Memory

Palace devoted to "an" words in German (or words that change meaning
when "an" is added to them).
My 'A' Memory Palace starts in a home my mother used to live in down a

forest lane. But by now, I've got so many items, I've wandered out of the
house and have made it halfway to town along a 30km road. So for the
purposes of this example, I'm going to place an imaginary bookcase right
in front of the peacock farm (yes, there really is a peacock farm and you
have to slow down when driving past it because it is part of a school
zone).
Now, to set myself up for even greater ease and success, I'm going to
focus on words that start with "an" followed by "b." Not every language
lets you do this, but German does, so it's important to capitalize on it.
Whatever you're working on, there will almost always be some
memorization advantage you can exploit if you keep your eyes open for
opportunities.
On the top shelf of this bookcase, I'm going to place the word
"anbaggern." It means "to flirt." To memorize this word, I see Annikin
Skywalker flirting with a peacock who is shoving a plastic bag into an
urn. I see this image big, bright and colorful in my mind and the action of
forcing the bag into the urn is very exaggerated. "Anbaggern." Got it.
One shelf down, I place "anbahnen." This word has a somewhat similar
meaning, in that it indicates initiating something. This is tricky, because
it's more conceptual than concrete, but the first thing that comes to mind is
Annikin Skywalker feverishly "initiating" the launch of a peacock into
outer space, its mouth filled with bon-bons. Again: big, bright, colorful,
exaggerated action.
Aller guten Dinge sind drei, say the Germans (all good things are three),
so I'll give you one more example before I go.
One shelf down, I place "anbetteln." This means to beg. Now I see
Annikin Skywalker kneeling before a bed, begging the peacock he first
flirted with and then tried to launch into outer space to let him into the bed
so he can get some rest after a long day of being a former hero who fell so
badly from grace. And he is really begging in a larger-than-life way, tears
and everything.
From there, I would continue on down to the bottom of the shelf and start
again on the second one, or move to the next room, etc.
It's important, however, to take time before getting started to predetermine

and prepare the way in advance. In this case, I decided in advance to do
only ten words, so I only made one book case. But if I were sitting down
for a memorization session and wanted to do a hundred, then I would
want to have spent time in preparation for this. There's nothing worse than
being on a roll and then having to pause to build or identify the next
station you want to use. Success comes from planning, and as they say in
the self-help circles, failing to plan is planning to fail.
One last thing:
Did you read the chapter on card memorization? In that chapter I talk
about the pack of cards on my office desk and how in that pack of cards I
keep four cars, each of which has 13 locations (driver's side headlight,
passenger side headlight, hood, windshield, etc). This is an entirely
imaginary location, of course, but it's the tiniest little deck of cards and it
is packed full of information. In other words, you don't have to use big
bookshelves that take up entire rooms. You could have a deck of cards
and inside of it an entire universe filled with space for placing the
information you want to memorize. Just imagine having a deck of cards in
each and every room, or a deck of cards on each and every shelf in each
and every room ...
Yes, I think it is very easy to come up with thousands of locations, if not

hundreds of thousands. It just takes practice, and of course preparation
and predetermination in combination with the basic principles of
imagination and action. Throw in some relaxation before you get started
and you will never find the ceiling to what you can achieve.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Using Big Box Stores for Memorization
Dear Memorizers,
I'm grateful today for a new question/suggestion from a reader that in

some ways follows the theme of yesterday's question about how to
memorize 3000 words (or more).
Here's the note I received:
I have an idea I have not tried but wanted your opinion first.
I live in California and we have many large "big box" stores such as, Target, Home
Depot, Lowes and of course Walmart. They have many rows at least 25 and each row
has many selves. Several have a rear isle that splits the rows and stores like Target
have the store divided into departments as well. What is your opinion on using palaces
like these.
I really like this idea, and it would work well for me personally. Back
when I was paying my way through grad school, I worked in such a "big
box" store as a loss prevention detective. Yes, just imagine your humble
Magnetic Memorizer in street clothes, nonchalantly strolling over 150,000
sq. ft. of product-stuffed aisles, carrying a hidden earpiece and a license to
...
... arrest hospital cafeteria workers and high school students who could
not resist stuffing hair elastics and Transformers into their purses or
backpacks.
James Bond it was not.
In any case, over the months that I strolled those aisles listening to
university lectures from The Great Courses series on my iPod in one ear
and "tactical commands" from my "eye in the sky" partner in the
"interrogation room" in my other, I spent a lot of time getting very
familiar with this depot. I knew the aisles and what were in them by
number and could basically guess what people were stealing from them
based on the coordinates my partner gave me. "Middle Aisle 4 West"
most certainly meant either toothbrushes, toothpaste or dental floss, and
"Front Aisle 10 East" would definitely mean a VHS movie - this was back
before DVDs hit the market. All I had to do was head on over, confirm
with my partner that he had observed concealment and then maintain
continuity until the person left the store. Then it was showtime:
apprehension and a guided tour back to the interrogation room.
By the way, the "interrogation room" in this place really does look like
something out of the movies with its pockmarked walls, camera monitors,
and the racks where the video recordings are stored, i.e. the visual
"memories" of the thefts.
Back to the question at hand, I'm going on about this Resume Ghost of
mine because I want to make a point about familiarity. I can confidently
use this store as a Memory Palace because, with pen and paper in hand, I
don't have to think about 10-15 stations I could use in that location. I
spent countless hours in it, and even more than a decade later, I recall it in
great detail. Within seconds I can jot down:
1. Front entrance
2. Perfume
3. Cosmetics
4. Health & Bathroom
5. Household cleaners
6. Seasonal
7. Toys
8. Sporting goods
9. Do-it-yourself
10. Electronics & Media
It's strange to think of how these places are set up, but they have more
method than madness if you spend some time learning about the use of
"customer blocking" to direct your path through the store and the things
consumers look at from different angels depending on where they stand in
the store.
The point is that I have all of this in mind, which means I don't have to
think about these areas in order to use them. There is no effort involved
when doing my preparation and predetermination exercises. Mind you,
with a bit of effort, I could easily double, if not triple these stations by
splitting the aisles into front, middle and back, and further into left/right
or East/West. I can do this conceptually, without needing to think about
what specifically was stored in those parts of each aisles, but I need to
make sure that I'm not crossing my own path. Also, splitting aisles like
this requires defining some rules.
For instance, if I mentally travel an aisle from the front to the back using
front, middle end and left and right, do I go from left to right and then up
to the next right and then left again, or do I go left, right, left, right in a
zigzag pattern ... it all gets a bit much for me, but for other people, having
all kinds of rules of operation can be helpful and fun. No matter how we
use our Memory Palaces, we are building new pathways in your mind,
and that is an exciting thing.
Nonetheless, for beginners, I would suggest not using left/right

separations and just plopping your association images and actions in the
middle of the aisle. And even if you are advanced, put some space around
the material you want to memorize whenever you can. Let it breathe like a
bottle of wine so that it can better fuse with the taste buds of your mind.
If you want to use a store like this that you're not as intimately familiar
with, that's no problem. Next time you're in there shopping, pay more
attention to the layout. Pick out little details. Is there a cashier station in
Men's apparel that you hadn't noticed before that could serve as a perfect
station? Is there an area where they display tents that will stick out in your
mind now that you've noticed it? Does the entrance have four sliding
doors or five? If you haven't counted them before, then you don't know
how many you can use as stations. What about the journey from the door
to your car? Where are the shopping carts stored? Where are the parking
lot lamps? Is there a ticket booth? A doughnut shop directly across the
way?
There are oodles of stations you can add to your memory palace so long
as you've paid attention to them, familiarized yourself and feel that you
can mentally proceed to the next station without spending time on
thinking about what comes next.
Above all, if you need to familiarize yourself with a store by visiting it,
make sure that you walk through it in the way you would use it. Decide
upon a starting point and then create a journey in which you never cross
your own path. It's also helpful to think in advance just how many stations
you would like the Palace to have. If you're looking for only 10 and you
know that there are ten aisles, then a visit may not be necessary and you
can just place your associations in numerical order. But if you want 100
stations leading up to thousands, like we saw in yesterday's question, then
some serious familiarity with the inner workings of the location will be
your friend.
In sum, my opinion is that the success of a Memory Palace depends on the

familiarity you have with the location. Familiarity is desirable not only for
speed during your memorization sessions, but also during the initial stages
of recall. With the appropriate amount of rehearsal, recall won't be an
issue in a very short time, but at first, you want to be able to get to the
word quickly and without having to think too much about where it is in
your Memory Palace.
Familiarity = speed.
Thank you for today's question and, to everyone, please keep them
coming. Soon I'm going to be sending out a message about the new
memorization book I'm writing and I'll be asking for questions from you.
I'll also be offering a free digital copy of the book when it's done to those
who have contributed (or already have), and there's also going to be a
special contest for the audiobook edition a few months after that (it takes
awhile for audiobooks to be produced).
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Memorization Happens in the Heart
Dear Memorizers,
First, a quick follow up on yesterday's message about using "big box"

stores:
Joshua Smith, with whom I recorded the video presentation I've been
offering for free this week to everyone who writes back with SEND ME
THE LINK, suggested that the store doesn't have to be as huge as Target
or Costco.
It could just be your local grocery store. Chances are that you're very
familiar with the basic layout. I'll bet that if you think about it, you know
exactly where the bananas usually stand in the produce section, not to
mention the apples and the oranges. These are relatively fixed stations
within that section and they are "ripe" for use when it comes to
memorization. The bakery is similarly divided between breads and
pastries, etc.
If you can't picture these spaces easily now, just get yourself a little
relaxed before you go shopping next time and really pay attention to the
layout of the store.
Remember: familiarity = speed.
But what I really wanted to talk about today is my realization that

memorization doesn't just happen in the mind.
After grunting through my morning pushups, I was walking around the

block for some fresh air and rehearsing some vocabulary and poetry I had
memorized - talking with Joshua's students has got me very interested in
Portuguese and I am working on memorizing some of the German
translation of Shakespeare's King Lear. I mean, Shakespeare is great in his
own tongue, but "Nothing will come of nothing" sounds like limp fish
compared to the German "Aus nichts kann nicht enstspringen."
Anyhow, as I walked, I thought about spoken word performers and how

much passion they express when reciting their poems. I thought about the
joy I've heard when my coaching clients cover their eyes on Skype and
tell me the words they've memorized as they walk through their Memory
Palaces. Memorized poetry comes from the heart. The triumph of my
coaching clients comes from the heart. The mind is just a tool, a vehicle,
the shed where we store the "bicycle" techniques of memorization that
I've written about in my books.
With all this passion in mind, I stopped "rehearsing" the new vocabulary
and King Lear and just felt this material. Not in my head, but in my heart.
Those of us who are men will never be pregnant, but there is a Latin
phrase: pregnans constructio (sometimes written constructio pregnans). It
literally means to be "pregnant with meaning." Using our memorization
skills, we are all capable of that, and when we use what we've memorized,
it's like giving birth to meaning into the world. We can communicate
more, educate more and inspire more people to improve their memories
with our abilities. We are sharing the life of language that we've stored
within us.
Yes, having vocabulary, terminology and some of the world's greatest

