How To Improve Your Memory, Supercharge Your Focus & Learn Faster with Brain Coach Jim Kwik #380

1. Prioritize Learning How to Learn

Make ’learning how to learn’ your top priority. Mastering this meta-skill will make acquiring knowledge and expertise in every other area of your life significantly easier and more efficient.

2. Be the Architect of Your Health

Take ownership and be the architect of your own health by making intentional lifestyle changes, as feeling better directly leads to living more fully.

3. Take 100% Responsibility

Take full responsibility for your life, good or bad, because blaming external factors gives away your power. Embracing responsibility empowers you to make things better and choose how you respond to difficult times.

4. Be a Thermostat, Not a Thermometer

Act as a thermostat by setting your own internal temperature and influencing your environment, rather than being a thermometer that merely reacts to external conditions.

5. Challenge Your Limitations

Recognize that fighting for your limitations means you get to keep them. Instead, adopt a mindset that challenges what you currently believe is possible for yourself to advance and progress.

6. Align Mindset, Motivation, Methods

Achieve a limitless life by ensuring your mindset (head), motivation (heart), and methods (hands) are integrated and aligned in your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

7. Cultivate Beliefs in Self-Worth

To achieve your goals, cultivate strong beliefs in three areas: what you believe is possible, what you believe you are capable of, and what you believe you deserve. These beliefs form the foundation of your mindset.

8. Cultivate Self-Compassion for Lasting Change

Recognize that behavior is belief-driven. Lasting positive change requires cultivating self-compassion and a healthy relationship with yourself, as internal beliefs about self-worth often dictate whether new behaviors stick or if you slip back into old patterns.

9. Guard Your Self-Talk

Be mindful of your self-talk and beliefs, as they program your brain (a supercomputer). Avoid negative self-statements like ‘I’m not good at X,’ as they can become self-fulfilling prophecies.

10. Change Disempowering Questions

When facing struggles, shift from disempowering questions like ‘Why is this happening to me?’ to empowering ones like ‘How do I fix this?’ or ‘How do I make this better?’ to activate your brain’s problem-solving system.

11. Identify & Refine Dominant Questions

Regularly reflect on and refine your dominant questions (e.g., ‘How do I make this moment even magical?’, ‘What’s the best use of this moment?’). Changing these questions can profoundly change your life by directing your focus and energy.

12. Choose Useful Beliefs

Evaluate your beliefs not by whether they are true or false, but by whether they are useful. If a belief is not serving you or helping you make progress, choose a more empowering one.

13. Understand Your Mind’s Power

Recognize the immense power of your mind, which acts as a supercomputer running programs based on your self-talk and beliefs. Be cautious with your thoughts and words, as they shape your reality.

14. Prioritize Mind & Priority Management

Focus on managing your mind and priorities, rather than just time. Identify and consistently keep the most important things in your life as the highest priority.

15. Upgrade Self to Meet Dreams

Instead of downgrading your dreams to fit your current situation, focus on upgrading your mindset, motivation, and methods to rise and meet your incredible dreams.

16. Apply 3 M’s to Get Unstuck

To overcome feeling stuck in any area of life, address the three M’s: Mindset (your assumptions and attitudes), Motivation (your purpose, energy, and small steps), and Methods (the strategies and techniques).

17. Utilize P x E x S3 for Motivation

To achieve limitless motivation, apply the formula P x E x S3: Purpose (a deep, felt reason for action), Energy (physical and mental vitality), and Small, Simple Steps (breaking down goals into manageable actions).

18. Prioritize Energy for Motivation

Recognize that even with strong purpose, lack of energy can hinder motivation. Prioritize energy generation through proper sleep, stress management, diet, and a positive peer group to sustain action.

19. Manage Stress, Sleep, Diet, Peer Group

To generate energy for motivation, actively manage stress, prioritize good sleep, consume brain-healthy foods, and cultivate a positive peer group while minimizing exposure to ’energy vampires.’

20. Break Goals into Small, Simple Steps

To overcome lack of motivation, break down large goals into small, simple steps (S3). Make the initial action so tiny that it’s almost impossible to fail, like putting on running shoes instead of committing to a full workout.

21. Ask ‘Tiniest Action’ Question

To initiate progress on any goal, ask yourself: ‘What is the tiniest action I could take right now that will give me progress towards this goal where I can’t fail?’

22. Choose Your ‘Hard’

Recognize that both maintaining unhealthy habits and making positive changes involve difficulty. Consciously choose which ‘hard’ you want to face each day, as you always have that choice.

