Is Your Memory Playing Tricks On You?
Mine likes to go into hiding when I walk into different rooms!
Hello my lovelies
It seems the older people get, the more touchy they get about their memories. Remember way back when we didn’t give a shit whether we remembered or forgot anything?
“Oh - sorry Sir, I forgot to bring my homework”
“Sorry Miss - I forgot to bring my sports uniform”
“Sorry I haven’t taken out the rubbish for …like…3000 days Mum…I forgot”
Yeah right? Memory was just something we left lying around - like dirty undies and old pizza boxes - only ever picking it up and dusting it off when it was crunch time - (need to pass this exam/need to buy tickets to this festival/need to find that guys’ phone number).
But now…ooooh it’s a whole different ball game - but which ball game specifically? Dunno - can’t remember!
Let’s bypass the ballgame metaphor for now and dive into the realm of what I like to call ‘Total (lack of) Recall’ - the phenomenan of standing in a room having a crystal clear intention of finding/doing something - in another room. I set off with purpose and vigour - excited by the fact that I’m about to ‘do the thing’ - only to enter the next room (apparently having suffered enroute, an attack of sudden onset amnesia) with absolutely no clue as to why I have walked into said room.
Like I said - if it happens when you’re young (and I couldn’t tell you if it does/or did - because I can’t remember) - there is a pretty low care factor, but as we get older, and our brains (and lives) get fuller and busier, this affliction (I’m not the only one right??) becomes annoying, frustrating and sometimes mildly disturbing. My dad passed away after a long and debilitating battle with Alzheimers, and for years I panicked every time I couldn’t remember my pin, or where I left my phone/keys/sunglasses.
But Fear Not
The good news is - if you find yourself going completely blank when you wander from one room to the next - it’s unlikely to be a sign of something sinister. You’re experiencing what scientists call ‘The Doorway Effect’ (thanks for the cool name Captain Obvious).
Through a series of experiments Professor of Psychology Gabriel Radvansky and his research team discovered that passing through doorways serves as a mental "event boundary," effectively separating our experiences on a subconscious level. For instance, when you're sitting in the loungeroom and have a thought to file your nails, so you go to the bathroom to find a nail file, crossing the threshold of a doorway triggers a mental segmentation of tasks. As a result, you may forget the initial purpose that prompted your impromptu journey.
This too explains why retracing your steps most often ‘triggers’ the original stimulus - bringing the thought back.
Mind like a steel trap (memory like a sieve)
Most of the time - as annoying as the ‘Doorway Effect’ can be - at least it’s not socially awkward. Unlike the syndrome ‘Lethologica’ - which always happens in the company of others, and can lead people to want to rip the carpet up and be swallowed by the floor when it strikes. Yes ‘Lethologica’ is the fancy-schmancy term for what most of us refer to as ‘being terrible at remembering names’.
A staggering 95% of people label themselves as being hopelessly forgetful when it comes to recalling names. And yet - it is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to make a great first impression and to build connection and rapport with others (and have them think you’re a charismatic frikkin’ genius!)
More Good News!
If you are one of the 95% of people who claim to have the mental capacity of a goldfish when it comes to name recall - I’ve got an exciting treat for you. After four decades of ‘professional remembering’ - scripts, songs, dance moves, keynote presentations, workshop content and yes - thousands of names - I’ve learned a thing or two about how memory works and how to make it work for you.
I’m super excited to be offering a fun, free webinar called ‘Cracking The Name Code’ on Wednesday March 27th. It’s going to be 45 minutes of memory myth busting, cool neuroscience and a whole toolkit for you to take away and use to help you become a ‘Name Recall Ninja’.
I really hope to see you there. Tell your friends (the one’s whose names you remember!)
Ciao Ciao for now lovelies.
Nathy G