literature living inside my mind affects my heart.
How about yours?
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
What if I wanted to memorize a chapter in a textbook so I could ace a
test on that subject?
Dear Memorizers,
I received two great questions from a reader yesterday. The first question
is about memorizing mathematical formulas. I'm going to address that
next week.
The second question is:
What if I wanted to memorize a chapter in a textbook so I could ace a test on that

subject?
This is a great question.
For myself, when I was studying for my doctoral examinations and later
for my dissertation defense (these are rigorous 2 hr. + grilling sessions in
front of a committee of 4-7 accomplished professors), I read a total of
over 500 books.
Obviously I didn't memorize every word I read. But I did remember at

least something from every book that I read.
Here's exactly how I used to operate - and still do when I'm conducting
research. There are some operational factors here that might not seem to
involve memorization, but trust me, each step is essential.
Before I take any of the steps that follow, I already begin with a carefully
defined Memory Palace. As I talk about in my books, I've made sure that
it involves a location that I'm intimately familiar with. I've charted out at
least 10 stations within that Memory Palace, usually more (like 50 or so,
often with between 4-10 stations within a single room), and I've simply
decided to work with the correct mental attitude that I'm going to walk
away from the book or journal article or whatever I might be studying
with the most essential information I need.
I also take a moment to relax. I may adopt a traditional meditation pose on

the floor, or I might lay down for awhile and do some progressive
relaxation. Either way, I spend time practicing a bit of pendulum
breathing (relaxation and breathing are matters discussed in the book).
Now let's get into further detail.
1. When approaching a new book, I would carefully examine the front

cover and the back cover. I would then read the colophon page, the table
of contents, the introduction, the conclusion and then scan through the
index if the book had one. The scholar Gerrard Genette calls these parts of
a book the "paratext," (the text beside the text). This step takes about five
minutes and effectively trains your brain to understand the scope and
dimension of the book with respect to its topic.
Why read the conclusion first? Part of the reason is to judge whether or
not the author's conclusion about his or her own subject was profound
enough to warrant reading all of the steps needed to arrive at it. The
introduction and conclusion also give clues regarding which chapters of
the book might be the most important to focus on.
2. I would take out an index card and write down the name of the author,
the title of the book and all of the bibliographic information. Then I would
number this card "1" in the top left corner. Before starting with a book, I
tend to decide in advance exactly how many pieces of information I want
to retain from it. This is the principle of "predetermination" that I discuss
in my books. Often, I default to three facts or details per chapter, but
always keep enough index cards on hand in case I want more.
The reason for deciding these matters in advance is because
a) failing to plan is generally planning to fail (especially when it comes to

structured reading), and
b) predetermination prevents overwhelm.
Also, less is more, and when you use the Magnetic Memory system, you'll
find that by focusing on just a few key points, a lot of the surrounding
information will automatically "stick" to the memorized material. Try it. It
just happens.
3. Having just read the introduction and conclusion, I would already have
in mind which chapters I wanted to read first. I would start with one of
these.
4. At this point, I know that there are three pieces of information that I am
going to walk with away from this chapter. I've got the index cards ready
to go, though I only number a card once I'm prepared to start writing on it.
5. I've already adopted the attitude that I'm going to succeed and literally
"own" the key information in the book, but if I find that it is particularly
dull, I like to play a game. I pretend that I'm the talk show host of a
program and later that evening I've got to interview the author. Millions of
people will be watching, so I need to really know my stuff about that
book. And I need to read it fast.
What this mindset does is allow me to ask questions while I'm reading. I
get really curious, and instead of reading passively, I actively engage with
the writing. Since the author isn't there, I can pretend that he or she is
there and try to "mindread" what the author might say to my questions.
6. When I come across a gem of a detail, I write it down on the index

card. I also write down the page number where I found the information on
the bottom right corner. I do this regardless of whether or not I've jotted
down a quote. Should I ever need to find that information again, I'll know
where to go. Finally, If I have any secondary ideas, I use the back of the
index card to capture these.
At this point, I don't do any kind of memorization. I'm familiarizing

myself, learning, connecting the details with information I already know
and gathering new facts and details. That's it.
So let's assume now that I've read a book that has ten chapters and I've got
three index cards for each.
Each card is numbered. I have 30 index cards and I'm prepared with 30
station in the Memory Palace I've already assigned to this book.
7. My next step is to simply start with card #1. I want to remember the
title of the book and the name of its author. That information is
memorized at station #1. If you happen to know the title of the book
already by heart, then you don't need to use the first station in this way,
but it can still be useful to do so, and here's why:
You can use the author as a "lexical bridge" to move from station to
station.
8. See if you can find a picture of the author online. Let's say that you are
reading the book Paratexts, by Gerrard Genette.
I've Googled him up and Genette looks like this. Gerrard Genette reminds
me of Gillette razor blades, and so I see him shaving in that first room. To
remember that it's Genette and not Gillette, I see him shaving away a
beard of Ns growing crazily out of his face. For "Paratexts," I could ease
either a pear bouncing up and down on a textbook, or a can of Para Paint
splashing over a book - there are always options.
9. Now let's say that card #2 says: "A text does not exist outside of the
text itself." That sounds pretty obvious, but we don't often think about the
fact that until someone comes along and reads a book, it essentially
doesn't do anything. There are billions of books standing unread on
shelves around the world that only "exist" when someone is reading them
or talking about them. This is what Genette means when he says that "a
text does nt exist outside of the text itself." Our minds are a kind of text,
so when we are reading, two texts are intermingling.
So, to remember all of this, my second station will feature the book
Paratexts itself. Words are trying to escape from the book, and there's
poor Genette trying to beat them back in because, according to him, there
is no text outside of the text itself. He needs to get all of that text back in!
As always, the images are big, bright, colorful and filled with exaggerated
action.
To get some of the other concepts in Genette's thinking that I've just
described, I might see Genette giving up the battle, and then opening up a
lid in his head, which is also filled with words, and allowing the words
from Paratexts to mingle with the words in his mind.
And from there, I would move on to the next index card.
10. The final step I would take, is to later, test my memorization of the
details and facts and concepts I had memorized from the book by writing
a summary from my mind and then checking it against the index cards.
One of my supervisors required me to submit summaries to prove that I
was reading the books on my list, so I got into that habit and have always
been grateful for it. If you're a student, I highly recommend that you take
this step. It will not only deeply immerse you in your topic area, but it will
provide you with material that you've already written when it comes to
composing essays, pieces for publication and even your dissertation
further on down the road if you decide to complete a PhD.
What happened during my examinations? They were fun. I had been in a

relaxed state while reading and memorizing the material, and so I took
care to spend a bit of time relaxing before attending the exams. When I
was asked a question, my mind zoomed to where the material was stored
and I was able to talk at length about it, whether it was Gerrard Genette's
idea about paratexts or Aristotle's philosophy of friendship in The
Nichomeachean Ethics.
I hope this answers your question. If you look in your "How to Learn and
Memorize" Magnetic Memory series book, you'll find a bonus chapter on
memorizing poetry that you will also find useful in this regard. In the
meantime, let me know if you have any further questions you'd like me to
answer.
By the way, in case you're wondering what I did with all those index
cards: I used to wrap them with an elastic band, one per book, and then
store them in a shoe box. Somehow, index cards and shoes boxes were
made for one another. But if I haven't looked at them for 5 years or so (I
rarely do), I recycle them.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
More on Memorizing 3000 Words
Dear Memorizers,
I found some incredibly useful feedback from a Magnetic Memory reader

in my inbox this morning that really opens up the conversation regarding
the memorization of thousands of words using imaginary elements in your
palaces such as bookcases.
Have a read:
Your answer regarding adding more than says 260 foreign words was not totally
satisfactory in that a bunch of bookshelves look just alike in one's mind and
would easily get confused. From reading your Spanish book, I think a better
answer would have been that the stations of a given site start inside the structure
and in this way it leaves room for adding stations on the outside of the structure
as you point out in your book(s). The bookshelf idea seems to be a recipe for
interference, proactive and retroactive.

This is a very important word of caution. It is true that in my books I
advocate starting from within a Memory Palace, such as an apartment and
working your way out without:
a) trapping yourself, and

b) without crossing your own path.
However, depending on your imagination, I would not rule out adding

elements like imaginary bookcases. Success with memorization comes
from personal adaptation, integration and experimentation with the core
methods. It's like the Matrix, or something, where there may be no spoon
as such, but what we can see and conceptualize, we can bend to our will if
we simply relax into being the "one" (i.e. the Memorizer).
As I talk about in my books, I'm not a particularly visual person, so I need

to constantly focus on visually with my images and actions in order to
experience the best possible results. But I have had a great deal of success
with bland and uncharacteristic locations I have completely invented
based on the idea that an organizational object can be conceptually
invented and that this object can be subdivided into numbered stations. I
make the numbered stations a journey along which I proceed from word
to word, or whatever it is I might be memorizing.
Here's an example of what I call my "emergency" Memory Palace:
It is an imaginary train. I start at the back of the caboose on the platform.

