June 19, 2025 • 31 mins
Provides an extensive guide to enhancing cognitive functions, primarily memory, reading speed, and study habits. Buzan challenges traditional learning methods, arguing they fail to utilize the brain's full potential, as evidenced by common difficulties in recall and concentration. He introduces innovative techniques such as "Mind Maps" for note-taking and the "Buzan Organic Study Method," which advocates for structured preparation and application, including strategic breaks and active recall, to optimize learning and retention. The text underscores the brain's remarkable capacity and flexibility, promoting a more integrated and personalized approach to intellectual development.
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You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:
https://linktr.ee/book_shelter
Get the Book now from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Use-Your-Head-Tony-Buzan/dp/0563210826?&linkCode=ll1&tag=cvthunderx-20&linkId=dc4aae200d7eea49a04f7ff8bc963e0d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Do you ever feel like you're constantly trying to just
shovel information into your brain and while most of it
just seems to slide right back out?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Oh, definitely. Or you see someone grasp a really complex
idea almost instantly and you just think, how how do
they do that?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Am I just missing something fundamental? Right?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's so frustrating. And that exact feeling, that sense that
maybe we're not firing on all cylinders, that's what we're
diving into today.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, we're getting into Tony Bazan's book Use Your Head.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
It isn't just another book about learning, is it. It's
pitched more like a like a user manual for your
own mind.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Exactly based on how it's actually supposed to work according
to the research he presents.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So our mission here in this deep dive is to
unpack the core ideas the techniques from the book.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Uh huh, and explore how they challenge our usual assumptions
about our brains and maybe offer some really practical ways
to you know, learn remember think more effectively.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
The central premise really is that our minds are just
vastly more capable than we generally believe.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, and that the limitations we feel often they're not
inherent there because we haven't understood how our brains operate, or.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We just haven't been taught the right methods, methods that
actually align with our brain's natural power.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Think about this. The book points out something pretty staggering.
Humans have been around for millions of years, right, but
most of what we actually know scientifically about the brain,
it's incredibly recent relative to when the book came out.
Most significant knowledge was apparently gathered in just the ten
years progress.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Ten years. That's wild, especially when you think, like Aristotle thought,
our thinking happened in our heart or stomach, because that's
where we feel emotions strongly.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Exactly, and we've only known the brain was in the
head for about five hundred years. Kind of amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And even now with all our tech.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Even now, the book suggests we probably know less than
one percent of what there is to know. It's just
infinitely more subtle and complex than we ever thought.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Okay, so, one of the huge breakthrough the book highlights
is this idea of the two brains, the two hemispheres, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
The left and right hemispheres, linked by that big bundle
of nerves, the corpus culosum.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
This came from work by Sperry and Ornstein. Right, Nobel
prize winning stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That's the one they showed this functional split. The left
hemisphere tends to handle the logic, language, reasoning, numbers, sequence.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Linearity, sort of the classic academic activities, step by step thinking.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well. The right hemisphere deals more with rhythm, music, images, imagination, color,
parallel processing, daydreaming, recognizing faces and patterns, more holistic stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
But here's the kicker, the really interesting part.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yes, the finding that developing a mental area you might
think of as weaker doesn't just improve that.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Area, It improves everything. It creates the synergy.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Right, it boosts all your metal capabilities. So that old
stereotype of the purely logical scientist versus the purely intuitive.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Artist, it's too simplistic. It's not the full picture, not
at all.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
The book gives great examples. Look at Einstein icon of
left brain logic. Yeah, he failed math at school initially,
but he also played the violin, he loved art, sailing,
and he credited imagination games like picturing himself riding on
sunbeams for his insights into things like the curved universe.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Wow, so it was a synthesis, a real blend of
both sides.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Definitely, and it works the other way too. Great artists
weren't just throwing paint around randomly.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Their notebooks show incredible left brain activity apparently uh.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Huh, measuring color ratios, meticulously planning where elements go for
balance and impact, lots of analysis.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And the ultimate example presented is Leonardo da Vinci.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Oh, absolutely master of art, science, anatomy, mechanics. He just
moved seamlessly between disciplines. His scientific notes are full of
detailed three D drawings. His plans for paintings look almost
like engineering blueprints.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So when we say things like oh, I'm just not
a math person or I'm not creative, what.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
We're often describing are potentials we haven't really developed yet.
Not some fixed inherent limitation. The potential is dormant, waiting
to be nurtured.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, that's encouraging. But the scale of this potential, yeah,
you mentioned some numbers that were just staggering.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
There really are. The book talks about billions of individual
neurons in your brain, billions, and the potential number of
interconnections between them. One estimate from the seventies suggested it
was ten, followed by eight hundred zeros.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Wait ten with eight hundred zeros.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah. A later, maybe more conservative estimate by doctor Putronoken
described it as a line of figures stretching ten point
five million kilometers long.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
That's I can't even picture that.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
To put it in perspective, the number of atoms in
the entire known universe is estimated at only ten, followed
by one hundred zeros.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So the pattern making capability inside our heads is potentially
greater than the complexity of the universe itself.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
That's the implication. It's almost incomprehensible. And the book also
touches on other mind potential examples, amazing memory feats, bursts
of incredible strength, precise body control that seemed to define
known science but are being documented more.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Okay, so if we all have this, this supercomputer between
our ears, why do so many of us feel like
we're struggling, like we're running on fumes when it comes
to learning.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, this leads to what might be the most crucial point.
The book cites survey results asking people were you ever
taught about how your brain works, how memory functions, about
learning techniques, concentration, motivation, keywords, how your eyes work when
reading how to think creatively, and the answer an overwhelming
(05:36):
ninety five percent.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Said no, ninety five percent. So we have this incredibly
powerful machine.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And practically no one gets the instruction manual.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
That feels like the core problem right there. Our performance
doesn't match our potential because we simply weren't taught how
to use the equipment properly.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It also casts doubt on things like traditional IQ tests
being the final word on intelligence.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Right the book mentions scores can change with practice, and
there was a Berkeley Studies showing high IQ didn't necessarily
correlate with things like independence of thought, appreciating humor or beauty, reasonableness,
or depth of knowledge exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
And maybe the most powerful everyday example of our innate potential.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
The baby learning to talk.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yes, think about it. By age two, most babies are
communicating complex ideas. We take it for granted, but learning
language involves understanding rhythm, math, music, physics, linguistics, spatial relations, memory, creativity, logic.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's everything working together, left brain right brain collaborating from
the very beginning.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So if you learn to talk and later learn to read,
your brain has already demonstrated this incredible capacity.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
You have the hardware, which leads us nicely into the
practical stuff. If we want to tap into this potential,
where does the book suggest we start reading? Seems key
it does.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Chapter two tackles reading more efficiently and faster. It acknowledges
all the common problems tired eyes forgetting what you just read,
slow speed, feeling bored or lazy, poor comprehension. We've all
been there, right, and it defines reading not just as
seeing symbols, but it's assimilating them into your existing knowledge
and then being able to use that new understanding. Problems
(07:13):
often stem from the initial teaching methods.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And it debunks a big myth about how our eyes move. Right,
We don't just glide smoothly across the.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Line, No, absolutely not. Your eyes actually move in quick
jumps called ciccades, and then they stop or fixate to
see clearly, you only take in information during the fixation
the pause.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Like trying to follow my finger moving my eye jumps stops,
jumps stops.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Exactly and slow readers often have inefficient habits. They fixate
on just one word at a time. They also tend
to backskip, unconsciously rereading words or phrases, or their eyes
just wander around the page, and.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
This physically slows you down.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Rathmatically, Yes, it forces speeds often blow one hundred words
per minute and really hinders comprehension because you're mentally constructing
meaning word by painful word instead of grasping whole phrases
or ideas.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
So how do we improve? What's the solution offered?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
It's about consciously changing those mechanics. First, eliminate unnecessary backskipping.
