MarketLife Ep 24 – Using memory pegs to remember anything and everything

This episode picks up where we left off last week, and I share a technique for learning remembering anything you want to learn with nearly perfect recall. One thing is important: I go through an exercise in this episode in which I work through a list of words, associating images with the (French) genders for the (English) words. Yes, this is a contrived exercise, but the point here is that you do the visualization with me–actively. Take the time to do it, and to engage your brain in the exercise, and then spend some time this week applying this concept to anything you need to remember.

This is only a tool, but it is a powerful tool. You have to do the work to hone it and own it. If you do, I can promise you will amaze yourself.

Here are the show notes:

Review

  • The ways we were taught to learn might not be the best. Better ways respect how the brain works.
  • Best ways focus on connections between ideas. “Neurons that fire together wire together”
  • What is most memorable?
    • Stories, drama, humor, sex.
    • Use these!

One of the right tools:

  • Memory pegs:
    • Vivid images or stories that go with each concept
    • All senses, not just “visualization”
    • Exaggerate
    • Create motion and/or life
    • Silly is good.
  • Example: learning genders for words in a foreign language
    • French: masculine & feminine (fire/explosion & freezing/disintegrating)
    • Sample word list (pay attention and stay engaged! Do the exercise with me.)
  • Pegs for other ideas
    • Apply this idea to anything you need to remember.
    • If you want an isolated exercise this link will take you to a random Wikipedia article

Next week:

  • Objections and concerns
  • Spaced repetition system

If you enjoy the podcast, one of the very best things you can do for me is to leave me a review on iTunes here.

Also, if you like the music for this podcast, then be sure to check out Brian Ashley Jones, my friend, and a fantastic singer-songwriter.

Enjoy the show:

AdamHGrimes

Adam Grimes has over two decades of experience in the industry as a trader, analyst and system developer. The author of a best-selling trading book, he has traded for his own account, for a top prop firm, and spent several years at the New York Mercantile Exchange. He focuses on the intersection of quantitative analysis and discretionary trading, and has a talent for teaching and helping traders find their own way in the market.

This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. A_Joe

    Cool ! Thank You 🙂

  2. Nick

    Hi Adam: In case you missed. had posted this earlier:
    Hi Adam: I could not find a way to comment on the most recent podcast, hence putting my comment here. In many of your writings as well as the most recent podcast, you have mentioned looking at charts prior to going to bed. Given that the stock market closes much earlier in the evening, can you please elaborate on some of the benefits and what is happening if we look at charts before going to bed? Thank you

    1. Adam Grimes

      Good question, and I answered it in a post on my blog. Thank you for your question!

  3. SamB

    Bravo! I used a similar technique to learn Morse code about ten years ago. Even after taking a few years away from the craft those goofy little pictures representing the letters come right back…. ex, “D” = _ . . = “dog did it” = a picture of two people pointing to a steaming pile of dog poop! How are you ever going to forget that. Thanks for idea of expanding these techniques.

    1. Adam Grimes

      Yeah, it really does make information surprisingly permanent. People are afraid that it’s a crutch… but it’s a crutch that works. 🙂

  4. theWard

    Hello Adam, this is really interesting and does help. I was wondering, how can I use this or is there another method that is better for memorizing Bible verses?

    1. Adam Grimes

      There are many ways you could adapt this… stay tuned for the next few podcast episodes and see if starts to come together for you.

  5. Shashank G

    Thanks Adam. Very helpful

    1. Adam Grimes

      Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

Comments are closed.