Memory Techniques From a Comedian

I met a guy in college my freshman year, and we ended up being friends. Not close friends, but we were in the same major and so we'd see each other around campus. Immediately after I met him, I forgot his name. I was too naive and embarrassed to ask him again, so I spent 4 years trying to remember it. Every time we'd meet, he'd say Hello Jan and I'd say how's it going, or great to see you.

At a big end of year party my senior year, he came up to me and gave me a big hug . . .and said Jan we did it! We're graduating. I felt awful that I couldn't remember his name. After he left, I offered a couple beers to the first friend of mine who could find it out. So when he came up later, my friend Louise jumped out and said Hey, I'm Louise . . who are you. And we got his name.

My theme this week is memory tips. I'm better at remembering things now because I have to . . I do 3 or 4 jokes a minute in my act. My first memory tip - one way I remember a lot of information, is that I say it out loud as fast as I can, several times. This technique kind of burns the jokes into my brain, so when I'm saying it in front of an audience, they roll naturally and conversationally,  and I'm not in my head trying to remember my words.

ACTION: Try it next time you have to remember a lot of information. Say it out loud, fast several times. Then it'll kind of get ingrained in your head. And you can remember it, and talk without a lot of ums and ahs.   It really works!

That's it for today. Take care and enjoy your journey.