Anthony Metivier Podcasty

If you want to learn new skills, the process doesn’t have to be difficult. What might challenge you, however, is first learning the most effective process for rapidly acquiring expertise. Then you have all the gurus telling you what to do and how to do it based on their journeys. Sure, sometimes you can follow their tips. But let’s get one huge pro…

Some people say that visual memory boils down to recalling what things look like. That’s part of the picture, sure. But if you really want to understand visual memory thoroughly, you need to dig deeper. And that’s exactly what we’re going to get into on this page. Visual memory ranges from the concrete to the incredibly abstract. It is essential fo…

Intrapersonal intelligence is one of the most powerful psychological assets you can develop. Why? Because it’s the key to studying independently. This is because intrapersonal intelligence allows you to imagine what other people think and the thought processes they use to accomplish their goals. In other words, if you want to succeed like Einstein,…

If you want to remember a story, the process is actually pretty simple. You can be as detailed as you like, or just recite the general gist of a tale. And by the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to entertain people at parties or include stories in your speeches and presentations. Or maybe you want to better convince your friends to read stories a…

Have you been told that you’re a linear thinker? You might have received it as a compliment or a criticism. Either way, people use the term in so many different ways, it can be hard to figure out what exactly linear thinking is supposed to be. Well, if you want to become a better thinker, you’re in the right place. We’re about to think linearly abo…

Why do I keep forgetting things? I’m an internationally acclaimed memory expert, after all. The answer is actually very simple, and it will probably surprise you. But even better than shock and amaze you, I think the answer will help you tremendously. You see, there are some incredibly simple techniques that will help you remember just about anythi…

Lots of people do brain exercises, often in the form of brain games. You’ve probably even tried a few, right? That’s all fine and dandy, but there’s a catch: Playing mental exercise games on your “smartphone” is not necessarily brain exercise. It might not even be mentally stimulating. Not by a long shot. But don’t worry. I’m about to reveal some m…

My worst mental block happened back in 2008 while giving a lecture. I was standing behind the podium when a huge panic attack burst inside my chest. Although I’m usually very good at remembering what I want to say, when I want to say it… during that moment, I found myself speechless. I had no idea what I had just been talking about and couldn’t fin…

Did you know that you can use mental stimulation to cause new brain cells to grow and connect? It’s true. The process is called neurogenesis and anyone can do it. But you might lack confidence when it comes to understanding and using the techniques. And I can’t blame you. Tinkering with your brain can feel scary. But rest assured. I do it all the t…

Want the best way to study and memorize? Without all the pain and hassle of boring scientific explanations that are themselves hard to understand? You’re in luck. I’ve sat for some of the most competitive exams that exist over eleven years of university. Despite many personal challenges, I managed to get my Ph.d. and have picked up many other certi…

Although philosophy and psychology have always been intertwined, the surprising difference you’re about to discover is incredibly valuable to understand. You see, there are a lot of simplistic discussions about philosophy vs psychology. For example, some people will say things like: Philosophy studies wisdom while psychology studies the soul Philos…

Wouldn’t it be great if there was an ultimate list of thought processes? A definitive resource you could bookmark and refer to whenever you want to sharpen your thinking? I thought so too, and that’s why I decided to create one. Who am I to care so much about thought processes and talk about them in-depth? Well, I taught an advanced critical thinki…

A major problem with philosophy is that just about every philosopher has a different definition of what they do as a philosopher. This is sad because it turns a lot of people off who would otherwise benefit tremendously from exploring the art, science and craft of philosophy. So let’s simplify things by looking at the two ways philosophers define t…

People who use memory techniques enjoy a diversity of terms. “Memory Palace” is my favorite, but more and more I’m leaning towards adapting Lynne Kelly’s use of the term “memory spaces.” I like it because that’s essentially what a Memory Palace is: a space for storing information. Of course, we’re usually using an imaginary version of that space. H…

Why study philosophy? After all, aren’t philosophers just a bunch of people who use big words in unreadable books? I mean, think about it… Half the time it seems like they’re preaching to us about how we should act in the world while they bumble through their personal lives. Although that assumption can prove true more often than I’d like, the impo…

It’s hard to find good info on long-term memory, isn’t it? You get drowned in difficult terminology, when all you want is to understand what it is and learn how to improve it. On this page, you’re going to discover the different types of long-term memory in plain English. But that doesn’t mean we’ll be skimping on the science of this type of memory…

The best way to study flashcards is not to study them at all. Now, before you bounce away, hear me out. There’s a small set of techniques that make learning with flashcards so fast, you really won’t feel like you’re studying at all. Instead, you’ll feel like you’re creating the knowledge you want to learn. Isn’t that exciting? I’ve been using cards…

