Everyday we are constantly bombarded with tons of television commercials products that promise to help improve our memory, be it a brand of milk with “special” ingredients or daily consumption of vitamin supplements to boost the brain’s memory. However, it’s always a question to the effectiveness of these commercials gimmicks.

The truth is it’s the memory muscles we trained each day that boost our memory. And you should not be too afraid that your memory will fail you. All it takes is a few simple techniques that will activate your brain cells.

1. Keep your brain running. Exercise your brain muscles as often as possible by remembering facts, figures, descriptions, numbers, addresses, and the like. Connect all you need to remember with stories and mnemonics. Remember that your brain keeps on growing and developing, so you’ll need to feed it. Play some memory improvement puzzles, like crosswords and mind games to keep your brain at a healthy level instead of watching television. Learning new things is a good way to keep your brain muscles strong. You can start by learning a new language or a new musical instrument.

2. Build up your physical body. The more you exercise the more oxygen circulate to your brain and heart. This can help prevent memory loss. Exercise can also help you feel more relaxed even during tense situations; and with relaxation comes a better chance of retaining the strength your memory.

3. Control your stress level. Do you experience that stress can actually make you more agitated and tense, thereby, making you more prone to forgetting things. You have a difficult time focusing on things. Identify things that make you stress and try to avoid them as much as you can. If you still feel under the weather, you might want to seek professional advice and therapy.

4. Seek to eat healthy. Food supplements may help you improve your memory; but, still, there remains no solid proof that these supplements actually work. Eating a healthy diet contributes to a healthy brain. This would help to keep your memory healthy. Try eating these foods as much as possible: blueberries, spinach, berries, and broccoli.

5. Organizing your life. Planning your time well will also help you maintain your memory’s performance. Organize your phone numbers in your address book, place your keys in the same place, your wallet in your bag, and your reading glasses on your neck. You know what I mean. Allocate or create a place where you would find significant items, so that you can find them when you need them. Besides, knowing that these items are where they are reduces the clutter in your head and helps you focus more.

Brain cells naturally degenerate over time. However, with all these hacks and tips, we can slow this process by living a healthy life and giving our memory leeway to perform better.

Discover the 7 Step Study System That Finally Reveals The Secrets to Score As’!

It is possible for you to accelerate your learning if you want to, you know that don’t you? Not besides helping yourself to learn faster, you can help others as well.

Whether you’re a trainer, a coach, or even a parent, this can be invaluable for you.

Everyone processes information differently -We all learn differently. A person who process thing in a certain way would learn faster using a particular method, using other learning methods would only slow him down. Now do you know why some people study so hard but could not do well in exams? That’s because the teaching method taught in school does not fit his way of processing information.

To start off, we have basically 3 ways of learning and processing…

The Examiner

The Examiner is an analytical person. If he is doing a math problem or applying a new job, he won’t understand it until he can mentally break down the process and fit it back together in his head. He has to memorize the process on the back of his hand before he can feel comfortable with the task or problem.

The ideal way to help the Examiner to accelerate his learning is to give him a great amount of time in the classroom or lab so he can devour the material and learn at their pace – without the pressures and distractions.

The Performer

The Performer is exactly opposite of the Examiner. If you want to help the Performer to learn faster, throw him in a room with the task or problem and let him play with it “physically”. He learns best if he can practice it with his own hands and learn with OTJ (On The Job) training. He’s one that would make a couple of mistakes, but that’s the gist of learning for The Performer. If you have a Performer, do not punish her for mistakes. He may make a few mistakes but he is on the process of learning. Punishing him may lose make you lose a valuable employee. And if you’re teaching your children, understand their learning strategies and praise them for their effort. This will actually encourage them and they will in turn learn faster.

In fact the more mistakes they make, the faster they learn.

The Observer

The Observer could also be called “The Modeler” or “The Imitator”. When the observer is in a classroom, he may seem to be the slowest learner. From outside, it is true that he is a slow student, but it’s certainly not true to say that he is a slow learner. The only people slow between the two are those who do not understand the learning processes of “The Observer”. The Observer understands in a holistic way and can only excel when he sees how everything links together. Only teaching in a holistic way would then provide them with an environment conducive to study.

Whether you are a teacher or a student, learning can be a nightmare or it can be fun. One thing for sure though, unless you know the person’s method of learning, it can be extremely hard to succeed in a particular field or subject.

Having said all of these methods, they are not the only ways people learn. But with these 3 main types, hopefully, with this information, you will be more equipped to train yourself up or groom another genius!

Discover the 7 Step Study System That Finally Reveals The Secrets to Score As’!

Studies that are carried out in the past 15 years have enabled us to understand more about how our brain works. These studies have spawned a new way of learning and are called Accelerated Learning Method.