Then I move into the caboose and use the back left corner. Then I move to
the right corner, the center, the front right corner and the left corner. Next
I find the link between the caboose and the first car. That is a station.
Then the next car is used in precisely the same way as the one before. I
make no attempt to differentiate these cars other than that I start with the
caboose and every car thereafter is numbered starting with 2 and up.
Now this isn't foolproof, certainly can lead to confusion and there are no
magic bullets in memorization . However, once you've understood the
core techniques, read different variations that different memorizers use
and done the footwork of your own adaptation and experimentation, this
stuff is as close to a magic bullet as we are likely to find in life.
With respect to the bookshelf issue within a room, one could differentiate
these shelves if they wanted to add an organization system for doing so. If
you happen to know the Circle of Fifths in music by heart, for instance,
every room could have a set of bookshelves organized in accordance to
the Circle of Fifths.
Now this is admittedly advanced stuff and involves adding rules upon
rules and principles upon principles, all of which can lead to overwhelm.
As Joshua Smith mentioned in the video teleconference he invited me to,
and I have been talking about throughout much of the last week,
overwhelm is the last thing that people need when it comes to reaching
their fluency goals.
However, I believe that advanced concepts are empowering, so I always

encourage people to experiment. If you think you might be comfortable
setting a rule that every room in your Memory Palace for the letter 'G' has
10 bookcases and you will always proceed from the top of each bookcase
to the bottom, then it might just work miracles for you.
Keeping Joshua's caveat in mind, "forget" about my impulse to have 10

imaginary bookcases. Why not experiment with just one imaginary
bookcase in just one room of one Memory Palace when you're ready to
take this step?
By the way, all of the great idea this week about making things more
complicated verses simplifying them reminds me of the wonderful
exchange between Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
In a letter to Emerson, Thoreau wrote about life: "Simplify, simplify,

simplify." To which Emerson responded, "Don't you think one 'simplify'
is enough?"
So with that in mind, no matter where you are with your memorization,
the more you simply think about the concepts, the stronger the basis upon
which you can improve. It's like music: you might not be thinking a lot
about theory while you're playing, but spending time with it cannot help
but improve performance, particularly with respect to improvisation.
That's why I'm really glad today's reader mentioned the forums at
Mnemotechnics in another part of the message I received. Mnemotechnics
is is a great place to get new ideas, inspiration and conversation with some
very advanced, intermediate and emerging memorizers alike. You'll get
plenty of exposure to those who make matters more complex and those
who simplify.
And today's contributor to the Magnetic Memory newsletter highlighted a

participant over there who goes by Gavino. This person wrote an amazing
post called Gavino's Massive Memory Palace System.
Although I don't connect with everything Gavino uses, I admire him a

great deal for innovating, expanding and sharing. Sharing is educating and
I've learned a lot from him (he has over 100 posts!)
You may not connect with everything he uses either (or everything I use
or theorize about, for that matter), but so long as these explorations don't
lead you into overwhelm, please educate yourself as much as you can as
you continue to adjust the "bicycle' of your memory. The goal is to get the
smoothest ride possible.
To continue the bicycle metaphor, keep in mind that sometimes the chain
on your memorization bike requires oiling, or you get a flat tire or you
need to replace some parts. No big deal: you have the Magnetic Memory
newsletter to fall back upon for ideas, and now (in case you didn't already
know about it), Mnemotechnics.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Can I use Video Games as Memory Palaces?
Dear Memorizers,
Here's another great question from last week that continues last week's
theme of making our Memory Palaces simpler vs. more complex:
Hey could I use a place off a video game as a memory palace such as breeze home
off of skyrim??

The quick and dirty answer is: Yes. Of course. Why not?
The more detailed answer is to remember a principle we've talked about

before with is that familiarity = speed. If you are so familiar with that
location in the video game that you can create a journey through it and
don't have to spend a millisecond thinking of what comes next, then you
can use it.
I'm being a bit dramatic with the "millisecond" thing, so don't take that as
law. The same guidelines for preparation and predetermination that apply
to real locations apply to imagined spaces as well, so you'll want to make
a dedicated list of the different stations in the videogame area that you'll
be using.
I don't know the game that you are referring to, but if I were going to use
a videogame - something I'll experiment with throughout the week - I
would use Donkey Kong. (Am I revealing my age here?)
The reason I would use Donkey Kong is because it is a single screen that
can be easily divided into quadrants without thinking about it. My journey
would start at the bottom left of the screen. That would be station number
one.
Looking at the screen, I see a number of platforms. Without Googling to

see just how many platforms there are on level one, I'll just decide that
there are five and Donkey Kong stands at the very left of the top platform.
I assign the rule that each platform gets three stations (left, center, right)
and another rule that I move across each platform in a zipper formation
(left to right, right to left, left to right, etc).
This gives me 15 stations total.
I could see this method being very effective and will report back to you on
the results later.
In the meantime, you might want to set yourselves up with something

similar if you've ever spent time playing videogames and can come up
with your own example and find a way of constructing a journey through
it. If you do, please let me know which game you used and a little bit of
the journey you created. You can simply reply to this email with your
description.
On the matter of using "virtual spaces" for memorization, this topic was
hot over at Mnemotechnics the other day. Josh Cohen posted some links
leading to the floorplans of popular TV shows as well as a Wiki article
about "artificial memory palaces." Check out his post here.
help make the world a better - and more memorable - place. The more we
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Todays Free Magnetic Memorization Gift
Dear Memorizers,
Today I want to talk about procrastination. It's one of the major issues my
clients tackle with in the Magnetic Memory coaching program.
It's understandable. Many times when we start a new activity, we

experience a dropping-off of energy and resolve and then we begin to
sabotage ourselves by finding excuses that take us away from moving
forward.
Procrastination often occurs with my clients at the beginning of their

experience with the Magnetic Memory method, but procrastination can
happen even after you've begun memorizing. For example, when we hit a
challenging word, we might think about checking email or about washing
the dishes or about doing anything but the work of memorization. Yet we
all know that the memorization of vocabulary and terminology is one of
the key activities that leads to our goals.
Usually when we find ourselves procrastinating instead of memorizing,

the first thing we need to ask ourselves is a deeply intimate question:
What am I afraid of?
There are several things we fear, but the two major fears are paradoxical.
They are:
1) The fear of failure

2) The fear of success
We fear failure because it frustrates us and puts negative, self-defeating

ideas in our minds. If we never get started, we can never fail. Or so we
seem to think. Looked at another way, not getting started for fear of
failure may be the ultimate failure.
Fear of success is a bit more difficult, but it often causes us to

procrastinate because at the subconscious level, we fear change. We know
that if we achieve our goal, we'll be a different person. This is huge, and
it's no small reality to face. Just imagine what life would be like if you
achieved fluency in a language or aced all your exams. With great power
comes great responsibility.
I know this because I was once afraid to achieve one of my major goals in
life: to go on tour with a band. I was invited and I said no because I feared
the responsibilities that success would bring. I would need to memorize
and get very good at some complicated music.
This time around, however, I took the call to adventure, and the
responsibility has been intense. I still haven't memorized all the music,
and yet the first show of the tour is 2 weeks from now. Success has
consequences.
But I'm so glad I'm doing this and I have a dedicated plan for exactly how
I'm going to get all that music in my head and be ready for the stage
(there's actually only two more songs to go). I'm taking responsibility for
my success and the pleasure of the audiences we'll be performing for, so
there is really no reason to fear it. Everyone who buys a ticket wants
nothing more than for me and my band to succeed.
Another reason we might fear success is the mistaken belief that we don't
deserve to succeed.
Self-worth is very important, and can be a huge barrier when negative

beliefs surround this essential element of inner health.
Connected to self-worth is the belief that there are people out there who
are smarter, faster and better than you. All of that may be true, but it has
nothing to do with your success.
Some people fear success because they belief that success is impossible.
However, there is a golden rule when it comes to mental abilities that
humans can learn. The rule is that if someone else can do it, I can too.
You can learn from others, find mentors and follow the same paths that
have worked before.
Therefore, nothing that has already been achieved is impossible so there is

no reason to fear impossibility. When it comes to memorization, the
impossible simply does not exist.
"I can't" is more of an excuse than a fear, but it becomes a fear every time
we say it, either silently in our minds or out loud to the people around us
(some of whom will unfortunately agree).
But just imagine what you could achieve if you went around for an entire
day, a week, a month or even a year saying "I can" every time you would
normally say "I can't." You'd probably achieve your dreams very quickly.
The last fear I want to mention is the fear that you might not actually want
to achieve your goal, and that it might not really be worth the time and
effort.
And you know what? Sometimes this is true. That game on your
Smartphone that you want to beat? The hours its going to take to achieve
level 94 might not be worth the work in the grand scheme of things. This
isn't to judge video games, because they're great, but I use it as an
example of the kinds of goals we sometimes make that ultimately fall flat
with respect to other things we could have been doing.
When it comes to achieving fluency through the acquisition of vocabulary

or professional mastery by learing the terminology of our field, we all
know that the effort is worth it. More than worth it. We do not need to
hold onto fear in that area.
So, ask yourself, do you hold fear of success in any of these ways?
Answering these questions may be the prompt you need to overcome any
procrastination you have in your life.
Next, we need to remind ourselves why we started learning a new

language or taking up a new subject of study in the first place. Sure, we
can keep putting off our goals until we are 90 and can't read the dictionary
or the lines of a textbook anymore. But that would be a waste of the
knowledge we'd really rather have in ours mind across all of those years.
Do we really want to put off the experience of discovering what it's like to
hear and read and speak a new language with the highest level of fluency
we know we're capable of? Ideally, we want to experience that dream as
soon as possible.
For most people, prioritizing presents a major hurdle. It's difficult to know
exactly where to begin, and with so many distractions in the modern
world, focus can be quickly scattered. Before you know it, we can find
ourselves running around like a memorizer without a magnet, and not
really achieving anything.
Prioritization comes from focus, and there are in fact two kinds of focus.
I'll talk about just one of those kinds today.
The first is a generalized vision that we hold for ourselves. Think of it like
being a fish in a fishbowl. You are the fish, and the bowl is your goal. The
question of how big your vocabulary or knowledge will grow reflects the
size of your bowl and how much you focus on swimming every bit of the
water surrounding you.
Keep in mind that you are a magical fish. You can increase the size of
your own bowl to give you more water to swim at any time. But you also
know that there's plenty to discover in the amount of space you've already
defined for yourself.
The best way to ensure that you stay focused on the present goal (the size
of the fishbowl) is to create a mission that is directly aligned with your
goal.
The first part of the mission should be to identify what sorts of things
distract you. Do you actually know what characterizes the majority of
your distractions? Have you identified what parts of the memorization
process hold your attention the most and found ways to focus on these
aspects to help maintain focus? Do you know what takes you off track and
what gets you back on track again?
If not, it's time to find out and coaching can help you discover the
difference between the internal and the external stimuli in your life that
pull you away from your goals. Magnetic Memory Coaching is designed
to help you understand the Whys of why your attention wanders and the
Hows of how to get it back on task. You'll get strategies that will improve
your focus, teach you how to circumvent distractions, break up your
memorization tasks and prioritize them.
Ultimately, I want you to be able to focus on a few key questions:
Is building my vocabulary truly important and meaningful to me?

