6x USA Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Shares the Secrets to Unlocking Your Mind
In this episode of the Influence Anyone podcast (previously Legend Effect), host Howie Chan interviews Nelson Dellis, an everyday guy with a hidden superpower: he’s a 6x USA Memory Champion and one of the leading memory experts in the world.
They delve into Nelson’s journey from someone with an average memory to a memory champion who helps people all over the world improve their memory through his YouTube channel, books, courses, and TV appearances.
The discussion emphasizes the importance of intent, commitment, and constant practice to improve your memory. Nelson provides some tips on how to improve your memory and remember people’s names, ways to help you memorize quotes, texts, and speeches, as well as a way to make your brand and products/services more memorable, and more.
Episode Breakdown:
02:39 The Michael Jordan of competitive memory sports
08:44 Why Nelson turned to memory competitions to improve his memory
13:12 Improve your networking skills with these tips to remember people’s names
18:49 How Nelson memorizes quotes, texts, and speeches
26:35 Start any memory task by doing THIS
27:23 Short and long-term memory palaces and forgetting the things you don’t want
30:04 Nelson’s daily mind training routine when he’s not competing
32:42 Strategies and mistakes in memory sports
37:04 Nelson’s career as a professor and the irony of being called forgetful
42:17 Nelson’s first-ever video and his passion for learning and teaching
50:07 The next challenges for Nelson with his YouTube channel
52:19 About being known as the “memory guy” and branching out
54:03 The book that changed Nelson’s life
57:15 How to be and create more memorable things
59:48 Advice on what will truly help you improve your memory
1:01:45 A letter to Nelson’s younger self
From Our Guest:
Get the books, Memory Superpowers! and Remember it!
Learn the basics of How to Remember Names with this video.
Check out Nelson’s first-ever video.
Get the book that changed Nelson’s life, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid.
Quotes:
“ A memory lapse doesn't mean your mind has failed you. It means you have failed your mind. - page 44 of the Remember It! book.” – Nelson Dellis
“ Our brains are these amazing thinking machines that are so much more capable than what we give them credit for or even take time to think about.” – Nelson Dellis
“If you give your remembering a chance, you'll be surprised what it can do. But you just gotta give it a chance.” – Nelson Dellis
The Influence Anyone Podcast
The #1 podcast on applied influence psychology. Each episode, Howie Chan, a veteran brand and behavior strategist sits down with world experts and practitioners to uncover the hidden psychology that helps you influence yourself (mastering your mindset, habits, and decisions) and get buy-in from others (your team, clients, and audiences.) Together, we turn science into playbooks you can apply to lead, persuade, and create extraordinary success.
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