The book claims ninety percent of it is just down
to apprehension, not real misunderstanding. Second, reduce the time spent
on each fixation. Your eye can actually register multiple words
in a tiny fraction of a second, like eleven hundredth wow.
And Third, expand your fixation span. Train your eyes to
(08:30):
take in groups of words, maybe three to five or
even more with each stop.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And the argument is that reading faster this way isn't
about skimming or losing detail.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Quite the opposite. Potentially, reading for meeting units for phrases
is actually less mental work than adding up individual words.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Makes sense.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Faster readers using wider spans make fewer fixations per page.
That means less physical work for the eyes, less fatigue.
The improved rhythm and flow can prevent boredom, keep you focused,
and actually lead to better understanding.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So it tackles those common myths head on, like you
don't have to read word by word correct.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Or that reading faster than say, five hundred words permitted
is impossible. The book suggests one thousand wpm is feasible with.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Practice, or that faster reading means less appreciation or lower concentration.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Again, the book argues the opposite, better grasp of meaning,
better focus due to momentum and more time available. If
you want to reread interesting parts slowly and average speed
isn't natural, It's usually just the result of incomplete training.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Okay, so what are some specific techniques it recommends. There's
the visual aid.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yes, simply using a pointer like your finger or a
pen to guide your eyes smoothly across the lines. It
seems basic, but it provides crucial physical feedback.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
How does that help? Immediately?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
It smooths out the jerky movements, reduces back skipping and wandering.
Your speed increases almost instantly. Interestingly, it often feels slower
because your mind usually thinks it's reading faster than it is,
but the a speed is measurably faster.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
You can also practice expanding your focus, taking in more
than one line at a time, maybe for an overview.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yes, especially for a lighter material, but you need the
visual guide for that. And then there's high speed perception practice.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
What's that involved?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Basically turning pages very rapidly, maybe spending only a few
seconds scanning each page, not trying to comprehend fully, but
conditioning your eyes and brain to process information at much
higher speeds.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Like driving fast on a motorway makes normal roads feel slow,
exactly that analogy.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It makes your normal reading speed feel easier and improves
your ability to take in word groups quickly.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Motivation plays a big role, too, doesn't it huge.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Often the biggest speed games and reading courses come from
unlocking motivation. Making a conscious, deep rooted decision to improve
can significantly boost performance. Alongside the techniques, and using a
metronome that can help with pacing, you set it to
guide the sweeps of your visual aid, maintaining a steady
rhythm and gradually increasing the speed useful for practice and
(11:01):
the high speed drills.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So these reading techniques are powerful, but the book suggests
they become even more so when combined with understanding memory absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
That's the next big piece of the puzzle. Chapter three,
it looks at memory tests and what they reveal about recall.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Most people probably think recall is highest right after learning
and then just drops off steadily.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That's the common misconception, but the data shows something different,
especially during a learning period. Okay, recall is actually highest
at the very beginning and the very end of the session.
It dips significantly in the middle.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Interesting why.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
It's just how our attention and retention seem to work
over time. Also, things that stand out, unique items, things
we associate strongly, things repeated get remembered better within that period.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
And this pattern leads to a really crucial practical tip.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The importance of breaks. Yes, because of that dip in
the middle, the book argues the optimal study period is
relatively short, maybe twenty to forty.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Minutes, not hours and hours like we often try to do.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Exactly, pushing through for hours leads to diminishing returns because
recall drops so much in that long middle section. Taking short,
regular breaks prevents that main dip and create multiple beginning
and endpoints, multiple high recall zones.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Breaks also give you a mental and physical breather.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
And allow for something called intra integration. It's like a
sink in time. Recall often shows a small rise for
a short period immediately after you stop studying, before any
forgetting kicks in breaks facilitate that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Okay, that's recall during learning. What about after learning the
forgetting curve?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Ah? Yes, that's where it gets well a bit scary
if you don't know about it. After that brief post
learning integration rise recall drops steeply. How steeply, the book
suggests you can lose as much as eighty percent of
the specific details learned in a one hour session within
just twenty four hours if you do nothing to reinforce.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
It eighty percent in one day. Wow, Okay, that highlights
my review is so critical.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Absolute critical. You have to actively counteract that steep forgetting curve.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
And the book proposes a specific method, not just random rereading, yes.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
A pattern review technique. The idea is to review the
material at specific intervals, just before the memory is predicted
to drop off significantly.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So when would those reviews happen?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
For example, after a one hour study session, do a
quick ten minute review about ten minutes later, then review
again the next day for maybe two four minutes then
review after a week, then after a.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Month, so you're strategically reinforcing it just as it starts
to fade.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Precisely, each review flattens out the forgetting curve for that material,
pushing it higher and making it stick in long term
memory more effectively. Over time, you only need occasional nudges
to maintain it.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And the way you review matters to yes.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
The recommendation is to first try and recall everything you
can from memory without looking at your notes. Actively retrieve
it okay. Then after you've done that, check your recall
against your final notes, which ideally the books suggest us
should be in mindmap form. We'll get that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
This chapter also challenges the idea that our mental abilities
just plummet after our mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
It does. It argues that the decline often seen in
studies is largely in people who were educated traditionally and
haven't continued to actively use and challenge their full mental
range with effective techniques. The actual biological decline might only
be five ten percent.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
So an active exploring mind using good methods can often
maintain or even surpass younger performance levels.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
That's the suggestion the decline isn't inevitable. It's often down
to misuse or non use. Using your brain fully and
imploying techniques like patterned review helps maximize abilities throughout life.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
The book then introduces specific memory systems mnemonics. These aren't new,
are they not?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
At all? They go back to the ancient Greeks used
for amazing feats of memory. They kind of fell out
of fashion, but are gaining respect again because they tap
into the brain's natural associated mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
And it details one simple system, the number rhyme system.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Yeah. For remember lists up to ten items, you associate
each number one to ten with a rhyming keyword one bun, two, shoe, three, tree,
four or five, hive six, stick, seven, heaven, eight, gate, nine,
voine ten. Hen you memorize those pairs.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Okay, one is bun, two is shoe? Got it? Then?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
What then to remember your list? Say the first item
is table, You form a vivid, interactive, maybe absurd image
linking bun for number one and table, like.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
The example a giant sticky bun squashing a fragile antique
table exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Or for number two shoe if the item is feather,
maybe imagine a giant shoe with a huge feather growing
out of it like a plant. For three, tree and
cat picture a cat desperately scrambling up a bizarre looking tree.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
The key is the image quality right.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Absolutely exaggerated, absurd, maybe involving senses like touch or smell,
definitely colorful, moving, highly imaginative, and the link must be
direct and clear. Closing your eyes to really cement the
picture helps.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
This really underscores the idea that memory is fundamentally associative
linking ideas, and it depends on having good keywords or
key images.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Which is the perfect lead into the next chapter on noting.