Will I truly feel a significant sense of accomplishment if I apply
myself to memorizing 100 words next month?
Would I benefit from imposing a deadline upon myself with respect
to my goals?
What future opportunities am I going to miss if I do not increase
my vocabulary or knowledge now?
Are there other people in my life who would benefit if I achieve my
goals?
Would not achieving my goals set a precedent for other goals I
want to achieve?
How about the opposite? Would achieving my vocabulary goal set
a precedent for the other goals and dreams I want to achieve?
That's all for today, dear Memorizers, but here's some homework for you
in the meantime:
1. Get out a pen and paper or something you can journal with.
2. Define your goal and write it down. If it's 10 words a day, write that
down. If it's 100 by the end of April, write that down. Make sure that it's
concrete. "Speaking fluently the next time I go to Peru," is a great goal,
but it's not concrete enough. Be specific.
3. With reference to the Magnetic Memory System, write down the first
three steps you need to take to get started with vocabulary memorization.
Number one could be filling out the Magnetic Memory worksheets, for
example.
4. Take the first step.
That's all for today. Tomorrow I'll be talking about self-motivation and
how to harness it with respect to achieving your memorization goals.
Finally, I mentioned that I have a free gift in the subject line of this
message.
I'm offering you a free Magnetic Memory Coaching consultation on

Skype. Why let the work of getting started wait? Because you're already
committed because you've invested money in the book and have been
reading this newsletter, and I want to help make sure that you truly do
take those first steps.
As I've been talking about today, many people don't believe they can do
this, even though they've got the tools that shows them how. Either failure
or success frightens them, so they don't give the Magnetic Memory
Method a really good try.
What you'll discover in Magnetic Memory Coaching is:
What really motivates you and how understanding these elements

(often they are unconscious) will help move you forward.
What fears and doubts about your memory may be holding you
back.
Ways that you may be sabotaging your progress.
How overcoming procrastination can change every aspect of your
life for the good.
How increasing focus can make you healthier and happier.
How to recognize unhelpful elements in your memorization
practice so that you can leap forward with ease.
What to magnify and what to minimize based on your personal
strengths and abilities that need improvement.
You'll also receive support for your success so that you can:
Spot the culprits in your inner and outer life that keep you down.
Conquer the excuses that stand in your path.

Overcome the limiting beliefs, negative attitudes and behaviors that
delay getting started.
If you would like me to work with you for one free 30 minute
consultation, then here's what you need to do:
1. Send an email to me at learnandmemorize@zoho.com.
2. Make the subject: Magnetic Memory Coaching Consultation.
3. List 10 words that you want to memorize and why (describe your goal
in concrete terms).
4. Send me your Skype handle and I'll add you.
5. Wait for my confirmation.
Listen, there are a lot of people on this mailing list, and I've only got time
during the rest of this month to meet with the first 10 people who respond
to this email with all the above information. So if you miss out this time
around, I'll be sending this offer out sometime again in the future.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Magnetic Memory Motivation
Dear Memorizers,

First of all, thanks to those of you who claimed your complimentary
coaching spots. There are a few places left, so if you haven't read
yesterday's message about the free gift, there's still time to do so and
send in your request.

Following up on yesterday's topic of prioritization vs. procrastination,
today I want to say a few words about motivation with respect to
memorization.

In some respects, we already covered motivation yesterday. We
talked about clearly identifying why we want to improve our memory,
and I suggested some key questions we can ask ourselves, questions
that will help create motivational clarity.

But there is more to say about motivation, so let's get started.

One very interesting motivational exercise is to think about the
energy you feel with respect to your goals. Naturally, one experiences
different levels of energy throughout the day, but when you approach
something like the memorization of vocabulary, take a moment to
analyze your energy. Is this truly the best moment to work in your
Memory Palaces?

For example, although we may be highly motivated for many reasons,
if we work on memorization while tired or distracted by hunger, we
may inadvertently reduce our motivation. Over time, this can create a
lull and then eventually a sunken ship. What once was a highly
motivated goal based upon a dream has become the idea of dream
based upon a diminished goal. Unlike dreams, ideas are easily
forgotten.

Therefore, it is important that we test our energy levels in order to
ensure that we work on our memorization during peak periods. We
want to be in this game for the long haul, so we're going to need a
strategy with respect to the energy we can bring to the task of
vocabulary memorization.

Part of this means paying attention to daily schedules. If you're at
your best in the morning, then that may be the perfect time to work
on vocabulary memorization. Yesterday we talked about identifying
which tasks from the Magnetic Memory process we most enjoy, so it
would make sense to spend time on these during peak energy periods
because better achievement will lead to greater levels of motivation.

We can then ride this upward crest and use its energy to tackle the
more difficult tasks. It then follows that the more successful we've
been with, say, identifying our locations and the stations within them,
the less difficult placing the words will be. Remember, a key principle
of the Magnetic Memory method is that we do preparation and
predetermination work in order to reduce, if not eliminate directing
any unnecessary energy at the recall of our Memory Palace journeys
themselves. We want that energy for building our associations and
then magnetically floating to the words later on when we want to
access them.

There are a few stages we can go through in order to enhance our
motivation and the energy we bring to our memorization tasks once
we've gone through the prioritization exercises I talked about
yesterday. These include:

Pre-motivation: This is the stage of knowing we need to increase our
motivation with respect to memory work, but not yet knowing what
to do or even doing anything to find out what we could be doing.

Ideation: This is the stage where we have started to look into what
we can do to increase our motivation, but without having done
anything concrete. The ideation stage can also come about by
accident. Searching on the Internet often leads to surprise discoveries
of different methods that we want to try and then next know we find
ourselves looking into them.

If you're in the Ideation stage now, you can play the Benjamin
Franklin game with yourself. This involves writing down a list of pros
and cons. On one side a piece of paper you list the benefits of working
on your memorization goal, and you list the deficits, or negative
consequences of continuing to do little or nothing on the other. Going
through this exercise can be tremendously motivating, usually
because the evidence in favor of going ahead with achieving your goal
is stronger than the evidence in favor of doing nothing.

Preparation & Predetermination: Having decided to move yourself
ahead, it's time to chart out the steps you will take. You can use the
basic plan laid out for you in your Magnetic Memory book (creating
one Memory Palace for each letter of the alphabet and at least 10
stations within each Palace).

The great thing about Preparation & Predetermination is that this
stage amount to baby steps - important baby steps, foundational baby
steps, but easily accomplished baby steps.

Action: By now you should be highly motivated to start populating
your Memory Palaces with vocabulary.

Now, some people recommend that we tell others about our goals
before taking action. For instance, if you want to have 100 vocabulary
words memorized by the end of the month, such people recommend
Tweeting your followers, posting on Facebook and just talking about
the goal in general, the idea being that this self-revelation will keep
you on track.

There may be wisdom in this, but it might also set you up for
frustration and discouragement if you falter. (As I discuss in the
Magnetic Memory books, procrastination is bound to happen, so
recommend Tim Ferris' idea to schedule procrastination into your
schedule instead of letting it plan its way into you).

My personal feeling is that the best goals are kept silent and worked
on with personal resolve. It's kind of like doing something nice, like
giving money to a homeless person. There's no need to go around
seeking the approval of others because you've done something
awesome. In fact, doing so can diminish the value of your generosity.
Likewise, you don't need the approval, acknowledgment or the
implied pressure of others to be true to your goals. On the note of
"implied pressure," do you really want to make police officers of your
friends?

What I do recommend, however, is talking to people about how
you're working with your memory and the exact steps that you're
taking. I consider this part of the work of memorization because
you're deepening your familiarity with the method and finding ways
of adjusting the different components of the system to your own
needs. The fringe benefit is that you will be helping others find new
ways to think about their own memory and how they too can
motivate themselves to engage in memorization. Assuming the
associative material isn't too over the top, you can even describe one
or two of the images you've used to memorize different bits of
vocabulary by way of demonstrating how the system works. That way
you are rehearsing and compounding while educating.

But before any of that, the next part in the Action sequence is, of
course, actually sitting down and placing the vocabulary in your
Memory Palaces. This is done by carefully selecting the kinds of
words you want to work on during designated times of appropriate
energy, breaking the words up into component parts whenever
possible and then using the time-honored principles of location,
imagination and action to aid your recall of the vocabulary later.

Maintenance & Rehearsal: For many of my coaching clients, the
Maintenance and Rehearsal stage is the most pleasurable. Here's
where you really get to feel the payoff of your progress. You've
charted out all of your Memory Palaces and the stations within them
and have built yourself a substantial pool of words. Now you can
regularly test and refine them.

Of course, the Maintenance and Rehearsal stage is just as likely to fall
prey to procrastination as any of the other stages, so be sure to revisit
yesterday's email to keep on track in that department because the
Maintenance and Rehearsal stage is ultimately where you are going to
make the most gains. And Maintenance and Rehearsal is also the stage
in which you are effectively using the vocabulary you have
memorized either in reading, listening or speaking.

Now that everything is working with respect to motivation, you
should find yourself to be the proud owner of a Magnetic
Memorization Feedback Loop. The more motivation you build, the
more motivation you feel, and the more motivation you feel, the more
motivation you build. All of this leads to greater momentum, and the
next thing you know, you'll have experienced some very edifying
breakthroughs as you move towards your goal.

Next time we'll talk about perfectionism, when to use it and when to
avoid it.

Until then, make sure to teach someone what you have learned about
memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own understanding
and to help make the world a better - and more memorable - place.
The more we remember, the more we can remember, and the more
we learn, the more we can learn.

Oh, before I go, here's a callback to yesterday's free gift offer: if you
would like me to work with you for one free 30 minute consultation,
then here's what you need to do:

3. List 10 words that you want to memorize and why (describe your
goal in concrete terms).

There are now 5 spaces left until the next time I make this offer.

Sincerely,

Anthony Metivier
The Pains of Perfectionism in Magnetic Memorization
21 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
1 and cloudy
Dear Memorizers,
This week I've been talking about the tension between procrastination and
motivation. Now it is time to talk about perfectionism.
It has been said that perfectionism bears a relationship to anxiety, and this
makes sense. After all, who feels calm and carefree when impeccability is
at stake? Relaxation is impossible when trying to get everything "just
right." As I stress in my other books, in order for our memorization work
to truly succeed, relaxation is precisely what we need, both during the
memorization process itself and during recall.
Here are just a few of the steps perfectionism can disrupt:
- Filling out the Magnetic Memory worksheets and deciding upon a

