Top 7 Memory Exercises To Remember Names And Faces
Nothing is as powerful as your name and hearing it called out can be the sweetest sound you hear.
Saying someone else's name is one of the fastest ways to create a connection with another person. It shows you care about them.
So, why is it so hard to remember someone else's name?
You aren't alone if you can't remember people's names easily. Many people face it every day and it can be quite embarrassing when you're in a social situation.
But, some techniques might help you. Some of these work for some people but not others, so you'll have to try the various tricks to see which one works for you to let you remember somebody else's name.
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Visualize It
It's said that President Franklin Roosevelt visualized writing a person's name on their forehead, so when he recalled somebody's face, he could remember their name written on it. Some people use this trick by writing and rewriting the name in different colors until the visual memory imprints. If you are a visually motivated person, this works well.
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Say It
Keep using the person's name frequently during your conversations, and especially when you say farewell. Using repetition can help adhere the name to your memory. However, you have to make sure you fix the right person in your mind to the name. Then, you can say that person's name aloud, in your head, or even just mouthing it. If you learn well by listening, this is a great technique.
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Write It Down
Keeping a little notebook with names and a couple of details or even writing the person's name on a business card can help cement the person in your memory. Some people use their fingertip to write the name repeatedly while talking to the person. Then, after the meeting, review your information, visualizing the person's face and name to help you remember.
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Use Associations
Connect the person's name to an unusual feature. Maybe they always wear a particular shirt or have a birthmark. Perhaps they have a distinctive way of saying things. It doesn't need to be tricky or funny, just simple connections between a feature and a name. If you learn best by doing things, try this technique first.
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Using mnemonic device
For difficult names, break the names down into syllables or smaller associations. That way, if you remember part of the name, you still have a leg up on people who don't remember anything. Any of the above techniques can work for this, helping you to remember parts of the whole in a more simple way.
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Pay Attention
Turn all of your attention to the person you are meeting and their name. Then, keep your focus on them for at least 30 more seconds so you can cement that information in your mind. When you put your whole attention on something, it activates many parts of your brain, and that can turn it into a firm memory.
Thinking about what you want to say next or where you need to go after this doesn't allow your brain to activate your ability to form good memories. So take a short time and really focus, and we're sure your conversations will improve with just this one little tip.
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Stop Worrying About What You're Going To Say Next
In an interview with CNBC, Ron White, the winner of the US Memory Championship in 2009 and 2010 said, "A major reason you don't recall names is you weren't listening. Someone says their name, and two seconds later, you don't know it. This is not a memory problem. It is a focus problem."
Giving your full attention to somebody means you're not worried about what you're going to say next. It creates better relationships to listen more than you talk.
You can remember people's names easily if you put in the practice to do it. It may take a little time to develop the focus to remember names and details, but it's worth it.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway of this blog is to focus on the other person more than yourself. Remembering the name can make a person feel good and you do this by asking questions and giving them your whole focus. In the end, they might not remember what you said or remember your name, but they will remember you're the person that made them feel special.
And like Dale Carnegie said, people remember how you make them feel, so make them feel good.