30 Days to a More Powerful Memory

Chapter 9. It’s All About Me!

The self-referent effect is an important one for making memories. Whether it draws your attention or helps you encode a memory, the more you can tie something you want to remember to yourself, the better you will remember it. You might call this the “looking after number one principle” or the “numero uno effect.” We call it the “all about me principle”—and it really works.

The All About Me Principle

The all about me principle is the principle used in any selling—show the customer the benefit so he or she will buy, because people want to know, “What’s in it for me?” Well, that’s how it works with your memory, too. If something seems important to you personally, you will be more likely to remember it—and you’ll remember ...