Memory Palace

Found out that the key to remembering anything—whole books if you want to—is actually quite simple and entertaining.  The key is to create a palace in your memory, and to associate such intriguing pictures related somehow to what you’re trying to memorize, that it just sticks.

For instance, if I want to memorize the CFA (1) curriculum in time for my exam (a very difficult feat considering how much time my book’s publication has swallowed up), I should for example imagine a satyr discussing Hades’s financials with Zeus to show how Plato was technically supposed to go to the Elysian Fields because the assumptions used in his pension benefit obligation were altered and he actually didn’t owe anything at all (because his plan wasn’t overfunded)!(2)

I was first introduced to this concept while watching the show The Mentalist, but found this cool article describing Memory Athletes and their techniques—and it turned out they were using the same tricks.

So I don’t know if photographic memory exists or not, but the thing I do know is that, anyone who cares to can have a “superhuman” memory; all it takes is for you to turn the information you wish to learn into something memorable (and therefore interesting) to you!
(1) Chartered Financial Analyst.
(2) Actually, that’s a really good idea—I need to start working on my memory palace this weekend. If I manage to beat my laziness first :p