Because traditional notes often fail precisely because they don't leverage
keywords and associations effectively.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
How does the book illustrate the problem with standard notes.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
He uses an exercise imagining taking notes on a complex story,
and then shows an example of typical good university student notes,
pages of dense, linear sentences.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And the critique is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
They are profoundly inefficient. First, you waste masses of time
writing down words that aren't actually needed for recall. The
book estimates up to ninety percent are filler ninety percent.
Then you waste more time rereading all those unnecessary words,
searching for key information is slow, and crucially, the linear
format breaks up the natural connections between ideas. Key concepts
(16:52):
get separated by pages and pages of text.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Because that's not how our memory actually retrieves information, is
it now?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
When you recall something comp like a book you read
or a place you visited, you don't recite it word
for word. You access key concepts, main themes, strong images,
and reconstruct from there.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Like keywords act as hooks.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Exactly, a single powerful keyword like the word child can
instantly unlock vast networks of associated memories and experiences from you.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
The book differentiates between types of keywords too.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yes, key recall words versus key creative words. Recall words
are usually strong nouns or verbs that funnel your memory
towards specific information. Creative words are more evocative, image rich,
but general, like oohs or bizarre. They tend to spray
associations in all directions, which is great for brainstorming, but
(17:42):
not for recalling specific facts accurately.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
So using the wrong type of keywords in notes can
actually lead you astray. When trying to remember.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Right, your mind follows the creative path instead of the
specific recall path. Good recall keywords force the right connections
and understanding.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
This leads away from linear and notes towards patterned notes.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Towards mind maps. The book contrasts the linear nature of
traditional writing and printing with the brain's actual structure, which
is multi dimensional, radiating associative like a network.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
So if the brain works with interlinked key concepts radiating outwards.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Then our notes should reflect that structure.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Okay, exceleing the basic mind map structure again.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
You start with a central image or word representing the
main topic. Then you draw main branches radiating out for
the major sub themes. Off those branches, you draw smaller
branches for supporting details, using single keywords or key images
on each line, and.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
The advantages compared to linear notes huge.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
The main idea is instantly clear in the center. The
relative importance of ideas is visually obvious. Closer to the
center usually means more fundamental. The links and relationships between
different concepts are explicit.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Makes review much faster too, I imagine, much.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Faster and more effective. You can easily add new information
later without rewriting everything. Each map is visually unique, which
aids memory recall, and the open radiating structure naturally encourages
creative thinking and new associations.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
What about specific techniques for making good mind maps?
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Use print, preferably capitals for keywords, easier for your brain
to photographically register keywords on the lines and have the
lines connected, showing the structure clearly. Use only one keyword
per line. This gives each word maximum associative freedom.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And just let your mind flow.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, especially during the creative phase. Avoid pausing or censoring ideas.
Just get them down on the branches. Let it be
associative and free.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
The book uses that hologram analogy here, doesn't.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It it does? Comparing the brain to a camera static
two D image capture versus a hologram three D distributed information,
the whole image is encoded in every part.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
The hologram is a better model, much.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Better for showing the brain's dimensional, interconnected storage. But the
brain is even more dynamic. It can rotate images, perceive itself.
Its capacity is vastly greater.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And we can make our mind maps more brain like,
more holographic with advanced techniques.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Yes, using eras to show connections across different branches, using
simple codes, asterisks, check marks, question marks for emphasis or categories,
using geometric shapes to enclose certain areas or show order.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Adding visual dimension.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, making key shapes or images look three D like
they're standing off the page. Using creativity and images relevant
to the topic itself, and critically using lots of color aids.
Memory helps differentiate areas, shows links, and engages the right brain.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So mind maps are inherently designed to engage both sides
of the brain.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's a key point. They explicitly combine left brain elements
like words, logic, sequence, number lines with right brain elements
like color, images, dimension, rhythm, spatial awareness a whole brain.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Tool, and their uses go beyond just taking notes from
books or lectures.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh absolutely for organizing thoughts, planning projects, preparing presentations, created
problem solving, group brain storing.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
How would you use one for, say, preparing a speech.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You'd map out all your key ideas. Then you just
decide the numerical order in which you want to visit
the main branches and sub branches. You follow the map linearly.
When speaking eliminates the need from multiple written.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Drafts and taking notes from lectures.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
You focus on capturing keywords and maybe quick images as
the speaker talks. Your resulting mind map might look messy
compared to neat linear notes, but the book argues it's
informationally much neaterter because the structure, lengths, and your own
critical thoughts are instantly visible. Making the map is the first.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Review, and for meetings, a shared mind map highly effective.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
A central map on a whiteboard ensures everyone's contributions are captured, visually,
prevents information getting lost, bases importance on content rather than
who spoke loudest or last, reduces rambling, provides an instant
shared record, and keeps individuals actively engaged.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
So the overall benefit is that mind mapping forces you
to actively engage with the structure and meaning of the information, which.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Leads naturally to better critical analysis, better integration of ideas,
better recall, and deeper understanding. It's an active process.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Okay, we've covered the brain's potential, reading, memory, and mind mapping.
How does Buson pull all this together into an overall
study method.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
This is chapter five the buzan Organic Study Method or BOS,
and it cleverly starts by addressing why people avoid studying
in the first place.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Ah, Yes, the famous six o'clock in the evening, enthusiastic,
determined and well intentioned studier until midnight scenario.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Who somehow ends up reorganizing their sock drawer, making elaborate snacks,
calling distant relatives anything but opening the book.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
We've all been there. Why does that happen?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
The book argues the root cause is often fear, specifically
linked to the examination system. Textbooks become symbols of a
potential threat. They represent hard work, judgment, and the possibility
of failure or appearing.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Stupid and not knowing how to study effectively just adds
to that anxiety exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
This fear can even cause mental blocks during exams, like
forgetting your own name, which leads to the excuse mechanism, where.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It feels safer to fail because you didn't really try
than to try hard and still.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Fail precisely I didn't study or I wasn't interested. Protects
your self esteem from the conclusion I'm incapable. Even i
achievers might use it to explain why they didn't get
one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
The book then critiques traditional study approaches.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
As often being rigid, overwhelming, read the book three times
cover to cover, and lopsided. They focus on throwing information
at you rather than developing your ability to handle information effectively.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
So the BOS aims to be different.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yes, designed to work with your brain's natural inclinations, using
the principles from the earlier chapters to make study easier,
more enjoyable, and ultimately more productive.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
What are the main steps? It starts with preparation.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Right, though the order isn't strictly fixed. The first step
is brows. This is essential before you commit to studying.
