Only one person in half-a-million has eidetic-memory, what kids call a photographic memory. If it has not made itself known to you up to now you aint got it. What we own is a great editor a sophisticated-programmer that searches out the essence of a text; the killer-points made by the author. Our brain does not take a picture of the pages we read or record the lecture we attended for future review. It acts like Perry White, Clark Kents boss at the Daily Planet, and edits down his story for the key points. The two methods of editing by our brain are: Semblance, the trace, likeness, or summarized copy of the written or spoken text. Second, is Sensory Adaptation the editing of paragraphs and pages down to the nub, the essential elements. When we attempt to retrieve an old memory, it changes each time. Memories are not filed like permanently typed case histories, they are assembled anew each time we want to recall. They are modified on retrieval, and what we get is an Adaptation, not the original memory. For those who must know our learning-brain gets bored by - same-old, same-old and pays less attention the second go-round than the first appearance, and ignores the repetition by the third-time. Our brain stops reacting to a redundant stimulus, just as you stop listening to a story your mate told a hundred times. Remember, this does not apply to our long-term memory which loves repetition. Editor White searches Kents stories for the answers to the following questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How, also known as 5WH and How. If you want to be a life-long learner, you will create a very personal relationship with these powerful six Questions. Last point: Al Einstein said, If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a Goal, not people or objects. --- The Secret of Motivation Why do you or I do anything? Why go for a walk in the park, instead of a swim in the pool? Why walk or swim instead of taking a pleasant snooze? It all starts with a Burning-Desire in our mind and gut, and ends with an action. Motivation is from French, meaning to move; synonyms are motive, need, stimulus, influence, incentive and drive. Some scientists say motivation has to do with a need for independence and freedom, others believe it is the need for pursuing Pleasure, and avoiding Pain. Money is not a motivation it is a reward for fulfilling other peoples needs and wants. Three Laws of Motivation a) Creativity the bending and twisting of old ideas and experiences to fit new circumstances. b) Need to learn and adapt - using trial-and-error, stimulus/response, and cause-and-effect. c) Resilence learn to handle failure, rejection and loss. When we discover how to expand our comfort-zone, we simultaneously learn to overcome our natural desire for the status-quo. Seven Rules of Motivation 1. Always have major goals to achieve, while simultaneously fulfilling subgoals that are immediately achievable. We need mental and physical feedback through small victories to hang-in for winning the war. 2. When you begin a project, you may not start another until the former is completed or analyzed and rejected. 3. Your relationships define your character and level of success. Choose carefully. 4. Take courses to master the methodology of learning. You are a life- long-learner, so get the strategies right. 5. Grit is persistence and determination required to continue after rejection, failure and loss. Where does it come from? 6. Raise your right-hand and promise, then sign an oath speed reading is something that you will master. 7. Risk taking: you are taught by our parents, most mentors and the media to worship the status-quo and not take risks. Sure, there are exception in laying down your life for your family and country, but it takes training to be a risk-taker. Endwords We come OEM (manufactured), hardwired with natural gifts and talents. It is easier to follow our programming than deny our genes. Grandma Moses, a world-class primitive style artist, started painting at age 72, and lived to see her works in international museums. She kept working until age 101 born in 1860, deceased in 1961. You still have plenty of time but start now. What if she decided to start to study the oboe instead? She followed her intuition and added her personal creativity. See ya, copyright 2006 H. Bernard Wechsler www.speedlearning.org hbw@speedlearning.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |