---
title: ▍How to Triple Your Memory by Using This Trick
created: 2026-04-20
modified: 2026-05-07
authors: Ricardo Lieuw On
category: TED Talk
---

This TEDx talk by Ricardo Lieuw On explores the “art of learning” and demonstrates a powerful visualization technique to significantly improve memory.

# Key Moments

* **[[00:15](https://youtu.be/JsC9ZHi79jo?t=15)]** - **The Initial Test**: A traditional memory test where the audience struggles to memorize 10 words through repetition.
* **[[03:32](https://youtu.be/JsC9ZHi79jo?t=212)]** - **The Speaker’s Journey**: Ricardo shares his personal struggle with traditional schooling and how he learned to love learning by experimenting with different methods.
* **[[06:12](https://youtu.be/JsC9ZHi79jo?t=372)]** - **The Memory Trick**: A guided visualization exercise using “bizarre images” and body parts to anchor information.
* **[[09:48](https://youtu.be/JsC9ZHi79jo?t=588)]** - **The Result**: The audience successfully recalls the last 10 U.S. Presidents in order using the visualization technique.
* **[[13:46](https://youtu.be/JsC9ZHi79jo?t=826)]** - **The Three Steps**: Ricardo breaks down the process of learning into three phases: **Check, Experience, and Experiment**.

# Key Takeaways

* **Visualization Over Repetition**: Rote memorization is often ineffective. Creating vivid, bizarre, and even silly mental images makes information much easier to retain.
* **The “Body Files” Method**: Linking new information to a familiar physical sequence (like parts of your body) provides a reliable structure for recall.
* **The Skill of Experimentation**: [Learning how to learn](https://www.google.com/search?q=Learning+how+to+learn) is more important than the subject itself. By experimenting with different methods, you can improve at any skill.
* ⭐️ **The Process of Improvement**:
	1. **Check**: Become aware of your current (often inefficient) habits.
	2. **Experience**: Stay open to trying new, unconventional methods.
	3. **Experiment**: Take what you’ve learned and apply it to real-life situations, such as remembering names or new languages.
* **Growth Mindset**: No one is “too old” or “not cut out” for learning; it is simply a matter of finding the right method through continuous experimentation.