Memory Palace for every letter of the alphabet because one feels the need
for each Palace to perfectly fit the letter.
- Identifying a sufficient amount of stations within each Memory Palace.
- Choosing the best words to work on first.
- Setting up an Excel file or other means of tracking for the purposes of

testing and rehearsing.
- Sitting down with a dictionary and memorizing.
- Not leaving a word because it doesn't feel perfectly memorized, leading

to rote repetition rather than Magnetic Memorization.
- Completing effective rehearsal sessions, or turning them into rote

learning instead of memorization exercises.
Now, don't get me wrong. Seeking perfection at each of these stages has
its rewards, and the accomplishment you may sometimes experience can
reinforce your feelings of triumph, if only for the short term.
However, it's important to realize when perfectionism is in fact tripping

you up, if not halting forward progress altogether. Has perfectionism in
fact become a form of self-sabotage? Could you be memorizing 50
vocabulary words per day instead of just 10 if this "anxiety" of
perfectionism were to disappear?
If so, there is a cure for perfectionism:
Make a mess of things.
One of the toughest lessons when it comes to memorization - especially

after we've tasted its power - is that our Memory Palaces and the
associations within them aren't going to come toppling down if we make a
few mistakes now and again. Sometimes words simply won't "hold" in the
way that we hoped they would. This is normal.
It's also why the "compounding" and rehearsal processes I talk about in
the Magnetic Memory series are so important.
We know that mnemonics, as powerful as they are, do require revisiting

from time to time. I like to think of it as "ballooning" because it reminds
me of the way one rubs a balloon against a sleeve in order to create the
static magnetism that allows the balloon to stick to the wall or other
people.
When you go back to a memorized word later and find problems with the
mnemonic, that's when you compound or make repairs to the associations
you've made (i.e. rub the word balloon against your sleeve). But don't
work on the word forever during the memorization stage in the hopes of
finding perfection. That will only slow you down and prevent you from
fully exercising the capabilities of your mind. Perfectionism will also
reduce the amount of time you can spend on rehearsal, and that is on top
of having severely reduced the amount of words you could have
memorized in the first place by moving forward without stopping.
So in sum, allow yourself to make mistakes. Expect potholes and

patchwork, all of which you can return to and patch up later. Because you
are memorizing a language or a field of expertise, these words and terms
are material that you want to revisit anyhow. Needing to revisit and
strengthen your associations is always going to have the positive benefit
of increasing your exposure, and maximizing the amount of attention
you're allotting to the word over the long haul. So don't fear moving ahead
with errors in your mind. They are a good thing so long as you attend to
them later and in a spirit of calm and relaxation.
That's all for today, dear Memorizers. Feel free to send in any questions
you may have. Tomorrow I'll have some notes for you on time-
management.
we can learn.
And before I go, here's another callback to the free gift offer from a few
days back: if you would like me to work with you for one free 30 minute
Magnetic Memorization consultation via Skype, then here's what you
need to do:

3. List 10 words that you want to memorize and why (describe your goal
in concrete terms).
There are now 3 spaces left until the next time I make this offer.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier

Magnetic Memorization Time-Management
22 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
-2 with light snow on the horizon ...
Dear Memorizers,
Following yesterday's meditation on perfectionism, we finally arrive at

time-management. This issue is related to everything we've talked about
this week, including procrastination and motivation.
Ultimately, time-management is less about time and more about structure.

There are two kinds of "time structure":
1) The time structures we make for ourselves.

2) The time structures others make for us.
Here's the thing: other people are experts at making time structures that
rule over us. But as individuals, we're often not so expert at making
"appointments" with ourselves. So let's talk about that a little and see how
we can improve in that area.
If you've read books like Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich and many
others like it in the success genre, then you know that such authors
recommend filling out a to-do list at the end of each and every day. That
way, the subconscious mind works on the tasks while sleeping - or so the
theory goes.
Somehow, I think that my mind would rather be sleeping, so I tend to

make my to-do lists first thing in the morning. But in recent months, it
dawned on me that working from day-to-day is not as effective as it might
be because I find myself plugging in tasks as I go along without a
dedicated master plan. For me, creating daily to-do lists simply isn't
structure enough.
To increase my productivity and move with more "time structure" towards

achieving my goals, I now jot out monthly and weekly plans. I decide in
advance about various milestones, and use my iPhone to create pop-up
reminders that help keep me on track.
This in no way eliminates the daily creation of to-do lists, but it does give
them greater focus. What happens is that each daily task I write down
becomes more intimately directed at the "master narrative" of my goals
(a.k.a. dreams and desires). Hardly anything makes it on my list that isn't
focused on those aspirations.
I once heard the marketer Joe Polish talk about the three coins of
productivity and time-management. He said that he divides his tasks into
three kinds:
1) Gold coin tasks

2) Silver coin tasks
3) Bronze coin tasks
This is a really great idea. In his case, Polish is talking about dividing
tasks into those that make you the most money, but you could easily
replace money with other concepts, such as 100 new vocabulary words.
For Magnetic Memory readers, that is no doubt a very gold coin task
indeed.
It all depends on your personal goals. The key principle is to associate

different levels of value to things that we do. This act of separation will
shape your approach to prioritization and further calibrate your daily to-do
lists with the monthly and weekly goals.
On the matter of having goals, far too people write them down. We are all
capable of achieving virtually anything we put our minds to within the
realms of earthly possibility (if not beyond), but far too few people
actually write those goals down.
I find that one of the most important aspects of writing down goals is that
it is a great way of finding out if your goals are actually something you
want to achieve. The effect of this "reality check" really kicks in if you
take a few moments to "goal journal," by writing out your goals every
single day.
For example, I goal journal every morning as I write out my to-do list. It
is never repetitive because there are always variations and new ideas to
add or shades to fill in - or take away.
For months I wrote down that I wanted to live by the ocean. But as time
passed and I reflected on it day after day in writing, I found that, not only
did this goal not gel with other, more important goals, but I didn't in fact
want to live by the ocean at all. In fact, it became increasingly evident that
it was something I wanted to achieve in order to please someone else, not
myself.
My conscious mind might never have discovered this without conducting

a daily goal meditation. My true desires might have been continually
buried beneath false illusions if it weren't for this daily habit of goal
excavation.
And when you discover what your real dreams and aspirations are, the
results can be explosive.
Richard Wiseman has discussed research in his book 59 Seconds which

provides strong evidence that writing goals down produces more results
than merely reflecting on them in the mind. Even without evidence, it has
long been said that "the hand builds the mind," and it is well known that
people like Leonardo da Vinci practiced mirror writing, an activity that
quite likely boosted his genius.
Other people have pointed out that ambidexterity can enhance intelligence
and the overall quality of thought, so for some time I have been practicing
writing out goals in my non-dominant hand. It's impossible for me to
prove that these things are directly linked to the positive things that have
been going on in my life, but it only stands to reason that they do, because
without such exercises, dear Memorizers, I would not be writing this
message to you today.
Whether you write out your goals with your right hand, left hand or both,
here are some general guidelines you can follow with respect to managing
your time and setting vibrant and achievable goals:
1. Create monthly, weekly and daily to-do lists.
2. Be as specific as possible about what it is you want to achieve - break

each accomplishment into parts so that you can schedule those parts in
without proceeding vaguely along.
3. Write down your goals. Try doing it daily for at least a month, but three
months is better. It's often said that if you can do something for 30
consecutive days, it will become a habit for life, but the actual research
says that it's more like 90 consecutive days. Nonetheless, after 30 days,
you should have enough experience with the method that you'll note a
positive change insofar as moving towards your goals is concerned.
4. Allow for flexibility. Distractions will come up.
5. Refine your goals. Don't feel that just because you're committed to
something that you cannot change it as you go along. It would be
unrealistic and possibly prevent you from taking action if you came to a
point along your Magnetic Memorization journey where something no
longer fit your portrait of the universe and yet forced yourself to keep
chugging along based on a commitment you made months or even years
ago.
6. Avoid perfectionism. It follows from the previous point about refining

goals that perfectionism can slow you down. It can also create fear and
anxiety, and at its worse, negative thoughts.
7. Keep your eye on the larger vision or the "master narrative" you have
for your life. If it is achieving fluency, write that down and write it in the
present tense as if it were already happening. You'll be surprised by how
quickly you find yourself making decisions that manifest your dreams for
you, especially if you write your goals down every single day.
Give these ideas a try and let me know how you do.
And so, until next time, make sure to teach someone what you have
learned about memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own
understanding and to help make the world a better - and more memorable
- place. The more we remember, the more we can remember, and the
more we learn, the more we can learn.
Oh, before I go: I wanted to send out one last reminder today about the
complimentary 30 minute coaching session I had been offering this week,
but all the spaces have been taken until the next time I'm able to make the
offer. However, if you're interested in coaching, it's as simple as replying
to this email to find out more. Just add "Magnetic Memory Coaching" to
the subject line. I'll send you all the information you need to know and
you'll also hear about my very special "Right Decision Guarantee." If
you're struggling to reach your memorization goals, coaching can take
you to the next level, to the point where you'll be memorizing vocabulary
without even really trying.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Free Memory App
23 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
-5 and yet delightfully sunny ...
Dear Memorizers,
I want to let you know about a free memorization app I learned about
over at Mnemotechnics the other day.
It's called Brain Athlete.
Although the app gives no instructions regarding mnemonics, it does give

you a convenient way to practice building speed and accuracy. It will feed
you up to 1000 randomized words, so those of you who feel that you
might want to practice memorizing words in English to get a feel for the
Magnetic Memory system before advancing to vocabulary and
terminology could use this app to generate words for you.
But be advised that the words are delivered at random rather than in
alphabetical order. That has benefits for overall mental training, but does
not entirely gel with the Magnetic Memorization principle of working in
basic alphabetical order as part of learning a language or mastering a field
of study through its terminology.
Brain Athlete will also feed you sequences of random numbers. I've not
experimented with this function because, with the exception of phone
numbers, I have no particular reason to memorize long strings of digits.
However, for general brain exercise, I do plan to incorporate the
techniques for memorizing numbers eventually, and this app will be a
great resource for toying around with that.
My favorite part of the app is the virtual deck of cards. This function
allows you to choose as little as 1/4 of a deck to work with, up to 12
randomized decks. You can set the app to show you between 1 and 4
cards at a time, and during the recall/testing stage, it shows you more than
one card to choose from, making it an extra challenge for the brain
because you've recently seen all of the cards on display, but need to pick
the right one that comes next in line.
I found seeing more than one option very useful because it caused me to
focus on my mnemonic journey with a force of clarity I had not done
before. This is particularly important because my memory palace for cards
is partly based on reality and partly based on invention.
I have a 52 location Memory Palace inside a deck of cards. It is a kind of

empty white parking garage, sort of like the space Batman has inside that
shipping crate when he needs to work in the city. Call it the Batcave 2.0.
In this imaginary space, I have 4 cars. They are the first fours cars I
owned in chronological order. Each car has 13 stations. They are:
1. Driver's side headlight

