Have you ever wondered how some people seem to always be studying and learning new things, but never seem to be able to really remember what they learned? We see this in business all of the time. People are always attending seminars and inviting in speakers to teach them how to be better businessmen and women. They want to know how to expand their businesses, sell more, reach more people, and be more successful in all areas; yet once the seminars end and the speakers leave, no one remembers anything! Why is this?
There are three main enemies of information retention:
Information overload
Negative filtering
Lack of follow-up
Information overload is simple. We want to learn so much and cram it all in that none of it means anything. We overload our brains! Why attend five seminars on being a better salesman if you retain none of what you learn and put none of it into action. Do you feel like a better salesman just because you attended a seminar? I hope not. Of course it is easy to read a new book or listen to a new CD, but an overdose in knowledge does not equal a change in behavior. We've become knowledge junkies!
So how do we learn to better retain and put into action all that we learn? The answer is simple: repetition. It goes all the way back to grade school. When you are first learning your letters and how to read, you do so through repetition. First you see the letter, then you hear its sound, then you learn how to write it, and you repeat it until it is committed to memory. Nothing really changes if we want to keep learning. We must remember the power of repetition. Instead of filling our heads with every new idea that comes down the pipe, we need to simplify and remember to learn "one letter at a time" until each is committed to memory. Repetition!
That isn't enough, though. Most of us have been conditioned to have a negative filtering system. What does this mean? Well, think back again to childhood. Most likely, when you behaved well, it was expected, and thus no one said anything. When you behaved wrongly, however, someone probably jumped all over you. Certainly it is important to correct wrong behavior, but when you never get caught doing good and rarely receive praise, you begin to set up defense mechanisms and filter everything through a mind dominated by negative thinking. ONE person showing confidence in you can make all the difference, but even if you never have that, you can determine which voices to listen to! Most people achieve too little too soon because they never learn to overcome negative conditioning. We wear a judge's robe and turn the harshest judgment upon ourselves. It is the worst kind of self-abuse!
Our negative attitudes and self-judgment become like traffic obstacles on a freeway. When information comes in, we subconsciously allow all of our "obstacles" to block it from truly being absorbed. The "I could never do that" or "It only works out well for people like him" mentalities become seemingly insurmountable. Thus, for most of us, only about 10% of what we hear ever gets through to us. It's like converging a ten-lane highway into a single lane. Major traffic jam!
We must, therefore, learn to listen with a positive mindset. Here are some pointers:
LISTEN
with no prejudice or preconceived ideas,
with a learning attitude that is excited about new information,
with positive expectancy,
with a pen in hand taking notes,
with a desire to hear not only what is being said, but also what it can trigger in your imagination, and
with a "How can I use this?" attitude.
Positive thinkers are open to new information and are constantly looking to apply that new information in ways beyond what their teachers, mentors, or coaches could have ever imagined!
The final enemy of information retention is lack of follow up. The lack of follow-up is the hardest hurdle to overcome because it requires structure and accountability. People need a follow-up plan to put their know-how into action! To change behavior and get results, you need structure, support, and accountability. We've all heard the old adage, "Practice makes perfect!" My father always said it this way, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect!" When you learn something new, start practicing it right away. The more quickly you use a newly acquired skill, the more likely you are to master it. This practice is even more effective when you partner yourself with a mentor or coach help to you "perfect" your learning, who can journey with you through your growth process and encourage you even when your progress is only mostly right! That encouragement and coaching can be the reinforcement for you that closes the knowing-doing gap.
Once you can reprogram your thinking and overcome the enemies of information retention, you have the ability to take your knowledge one step further . . . share what you've learned and teach others! Then you solidify your own knowledge and beliefs and become a part of someone else's change. That can make all the difference!
Paul J. Meyer is the founder of Success Motivation Institute, Inc. He has mastered the power of spaced repetition, using it to grow his businesses and change the lives of countless people. To learn more about Know Can Do, visit www.pauljmeyer.com .
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