23. Mindset & Motivation Precede Methods

Understand that having the right methods alone is insufficient for change. Without the correct mindset and sufficient motivation, you will remain stuck, highlighting their foundational importance.

24. Apply Knowledge for Power

Understand that knowledge is only potential power; it transforms into actual power when you actively apply it to your life and actions.

25. Match Learning Time with Action Time

For every hour spent learning (e.g., listening to podcasts, reading books, attending lectures), dedicate an equal hour to putting that knowledge into action to ensure integration and real change.

26. Implement New Ideas for Integration

When you gain new ideas, don’t just keep them as concepts. Actively turn them into some form of implementation, as integration through action is the ultimate goal for real change.

27. Sharpen Your Learning ‘Saw’

Continuously sharpen your learning skills (your ‘saw’) by improving reading, memory, and focus. Investing in these foundational abilities at the beginning will make all subsequent learning and tasks significantly easier and more efficient.

28. Teach to Learn Twice

Actively teach what you learn to others, as this process allows you to learn the information twice and deepens your understanding and retention.

29. Learn, Earn, Return by Teaching

Adopt the philosophy of ’learn to earn to return.’ One of the most effective ways to ‘return’ is by teaching what you’ve learned to others, leveraging the ’explanation effect’ to deepen your own understanding and ownership of the material.

30. Teach Others How to Learn

Focus on teaching others how to learn, rather than just giving them ideas, as this empowers them to enrich their own lives and become self-sufficient learners.

31. Start Your Day Intentionally

Recognize that how you start your day significantly impacts your mood and experiences. Avoid consuming negative news first thing to prevent anxiety and negativity later.

32. Set Your Daily Life’s Thermostat

Use the morning as an opportunity to intentionally set the ’thermostat’ for your day, influencing your mood and experiences through your actions and choices.

33. Avoid a Reactive Start to the Day

Do not start your day by immediately reacting to external stimuli like news or social media, as this sets a reactive tone for your entire day and negatively impacts your experiences.

34. Structure Day: Create, Consume, Clear

Structure your day by dedicating mornings to ‘create’ (output), afternoons to ‘consume’ (input information), and evenings to ‘clear’ your mind (e.g., journaling, planning for the next day, meditation) to optimize brain modes.

35. Reverse Engineer a Great Day

At the start of your day, imagine yourself at the end of the day feeling great and satisfied. Then, reverse engineer what three personal and three professional accomplishments or experiences would have had to happen to make you feel that way, setting your focus and intention.

36. Create a ‘To-Be’ List

In addition to a to-do list, create a ’to-be’ list. When facing decisions or dilemmas, ask yourself ‘who do I need to be at this moment?’ (e.g., compassionate, loving) to guide your behaviors naturally.

37. Add ‘To-Feel’ to Daily Plan

Recognize that humans are driven by biology and emotions. In addition to a ’to-do’ and ’to-be’ list, include three things you want to feel that day to align your emotional state with your goals.

38. Schedule Growth & Self-Care

Prioritize and schedule your personal growth activities, including mental workouts like reading and physical workouts, just as you would other important appointments. Self-care, including self-love, should be at the top of your priorities.

39. Practice Daily Gratitude

Incorporating a daily gratitude practice, ideally in the morning and evening, helps cultivate a grateful mindset. This can lead to a greater life and cause what you appreciate to grow and enhance.

40. Reflect on Priceless Possessions

Perform a mental exercise by writing down all the things in your life that money cannot buy. Consider what you would lose if you only had what you expressed gratitude for today, to deepen appreciation.

41. Engage in Daily Reflection

Practice daily reflection, particularly in the evening, to assess your day, learn from experiences, and identify areas for improvement, similar to how athletes review their performance for high achievement.

42. Prioritize Undistracted Family Time

Take intentional breaks, like stopping work or podcasts for a period, to prioritize undistracted time together with family, especially during long school holidays.

43. Revisit Past Content

During breaks or downtime, explore a back catalogue of content to catch up on missed episodes or revisit favorite ones, as much of it remains relevant.

44. Consciously Limit Negative Consumption

Make a conscious decision to limit or avoid consuming negative content (e.g., dark films, news) to protect your mental state, reduce anxious thoughts, and prevent rumination.

45. Set Up Environment for Easy Reading

Place uplifting or thought-provoking books in easily accessible locations (e.g., kitchen, living room) to reduce decision fatigue and make it simple to pick up and read a chapter each morning.

46. Optimize Environment for Habits

Design your environment to make healthy habits easy to do (e.g., placing a kettlebell where you see it) and unhealthy habits difficult (e.g., storing tempting foods in an inconvenient location or not having them at home).