Just flip through the entire book quickly and casually.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Like you would in a bookshop.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Exactly. Get a feel for the layout, the style, the
level of difficulty. Look at diagrams, summaris, chapter lengths. Use
a visual guide, maybe that four seconds book page scan
technique from the reading chapter. Yeah, just get the general landscape. Okay.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Brows first, Then.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Time and amount. Decide both how long you're going to
study for in this session and specifically what chunk of
material you aim to cover.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Why both.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
It taps into the gestalt principle our psychological need for completion.
Having a defined start and end point for the session
reduces the fear of an endless task. It gives you
a clear goal. This relates directly back to the Memory chapter.
Needing those twenty forty minute focused blocks with breaks physically
mark your start and end pages.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Makes sense. What's next?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
In preparation note acknowledge before you dive into reading the material.
Spent just two minutes quickly jotting down everything you already
know about that specific topic. Use keywords, maybe a quick pattern.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Or minimp Why do that before reading?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
It primes your brain. It improves concentrations by filling your
mind with relevant hooks, prevents your thoughts from wandering off
topic immediately, and establishes a good mental set to integrate
the new information into.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
And the last preparation step.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Questions and goals define specific questions you want the text
answer for you, or concrete goals you want to achieve
from this study session. Write them down.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Why is setting questions so important?
Speaker 2 (25:22):
The book sites an experiment. One group told to read
for specific themes questions, another told to learn everything the question.
Focus group performs significantly better on all parts of the test,
even areas not directly related to their initial questions. How
come the questions act like grappling hooks. They give your
mind specific things to latch onto, and all other relevant
(25:42):
information gets pulled in and attached more effectively, trying to
absorb everything vaguely provides no anchors, so you end up
pertaining very little. The more focus your questions the better.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Okay, that's preparation, browse time, amount note, knowledge, questions, goals.
Then you actually apply yourself to the text.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yes, the application steps, and the first one is steady overview. Critically,
you don't start reading on page one, line.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
One the jigsaw puzzle analogy. You need the picture on
the box and the edge pieces first, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You actively scour the book for all the non main
body texts. First, look at the introduction, contents, page index, bibliography, appendenzies, figures, graphs, photos, captions, summaries,
at the ends of chapters, highlighted text, anything that stands
out typographically.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Use a visual guide again here.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yes, it helps your eye quickly scan and register these
structural elements and patterns. This gives you a framework the
edges of the topic.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
After the overview preview.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Now you look at the main paragraph text, but strategically
focus on the beginnings and ends of paragraphs, sections and chapters.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Because that's where main ideas are often stated or summarized.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Usually yes, and always read summaries, results or conclusions sections first.
If they exist. They give you the absolute essence, be
selective like listening to a lecture, or constantly evaluate relevance
based on your questions and goals. Don't feel obligated to
read every single word if it's not serving your purpose.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
The book mentions a student wasting seventy hours by not
reading a summary first.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
A cautionary tale. Preview saves enormous time.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Okay, overview preview, then in view.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Right this where you go back and fill in the
areas you skipped over during preview if they're still necessary
to answer your questions or meet your goals. This might
not even be the longest part of the process.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
And crucially, if you had a really difficult patch during interview, skip.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
It and move on. Don't get bogged down.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Why skip difficult bits? Isn't that avoiding the work several reasons?
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Your subconscious mind can keep working on the problem in
the background. You might understand it easily once you've read
later material and can approach it from both sides. It
releases mental tension and frustration, and often those super difficult
sections aren't actually essential for understanding what follows.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Anyway, The book calls it making a creative leap.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yes, like innovators, you skip intermediatelogical steps. It allows your
brain flexibility.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
And throughout all these reading steps overview, preview, inview, you
are doing noting constantly.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Yes, this isn't saved until the end. It happens concurrently.
Two main forms. First, quick notes directly on the text,
underlining key phrases, marginal lines, straight for keypoints, wavy for
unclear difficult points. Quick thoughts are questions in the margin.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
And the second form.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Building your ongoing mind matt Start with the central image topic,
add main branches for the core themes you identify and
overview preview, and then add keyword details as you go
through inview, So.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
The mind map grows organically alongside your reading.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Exactly, it externalizes your understanding, integrates the information visually, allows
quick cross referencing, highlights areas of confusion or connection, and
provides a framework for integrating what you already knew. Your
completed mind map for the session is your first.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Review, and celebrate finishing a study block.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Yes, associate the process with a positive reward, however small.
Then the final absolute crucial step continuing review.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Back to the memory chapter and that forgetting.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Curve precisely, you must schedule those space reviews after ten months,
one day, one week, one month, using your mind maps
as the primary tool. This is what truly locks the
information into long term memory and makes the whole process efficient.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
So the BOS isn't a rigid step by step formula
you must follow blindly every time.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Not at all. It's presented as a flexible toolkit based
on understanding how your brain works. You adapt the steps,
emphasize some more than others depending on the specific book,
your goals, and your existing knowledge. You're equipped to make
intelligent choices about how to approach the material.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
And it's actually more efficient than just reading cover to
cover once, Far.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
More efficient that once through reader actually reads the book
multiple times due to constant inefficient regression, rereading passages they
didn't understand or forgot instantly, and general disorganization. The BOS
involves focused, strategic and and review, which saves time and
drastically improves retention.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Right. So, quite a journey we've taken there. We've looked
at the sheer, almost unbelievable capacity of the human brain.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
How our eyes actually work when we read, and how
to make that process.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Much more efficient, uncovered the real secrets of memory, the
importance of breaks, the cliff edge of forgetting and the
power of strategic spaced review.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Learned a radically different, brain friendly way to take notes
using mind maps, engaging both our logical and.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Creative sides, and finally saw how all these pieces fit
together into the flexible, powerful, Boozon organic study method.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
The core message running through all of it is really clear,
isn't it. Your mind is far far better than you
probably think.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
And that with the right understanding the right techniques, you
really can dramatically improve how you learn, how you remember,
how you think.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
It shifts the focus from am I smart enough? To
am I using the right tools?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Yeah? This deep dive into use your head isn't just theory.