2. Passenger's side headlight
3. Hood
4. Windshield
5. Steering wheel
6. Driver's seat
7. Passenger's seat
8. Seat behind driver
9. Seat behind passenger
10. Speaks above back seat
11. Back windshield
12. Trunk
13. Exhaust pipe
As I was using the app, I realized that when I memorize a deck of cards, I
am far too conceptual about these stations and don't "see" them clearly
enough. This not only slows me down, but disrupts recall. It's true that I
know absolutely which location comes next, but with respect to this
imaginary location, I've realized over the past few days of playing with
the Brain Athlete app that I need to work on making my stations more
visual.
Luckily, this need is served well by the principle of compounding. In

order to do this, I've gone back and in a meditative, eyes-closed posture,
really looked at the headlights of the car, the paint of the hood as my mind
travels toward the windshield and then through the glass onto the steering
wheel. I notice the seat covers and the material covering the speakers by
the rear window. I focus on the shape of the trunk and the rust on the
exhaust pipe.
This is important because I'm also helping myself more clearly

differentiate this car from the next car in line and the two cars beyond
that.
Having gone through this exercise, I have found that, working in

conjunction with the app, my memorization goes faster and my speed
during recall picks up significantly.
So there you have it, dear Memorizers. I highly recommend getting

yourself the Brain Athlete app and trying it for yourself.
Until next time, make sure to teach someone what you have learned about
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Magnetic Memorization at the Grocery Store
24 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
-1 and dark out ...
Dear Memorizers,
The irony of working with Memory Palaces is that focusing on the small
stuff can distract you from the big stuff.
Like eating.
I constantly overlook that in Germany, most stores, including grocery

stores, are closed on Sundays.
And so here I am. It's 7 pm and I'm starving.
Well, I've got a few things I can eat, but it's not ideal, and I wish I would
pay more attention to the shopping schedule every Saturday ... but I'll talk
about memorizing to-do lists in another issue of the Magnetic Memory
newsletter and what Derren Brown has had to say about them.
In any case, being painfully aware of this absentminded error as I type,

I'm reminded of something I wanted to tell you about last week, namely
an exercise that I came up with when I was shopping in the grocery store
around the corner.
I haven't done it yet, but I thought it would be a neat exercise to memorize

the items as I put them in the cart along with their prices. Without looking
at the cart, or looking at it as little as possible, I could then test my
memorization of the items as I emptied the shopping cart and then see
how well I did with the prices as well. Obviously, this is an exercise best
reserved for casual shopping when there isn't a fixed shopping list already
in play.
I'm going to give it a try ... the next time the grocery store is open.
In the meantime, I wanted to remind you about the free memorization app
I mentioned yesterday: Brain Athlete. Give it a try, and if you like it, leave
the developer a review. There's only one aspect of the app that I don't like,
and it has to do with it having "give up" buttons instead of "stop" or
"pause" buttons. Since so many people are quite sensitive about their
memories, it's not exactly the best message to have hovering in front of
one's eyes when doing memory work. I talked to the developer about it
and he said he was going to change this in a future update, which I think
will make the app much stronger all around.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier

Magnetic Memorization and Visuality

25 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
-1 and sunny ...
Dear Memorizers,
I received an interesting book review from someone disappointed by the

visual nature of the Magnetic Memorization system. This person is not
particularly visual, so feels that the techniques will not work.
I understand this concern all too well, since I am not a particularly visual
person myself. However, there are some solutions.
Even without being visual, a person can borrow visual elements from
other parts of the world. If you close your eyes, you can probably see the
Mona Lisa's face in your mind, even if you aren't visual.
If you can see the Mona Lisa's face, then you can place the Mona Lisa at a
station in a Memory Palace. But you don't even necessarily have to "see"
the painting in order to benefit from using it. The concept alone can carry
great power. You can mix the concept of the Mona Lisa doing all kinds of
strange things to help create associations without seeing them at all.
Let's say that you want to memorize the English word "ecmnesia." This
word means the loss of recent memory with the retention of earlier
memories. In other words, the person forgets what happened five minutes
ago, but not five years ago.
The first thing I would do is have my location and some stations worked
out. For the sake of argument, we'll use my fallback Memory Palace for
the letter 'E,' which is my brother's home. Please note that in the Magnetic
Memory system, it's important to use a location even if you are only
memorizing one word or item. My belief is that we fear losing things, and
this creates anxiety. However, if we know where they are mentally, we
have no fear and this makes material easier to memorize. It's a subtle
point, but I think an effective one.
Next, I would place the Mona Lisa in the first station, or if I had already
been using the Palace, the next station in line. In this case, I'll use the
guest bedroom. It has now become host to the Mona Lisa.
Now, when I relax, the first thing that comes to mind is the Mona Lisa
writing E = MC2 squared on her knees. I don't even need to see this
visually in order for it to immediately start sticking in my mind, because
it's almost entirely conceptual. In truth, it's a bit convoluted, because E=
MC2 gets an "emc" sound when what I really need is a "ecm" sound.
Nonetheless, I'm better off than where I started, which was without any
method of association whatsoever. As far as I'm concerned, it's better to
struggle with how an association can be made to produce the word I am
looking for than it is to struggle with finding a word out of thin air.
The point is that the Mona Lisa, although visual in nature, doesn't need to
be seen in order to be useful. I also don't need to see her writing E=MC2
on her knees. I just need to conceptually exaggerate the idea. The Mona
Lisa has no knees, after all, so there's nothing to see. Yet, the concept is so
bizarre that it has staying power.
In sum, don't be discouraged if you are not a visual person. Maybe you
can use sound in your Memory Palace work, or tactile elements. For those
willing to experiment, there are options.
And as I wrote to you before, try every new skill at least twice before
deciding whether or not it works. Here's a brief snipped from that earlier
message in case you don't have it:
There are two rules that apply to the process of acquiring almost any new skill.

Rule #1: The first attempt is almost always sloppy and frustrating.

Rule #2: The second attempt is always easier than the first attempt. And it's
usually a lot less sloppy and a lot much more fun.

The problem is that most people quit after their first attempt just because things
haven't gone so well the first time. But we shouldn't be frustrated. It's perfectly
normal for that to be the case.

The truth is that you will always get a better sense of how a skill works on the
second attempt. And you'll know it even better on the third, and so on.

But 95% of people, if not more, give up after their first try. They decide whether
or not they like a new technique based only on that first experience.

Here's the good news. As a member of the Magnetic Memory family who always
gives a new skill at least one more try, this means that it will take you just the
slightest amount of effort to walk 100% farther than the masses who give up. And
you'll do this merely by trying this new memorization skill just one more time if
you don't fall into it naturally and easily the first time.
One last point: In the Magnetic Memory series books I talk about what I
call my "Imagination Deficit Disorder." I rarely see pictures in my mind
when I read and constantly have to monitor myself that I am indeed using
exaggerated images when working in my Palaces, because I do tend to fall
back on conceptualizations.
What I don't talk about in the book is how I helped myself overcome IDD
by taking some drawing classes. Of course, taking up drawing may not be
for everyone, but I mention it as a way forward if you want to train your
mind to be more visual. It truly helps, and I am now not only more visual
in my imagination, but have a much stronger appreciation for art overall.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Magnetic Memorization Question: Using English Words to Find Target
Words?
26 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
-1 and overcast, but with a pleasant bit of sun ...
Dear Memorizers,
I received a great question yesterday from a reader about the Magnetic

Memory concept of using the alphabetized Memory Palace system to
store the target language.
Here's what he writes:

I understand that I am placing Spanish words in the memory palaces with their
English meanings. How do I translate English to Spanish? The words in the
palace are cataloged in Spanish to English. Do I need another palace from English
to Spanish? I don't understand how to do this if I need to translate my English to
Spanish in a conversation.

I will probably know the answer to this question after I get into it more, but I am
trying to conceptualize to process now.

The first thing I would like to say in response is that you will definitely
know the answer once you try the method out. We're all different, and as I
point out in the book, these memorization techniques are like a bicycle. If
we can just see the techniques in this way, then it's easy to figure out ways
of adjusting the parts to suit our mental "bodies" so that we get the
smoothest and most successful ride possible.
That said, my experience is that the Palaces should be devoted to the

target language. The main reason is that we are focusing on learning
another language, not our own (though we can certainly use Magnetic
Memory method to memorize words in our own language that we haven't
learned yet, such as "ecmnesia," which I talked about in yesterday's
message).
I believe that if you earnestly assign a letter to a single Memory Palace
with all of the stations constructed so that you don't cross your own path
or trap yourself, you will find yourself zooming to the words you have
memorized and their meanings with no difficulty. It's something that has
to be experienced, but if the associations you have made in your mind
follow the guidelines of using a secure station within a familiar Memory
Palace, coupled with vibrant associations that make use of exaggerated
colors, size and zany actions, you will be magnetically pulled to the
location almost without thinking about it.
Once you're there, it's just a matter of reconstructing the word by allowing
the associations you made to reverse-engineer it for you. The better
rehearsed you are, the quicker this process will be. The more you use the
system, the faster you'll be able to "translate" the words into the target
language. This is a mental skill, and like all skills, it takes dedicated
practice. However, even without much practice, the dividends come very
quickly, though my hope is that people will get a taste of that power very
quickly and become hooked. Things just keep getting better and better the
more we expand the natural abilities of our minds. Trust me on that one.
Let me turn now to examples of why moving from English towards the
target language is key. Yesterday I learned and memorized that "franco"
means open, frank or outspoken. In my 'F' Memory Palace for Spanish, I
saw my friend Frank opening a window while shouting "oooooo-pen" at it
through a bullhorn (here I am incorporating sound into the image to give it
even more dimensionality).
Now, this is an interesting example because "franco" is cognate with the

English word "frank." They cross over, meaning that to search for
"franco" is to search for "frank" and vice versa. That helps, and in fact,
cognates are very common in Spanish.
Let's try one that isn't a cognate. In this example, I hope to demonstrate
further why it is important to store the words of your target language and
not the English words.
Let's work with "antao." This word means either "days gone by," "long
ago," or "last year." Using the Magnetic Memory method, I would have
many words that start with "ant" along a journey in my 'A' Palace. It's not
always possible to use this principle, but I do so whenever possible
because it familiarizes me with not only several words and their
meanings, but also how the language works. I get to see variations on the
same sounds and literally "own" a chunk of the dictionary in my mind."
The only real weakness I can find with this method is that the actual
meanings of the words can become quite random. For some of my
coaching clients, this has been readily solved by creating special Memory
Palaces for storing words that belong to a particular theme. One could
have a palace for vocabulary associated most closely with shopping, for
example. Ultimately, it's a matter of preference, but I still think that for
those of us serious about really knowing the vocabulary of a language, the
alphabetical Memory Palace method is best.
Back to "antao." Since my name is Anthony, I will see myself fighting

ants using a retro yo-yo that says "the past" on it. The ants are all dressed
like Roman soldiers from days gone by. I can compound this even further
by having the yo-yo accidentally strike a clock that sends the hour hand
whirling backwards to help strengthen the idea of the past. I can also have
a calendar from "last year" knocked off of the wall.
Now, my experience is that when I want to recall something like "last