47. Create Friction for Undesirable Behaviors

Intentionally design your environment to create friction for behaviors you want to avoid (e.g., using older, slower technology for entertainment) to make them more difficult to engage in.

48. Make Unhealthy Habits Difficult

Intentionally make unhealthy habits more difficult to access or perform, such as keeping your phone out of reach (e.g., in the bathroom) at night to avoid picking it up.

49. Infuse Mornings with Four Elements

Start your day by intentionally incorporating the four elements: Earth (grounding by being barefoot outside), Fire (getting direct sunlight to reset circadian rhythm), Water (hydrating with a tall glass of room temperature water, possibly with electrolytes), and Air (doing breathing exercises for oxygen and blood flow).

50. Hydrate for Cognitive Boost

Maintain good hydration throughout the day, as it can significantly boost your reaction time and thinking speed by up to 30%.

51. Improve Posture for Mental Energy

Combat mental fatigue and drowsiness (especially when reading) by checking and improving your posture. Ensure your diaphragm isn’t collapsed to allow proper oxygen flow to the brain.

52. Cultivate Learning States

Actively create and enter into learning states characterized by curiosity, anticipation, and focus, as these are not passive traits but active processes you can generate.

53. Read with Clear Intention

Before reading any book, establish a clear intention by asking yourself ‘Why are you reading this book?’ to ensure purpose and engagement.

54. Ask 3 Questions Before Reading

Before reading, especially non-fiction, ask yourself three questions: ‘How can I use this?’ ‘Why must I use this?’ and ‘When will I use this?’ to enhance comprehension, retention, and application.

55. Read Questions First for Comprehension

When reading for comprehension, especially for tests or specific information, read the questions or desired outcomes first. This primes your brain to actively seek and identify relevant answers as you read.

56. Write & Underline in Books

Overcome the reluctance to write in books. Use colored pens to underline key sentences, words, and phrases, and jot down key quotes or ideas in a journal to enhance engagement and retention.

57. Use Colors for Note Organization

When taking notes or organizing ideas, use different colors to group and categorize information, as this can enhance visual memory and recall.

58. Handwrite Notes for Better Comprehension

When taking notes, prioritize handwriting over digital typing. Handwriting forces you to filter and organize information, leading to better comprehension and retention compared to verbatim digital transcription.

59. Handwrite to Externalize Ideas

Use handwriting as the initial step in the creative process to externalize invisible thoughts and ideas from your mind, making them visual and tangible.

60. Use Notes to Prime & Consolidate

Create detailed notes not just for reference, but as a method to prime your brain, consolidate absorbed information, and serve as a mental safety net, even if you rarely refer to them during the actual event.

61. Read More, Even in Small Bursts

Make reading a consistent habit, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. Carry a book with you and utilize small pockets of downtime (e.g., waiting for appointments, delayed meetings) to read more.

62. Adjust Book Angle for Reading Posture

When reading, avoid slumping by adjusting the book’s angle (e.g., tilting it towards you or resting it on your knee) so the words appear larger and easier to read, maintaining an upright, visual posture for better oxygen flow and less fatigue.

63. Use Visual Pacer for Faster Reading

To immediately boost reading speed by 25-50%, use a visual pacer (your finger or a pen) to underline words as you read. This guides your eyes and improves focus.

64. Leverage Eye Motion for Reading Focus

Utilize your eyes’ natural attraction to motion by using a visual pacer (finger or pen) to guide your reading across the page. This pulls your eyes through the information, maintaining focus and preventing distraction.

65. Connect Sight & Touch for Reading

Enhance your reading experience by using your finger as a visual pacer. This connects your sense of sight with touch, making you feel more ‘in touch’ with the material and improving engagement.

66. Read Faster to Reduce Distraction

If you find yourself distracted while reading, it’s often because you’re reading too slowly. Increase your reading speed to keep your brain engaged and prevent it from seeking other stimuli.

67. Faster Reading Improves Comprehension

Counterintuitively, reading faster can lead to better comprehension because the increased speed demands greater focus, leaving less room for mental distraction.

68. Reduce Sub-Vocalization for Speed

To increase reading speed beyond your talking speed, work on reducing sub-vocalization (the inner voice reading along with you). Focus on understanding words by sight rather than sounding them out.

69. Read for Mental Fitness

Engage in regular reading to maintain mental fitness, viewing it as exercise for your mind, similar to how physical exercise benefits the body.

70. Cultivate Deep Love of Learning

Develop a deep love of learning, especially reading, as it is a common trait among highly successful individuals and a key factor in sustained connection and achievement.

