Game 5 of the 2010 World Series, 7th inning my girlfriend was talking smack in my ear and the Rangers had just lost the lead and most likely in the 7th inning with a hom.e run off Cliff Lee. An hour later we were walking to my car. 3 hours later we were broken up for good. Emotional night and I can recall every detail of it.

Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. I was sitting at a hamburger joint in downtown Ft Worth eating a Jake’s Hamburger #1 special while drinking a sweet tea. The 9th inning rolls along and we have a 2 run lead with 2 outs and 2 strikes but something isn’t right. I order a rum and coke to settle my nerves. Our closer on the mound Neftali Feliz, Nelson Cruz in right field, David Freese at the plate. I won’t even type what happened next because it is too painful for me. But I remember it crystal clear and that rum and coke was just the start. I stopped drinking a month later in December.

I remember these games CRYSTAL CLEAR, but what about the game I went to just a month ago against the Pirates, Astros or Angels? How did those games end? Gee…I’m trying to recall. How is it possible to recall 2-3 years later an exact date with crystal clear recall but just weeks ago I’m not even sure who won the game much less how the game played out?

Why? Action and emotion.

Where were you on 9-11?
When your baby was born?
Describe that car accident from 20 years ago:
Tell me about the time you broke your arm:
Most emotional sporting event memory:

You can! Why? Action and emotion. Emotion will cement something into your long term memory and so will action. It is the glue for our memory. If there is no action or emotion it will be harder for your memory to recall the details.

So how can you use this to your benefit? When you are memorizing something you need to use tons of vivid imagery with action and emotion. This week I taught a group of junior high students to memorize the presidents of the USA and when I said to imagine a washing machine for Washington I told them to make the picture bizarre, crazy and full of action and emotion in their minds.

So there you have it your brains will recall action and emotion. It is the glue of the memory.

To read an article on how to put emotion together with other items to really improve your memory click here http://ronwhitetraining.com/news/how-to-remember-1969.html

OH…Let’s go Texas Rangers!! My memory needs to replace my PAINFUL World Series memories with something special and positive!!

– Ron