Chester Santos - Mastering Memory: Techniques to Turn Your Brain from a Sieve to a Sponge

COMPETITION is the hallmark of the business world. If you are going to be a successful contestant in that world, you need a competitive advantage. Early in our lives, we measure our talents against those of others. With the help of feedback from schools and teachers, we settle in and work to develop, through training, our identified strengths so we can compete successfully and prosper. There is a dramatic falloff in our training after we stop formal education and we begin to accept where we are and what we have.

But not all of us stop or slow our skill training. The most successful people I know dont stop, but rather accelerate, their training. And these people succeed. Yes, they work harder, but they also work smarter. They are always looking for new edges and sharpening the edges they have. Their essential skills, such as reading, writing, listening, speaking, and remembering, just seem to get better. They excel because they dont take their skills for granted. They stay a step ahead. Reading and practicing the memory techniques and principles. in Chesters book will give you an edge and complement your other skills. How can I be so sure? Because Chesters training has dramatically upped my game.

I have been training with Chester since I met him in San Francisco in 2011. This training has helped me remember what happened in meetings without taking notes, and give talks, remarks, and speeches without having to read from scripts, notes, or slides. It has made it possible for me to remember telephone numbers, call-in codes, to-do lists, and countless other daily tasks I now take for granted. And I did all this in my fifties. At fifty-eight, my memory is better today than it was at any other age and is only improving.

While I can share countless examples of the practical impact of Chesters proven techniques, my favorite involves a sales meeting with a Fortune 100 company on behalf of my firm. Company officials summoned prospective suppliers, including representatives of my firm, to their headquarters for a final meeting. The purpose was to determine to which of us they would give their business. Five company representatives, one from each of the Fortune 100 companys business divisions, offered an overview of their needs. Along with the three other members of my team, I listened to each one. My colleagues kept looking up and down and scrambling to take notes. I listened intently, but, unbeknownst to anyone else, used this books journey method to record key points and my solutions to the representatives issues. This allowed me to engage each of the division leaders in a personal way. I smiled, nodded, and never lost eye contact. When they finished, I presented for our team. I recited all the issues and our proposed solutions. When I finished, all of their mouths were wide open. Their lead asked, Did you write what we said on your hand? I showed my hands and said, No, I just listened. We listen to our customers. Of course, we won the contract.

Dont be complacent and accept your skills as they are. You can change them. You can improve your memory as you age. Memory is a beautiful edge because it affects so many other skills. Be a winner. Read Chesters book and train your mind to develop your edge to succeed.

Steven Cash Nickerson

President, PDS Tech Inc.

Author of LISTENING AS A MARTIAL ART and STAGNATION