Okay.
All right. So, starting from the beginning.
[COUGH] It was, eight, seven, eight, three,
seven, one, three, eight, four, four,
six, zero, four, eight, eight, six, eight,
seven, three, nine, six, two, four two, one.
>> How did you do that?
[INAUDIBLE] >> This is, this is also as impressive.
I can do it backwards, if you want.
So, one two, four, two, six,
nine, three seven, eight six,
eights, eight, four, zero, six,
four, four, eight, three, one,
seven, three, eight, seven, eight.
>> Oh, my word.
I, I'm, I'm really impressed.
I wish, I could do that.
That, that's pretty amazing.
Now, I understand that you develop this kind of expertise,
by using a memory system.
That, that your not a natural memory expert, is that right?
>> [INAUDIBLE] That's right.
This is something that I taught myself many many years ago.
Before that I just have an average memory.
And I you know, I, I trained it using memory techniques, and a lot of practice.
And it's interesting you know,
a lot of people just assume that I have a natural memory, or I was born with it.
So, they are always surprised to hear, that its actually, something trained.
Were actually looking for, other people looking for a people,
who have those natural skills.
And, the, it's, it's, it's a point of interest to,
to see if that exists out there.
>> Well, can you tell us a little bit about the system,
that you use to remember numbers?
How much practice do you have to put in every day,
to keep up with this kind of system?
And it is, is it the kind of thing that's useful,
or worthwhile for an ordinary person to do?
>> Yeah.
So, keep in mind that I'm training for a competition, so, I take
it to the next level of you know, I'm, I'm, it's my profession, it's my work.
So I, I take it very seriously, and spend hours a day, in training.
But when I started, you know, it was just a hobby.
And I think, for the, everyday a person, who maybe struggles with memory, you know,
they'd wanna hear that, it's takes very limited,
not it takes a very short amount of time to get as good at these techniques.
You don't have to spend hours, is what I'm saying.
But there are some things that are harder than others.
For example, numbers requires [COUGH] a bit of prep.
Basically, the way I do it, is I'll come up with pictures for
all these different numbers, so that every time I see a number,
I think of something else, that's more familiar to my brain.
So, if you were gonna learn the number system, and you wanted to get very good at
numbers, you would have to put in a bit of prep time.
But for the most part it's, it's pretty easy to do these techniques.
>> [INAUDIBLE] I like that.
That sounds like, it's something that's doable by normal human beings.
>> Totally, yep.
>> But I'd like to shift now, to something that I've always had a little bit of
trouble with, and that's remembering names.
What kind of techniques do you have, for memorizing names?
>> Yep, so that's probably, the most common question I get.
Cuz that's probably, the most useful every day thing is,
how do I remember the name of someone I met or meet.
So, the idea is, well, basically,
any memory technique involves two things, in my opinion.
One is visualization.
So turning, anything, you're trying to memorize into a picture, a mental picture.
That's filled with associations, that mean something to you.
Right? To yourself.
The second thing is to attach that image, to some location.
There are different ways you can do that.
The most common is, is this thing called the memory palace,
where you use a familiar place like your house, and you attach these images to a,
a bunch of different locations around a path in this place, your house.
And the idea [INAUDIBLE] is you remember your house.
So, it's easy to pick up, where you left all these things, and
you can remember things in order, easier.
[NOISE] For names it's a bit different because people come in, and
out of your life.
So, you don't know, where, or how, or if you should store, a certain person.
You may not ever seem them again.
[LAUGH] So, what happens is you use some distinguishing feature about them,
as the location to store the image for their name.
So when I meet someone I always ask you know, well, first I pay attention.
That's kind of the first thing.
Then, I'm focusing in on something about their face, or body, or
their composure, and whatever sticks out, I go with it.
That's my location.
That's my anchor.
And then, I ask for their name, and I turn that name into, whatever it reminds me of.
It sometimes could be a friend who has the same name, a celebrity,
a cartoon character.
It could maybe be [INAUDIBLE] a name that sounds like an objects or
it just could be something It feels like, or I break it down into smaller pieces,
and that reminds me of something.
It's it's, it's all a bit of practice.