71. Measure Baseline Reading Speed

To improve reading speed, first measure your baseline: mark your starting point in a book, read for 60 seconds, mark your ending point, and then count the lines and estimate words per minute.

72. Access Free Speed Reading Masterclass

Visit jimquick.com/more for a free one-hour masterclass that visually demonstrates speed reading techniques, including using a visual pacer, to boost your reading speed by 25-50%.

73. Play Table Tennis for Brain Health

Engage in table tennis (ping pong) as a highly beneficial physical activity for your brain, improving thinking speed, reaction time, and hand-eye coordination. Experiment with playing with your non-dominant hand for added brain stimulation.

74. Learn to Juggle for Brain Development

Learn to juggle, as studies suggest it can increase white matter in the brain. It challenges different parts of your brain, improving coordination and cognitive function through movement.

75. Use Opposite Hand for Brain Stimulation

Experiment with using your non-dominant hand for daily tasks, like brushing teeth or eating, to stimulate different parts of your brain, enhance cross-lateral communication, and increase mindfulness.

76. Practice Writing with Non-Dominant Hand

Practice writing your name or other simple tasks with your non-dominant hand to experience the challenges of learning something new. This exercise highlights that learning can feel uncomfortable, take longer, and initially produce lower quality results.

77. Understand Your Learning Style

Recognize that intelligence isn’t just about ‘how smart’ you are, but ‘how’ you are smart. Identify your preferred way of learning and executing to optimize your personal and team performance.

78. Take ‘My Brain Animal’ Quiz

Visit mybrainanimal.com to take a free quiz that helps you identify your dominant cognitive type (‘brain animal’) and preferred way of learning, leading, and living.

79. Honor Strengths, Develop Weaknesses

Understand your unique strengths and honor them, rather than judging yourself by areas of weakness. While focusing on strengths, also recognize that weaknesses can be developed with specific protocols and practice.

80. Apply ‘One Small Step’ to Kids’ Habits

When encouraging children to adopt new habits, start with an incredibly small, simple step (e.g., floss one tooth, put one sock in the hamper), as this often leads to them continuing beyond the initial small action.

81. Find Purpose to Remember Names

To improve your ability to remember names, consciously identify your purpose for remembering each person’s name (e.g., to show respect, build rapport, or for business reasons), as a strong reason leads to better recall.

82. Ask ‘Why’ to Remember Names

Before trying to remember someone’s name, consciously ask yourself ‘Why do I want to remember this person’s name?’ to create a strong reason and improve your motivation and recall.

83. Choose Hard Copy Books

Opt for hard copy books over electronic versions to reduce screen time and eliminate excuses for being on a digital device.

84. Use Themes for Organic Conversations

For conversations or interviews, prepare with themes and ideas rather than rigid, set questions to allow for more organic flow and deeper exploration of the topic.

85. Show Up Daily for Self-Improvement

Consistently show up every single day, putting in the effort, to eventually meet and become the better version of yourself that is patiently waiting.

86. Change Repetitive Thoughts for Change

Be aware that 95% of daily thoughts are repetitive. To effect real change in your life, consciously work to change these recurring thoughts, as they influence feelings, actions, and experiences.

87. Direct Attention Intentionally

Understand that your brain is a deletion device, filtering information. Intentionally direct the ‘spotlight of your attention’ towards what you value and want to see, as your brain is hardwired to focus on what you obsessively question or deem important.

88. Identify One Actionable Takeaway

After consuming information (e.g., a podcast), intentionally identify just one specific thing you can take away and immediately apply to your life for practical implementation.

89. Apply & Teach One Takeaway

After identifying an actionable takeaway, challenge yourself to teach that one thing to someone else. This ’explanation effect’ helps you learn it twice and deepen your understanding.

90. Share Podcast with Five People

If you believe a podcast would benefit others, share it with five people in your life who do not currently listen to help spread positive impact.

91. Be the Pilot of Your Technology

View technology as a tool to be used, not something that uses you. Maintain agency and be the pilot of your mind and life, rather than a passive passenger reacting to digital distractions.

92. Avoid Boredom-Driven Phone Use

Be mindful of the impulse to pick up your phone out of boredom, as this can create unconscious anxiety and lead to digital distraction.

93. Embrace Daily Choice

Recognize that life is defined by choice between birth and death. Your life is the sum total of your choices, and every day presents a chance to make new choices.

94. Choose Development in Adversity

In difficult times, choose to let challenges develop you rather than distract or diminish you, as you always have the power of choice in how you respond.