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Abstract

r brain is highly neuroplastic. That is to say, throughout our life, it changes — a lot. We have more control over the direction it takes than we might think.<h1 id="7e17">Our brains don’t reach full capacity and then go downhill from there</h1>There’s plenty of evidence to the contrary.<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49994260-limitless?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=gdsOeGzCkr&rank=1">Limitless</a> author Jim Kwik provides a clear example of this when considering London cabbies. To be a cab driver in London is no easy task — a lot of learning is required to pass the challenging exam.A prospective candidate must spend at least 3–4 years memorizing twenty-five-thousand streets in just one 10-kilometer city area. This has proven to have a profound effect on their brain.Researchers found that memorizing thousands of streets forced their brains to create new neural pathways. This changed the brain structure, increasing the gray matter in their memory centers. This is good news for us.<h1 id="5a93">We must first purge our minds of LIEs</h1>LIEs is an abbreviation for what the author calls Limited Ideas Entertained. One of these LIEs is that our IQ is fixed for life. Our IQ scores tend to stay more or less stable over time, but this doesn’t limit our learning capacity. Our intelligence level can grow over time.This idea of a fixed IQ is not only a LIE but can prove limiting and harmful in how we think about our potential to keep learning and growing. Does this mean we all have the potential for genius? Maybe — maybe not, but we can work to move closer in that direction.<h1 id="e0f6">To improve memory and concentration, try visualization techniques</h1>People often tell me that I have an excellent memory. I don’t think it’s so much as good as oddly selective on some of the details I can recall about long-past events.At this moment, I’d have to struggle to remember what clothes I wore yesterday. Yet, I can relay verbatim a silly conversation I had with friends many years ago. Most people will claim to have either a “good memory” or a “bad memory.”We want to think of it more as a trained memory or an untrained one. The author maintains that there are techniques you can learn to train your memory.Word association is one of these methods. This approach also works well with numbers

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or anything else you need to remember with visual imagery.Kwik gives a clear example of this: Let’s suppose you are shown a list of objects — fire hydrant, balloon, battery, barrel, board, and diamond.Now, you’re asked to memorize the list. Many of us would attempt this by repeating the list of objects in our heads. For most of us, this only goes so far. We get distracted, drop our focus, and suddenly, the list becomes muddled.Instead, think about a senseless story that includes all the words. For example, imagine a fire hydrant floating in the air lifted away on a giant balloon.But the balloon can’t possibly have enough power to lift the heavy hydrant, so there’s a battery on the balloon to supplement the extra lift. The hydrant will float so far until it hovers over a large barrel.This barrel is sitting on the end of a board, like a seesaw. Once the hydrant is released and falls into the barrel, the fire hydrant’s weight and velocity will catapult a large diamond toward you. Catch it, and the treasure is all yours.That story was so fun to play with that I created my version using the author’s original objects. But you get the point. So what if the story comes out like some crazy dream or psychedelic trip? Your list is easy to recall as long as you can imagine it.A similar memory trick works well to help prepare for a speech or presentation. It’s called the loci method. It works by first identifying the ten key points you want to discuss. Next, imagine a familiar space that you know well. Then, you want to think about a path through the room.You can effectively hit your talking points by assigning each a different object or place in the room. A wall clock might represent your keynote. When practicing your presentation, use your loci or locations as your guide as you walk through each topic.<h1 id="fd99">Summation</h1>We all can change our brains and continue learning despite our IQ scores. Memorization is a great way to exercise the brain and increase learning potential.Our intelligence grows over time. By using visualization techniques, we can improve our memories. Now that we’ve done away with a few myths, begin changing your own story and increasing more of that gray matter.</article></body>

A Few Simple Tricks to Ramp up Your Brainpower

Continue learning, improve memory, and focus better in a short time

Life is challenging these days. Whether learning another language, taking up an instrument, or jumping into a new hobby, stimulating our brains is a great way to redirect our focus from much of the external gloom and doom surrounding us and threatening our well-being.

I discovered an interesting read with some great learning tips on unleashing your inner genius. The author is Jim Kwik, and the book is called Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life

There are many great lessons and exercises to share. Here are three of my favorite tips in areas I struggle with myself.