Memory works like breathing and blinking: You can control it to a certain extent and it operates entirely on autopilot, whether you’re paying attention to it or not. How do we know? Think about your home. Did you have to work hard to learn the layout? Probably not. You probably learned it automatically. The alphabet, on the other hand, required exe…

Podcast recording updated 04/01/22 Picture this: Exams loom on the horizon and you’re staring at a stack of unread textbooks so large it would make any sane student shake in their boots. Maybe you got behind in your reading over the course of the semester… Or maybe your professor assigned additional reading you haven’t gotten around to yet… Whateve…

Do you want to know why questioning everything is the best policy in life? It’s because humans are prone to error, including the smartest amongst us. In fact, there’s a principle called “the curse of knowledge” that highlights this problem. A popular example of how this plays out in life is in the exchanges between Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes. H…

The number one reason students struggle to find the main points in their reading is simple: You are being tested on your ability to figure out what they are and why they’re important. Teachers worth their salt won’t give you the answers because to do so violates your ability to learn this skill. Why is this true? Because all of human progress relie…

We are all naive sometimes. And make no mistake: That can be a very good thing in the right context. Why? Because the core of scientific, philosophical and personal progress requires the ability to see the world with fresh eyes. By the same token, being naive can also be incredibly destructive. It can force you to miss out on so many of life’s plea…

Are you confused by the amount of advice related to deliberate practice? I don’t blame you. After all, there are lots of different kinds of skills that require different kinds of practice. Not only that, but some people use a different term: dedicated practice. You might also see it called intentional practice. These variations on the term only add…

David Perell is an author who helps people excel in what you might call the business of creativity. And frankly, I think he’s a memory artist too. For example, everything that has to do with writing winds up involving the most positive form of spaced repetition. It’s like the ultimate mnemonic device. But it’s not traditional spaced repetition or r…

If you’re wondering how to read a book and remember everything like a professional scholar, this is one of the most helpful tips I can give: Sit down, open a book and read. Of course, I have more secrets to share than just that. But isn’t common sense powerful? It is. And it’s getting even more powerful as modern life creates more and more distract…

Want to know why concrete thinking is so difficult to define? It’s because people use the term in many different ways. Many will refer to how Jean Piaget used it. In his work, the term essentially means that children interact with the world in very direct ways with very few concepts. As we grow, we develop and use a variety of abstractions to navig…

Struggling to come to grips with abstract thinking? What exactly is abstract thought and how can you improve it? And if necessary, how can you avoid being too abstract so that others can always understand what you’re trying to say? On this page, we’ll discuss abstract reasoning in-depth. You’ll also get some abstract thinking exercises that will he…

Ever heard of a note taking technique that involves vibrant colors and keywords and asked yourself… What on earth is this mindmapping stuff all about? I used to ask myself that question too. Then, one day I started to dig into the topic seriously. I soon discovered that Tony Buzan had developed a number of laws for mapping the mind well. So well in…

Is intelligence fixed? Of course not. Think about artificial intelligence. It’s been improving each and every year. And so has human intelligence. As you’ll see, this has been proven by looking at the improvement of IQ scores over the years. However, there is a catch. Lately, IQs have been slipping again. This means that not only can your intellige…

Scott Gosnell’s translations of the memory improvement books of Giordano Bruno are legendary. They have enabled English readers around the world to access some of the richest ideas for using the Memory Palace technique around. Now, Scott is launching a revised and updated edition of his first translation: On the Shadows of Ideas. Frankly, this is t…

Normally when we think about the Memory Palace technique, it’s for virtuous outcomes. For example, medical students use it to learn the skills that help them save lives. Hannibal Lecter? Not so much. In fact, this fictional doctor has such a horrible memory problem, the ways he uses the technique almost puts it to shame. Good thing then that it tru…

Want to know why the biggest barriers to critical thinking are so insidious? The answer is simple: It’s because they’re lurking inside you. And if you don’t know that these barriers are standing between you and exploding your thinking abilities, you’re powerless to improve your situation. Starting right now, let’s identify and remove the biggest ba…

If you want to know how to increase IQ, the answer is simple. Create and complete goals. Sounds like a sweeping statement, doesn’t it? I’ll explain why it’s true on this page. And rest assured, the main reason why intelligence goes stagnant in the first place is also simple to explain. It comes from the absence of goals, or the bad habit of not com…

Do you wish you knew how to remember everything you hear? If so, you might feel like you’re a poor listener because you forget so many details. Worse, you wind up losing out on so many opportunities to participate in the present and take action in the future. For example, let’s say someone mentions a book. You know you just have to read it because …