What do I mean by Accelerated Learning? From the word accelerated, you can roughly guess that accelerated learning is a technique that uses a learning style that suits the individual because he relies on techniques that coincide with his favourite way of learning. Thus, the learner learns in a more natural way, accelerating his learning speed.

Hence, learning becomes more enjoyable and effective as Accelerated learning uses memory methods that are found in studies.

You may ask why is accelerated learning crucial to us? Well, in certain times, we may need to absorb or know information is a short notice of time. In order to do that, you need to apply accelerated learning to help you inculcate information in a logical and imaginative manner.

In relation, Harvard professor of education Howard Gardner developed his “Theory of Multiple Intelligences”. His theory suggests that IQ of a person cannot be gauged as a single fixed value through the standard written text. Gardner determined that intelligence is the capacity to provide solutions to problems or create a product which have value in one or many cultures. Simply put, he did not consider how smart the individual is; rather, it is more important to know how the individual is intelligent.

Gardner came up with 8 different kinds of intelligence. They are namely Linguistic Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Visual-Spatial Intelligence, Musical Intelligence, Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence, Interpersonal or Social Intelligence, Intrapersonal Intelligence, and Naturalist Intelligence.

Linguistic intelligence is the ability to use words to read, write and communicate with one another. People who have excellent linguistic intelligence are writers, authors and journalists.

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You may have heard accounts of children doing exceptionally well in high level academics studies. You may also heard children entering top university in the world at age 8 ,9 or 10.

It may sound impossible or crazy at first. You must be wondering if they are genius, whether they are talented or gifted. This is where Accelerated Learning comes in.

Accelerated Learning is a term coined to describe a series of ways to learn anything about any subject. This system of learning is based on the premise that anyone can learn anything, and tackles the idea of how to learn the actual process of learning, rather than how to learn only.

Accelerated learning is formed from a range of studies including how our brain works, what triggers our motivation and attention and what theory of intelligence and psychology of optimal performance may be applied.

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When you are given a project in school or at work, do you immediately make a step-by-step list of the tasks that you should perform in order to complete the project? Or, do you do everything that you can randomly and just try to organize and put together the project in the end, when you gathered have enough material?

If you have chosen the first option, then you may not be making the most of your mind’s potential. Making a linear, step-by-step list of the things that you need to do in order to accomplish a goal is much like how a computer’s ‘brain’ works.

On the other hand, if you have chosen the second option, then you have a wider array of choices when it comes to the paths that you can take to achieve your goal, since this is basically how mind mapping works.

Mind mapping is a concept or technique wherein your thinking process will be externally reflected in the form of an illustration or diagram. This was developed by Tony Buzan, who, in his web site www.imindmap.com, encourages people to “unleash the remaining 99% of their brain” through mind mapping.

This concept essentially follows the natural way that the human brain works. For example, when you think of or visualize the color red, your brain instinctively associates the word ‘red’ with apple, blood, cherries, a scarlet shirt that you may have worn at one time – anything that is associated with the color is what comes to your mind instead of just the word itself. So, from just one root word, your brain will immediately associate it with other words to broaden the scope of the topic.

This natural working of the brain, when illustrated on paper, is mind mapping. You can start by writing in the center of a piece of paper one word, representing one idea. From there - through the process of association – you can come up with several branches which all connect to your central idea.

The relationship between the main idea and all the branches that will stem out from the central theme is how the end process will look like. With mind mapping, you can organize your thoughts more coherently, new ideas will be better expressed and developed, you can retain information faster because of the fact that visual illustrations that you mapped out yourself is easier to remember than any list – all these and more are the benefits of mind mapping.

Aside from these benefits, there are hundreds of instances at work and in your home life where you can make use of the process of mind mapping to maximize your brain’s potential and save you a lot of time and effort when planning.

Brain enhancement, otherwise known as “neural enhancement” or “brain boosting” is the newest health fad to hit the market. But it does have its critics who believe that we need to spend some time thinking first about its physiological and ethical consequences before we accept its techniques.

There are two sides of the argument revolving around brain enhancement. On the positive side of the coin, some believe that we stand to breed a new generation of geniuses through brain boosting techniques. They believe there is nothing wrong with brain enhancement practices since it is just another way for people to improve themselves. But the downside of the argument is that we may be creating a race of monsters, if we’re not careful.

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you have a genie at your disposal?  You know, that gigantic magical creature appearing from the opaque smoke of Aladdin’s lamp who can grant three out of this world wishes?  Oh, how you’d love to give up a limb to purchase such an impressive product, right?

Fame, fortune, good health, loving relationships…all these would then be yours for the taking.  It’s like staring at a catalogue of the universe and pointing out the ones you want to be delivered at your doorstep.

But all those are just wishful thinking!

Well, not exactly.

There is actually a secret kept hidden from men that can allow the realization of their deepest desires and aspirations.  The secret is creative visualization.