You have the power to change your brain

The difficulty I have with writing isn’t the writing itself. It’s not finding the time or developing ideas for an article. It’s not the discipline required to get my butt in the chair to write every day.

My biggest struggle with writing comes from feeling inadequate when I compare my progress to other accomplished writers. I easily fall into the trap of thinking I’m not as good as they are. I’ll never master the skills, build the following, get into the prominent publications, and earn the money these other writers make.

It’s not the right way to measure growth and can prevent us from reaching our full potential. It puts everything in perspective when I reframe my thinking and compare my writing development from where I began and where I am today. I can see I’ve made measurable progress. I’ve reached many publishing goals, too.

Some beginner writers might even look to me and what I’ve accomplished as inspiration. The message is that a simple thinking shift can change the story.

In my case, it changed my inner narrative from being a failure to a success. Our brain is highly neuroplastic. That is to say, throughout our life, it changes — a lot. We have more control over the direction it takes than we might think.

Our brains don’t reach full capacity and then go downhill from there

There’s plenty of evidence to the contrary.

Limitless author Jim Kwik provides a clear example of this when considering London cabbies. To be a cab driver in London is no easy task — a lot of learning is required to pass the challenging exam.

A prospective candidate must spend at least 3–4 years memorizing twenty-five-thousand streets in just one 10-kilometer city area. This has proven to have a profound effect on their brain.

Researchers found that memorizing thousands of streets forced their brains to create new neural pathways. This changed the brain structure, increasing the gray matter in their memory centers. This is good news for us.

We must first purge our minds of LIEs

LIEs is an abbreviation for what the author calls Limited Ideas Entertained. One of these LIEs is that our IQ is fixed for life. Our IQ scores tend to stay more or less stable over time, but this doesn’t limit our learning capacity. Our intelligence level can grow over time.

This idea of a fixed IQ is not only a LIE but can prove limiting and harmful in how we think about our potential to keep learning and growing. Does this mean we all have the potential for genius? Maybe — maybe not, but we can work to move closer in that direction.

To improve memory and concentration, try visualization techniques

People often tell me that I have an excellent memory. I don’t think it’s so much as good as oddly selective on some of the details I can recall about long-past events.

At this moment, I’d have to struggle to remember what clothes I wore yesterday. Yet, I can relay verbatim a silly conversation I had with friends many years ago. Most people will claim to have either a “good memory” or a “bad memory.”

We want to think of it more as a trained memory or an untrained one. The author maintains that there are techniques you can learn to train your memory.

Word association is one of these methods. This approach also works well with numbers or anything else you need to remember with visual imagery.

Kwik gives a clear example of this: Let’s suppose you are shown a list of objects — fire hydrant, balloon, battery, barrel, board, and diamond.

Now, you’re asked to memorize the list. Many of us would attempt this by repeating the list of objects in our heads. For most of us, this only goes so far. We get distracted, drop our focus, and suddenly, the list becomes muddled.

Instead, think about a senseless story that includes all the words. For example, imagine a fire hydrant floating in the air lifted away on a giant balloon.

But the balloon can’t possibly have enough power to lift the heavy hydrant, so there’s a battery on the balloon to supplement the extra lift. The hydrant will float so far until it hovers over a large barrel.

This barrel is sitting on the end of a board, like a seesaw. Once the hydrant is released and falls into the barrel, the fire hydrant’s weight and velocity will catapult a large diamond toward you. Catch it, and the treasure is all yours.

That story was so fun to play with that I created my version using the author’s original objects. But you get the point. So what if the story comes out like some crazy dream or psychedelic trip? Your list is easy to recall as long as you can imagine it.

A similar memory trick works well to help prepare for a speech or presentation. It’s called the loci method. It works by first identifying the ten key points you want to discuss. Next, imagine a familiar space that you know well. Then, you want to think about a path through the room.

You can effectively hit your talking points by assigning each a different object or place in the room. A wall clock might represent your keynote. When practicing your presentation, use your loci or locations as your guide as you walk through each topic.

Summation

We all can change our brains and continue learning despite our IQ scores. Memorization is a great way to exercise the brain and increase learning potential.

Our intelligence grows over time. By using visualization techniques, we can improve our memories. Now that we’ve done away with a few myths, begin changing your own story and increasing more of that gray matter.