year," my mind is naturally going to go back to this little vignette about
the yo-yo and the solider ants. My mind is going to fly to the vignette
almost faster than I am able to rationalize the process. This effect occurs
because that the word has a location. In other words, my mind actually
has a place to go instead of fishing around in the void. Also, I've taken
care to compound the meanings of the word using several elements that
help me remember variations on the word's meaning, rather than just one.
Finally, I've made the images of battling the ants with a yo-yo evoke the
sound of the Spanish word.
This compounding aspect is important, and here's why:
Had I operated in reverse, I would in essence need three different

locations for "antao" because the word has at least three different uses:
"long ago," last year," "days gone by." Would it be sufficient to have a
palace for just one of those? Probably not. By making all of my
associations link with the Spanish term itself, however, I can compound
more than one meaning at its station in the location. This is very powerful,
and as far as I can tell, too unwieldy to use the other way around. For
every word in your target language you store at a well-selected station in a
Memory Palace, you can pack in or string together an unlimited number
of meanings. This is readily the case the other way around.
I'm very grateful for questions like these and always appreciate feedback
from readers. Please don't hesitate to contact me with your questions.
On the matter of feedback, I have a small favor to ask: If you've enjoyed

learning about the Magnetic Memory method for vocabulary, please leave
a positive review of the book on Amazon. You could also mention this
newsletter so that people know they are getting more than just a book with
their purchase. I have made it my mission to help people memorize
vocabulary and your positive review will help people decide whether or
not this system is something they will want to add to their toolbox.
Why am I so passionate about helping people in this way? The answer is

simple: the more we as humans can communicate with one another based
a deeper understanding of other languages, the better our world will
become. We will share more with other cultures and other cultures will be
able to share more with us. My observation is that vocabulary is one of the
major stopping points that frustrates so many language-learners and I
believe that my approach to vocabulary memorization can help our world
grow by helping people transcend this barrier.
To that end, every review helps. All you have to do is search for the
Magnetic Memory series book you purchased on Amazon and leave your
positive comments by clicking the "write a customer review" button. If
you are able to do this and respond to this email with a copy of the review
you left, I have a special gift for you that I know you will enjoy.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
How to Use Free Email Services for Your Magnetic Memorization
Goals
27 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
1 and mostly sunny ...
Dear Memorizers,
I had a lovely bit of correspondence yesterday with a reader that raised an

interesting use of email for language learning that I had not thought to
mention before. It seems that this reader and I receive the same daily
Spanish language word server.
But before I share some sources you might want to peer into, I wanted to
quickly recap yesterday's message about why it is better to store the words
of our target language in our Memory Palaces as opposed to using our
own language in order to get to the target language.
If you haven't read yesterday's message for the full explanation, please be
sure to do so, but as a recap, the reasons we want to store the words of our
target language first and foremost are:
a) We are learning the target language, not our own language. Although
we could use the same system to memorize words in our native tongue we
don't know, such as when learning legal or medical terminology, fluency
comes from working with the language we want to learn first and
foremost and trusting your knowledge of your mother tongue to assist you
from the sidelines via association.
b) If we store the English words first, we limit our ability to store more
than one meaning for each word at a single station. To take yesterday's
example, it would be very difficult to store the multiple meanings of the
Spanish word "antao" using English words because we would need to
create 3 Memory Palaces to get them all in. However, if we use our 'A'
Memory Palace to store "antao," then we can readily squeeze in three
meanings into the station for that word, including "long ago," "days gone
by," and "last year."
Speaking of "antao," I learned this word from

http://www.spanishdict.com/. If you visit their site, you can sign up to
receive a daily word in Spanish. For German, I really like
http://www.german-flashcards.com/. And although I have long since
stopped using the rote learning software put out by Before You Know It, I
still use their word of the day service for several languages, including
German, Spanish, French and Russian (my big challenge right now
because it involves a different alphabet that requires a new approach to
memorizing effectively that I am currently working on). You can get
daily words sent to you from them by visiting:
http://www.transparent.com/word-of-the-day/.
For most languages, there are several ways that you can receive several
new words a day that will help increase your exposure to a language. If
the links I've just provided don't help you find what you need, then just
type the name of your target language into Google and add: "free word a
day."
The only word of caution you need to realize is that these services will
give you a wide variety of words that in some cases will bring you words
that native speakers don't even know. However, this is not a bad thing.
When you have your first experience explaining to someone the meaning
of a word in their own mother tongue that they don't recognize, you're
going to have a huge smile on your face and a very good feeling inside
your soul. I'll tell you about the first time this happened to me sometime
soon.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier

Pay Attention in the First Place
28 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
1 and overcast ...
Dear Memorizers,
I'm making a special video at the moment to show you exactly how to use
Excel files to create a record of your work with vocabulary and it should
be finished tomorrow. Until then, here's an extract from a project I'm
working on right now tentatively titled "The 21 Laws of Memorization."
The Sixth Law of Memory: Pay Attention In the First Place
Harry Lorayne made a major point about why we forget things: we never
paid attention to them in the first place. Were not engaged in the
information bombarding us, and yet we wonder why weve forgotten so
much.
Here's a well-known tip that we too often fail to use. When someone tells
you their name, repeat it. Thats the first thing. This will make you seem
much more engaged (because you will be), and it instantly aids your recall
of the name. Inside your mind, you can actually say the name quite loudly
to help increase your impression of it. Sometimes what is screamed sinks
in deeper than what is whispered.
Second, place it somewhere. You can imagine a nametag on their shirt, or

maybe suddenly a tattoo of their name appears on their forehead. The
point of mentally placing the information somewhere is that it helps your
unconscious mind feel safe.
Why? Because the unconscious mind doesnt like to lose things. In fact,
not paying attention is one of the unconscious minds secret ways of not
taking responsibility for forgetting. It lets the conscious you take all the
blame instead.
Third, create an association. If Mr. Baxters nose looks like a bean,

imagine it being chopped with a giant axe (but dont tell him this). Make
the image large, bright, colorful and be sure to include some form of
action.
Another way of saying that we need to pay attention in the first place is
to say that we need to make sure that new things really do make an
impression on us. We can better remember all new information we
encounter merely by paying attention to what it is and using visualization
to amplify it. Even just conceptualized amplification will help, such as
imagining that you are turning up the volume on a word or a phrase.
End of Extract
Keep your eyes open for the upcoming Excel video and until then, make
sure to teach someone what you have learned about memorization. It's the
best way to deepen your own understanding and to help make the world a
better - and more memorable - place. The more we remember, the more
we can remember, and the more we learn, the more we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier

Magnetic Memorization Kryptonite
29 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
0 and snowing ...
Dear Memorizers,
I mentioned yesterday that I have been hard at work on a video about

using Excel files as part of the Magnetic Memorization process.
To be honest, there have been some setbacks, mostly due to my learning

curve with using video-editing technologies. So until I can weed out some
of the kinks in the video, let me tell you about the dangers of Magnetic
Memorization Kryptonite.
It's true, dear Memorizers, that stuff is out there, lurking around every
corner.
Here are some of the things that impede memory on a biological level:
1. Diet. Research suggests that too many carbs can really bog the brain
down. They also say that tofu messes with the mind if taken excessively.
It's hard to imagine eating too much of the stuff, but apparently it has been
linked with dementia.
2. Smoking. Of course, it is in the nature of an addiction that one never

forgets to satisfy the cravings, but demonstrable research exists that shows
a connection between nicotine consumption and depleted memory.
3. Pain, especially chronic pain. This point leads us back to yesterday's

reference to Harry Lorayne, who said that we often don't remember things
because we didn't adequately pay attention to them in the first place.
Suffering is bound to reduce one's focus and create distraction from
memorization.
4. Thyroid disorders. Memory regulating hormones go way down if you

experience issues with your thyroid. It's best to keep on top of this kind of
issue anyway, but especially for the purposes of hanging on to all those
precious memories, but in the recent past and the far.
5. Sleep. Even the slightest bit of exhaustion can reduce recall. It also
interferes with the kind of conceptualization we use to build and populate
our Memory Palaces using the Magnetic Memory approach.
There are more forms of Magnetic Memorization Kryptonite lurking

around, so let me know if you think of any and I'll talk about them in a
future issue.
Until then, watch out for this nasty stuff and make sure to teach someone
what you have learned about memorization. It's the best way to deepen
your own understanding and to help make the world a better - and more
memorable - place. The more we remember, the more we can remember,
and the more we learn, the more we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Free Magnetic Memorization Excel File Video Walkthrough
30 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
1 with the promise of more snow ...
Dear Memorizers,
Here finally is the video I created on how to use Excel files as part of the
Magnetic Memory system for vocabulary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMPMuOyfke4
This video will show you how you can:
- Use Excel to create alphabetical groupings of your Memory Palaces

- List your stations in each location
- Store images, actions and the meanings of your words
- Memorize phrases
- Test the accuracy of your recall
I really had a lot of fun making this video - while also learning how to use
the amazing software that enables such productions. Let me know what
you think, and as always, feel free to send your questions and comments
by replying to any of the Magnetic Memory emails you've received.
Until next time, dear Memorizers, make sure to teach someone what you
have learned about memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own
understanding and to help make the world a better - and more memorable
- place. The more we remember, the more we can remember, and the
more we learn, the more we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier

Magnetic Memorization Sequencing
31 March 2013
Berlin, Germany
2 and still promising more snow ...
Dear Memorizers,
First off, if you haven't seen the Excel demonstration video I made for you
regarding the use of Excel files to test the memorization work you've
done, here's that link once again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMPMuOyfke4
Now onto the new:
I received a great question yesterday about "building into" existing

Memory Palaces in order to add new words.
Here is the message I received:
Anthony,

I'm really enjoying your stuff! I've just started using your book on German, after
coming across your blogs from comments at the mnetechnics site. I've been a
Latin teacher for many years, and am working on several languages at once, so
I'm very excited about using the memory palace and keyword techniques I've
been learning. I do have a question based on your book and emails. Your use of
loci for the alphabet, if I understand you correctly, is based on sequencing the
words alphabetically within each letter site. How then are you able to add new
words to a letter's site without upsetting the sequence, after you've already put in
your basic vocabulary, if you're going to add the new word in to its correct
alphabetical slot? I can see how I can add locations or extensions on to a site, but
that's just adding things on to the sequence, which won't work if you keep on
adding words (which I will) after I've already memorized a basic vocabulary list.