Basically, creative visualization harnesses the power of your inner mind by converting your abstract thoughts into concrete reality.  It is founded on the premise that whatever exists in the physical level must first take place in a higher plane, which is the mental level.  Just take a look at the visual masterpieces of some of the greatest artists known to mankind like Michaelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.  Before they have picked up their respective paintbrushes, mixed the paint in their palettes or set up their reliable easels, they already have a well-defined image in their mind of what they are about to paint, one that is bursting with different vibrant shades.  They just didn’t go about splashing random colors on their canvass and prayed for the best.

Just like them, it would take serious effort and intense concentration to achieve your masterpiece.  Here are some guidelines for a calming creative visualization.

First, seek out your comfort zone.  Whether you prefer to meditate in silence at a church, a secluded oratory, a tranquil temple, in your disarranged cubicle or even in the comforts of your own bedroom, the most important thing you have to remember is that you have to be at ease.  Noise should be reduced at a minimum so that you can shut out from your actual environment.

Second, decide on your goal.  What is your pressing need for the moment?  If it is good health, then focus on attaining a healthy body. Imagine your medical examinations with positive outcomes and laboratory results on a normal level.  If you want abundance, imagine cash coming in your house.  Conjure images of checks in your name arriving at your mailbox.  Should you decide to heal a broken relationship, visualize yourself shaking hands with your partner.  Just create a distinct mental image of what you really want and let it stay on your mind.

Third, give positive feelings to your mental image. Be optimistic. Suffuse yourself with pure, unadulterated joy during that moment.  Feel exhilaration, excitement and peace.  Strip yourself of all the negative vibrations.  Let go of heartaches and heartbreaks.

Be consistent in performing this exercise.  If possible, set aside a few minutes of your time every day, preferably upon waking up in the morning and before going to sleep at night.  This will solidify your expectations and put you in the right mood as you go through the motions of your daily life.  Believe that the best will happen to you and your dreams will be realized sooner than expected.

Can you still recall the cartoon series featuring Wily Coyote and the Roadrunner?

“Fast” brings back the image of the Roadrunner zooming past the obstacles laid out by Wily Coyote.

Speed may allow you to arrive at your intended destination; but along the way, were you able to take note of the things that you may have missed while speeding along the fast lane? As in driving, zooming in fast does not give enough opportunity to see and enjoy the view. The same can be said about learning.

Much of what you learn can be acquired through reading. The simple activity of getting in a comfortable position and start reading a book of your choice opens a new world for you. Reading enables you to tap into the minds of great people.

The more you read, the more you know. In the hope of reading more books, some attempt fast track reading. It is believed that the faster you read, the more you cover.

Fast track reading may involve reading by phrases and concepts compared with the word-for-word method. Fast track reading enables you to cover more pages with the same rate. However, one limitation of this method of learning is that you tend to remember only a small portion of the main idea. There is danger that you might miss the important details in the book.

There is a solution for this. Few people are aware of this seldom-talked about technique in fast learning. This is based on the principle that the mind thinks in pictures.

Learning is accelerated when you “see” the whole idea of the write-up or book. Seeing “live pictures” of ideas and thoughts of the writer makes reading experiential and unforgettable. When you see nothing while reading, you learn nothing. Fast reading becomes useless.

This technique is called visualization. Visualization is vital to quick learning. Visualization in reading is like constructing a jigsaw puzzle where pieces are put together to form the whole picture. The whole thing not only “appears,” but actually “comes alive” before you. All of these happen in the realm of the mind.

Just going through the motions of fast reading can give you a hazy picture of the subject matter. But like a mist, this picture often quickly evaporates into thin air. Fast reading without visual pictures often informs but very seldom impresses.

Impressions last while information changes with time. Past information is easily forgotten in favor of new ones. Impressions change you, and these are stored permanently in the mind.

For learning to become effective, it requires brief pauses to be able to visualize and reflect. Effective learning is not about how fast you can finish reading a book. It is more on how you effectively comprehend the ideas brought forth by the writer.

Visual pictures provide lasting impressions. Go after ideas and how it will enrich people’s existence. Go for lasting impressions and insights that will mold you into better individuals.

Life is a long journey of learning. You need knowledge and wisdom to make your lifetime a meaningful one.

This is one reason why learning is an important tool for people so they can improve their lives. This learning will help you in becoming a better person.

Learning is not for students only. It is important in self- development. Everybody has to learn to face the realities of everyday life. There are always possibilities for improvement. For example:

You may be on a vacation at another country where you need to learn a few words of the native language to go about.

You may get a new position in your job that requires a different skill.

You may even find your kids asking your help in their homework.

All these situations are can happen in your life and they all require some degree of knowledge and capacity to learn the new skills. This is where accelerated learning can come in handy to deal with your tasks.

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