It offers there's genuinely practical ways to start unlocking that potential,
making learning feel less like a chore and more like well,
like using your head properly.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
It certainly makes you reconsider what you're capable of.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
So here's the thought to leave you with. If the
potential pattern making capacity inside your head truly is greater
than the number of atoms in the known universe, how
much of that incredible potential are you ready finally to unlock,
starting right now,
Do you ever feel like you're constantly trying to just
shovel information into your brain and while most of it
just seems to slide right back out?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Oh, definitely. Or you see someone grasp a really complex
idea almost instantly and you just think, how how do
they do that?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Am I just missing something fundamental? Right?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's so frustrating. And that exact feeling, that sense that
maybe we're not firing on all cylinders, that's what we're
diving into today.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, we're getting into Tony Bazan's book Use Your Head.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
It isn't just another book about learning, is it. It's
pitched more like a like a user manual for your
own mind.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Exactly based on how it's actually supposed to work according
to the research he presents.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
So our mission here in this deep dive is to
unpack the core ideas the techniques from the book.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Uh huh, and explore how they challenge our usual assumptions
about our brains and maybe offer some really practical ways
to you know, learn remember think more effectively.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
The central premise really is that our minds are just
vastly more capable than we generally believe.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, and that the limitations we feel often they're not
inherent there because we haven't understood how our brains operate, or.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
We just haven't been taught the right methods, methods that
actually align with our brain's natural power.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Think about this. The book points out something pretty staggering.
Humans have been around for millions of years, right, but
most of what we actually know scientifically about the brain,
it's incredibly recent relative to when the book came out.
Most significant knowledge was apparently gathered in just the ten
years progress.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Ten years. That's wild, especially when you think, like Aristotle thought,
our thinking happened in our heart or stomach, because that's
where we feel emotions strongly.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Exactly, and we've only known the brain was in the
head for about five hundred years. Kind of amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And even now with all our tech.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Even now, the book suggests we probably know less than
one percent of what there is to know. It's just
infinitely more subtle and complex than we ever thought.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Okay, so, one of the huge breakthrough the book highlights
is this idea of the two brains, the two hemispheres, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
The left and right hemispheres, linked by that big bundle
of nerves, the corpus culosum.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
This came from work by Sperry and Ornstein. Right, Nobel
prize winning stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
That's the one they showed this functional split. The left
hemisphere tends to handle the logic, language, reasoning, numbers, sequence.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Linearity, sort of the classic academic activities, step by step thinking.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well. The right hemisphere deals more with rhythm, music, images, imagination, color,
parallel processing, daydreaming, recognizing faces and patterns, more holistic stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
But here's the kicker, the really interesting part.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yes, the finding that developing a mental area you might
think of as weaker doesn't just improve that.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Area, It improves everything. It creates the synergy.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Right, it boosts all your metal capabilities. So that old
stereotype of the purely logical scientist versus the purely intuitive.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Artist, it's too simplistic. It's not the full picture, not
at all.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
The book gives great examples. Look at Einstein icon of
left brain logic. Yeah, he failed math at school initially,
but he also played the violin, he loved art, sailing,
and he credited imagination games like picturing himself riding on
sunbeams for his insights into things like the curved universe.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Wow, so it was a synthesis, a real blend of
both sides.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Definitely, and it works the other way too. Great artists
weren't just throwing paint around randomly.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Their notebooks show incredible left brain activity apparently uh.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Huh, measuring color ratios, meticulously planning where elements go for
balance and impact, lots of analysis.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And the ultimate example presented is Leonardo da Vinci.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Oh, absolutely master of art, science, anatomy, mechanics. He just
moved seamlessly between disciplines. His scientific notes are full of
detailed three D drawings. His plans for paintings look almost
like engineering blueprints.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
So when we say things like oh, I'm just not
a math person or I'm not creative, what.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
We're often describing are potentials we haven't really developed yet.
Not some fixed inherent limitation. The potential is dormant, waiting
to be nurtured.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Okay, that's encouraging. But the scale of this potential, yeah,
you mentioned some numbers that were just staggering.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
There really are. The book talks about billions of individual
neurons in your brain, billions, and the potential number of
interconnections between them. One estimate from the seventies suggested it
was ten, followed by eight hundred zeros.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Wait ten with eight hundred zeros.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah. A later, maybe more conservative estimate by doctor Putronoken
described it as a line of figures stretching ten point
five million kilometers long.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
That's I can't even picture that.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
To put it in perspective, the number of atoms in
the entire known universe is estimated at only ten, followed
by one hundred zeros.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So the pattern making capability inside our heads is potentially
greater than the complexity of the universe itself.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
That's the implication. It's almost incomprehensible. And the book also
touches on other mind potential examples, amazing memory feats, bursts
of incredible strength, precise body control that seemed to define
known science but are being documented more.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Okay, so if we all have this, this supercomputer between
our ears, why do so many of us feel like
we're struggling, like we're running on fumes when it comes
to learning.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Well, this leads to what might be the most crucial point.
The book cites survey results asking people were you ever
taught about how your brain works, how memory functions, about
learning techniques, concentration, motivation, keywords, how your eyes work when
reading how to think creatively, and the answer an overwhelming
(05:36):
ninety five percent.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Said no, ninety five percent. So we have this incredibly
powerful machine.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
And practically no one gets the instruction manual.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
That feels like the core problem right there. Our performance
doesn't match our potential because we simply weren't taught how
to use the equipment properly.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It also casts doubt on things like traditional IQ tests
being the final word on intelligence.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Right the book mentions scores can change with practice, and
there was a Berkeley Studies showing high IQ didn't necessarily
correlate with things like independence of thought, appreciating humor or beauty, reasonableness,
or depth of knowledge exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
And maybe the most powerful everyday example of our innate potential.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
The baby learning to talk.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yes, think about it. By age two, most babies are
communicating complex ideas. We take it for granted, but learning
language involves understanding rhythm, math, music, physics, linguistics, spatial relations, memory, creativity, logic.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
It's everything working together, left brain right brain collaborating from
the very beginning.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
So if you learn to talk and later learn to read,
your brain has already demonstrated this incredible capacity.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
You have the hardware, which leads us nicely into the
practical stuff. If we want to tap into this potential,
where does the book suggest we start reading? Seems key
it does.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Chapter two tackles reading more efficiently and faster. It acknowledges
all the common problems tired eyes forgetting what you just read,
slow speed, feeling bored or lazy, poor comprehension. We've all
been there, right, and it defines reading not just as
seeing symbols, but it's assimilating them into your existing knowledge
and then being able to use that new understanding. Problems
(07:13):
often stem from the initial teaching methods.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
And it debunks a big myth about how our eyes move. Right,
We don't just glide smoothly across the.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Line, No, absolutely not. Your eyes actually move in quick
jumps called ciccades, and then they stop or fixate to
see clearly, you only take in information during the fixation
the pause.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Like trying to follow my finger moving my eye jumps stops,
jumps stops.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Exactly and slow readers often have inefficient habits. They fixate
on just one word at a time. They also tend
to backskip, unconsciously rereading words or phrases, or their eyes
just wander around the page, and.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
This physically slows you down.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Rathmatically, Yes, it forces speeds often blow one hundred words
per minute and really hinders comprehension because you're mentally constructing
meaning word by painful word instead of grasping whole phrases
or ideas.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
So how do we improve? What's the solution offered?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
It's about consciously changing those mechanics. First, eliminate unnecessary backskipping.
