How to Memorize Quickly: The Basics of being BRAV(-)e

The ability to memorize information quickly is not reserved to “nerdy geeks” who possess alien-like powers of the mind.  Normal, even semi-normal, human beings are equally as capable when it comes to memorizing information accurately and in record time.  However, there is one characteristic that you must have in order to memorize information quickly:
You’ve got to be brave without an e, or “BRAV(-)e”
The purpose of this article is to provide you with the basics of quick memorization techniques and, although you may not be aware of it at the moment, you were just given a technique that will allow you to remember what each one of these basic techniques are from now until the cows come home once you finish reading this article.

What is BRAV(-)e?

Technically speaking, Brav(-)e is a form of something called a “mnemonic” – which is just a fancy way of saying “technique that helps people to memorize information.”  Specific types of mnemonics are sometimes referred to as “mnemonic devices.”
For example, BRAV(-)e is a mnemonic device.  In particular it is an abbreviation and abbreviations are mnemonic devices that assist us in memorizing information quickly.
Abbreviations are usually easier to remember than more complex concepts or data.  You’re reading this article because you want to learn more about how to remember information quickly  and the abbreviation BRAV(-)e, which, once again is spoken as “brave without an e”, can help you do just that.  It stands for the following:

Belief 

In order to memorize information quickly first and foremost you must BELIEVE you can do just that.
This is a pretty simple concept:  you must possess a level of self confidence that allows you to place trust in your own ability to memorize the information quickly.  If you don’t believe you can memorize information quickly this doesn’t mean you are incapable of memorizing the information – but it will most likely take you a longer period of time to do so.
The problem is that there is an entire population of people on this planet who do not believe in themselves or have trust in their ability to develop a new skill.  This particular article is about memorizing things quickly, not developing a level of self confidence that will allow you to do so.
Yet all is not lost – if you don’t believe you can memorize information quickly, before you stop reading, ask yourself this question:
“If I learn the rest of the BRAV(-)e basics what will be the most likely result?”
Answer:  You may take a bit longer to do so than someone who already believes they can – but you will learn how to memorize information much more quickly.  This result, in turn, is going to foster a belief in yourself and you are also going to increase the amount of trust you have in your ability to learn a new skill.  You will continue to build on this foundation by continuing to use BRAV(-)e and in the process continue to increase your level of self confidence and trust will continue to improve.

Watch this video to learn a fun way to exercise your memory

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Repetition

In order to memorize information quickly you must repeatedly input this information to your brain.
It has probably taken you only a few minutes to read this article so far, but in those few minutes BRAV(-)e has been repeated to nine times.  Repetition is a key factor of quick memorization.  The main reason why repetition works is physiological.
Sports fans or people who partake in physical training may be familiar with the term “muscle memory.”  This is why coaches have athletes repeat a particular move or perform a specific technique (such as a curve ball) over, and over, and over, and over, (and over), again.  Each repetition helps the brain “memorize” how the body needs to perform.
Similarly, the brain “remembers” information by having electrical impulses travel to the part of the brain where the particular information is stored.  But what happens when this information is new?  The process is similar to creating a trail.
For example, when American pioneers first discovered the Oregon Trail they often got lost because the path was not clearly marked or mapped.  However, in just 25 years approximately half a million people used the trail.  Very quickly the trail became quite easy to follow.  Even today, almost 180 years later, there remain wagon ruts visible along the trail – talk about the power of repetition!

Association

In order to memorize new information quickly, associate the new information with information you already have memorized.
We just got finished explaining the importance of repetition when it comes to trailblazing a pathway in your brain to retrieve information you want to remember.  You can super-charge how quickly specific pathways can be created by associating them with information you already know.  This information can be directly related to the information you are memorizing, or it can simply be an association that reminds you of the information you are memorizing.
The reason association is so effective is related to how repetition works to help us memorize quickly.  Just as it is easier to follow a trail or path that is already marked and mapped, it is easier to remember how to get someplace new when you can associate what direction to take because you have landmarks you’re already familiar with to remind you which way to go.

Visualization

Employing the power of visualization is a powerful tool for memorizing new information quickly.
When it comes to memorizing data quickly, visualization is effective in more than one way.  First, visualization can assist in creating or enhancing your belief that you will be able to do so.  For instance, if you need to memorize a speech, repeating a detailed visualization of successfully delivering your memorized speech will increase your level of self confidence and belief in yourself.
Second, visualization enhances the power of associating new information with information that you already know or that reminds you of the new information you are memorizing.  For example, say you need to memorize the date that the Constitution of the United States was ratified.  You visualize your last birthday party and this reminds you that the month was September.  You visualize your great-grandmother at your party and this reminds you that the year was 1788 because your great-grandmother just turned 88.  You remember it was the 13th day because you told everybody what you wished for when you blew out your candles, which is bad luck – just like the number 13.

Adding the E to BRAV(-)e

After reading this article it should be clear that the main components of any specific method to memorize information quickly are:

• Have the belief that you can memorize information quickly
• Any and all methods used to assist memorizing the material (mnemonic devices) must be performed repeatedly
• Associate new information with information that you already know
• Practice visualization to enhance belief in your ability to memorize quickly, as well as enhance repetition and associations

Using all of these basic components “trains” your brain to memorize.  While being “brave without an e” isn’t effortless – over time it will take much less effort to memorize information quickly.

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