This is definitely an interesting issue and there are at least three main
experiments that I have made to address the occasional need to change the
sequence of a journey or otherwise expand the interior of a Memory
Palace.
1) Place an imaginary bookshelf or some other kind of invented station in
between two pre-existing stations. This is perhaps for memorizers who
have experienced success both with journeys based on real locations and
the use of imaginary constructions. If one takes the time to build a system
for memorizing a deck of cards based on numbers, sounds and a journey,
then one will be much better equipped to insert imaginary stations into
preexisting journeys.
2) Hazard a mnemonic palimpsest by using stations twice, i.e. having a

two-lane highway of alphabetical sequences (clunky and confusing, but
not without application in some cases, such as adding phrases to a
particular word - see the video I sent out yesterday for an example of
that).
3) Create a new palace for any given letter.
The first and third options have worked best for me. The third option is
especially useful for working with word types.
One of the things we can do, for example, is create a key like this (using
German as an example):
E1: Words that start with Eig

E2: Words that start with Ein
E3: Words that start with Ent
E4: Words that start with Er
... and so forth.
In doing something like this, one may have skipped a lot of different word
types, but what this method allows for is: a) create more space within a
single palace, and b) the addition of new palaces that respond to different
word types.
Admittedly, building multiple palaces for individual letters may not be for
everyone. However, it is always worth experimenting. The worst that can
happen is that one winds up with a vertiginous array of sub-journeys that
require mental demolishing. But that's all part of Mental-city
development, so to speak. Our minds are very receptive to these
experiments and revisions. The mind is infinitely capable of expanding of
bringing you into direct contact with your goals. Since Napoleon Hill's
"Think & Grow Rich" concept has such power, the world is just waiting
for a book called "Think & Grow Fluent." It's all just a mix of mindset,
desire, determination and the willingness to try each new technique we
learn at least twice in the spirit of experimentation.
A lot also depends on how one is using the Memory Palaces they have
prepared and predetermined. Are you sitting and devouring the dictionary.
Do you have a learning/memorizing plan based on themes, or are you
memorizing as you read a novel or so forth? Depending on the scenario, it
might be wise to have a variety of Palace-types for different scenarios, or,
as part of the preparation and predetermination stage, begin with greater
clarity about how exactly the Palaces are going to be used.
On that note, I have been spending a lot of time speaking German

recently, and it has come to my attention that I need to start experimenting
with a Memory Palace specifically designed for learning words on the fly,
or in some cases, re-familiarizing myself with words or compounding
them in real-time. For this purpose, I have been thinking about using an
administrative building at one of the universities I attended.
This building is appealing for a few reasons. Although I don't know it in

and out as such, it has eight floors and each has a cookie-cutter layout.
Thus, I can enter the floor from the elevator and complete an eight station
journey around the floor before moving down to the next one. (I want to
move down from the top of the building in order to obey the principle of
not trapping myself).
I'll have to report on how this experiment goes in future issues. Obviously,
one has to be super-fast in order to effectively memorize a word while
engaging in a conversation, but depending on with whom you are
speaking, great progress can be made. Plus, you'll have received the
meaning of the word in the target language itself and using a definition
from a native speaker. Combined, this makes for a powerful means of
boosting fluency indeed.
we can learn.
Sincerely,
Anthony Metivier
Conclusion
I hope youve had a lot of fun revisiting the past month of the Magnetic
Memory Mondays newsletter. I know Ive had a lot of fun writing it.
If youve enjoyed my work, Id like to ask you the favor of leaving a
positive review on Amazon, either of this newsletter or the original
Magnetic Memory series book that brought you to this newsletter.
As always, feel free to send my your questions, comments and concerns
with the Magnetic Memory System.
And as I like to say, make sure to teach someone what you have learned
about memorization. It's the best way to deepen your own understanding
and to help make the world a better - and more memorable - place. The
more we remember, the more we can remember, and the more we learn,
the more we can learn.
Further Resources For Memory & Memorization Techniques
Ive mentioned Harry Lorayne several times in this book, so lets start
with him. The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your
Memory at Work, at School and at Play is a wonderful resource. Get it
here:
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/harrylorayne
Loraynes website is also well worth visiting:
http://www.harrylorayne.com/
If youd like to hear a nearly 2 hour long interview with the man himself,
check out Youre Only an Aha! Moment from Greatness on this
website:
http://www.hardtofindseminars.com/Harry_Lorayne_Interview.htm
Youll also want to read Tony Buzan. I recommend Use Your Perfect
Memory.
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/tonybuzan
A recent memory book that has gotten everyone talking is Joshua Foers
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering
Everything has an appearance by Tony Buzan that is a delight to read. His
success with memorization skills is absolutely stunning. Heres the link:
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/moonwalking
Perhaps my favorite audio program is Dominic OBriens Quantum
Memory Power: Learn to Improve Your Memory. He reads the book
himself, making it a wonderful experience. His passion for memorization
techniques really shines through.
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/quantummemorypower
Youve probably seen Kevin Trudeau hawking his products on late night
television infomercials. Dont groan, however. His Mega Memory is one
of the best memory products Ive ever encountered. He talks a lot, but in
Mega Memory, everything he promises is right there, ready to be learned.
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/megamemory
From the world of magicians and mentalists, I recommend Richard
Osterlinds Easy to Master Mental Miracles.
http://www.mymagic.com/dvd/dvd-osterlind.htm
This book includes tons of other ideas as well that will have you amazing
your friends.
Tricks of the Mind is Derren Browns third book. It includes a very
powerful chapter on memorization that will take you further on your
journey as a memory artist:
http://memorizegermanvocabulary.com/DerrenBrown
Here is Anne Merritts article on vocabulary memorization:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationadvice/9816185/Foreign-
languages-how-to-memorise-vocabulary.html
Here is the link to the French conjugation website:
http://www.conjugation-fr.com/
If ever you are uncertain of how to pronounce French words, check out
this amazing resource:
www.forvo.com
It gives you not only one pronunciation, but also pronunciations by
different speakers who have uploaded their voices. This means that you
get a range of pronunciations and therefore a larger understanding of how
the word sounds in different contexts.
Finally, if you find any resources that you think should be included in
future editions of this book, please do not hesitate to send them to me at
rhizomatic@zoho.com.
Spread the word!
Do you like this newsletter? Has it helped you improve your Memory
Palace work with tangible results? If so, I want to ask you to help me tell
other people about it.
Since 2007 Ive made my living entirely by writing and teaching. Yet, I
have done very little promotion for my books. Nearly every sale has come
from people passing on the good news through word of mouth. So now
Im asking YOU to please help me spread the word. My belief is that the
more people on earth that are able to cultivate bilingual skills (if not
trilingual and more), the better our world will be. The vocabulary
memorization skills described in my books genuinely help people who use
them and the results are real.
Heres how you can help.
If you have an email list of friends and contacts, why not send them a
message about this newsletter and its contents?
Discuss the newsletter on web forums and message boards.
Print out a few relevant pages and leave them in any common area where
you work or meet with people. You can print your name on the copies so
that people know they belong to you and use the material to start great
conversations about language memorization.
If you have friends or contacts in the press or media, tell them about this
newsletter. They will definitely get a good story, article or feature out of
it. I can easily be contacted by emailing: learnandmemorize@zoho.com.
Write a review of the newsletter and tell people where they can find it.
Post your review on Amazon.
If you write guest blogs or speak on podcasts, mention how this newsletter
has helped you.
If you are a teacher, include this newsletter as part of your course or your
next product launch. You could also invite me to be a speaker and have
me offer your students individualized coaching while Im there. Contact
me for details.
Thank you.
Anthony Metivier
About the Author
Anthony Metivier completed his BA and MA in English Literature at
York University in Toronto, Canada. He earned a second MA in Media
and Communications from The European Graduate School in Switzerland
while completing a PhD in Humanities, also from York. As the author of
scholarly articles, fiction and poetry, he has taught Film Studies in
Canada, the United States and Germany. He plays the electric bass.

2013 Metivier Magnetic Memory Series.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced

in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or
otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Disclaimer and Terms of Use: The Author and Publisher have strived to
be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this book,
notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time
that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of
the Internet. While all attempts have been made to verify information
provided in this publication, the Author and Publisher assumes no
responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of the
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or organizations are unintentional.
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People around the world dream of becoming fluent in another language or

If you arent already subscribed to this newsletter, send a blank email to

5 Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good Memory

I'm thinking specifically of 5 fatal mistakes learners make that cause

5. Not Picking a Place for the Memory

Once upon a time, a client in my Magnetic Memory coaching program

In this case, my client was working on Spanish. He told me that when he

If that works, great.

It took him about a minute to "find" it in his mind.

Even if you're remembering something on the fly, stick it somewhere.

The take-away here, my friends, is that memorization is a lot like Real

For a lot of people, this is a tough nut to crack.

We shouldn't blame ourselves either. I myself am a very imaginative

Who can forget Dali's melting clock in "The Persistence of Memory," or

Think about memorizing vocabulary or terminology or facts like playing

In this case, your mind is the instrument, your memorization techniques

Is this rote learning? No.

This is also tied to the principle of location, believe it or not. Merely by

Relaxation is a key component to memorization that no one I've read talks

This is not ideal. In fact, it just won't do.

As always, teach someone what you've learned about memorization. It's

How to Improve Your Memory By Rolling Dice

This is kind of a funny story ...

And of course, this game got me very curious.

I rolled Snake Eyes, one and one.

"Whoa!" the kids shouted. "That'll be twenty cents."

"Twenty cents?" I asked.

A triumph, you ask? How can losing a client be a triumph?

With this link in your Memorizer's hands you'll get to:

Watch a 1hr+ slideshow-assisted training in real-time and with real

So if you'd like the link to the video teleconference presentation I gave to

As I mentioned yesterday, with this link you'll get to:

Watch a 1hr+ slideshow-assisted training in real-time and with real

It's been rough-going ever since.

It has given me the opportunity to get around to something I've wanted to

Hold a Tom Cruise marathon.

In my other life as a Film Professor, I often like to watch the arc of an

Well, these are the feverish thoughts of a memorization devotee during a

Here's what he writes:

Thanks for your message!

First of all, your English is very good.

As a beginner, help yourself out by picking ten words that proceed in

Now as it happens, I've just been working on a portion of my 'A' Memory

My 'A' Memory Palace starts in a home my mother used to live in down a

It's important, however, to take time before getting started to predetermine

One last thing:

Yes, I think it is very easy to come up with thousands of locations, if not

I'm grateful today for a new question/suggestion from a reader that in

Here's the note I received:

James Bond it was not.

Nonetheless, for beginners, I would suggest not using left/right

In sum, my opinion is that the success of a Memory Palace depends on the

First, a quick follow up on yesterday's message about using "big box"

Remember: familiarity = speed.

But what I really wanted to talk about today is my realization that

After grunting through my morning pushups, I was walking around the

Anyhow, as I walked, I thought about spoken word performers and how

Yes, having vocabulary, terminology and some of the world's greatest

How about yours?

The second question is:

What if I wanted to memorize a chapter in a textbook so I could ace a test on that

This is a great question.

Obviously I didn't memorize every word I read. But I did remember at

I also take a moment to relax. I may adopt a traditional meditation pose on