The book claims ninety percent of it is just down
to apprehension, not real misunderstanding. Second, reduce the time spent
on each fixation. Your eye can actually register multiple words
in a tiny fraction of a second, like eleven hundredth wow.
And Third, expand your fixation span. Train your eyes to
(08:30):
take in groups of words, maybe three to five or
even more with each stop.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And the argument is that reading faster this way isn't
about skimming or losing detail.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Quite the opposite. Potentially, reading for meeting units for phrases
is actually less mental work than adding up individual words.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Makes sense.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Faster readers using wider spans make fewer fixations per page.
That means less physical work for the eyes, less fatigue.
The improved rhythm and flow can prevent boredom, keep you focused,
and actually lead to better understanding.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So it tackles those common myths head on, like you
don't have to read word by word correct.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Or that reading faster than say, five hundred words permitted
is impossible. The book suggests one thousand wpm is feasible with.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Practice, or that faster reading means less appreciation or lower concentration.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Again, the book argues the opposite, better grasp of meaning,
better focus due to momentum and more time available. If
you want to reread interesting parts slowly and average speed
isn't natural, It's usually just the result of incomplete training.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Okay, so what are some specific techniques it recommends. There's
the visual aid.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yes, simply using a pointer like your finger or a
pen to guide your eyes smoothly across the lines. It
seems basic, but it provides crucial physical feedback.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
How does that help? Immediately?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
It smooths out the jerky movements, reduces back skipping and wandering.
Your speed increases almost instantly. Interestingly, it often feels slower
because your mind usually thinks it's reading faster than it is,
but the a speed is measurably faster.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
You can also practice expanding your focus, taking in more
than one line at a time, maybe for an overview.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Yes, especially for a lighter material, but you need the
visual guide for that. And then there's high speed perception practice.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
What's that involved?
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Basically turning pages very rapidly, maybe spending only a few
seconds scanning each page, not trying to comprehend fully, but
conditioning your eyes and brain to process information at much
higher speeds.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Like driving fast on a motorway makes normal roads feel slow,
exactly that analogy.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It makes your normal reading speed feel easier and improves
your ability to take in word groups quickly.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Motivation plays a big role, too, doesn't it huge.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Often the biggest speed games and reading courses come from
unlocking motivation. Making a conscious, deep rooted decision to improve
can significantly boost performance. Alongside the techniques, and using a
metronome that can help with pacing, you set it to
guide the sweeps of your visual aid, maintaining a steady
rhythm and gradually increasing the speed useful for practice and
(11:01):
the high speed drills.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
So these reading techniques are powerful, but the book suggests
they become even more so when combined with understanding memory absolutely.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
That's the next big piece of the puzzle. Chapter three,
it looks at memory tests and what they reveal about recall.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Most people probably think recall is highest right after learning
and then just drops off steadily.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That's the common misconception, but the data shows something different,
especially during a learning period. Okay, recall is actually highest
at the very beginning and the very end of the session.
It dips significantly in the middle.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Interesting why.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
It's just how our attention and retention seem to work
over time. Also, things that stand out, unique items, things
we associate strongly, things repeated get remembered better within that period.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
And this pattern leads to a really crucial practical tip.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The importance of breaks. Yes, because of that dip in
the middle, the book argues the optimal study period is
relatively short, maybe twenty to forty.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Minutes, not hours and hours like we often try to do.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Exactly, pushing through for hours leads to diminishing returns because
recall drops so much in that long middle section. Taking short,
regular breaks prevents that main dip and create multiple beginning
and endpoints, multiple high recall zones.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Breaks also give you a mental and physical breather.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
And allow for something called intra integration. It's like a
sink in time. Recall often shows a small rise for
a short period immediately after you stop studying, before any
forgetting kicks in breaks facilitate that.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Okay, that's recall during learning. What about after learning the
forgetting curve?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Ah? Yes, that's where it gets well a bit scary
if you don't know about it. After that brief post
learning integration rise recall drops steeply. How steeply, the book
suggests you can lose as much as eighty percent of
the specific details learned in a one hour session within
just twenty four hours if you do nothing to reinforce.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
It eighty percent in one day. Wow, Okay, that highlights
my review is so critical.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Absolute critical. You have to actively counteract that steep forgetting curve.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
And the book proposes a specific method, not just random rereading, yes.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
A pattern review technique. The idea is to review the
material at specific intervals, just before the memory is predicted
to drop off significantly.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So when would those reviews happen?
Speaker 2 (13:17):
For example, after a one hour study session, do a
quick ten minute review about ten minutes later, then review
again the next day for maybe two four minutes then
review after a week, then after a.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Month, so you're strategically reinforcing it just as it starts
to fade.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Precisely, each review flattens out the forgetting curve for that material,
pushing it higher and making it stick in long term
memory more effectively. Over time, you only need occasional nudges
to maintain it.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
And the way you review matters to yes.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
The recommendation is to first try and recall everything you
can from memory without looking at your notes. Actively retrieve
it okay. Then after you've done that, check your recall
against your final notes, which ideally the books suggest us
should be in mindmap form. We'll get that.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
This chapter also challenges the idea that our mental abilities
just plummet after our mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
It does. It argues that the decline often seen in
studies is largely in people who were educated traditionally and
haven't continued to actively use and challenge their full mental
range with effective techniques. The actual biological decline might only
be five ten percent.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
So an active exploring mind using good methods can often
maintain or even surpass younger performance levels.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
That's the suggestion the decline isn't inevitable. It's often down
to misuse or non use. Using your brain fully and
imploying techniques like patterned review helps maximize abilities throughout life.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
The book then introduces specific memory systems mnemonics. These aren't new,
are they not?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
At all? They go back to the ancient Greeks used
for amazing feats of memory. They kind of fell out
of fashion, but are gaining respect again because they tap
into the brain's natural associated mechanisms.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
And it details one simple system, the number rhyme system.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Yeah. For remember lists up to ten items, you associate
each number one to ten with a rhyming keyword one bun, two, shoe, three, tree,
four or five, hive six, stick, seven, heaven, eight, gate, nine,
voine ten. Hen you memorize those pairs.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
Okay, one is bun, two is shoe? Got it? Then?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
What then to remember your list? Say the first item
is table, You form a vivid, interactive, maybe absurd image
linking bun for number one and table, like.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
The example a giant sticky bun squashing a fragile antique
table exactly.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Or for number two shoe if the item is feather,
maybe imagine a giant shoe with a huge feather growing
out of it like a plant. For three, tree and
cat picture a cat desperately scrambling up a bizarre looking tree.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
The key is the image quality right.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Absolutely exaggerated, absurd, maybe involving senses like touch or smell,
definitely colorful, moving, highly imaginative, and the link must be
direct and clear. Closing your eyes to really cement the
picture helps.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
This really underscores the idea that memory is fundamentally associative
linking ideas, and it depends on having good keywords or
key images.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Which is the perfect lead into the next chapter on noting.
