People remember everything they read because they have a system to remember everything in their brains. You may feel like they might have a super brain, but it’s not like that. Every piece of information they come across can be carried by these people. You are reading this post because you are not one of them.
The fact that you can’t recall what you read is terrible. You may have read hundreds of books and articles. Normally, people are able to remember unusual events like parties or some scenarios of weddings, but it is very difficult to remember something that we read.
Don’t worry, I was also like you before learning this system for remembering everything. I was used to reading hundreds of non-fiction self-development books and could not recall more than 3 facts from the books. So the meaning of reading was ignored because you always need to remember the insights of self-development books so you can efficiently work on them.
Types of human memory in remembering something:
After some research, I learned that some people have terrible memories, some have ordinary ones, and some have extraordinary ones like photographic memories. Could we change our memory from a terrible or ordinary one to an extraordinary memory?
As a result, I adopted a system and changed my reading style, which has helped me tremendously. Here it is
System: Take Notes, Revise, Categorise, & File
This system consists of three parts. Always take notes and highlight important points when you read. When you complete your reading, revisit or revise your highlighted points. Now write the answers somewhere physically and sort them systematically. This updated system of learning can slow down your reading speed by 30% to 40%. The reason behind this system is that it helps keep the information more sticky in your head.
It is not the system that can change your mind into a super brain. But it is a practical and methodical process that takes time. This system allows learners to read and digest the information. So you can think critically about it and reuse it efficiently. This is an enjoyable process for learners. I also enjoy reading books and learning new things because it’s a pleasurable activity.
This system builds an external brain for you:
What this system does is, builds an external brain. Because you cannot remember everything you read. Taking notes and organizing them do this for you. Organizing your notes will help you remember them better, and you can save them once they’re organized. If you are unable to recall anything about the topic. You don’t have to go through the whole book, you can simply open your notes.
Conclusion – A system to remember everything:
Whether you use this method on a physical book or an ebook. The thing that matters most is getting started. Even starting imperfectly is better than not starting in the hope or delusion of perfection.
I have practiced this system for years and I have evolved through it. I will continue practicing this and improve my memory system. I love to read ebooks and listen to audiobooks. It helps me a lot to not get bored.
Please let me know if you practiced this amazing system. I’m open to your queries and suggestions.