Here’s how a story can help you memorize a big list:
Yesterday I was studying about fire insurances. I came across a big list containing 8 lines of instructions. I was already bored to death. I had no energy left to cram this list.
The Method of Loci
I have known about The Method of Loci for some time now. But I never took the time to master it. I took out my phone, opened YouTube and searched for the method. Then, I started watching the first video. It was really good. I got super excited . So I tried it out myself. The result was pure gold. The method works like a charm. Here is the link to that video- The method of loci
Make sure that you skip to 4:25 minutes of the video. The first 4 minutes are unnecessary chatter.
This video shows how to incorporate an interconnected story to remember chunks of information. I used it to remember those fire insurance clauses. I can still remember the whole thing without revision. That blows my mind, as I’ve always been very bad at memorizing stuff.
Watch this to go to the next level
There’s another video that may come handy- when you need to memorize bigger lists. Here’s the link-
I was just thinking about how much options and resources I’ll have a year from now… And it makes me jealous.
A promise
Last birthday I promised something to myself. I’d do what’s meaningful. I’d stop chasing expedient pleasures. I finally manned up enough to consider sacrificing present consumptions for future gains.
It’s been more than 4 months since then and I’ve had some successes.
I’ve got a good morning routine. I do high intensity interval trainings (cardio) daily. I have quit smoking and sugar and do eat healthy. I started studying regularly and recently started learning Python.
Last week I won a scholarship and it ensured opportunity for paid internship after graduation.
I’ve been saving frugally and have saved more than I’ve ever saved before.
The anticipated result
Right now, I am a nobody. I have so little career opportunity that it baffles me. But, my future self is drowned in choices. He has a paid internship waiting for him. He will have a lot of my hard earned money to invest from. He will own a blog with hundreds of posts. He’ll be skilled at Python and security analysis. He’ll also be really healthy and energetic.
I’m jealous of him for that. But I know for sure that, he’s super proud of me 🙂
How you can use this
I am a big fan of Dr. Jordan Peterson. It was his book, that made this shift in me. He has this suggestion that, we should really think about our ideal future self and worst future self. Then use the ideal one as a pull forward. While the worst one is gonna push you from behind. This is your heaven and hell. And they are great motivators.
Interested in finding your own ideal self after one year? Here’s how to –
Think of your ideal day. List the important activities that may really compound into huge gains later. For example: strength training, eating healthy, extra-curriculars, meditation, learning a new language, learning a new skill, blogging, saving money etc. Then think of the gains you’ll have after 365 days of continuous effort.
Use your worst/laziest day to get an idea of worse future.
Hope this post helps you gain clarity and motivation. See you in the next post 🙂
I’ve been pondering about this thing in my mind recently. It’s self image. I think there’s two types of self image.
What I think of myself &
What I think that others may think of myself.
Pursuit of an ego-less state
Since I read The Power of Now, I’ve been in a pursuit of an ego-less state. Wait, the previous statement is wrong. I’ve been in the pursuit of an ego-less state at least 2 years before that. But I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for. The Power of Now let me put my thoughts in the right perspective.
I have had this book with me since I was 17 years old. Yet, I never read any of it until my 18th birthday. I don’t know why. I thought it was not something for me. I used to think that even without reading a line from the book. I thought I needed a book more like- the power of the future. Or at least something like- how to accept your past.
I intuitively knew The Power of Now was a good book though. Something inside me kept telling me that the power indeed is in the now. But I ignored that voice, up until my 18th birthday. After that, I finally read it. And I must say, It’s been the most influential book of my life.
One day I fell severely sick. This was after my 21st birthday. I had to stay on bed for almost 2 months. That is when I really started listening to Eckhart Tolle on YouTube. I also read his other book- A New Earth. Then, I watched all his interviews with Oprah. I also downloaded the audio version of his retreat called Journey into yourself.
All this made me come to terms with the first kind of self image. I started to really get transparent in this area.
But the second type kept creeping in. In my behavior, actions and decisions. I always knew it was there. But somehow I’d rationalize its existence. I’d say to myself things like- I need to know what others may think of me. Or something like, I have to keep a good image in front of others, it’s useful. This has been a burden that is too heavy to bear. But I kept bearing it anyway, in hopes of getting approval from others.
At last, I let it go
Last week, I started noticing this in me again. But this time it was different. This time I didn’t rationalize it anymore. I just let it go. And I’ve never felt lighter.
Why have I been successful to push it away now though? I don’t know the answer. But, maybe my daily meditation practice is the reason.
What I’m realizing now is, all my insecurities were based on false assumptions. Once I let go of ‘pretending’ to be someone I’m not, I’ve been better at social occasions. I’m spontaneous and genuine and I respect myself more for that.
Let me know if you ever struggled with any of this! I’d also like to know how you overcame your struggles.
I used to think my core value was freedom. And sometimes I’d add growth to the list. But, the day before yesterday I realized something. I could see it more clearly than ever. My core value is Pleasure. This is what gives meaning to my life. This is what dictates my thoughts and actions.
Some of you may read this and say ‘how lame!’. You may be tempted to hate or loathe me for saying this. But I don’t wanna ride a high horse here. This isn’t a value I consciously chose or anything. It’s who I am. And it took me years of self-awareness, studying, meditation and one day of running on the local streets to realize this.
running
Yes one day of running on the streets. That’s all it took. The day before yesterday was the first day ever for me to do this. I got out of my home at 6 am sharp and started running. The experience itself was blissful. I loved every second of it .
Upon returning home, I pondered: “why did I do that?”
The ‘Aha!’ moment
There was another question lurking behind. “Why am I so different than my peers?What dictates my thoughts and actions?“.
And I’ve always had ready made answers for these questions:
“Because you love growth and energy”
“Because you want to be free to do whatever you want”
“Because you want to be different”
“Because you want to be a role model”
Not today though. I wasn’t ready to take one of these as an answer anymore. I knew these were sub-par answers.
When I was 16 years old, I promised something to myself. A promise that has had an enormous effect on my life. A promise that I’ve yet to fulfill.
The promise was that-“ I’d make me free. Totally. Truly. Free from parents, society and every other obligations”.
This is when I thought my core value was freedom. That’s what ticks me.
Wrong. It’s not.
I digged deeper. Why does freedom matter anyway? Why do I care?
Answer was- ‘ So that you can pursue pleasure; just the way you want. So that you can travel and ditch 9-5. Meet exotic people and not be tied to one location. Eat whatever you want. Be whoever you want.’
Aha! I was on to something. I just wanted to please myself. Continuously. Generously. Every effing day, till death.
Why not just take drugs and watch Netflix though?
But why not do drugs then? Why work or do anything meaningful at all? Why not watch Netflix all day!
Well, good questions really. But I’ve got equally awesome answers for that.
First, I want to taste variety. Nothing wrong with a little drugs or Netflix. But, if I let them consume my life I may miss out on skydiving or dating a Ukrainian chick 😉
Secondly, This is not a sustainable model. I want to please myself for as long as possible. And in a positive way. Pursuing growth is a good idea in those regards. It’s pleasing and it ensures further access to more pleasure.
(If you want to get out of addictions like this but just don’t know how to break a bad habit, check this out- Practical steps to better habits )
So there you go. I just went on a rant about my core value. What’s yours? Lemme know! 🙂
RaihanRiad 