Because traditional notes often fail precisely because they don't leverage
keywords and associations effectively.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
How does the book illustrate the problem with standard notes.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
He uses an exercise imagining taking notes on a complex story,
and then shows an example of typical good university student notes,
pages of dense, linear sentences.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
And the critique is.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
They are profoundly inefficient. First, you waste masses of time
writing down words that aren't actually needed for recall. The
book estimates up to ninety percent are filler ninety percent.
Then you waste more time rereading all those unnecessary words,
searching for key information is slow, and crucially, the linear
format breaks up the natural connections between ideas. Key concepts
(16:52):
get separated by pages and pages of text.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Because that's not how our memory actually retrieves information, is
it now?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
When you recall something comp like a book you read
or a place you visited, you don't recite it word
for word. You access key concepts, main themes, strong images,
and reconstruct from there.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Like keywords act as hooks.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Exactly, a single powerful keyword like the word child can
instantly unlock vast networks of associated memories and experiences from you.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
The book differentiates between types of keywords too.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Yes, key recall words versus key creative words. Recall words
are usually strong nouns or verbs that funnel your memory
towards specific information. Creative words are more evocative, image rich,
but general, like oohs or bizarre. They tend to spray
associations in all directions, which is great for brainstorming, but
(17:42):
not for recalling specific facts accurately.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
So using the wrong type of keywords in notes can
actually lead you astray. When trying to remember.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Right, your mind follows the creative path instead of the
specific recall path. Good recall keywords force the right connections
and understanding.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
This leads away from linear and notes towards patterned notes.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Towards mind maps. The book contrasts the linear nature of
traditional writing and printing with the brain's actual structure, which
is multi dimensional, radiating associative like a network.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
So if the brain works with interlinked key concepts radiating outwards.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Then our notes should reflect that structure.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Okay, exceleing the basic mind map structure again.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
You start with a central image or word representing the
main topic. Then you draw main branches radiating out for
the major sub themes. Off those branches, you draw smaller
branches for supporting details, using single keywords or key images
on each line, and.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
The advantages compared to linear notes huge.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
The main idea is instantly clear in the center. The
relative importance of ideas is visually obvious. Closer to the
center usually means more fundamental. The links and relationships between
different concepts are explicit.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Makes review much faster too, I imagine, much.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Faster and more effective. You can easily add new information
later without rewriting everything. Each map is visually unique, which
aids memory recall, and the open radiating structure naturally encourages
creative thinking and new associations.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
What about specific techniques for making good mind maps?
Speaker 2 (19:08):
Use print, preferably capitals for keywords, easier for your brain
to photographically register keywords on the lines and have the
lines connected, showing the structure clearly. Use only one keyword
per line. This gives each word maximum associative freedom.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
And just let your mind flow.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, especially during the creative phase. Avoid pausing or censoring ideas.
Just get them down on the branches. Let it be
associative and free.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
The book uses that hologram analogy here, doesn't.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
It it does? Comparing the brain to a camera static
two D image capture versus a hologram three D distributed information,
the whole image is encoded in every part.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
The hologram is a better model, much.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Better for showing the brain's dimensional, interconnected storage. But the
brain is even more dynamic. It can rotate images, perceive itself.
Its capacity is vastly greater.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And we can make our mind maps more brain like,
more holographic with advanced techniques.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Yes, using eras to show connections across different branches, using
simple codes, asterisks, check marks, question marks for emphasis or categories,
using geometric shapes to enclose certain areas or show order.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Adding visual dimension.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, making key shapes or images look three D like
they're standing off the page. Using creativity and images relevant
to the topic itself, and critically using lots of color aids.
Memory helps differentiate areas, shows links, and engages the right brain.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
So mind maps are inherently designed to engage both sides
of the brain.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's a key point. They explicitly combine left brain elements
like words, logic, sequence, number lines with right brain elements
like color, images, dimension, rhythm, spatial awareness a whole brain.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Tool, and their uses go beyond just taking notes from
books or lectures.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh absolutely for organizing thoughts, planning projects, preparing presentations, created
problem solving, group brain storing.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
How would you use one for, say, preparing a speech.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You'd map out all your key ideas. Then you just
decide the numerical order in which you want to visit
the main branches and sub branches. You follow the map linearly.
When speaking eliminates the need from multiple written.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Drafts and taking notes from lectures.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
You focus on capturing keywords and maybe quick images as
the speaker talks. Your resulting mind map might look messy
compared to neat linear notes, but the book argues it's
informationally much neaterter because the structure, lengths, and your own
critical thoughts are instantly visible. Making the map is the first.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
Review, and for meetings, a shared mind map highly effective.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
A central map on a whiteboard ensures everyone's contributions are captured, visually,
prevents information getting lost, bases importance on content rather than
who spoke loudest or last, reduces rambling, provides an instant
shared record, and keeps individuals actively engaged.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
So the overall benefit is that mind mapping forces you
to actively engage with the structure and meaning of the information, which.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Leads naturally to better critical analysis, better integration of ideas,
better recall, and deeper understanding. It's an active process.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Okay, we've covered the brain's potential, reading, memory, and mind mapping.
How does Buson pull all this together into an overall
study method.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
This is chapter five the buzan Organic Study Method or BOS,
and it cleverly starts by addressing why people avoid studying
in the first place.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Ah, Yes, the famous six o'clock in the evening, enthusiastic,
determined and well intentioned studier until midnight scenario.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Who somehow ends up reorganizing their sock drawer, making elaborate snacks,
calling distant relatives anything but opening the book.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
We've all been there. Why does that happen?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
The book argues the root cause is often fear, specifically
linked to the examination system. Textbooks become symbols of a
potential threat. They represent hard work, judgment, and the possibility
of failure or appearing.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Stupid and not knowing how to study effectively just adds
to that anxiety exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
This fear can even cause mental blocks during exams, like
forgetting your own name, which leads to the excuse mechanism, where.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It feels safer to fail because you didn't really try
than to try hard and still.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Fail precisely I didn't study or I wasn't interested. Protects
your self esteem from the conclusion I'm incapable. Even i
achievers might use it to explain why they didn't get
one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
The book then critiques traditional study approaches.
