Dictionary
This is a concept I've shared with a few of my 30 Mighty Men, and various others on my journey. It came about as I was trying to figure out how I was going to memorize 3 sets of emergency procedures and operating limits for the aircraft I currently fly. I soon started applying it to other things like remembering names and memorizing scripture.
The 3 R's stand for Recent Repetition with Relevance. In order to remember something long term, I believe all 3 are vital. You must repeat what you're studying whether by saying it or writing it down, you must have recalled it to mind recently and you must find a way to make it relevant to your life.
These three can be inversely proportional in necessity; for instance, if something is extremely relevant, like your wife's birthday you probably don't need to remind yourself daily. If you recently answered a question on a test or read a Bible verse, it doesn't have to be as relevant to your life in order for you to recall it a few minutes later. And if someone has greeted you with a smile every day at work for 3 years, you probably will remember their name 10 years later.
Each of the 3 R's also might differ in effectiveness to different people, but for me, relevance is the key. I can remember a significant experience for years even though it only happened once, and I forget things that hold little relevance to my life even if I repeat them daily. That's why I really stink at “useless trivia" – something some of my friends are very good at! Who won the 1989 NL champion series playoffs, for example??? To me, it just doesn't matter, to a baseball fanatic, they can probably tell you who the MVP was…
My application is simple: to remember something, I first try to find some personal relevance. If its a name, I'll associate them with a good friend or family member with the same name. If repetition is more effective For someone, they might say the persons name several times. If I find it difficult to relate to something, I'll use a systematic repetition approach once a week so that I have always recalled the information as recently as 6 days or less. The ToDo app helps me set reminders to do this.
Like I mentioned earlier, remembering for the long term is what this systematic approach is all about, and after some time, if you apply this system, the memories will be seared into your brain; or better yet, hidden in your heart!
So that's it, I hope it helps you remember what you need to remember… If you remember this system of remembering!
Peace,
Adam
PS: God thinks it's pretty important to remember too:
remember the former things, of old; for I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Isaiah 46:9 (AMP)