Imagine memorizing 70 decks of playing cards to raise money for Alzheimer’s. Not just to fund research into curing the disease, but also to support front line workers who help care for the victims of this cruel disease. Well, that’s the goal memory athlete Braden Adams set for himself. Think about this for a second: That’s 70 times 52… 3640 cards, …

If you’ve spent any amount of time looking into memory improvement courses, you’ve come across the name Ron White. But you might be wondering… Is his Black Belt Memory course any good? In a word: Yes. And if you’ve struggled with other memory improvement books and courses, his approach might just be the ticket. One reason why is because the course …

Don’t you hate it when you learn NOTHING from a course? Me too. I can’t stand it. And it’s the teacher’s fault right? Well… not so fast. It’s entirely possible that even the best teacher is fighting a tradition and system that’s rigged to fail. Not only that, but there’s the question of what makes an experience “meaningful” in the first place, let …

Want to know how to memorize a paragraph fast? Tired of the standard advice about using linking and rote repetition? I hope so, because it’s bad advice. Why? Because linking and “chunking” are often more overwhelming than repeating sentences over and over again. Well, you’re in luck. I’ve memorized many paragraphs and on this page will show you how…

Are you struggling to learn the law? If so, you might be excited to learn that even the world’s top professionals and legal experts never stop learning it. After all, it’s always changing. And there’s a ton to keep up with. Or maybe you, like me, just find the law fascinating. The logic – or sometimes, lack of logic – stretches your mind. It keeps …

Are you confused about rote learning? Some people swear by it. Others who use memory techniques worry about “falling back on rote” despite having better tools for learning. They even get dramatic about this worry, calling rote repetition… “Drill and kill.” What gives? And how specifically is learning by this deadly form of repetition defined? We’ll…

Let me compliment you on wanting to learn something new. In a world of indifference, so few people take action, let alone search for how to take action. Then there’s the question of what to learn. This can itself be quite challenging because there are so many options out there. Well, on this page we’ll simplify everything by talking about how to le…

Have you heard the hype about active recall, but still feel skeptical? Or maybe you’ve heard the latest “learning guru” say that this recall method is better than the Memory Palace technique. If that statement has gotten your hackles up, I can’t blame you. After all, the Memory Palace, when used correctly, is active recall and self testing all roll…

Are you curious about the memory techniques used in the ancient world? I’m talking about aboriginal memory techniques in Australia. But also a lot more. For example, it’s possible to learn about all sorts of indigenous tools for learning and retaining information used by people around the world. If this sounds interesting to you, you’re in luck. In…

With so many types of synesthesia out there, it can be hard to understand exactly what it is. That’s why it’s important to look at the word itself first: It shares a root with anesthesia. This word means “no sensation.” “Syn” means that something is joined or coupled together. Thus, synesthesia means the joining or coupling of two or more sensation…

Tell me if this sounds like clickbait? “Ancient Australian Aboriginal Memory Tool Superior to ‘Memory Palace’ Learning” I mean, I thought so too. Must be click bait. I grew even more concerned when Dominic O’Brien tweeted a Neuroscience article and added this statement: “In short, Link or Story Method combined with Journey Method provide the optimu…

If you want to stop losing things, you’re probably tired of the standard advice. Sure, tips like getting more organized, reducing clutter and always placing things in a designated spot make sense. But everyday life does not make sense. Sometimes we put things down and can’t remember where we put them. So what really works? Well, if you’re sick of c…

Prospective memory is fascinating. Your entire future relies on it working well. Why? Well, let me ask you this: How do you know that in the future you will remember to remember? To test our ability to remember the need to remember in the future, researchers S. L. Penningroth and W.D. Scott asked a bunch of university students the following questio…

Amnesia is a tricky term to understand because it is used in so many ways. For example, it has become popular to talk about “political amnesia” to explain the “crisis of memory” in various parties. Movies and streaming series also often feature characters suffering some form of memory loss and calling it “amnesia.” But using the term amnesia in the…

The term “autobiographical memory” sounds straightforward enough, doesn’t it? In reality, this aspect of human memory is pretty complex. And the way scientists write about it can be hard to penetrate. So let’s take a step back and get a working definition of autobiographical memory and some examples that are easy to understand. Once you understand …

If you want to improve your ability to visualize, think clearly and remember more, proper image streaming is important. The best part is that you can learn to do it even if you do not have a strong “mind’s eye.” So just imagine being able to experience more of your inner genius on demand. You’ll enjoy reading much more (including complicated books)…