Speaker 2 (23:23):
As often being rigid, overwhelming, read the book three times
cover to cover, and lopsided. They focus on throwing information
at you rather than developing your ability to handle information effectively.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
So the BOS aims to be different.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
Yes, designed to work with your brain's natural inclinations, using
the principles from the earlier chapters to make study easier,
more enjoyable, and ultimately more productive.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
What are the main steps? It starts with preparation.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Right, though the order isn't strictly fixed. The first step
is brows. This is essential before you commit to studying.
Just flip through the entire book quickly and casually.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Like you would in a bookshop.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Exactly. Get a feel for the layout, the style, the
level of difficulty. Look at diagrams, summaris, chapter lengths. Use
a visual guide, maybe that four seconds book page scan
technique from the reading chapter. Yeah, just get the general landscape. Okay.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Brows first, Then.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Time and amount. Decide both how long you're going to
study for in this session and specifically what chunk of
material you aim to cover.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
Why both.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
It taps into the gestalt principle our psychological need for completion.
Having a defined start and end point for the session
reduces the fear of an endless task. It gives you
a clear goal. This relates directly back to the Memory chapter.
Needing those twenty forty minute focused blocks with breaks physically
mark your start and end pages.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Makes sense. What's next?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
In preparation note acknowledge before you dive into reading the material.
Spent just two minutes quickly jotting down everything you already
know about that specific topic. Use keywords, maybe a quick pattern.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Or minimp Why do that before reading?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
It primes your brain. It improves concentrations by filling your
mind with relevant hooks, prevents your thoughts from wandering off
topic immediately, and establishes a good mental set to integrate
the new information into.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
And the last preparation step.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Questions and goals define specific questions you want the text
answer for you, or concrete goals you want to achieve
from this study session. Write them down.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Why is setting questions so important?
Speaker 2 (25:22):
The book sites an experiment. One group told to read
for specific themes questions, another told to learn everything the question.
Focus group performs significantly better on all parts of the test,
even areas not directly related to their initial questions. How
come the questions act like grappling hooks. They give your
mind specific things to latch onto, and all other relevant
(25:42):
information gets pulled in and attached more effectively, trying to
absorb everything vaguely provides no anchors, so you end up
pertaining very little. The more focus your questions the better.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Okay, that's preparation, browse time, amount note, knowledge, questions, goals.
Then you actually apply yourself to the text.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Yes, the application steps, and the first one is steady overview. Critically,
you don't start reading on page one, line.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
One the jigsaw puzzle analogy. You need the picture on
the box and the edge pieces first, exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
You actively scour the book for all the non main
body texts. First, look at the introduction, contents, page index, bibliography, appendenzies, figures, graphs, photos, captions, summaries,
at the ends of chapters, highlighted text, anything that stands
out typographically.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Use a visual guide again here.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yes, it helps your eye quickly scan and register these
structural elements and patterns. This gives you a framework the
edges of the topic.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
After the overview preview.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Now you look at the main paragraph text, but strategically
focus on the beginnings and ends of paragraphs, sections and chapters.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Because that's where main ideas are often stated or summarized.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Usually yes, and always read summaries, results or conclusions sections first.
If they exist. They give you the absolute essence, be
selective like listening to a lecture, or constantly evaluate relevance
based on your questions and goals. Don't feel obligated to
read every single word if it's not serving your purpose.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
The book mentions a student wasting seventy hours by not
reading a summary first.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
A cautionary tale. Preview saves enormous time.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Okay, overview preview, then in view.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Right this where you go back and fill in the
areas you skipped over during preview if they're still necessary
to answer your questions or meet your goals. This might
not even be the longest part of the process.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
And crucially, if you had a really difficult patch during interview, skip.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
It and move on. Don't get bogged down.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Why skip difficult bits? Isn't that avoiding the work several reasons?
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Your subconscious mind can keep working on the problem in
the background. You might understand it easily once you've read
later material and can approach it from both sides. It
releases mental tension and frustration, and often those super difficult
sections aren't actually essential for understanding what follows.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Anyway, The book calls it making a creative leap.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yes, like innovators, you skip intermediatelogical steps. It allows your
brain flexibility.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
And throughout all these reading steps overview, preview, inview, you
are doing noting constantly.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Yes, this isn't saved until the end. It happens concurrently.
Two main forms. First, quick notes directly on the text,
underlining key phrases, marginal lines, straight for keypoints, wavy for
unclear difficult points. Quick thoughts are questions in the margin.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
And the second form.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Building your ongoing mind matt Start with the central image topic,
add main branches for the core themes you identify and
overview preview, and then add keyword details as you go
through inview, So.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
The mind map grows organically alongside your reading.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Exactly, it externalizes your understanding, integrates the information visually, allows
quick cross referencing, highlights areas of confusion or connection, and
provides a framework for integrating what you already knew. Your
completed mind map for the session is your first.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Review, and celebrate finishing a study block.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Yes, associate the process with a positive reward, however small.
Then the final absolute crucial step continuing review.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Back to the memory chapter and that forgetting.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Curve precisely, you must schedule those space reviews after ten months,
one day, one week, one month, using your mind maps
as the primary tool. This is what truly locks the
information into long term memory and makes the whole process efficient.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
So the BOS isn't a rigid step by step formula
you must follow blindly every time.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Not at all. It's presented as a flexible toolkit based
on understanding how your brain works. You adapt the steps,
emphasize some more than others depending on the specific book,
your goals, and your existing knowledge. You're equipped to make
intelligent choices about how to approach the material.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
And it's actually more efficient than just reading cover to
cover once, Far.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
More efficient that once through reader actually reads the book
multiple times due to constant inefficient regression, rereading passages they
didn't understand or forgot instantly, and general disorganization. The BOS
involves focused, strategic and and review, which saves time and
drastically improves retention.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Right. So, quite a journey we've taken there. We've looked
at the sheer, almost unbelievable capacity of the human brain.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
How our eyes actually work when we read, and how
to make that process.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Much more efficient, uncovered the real secrets of memory, the
importance of breaks, the cliff edge of forgetting and the
power of strategic spaced review.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Learned a radically different, brain friendly way to take notes
using mind maps, engaging both our logical and.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
Creative sides, and finally saw how all these pieces fit
together into the flexible, powerful, Boozon organic study method.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
The core message running through all of it is really clear,
isn't it. Your mind is far far better than you
probably think.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
And that with the right understanding the right techniques, you
really can dramatically improve how you learn, how you remember,
how you think.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
It shifts the focus from am I smart enough? To
am I using the right tools?
Speaker 1 (30:55):
Yeah? This deep dive into use your head isn't just theory.
It offers there's genuinely practical ways to start unlocking that potential,
making learning feel less like a chore and more like well,
like using your head properly.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
It certainly makes you reconsider what you're capable of.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
So here's the thought to leave you with. If the
potential pattern making capacity inside your head truly is greater
than the number of atoms in the known universe, how
much of that incredible potential are you ready finally to unlock,
starting right now,
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