"Emotion is the best mnemonic device."

Emotion has an incredible power to help us remember things. Think about it. When was the last time you heard a song that instantly took you back to a specific moment in your life? Or maybe a smell that reminded you of your grandmother's kitchen? Emotions have this way of anchoring memories in a way that dry facts and figures just can't.

This idea isn’t new. People have known for centuries that tying learning to emotions can make it stickier. Imagine ancient storytellers. They didn’t just recite events; they weaved tales full of drama, love, fear, and triumph. Why? Because they knew that if you felt something, you’d remember the story. Fast forward to today, and we have educators and marketers using this same principle—crafting messages that tug at your heartstrings to make sure you remember them.

Let me give you a real-life example. Think about the “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Delivered during the March on Washington in 1963, Dr. King’s speech is one of the most famous in history. Why? It wasn’t just the words he used, but the way he delivered them, filled with hope, passion, and a deep emotional resonance. People didn’t just hear his words—they felt them. And because they felt them, they remembered them, and his message lived on.

So, how can you use this wisdom in your own life? Let’s say you’re trying to memorize a presentation for work. Don’t just focus on the bullet points and data. Find the emotional core of what you’re talking about. Are you passionate about the subject? Does it solve a problem that people deeply care about? Connect your content to real stories—yours or others’. When you feel strongly about what you’re saying, your audience is more likely to feel it too, and they’ll remember your message.

Here’s a relatable scenario. Imagine you’re studying for a big exam. It’s all dry facts, right? Not necessarily. Let’s say you’re learning about historical events. Instead of just memorizing dates and names, dive into the human stories. Picture the people who lived through those times. What were their fears, joys, struggles? If you can connect emotionally with their stories, those dry facts become living memories.

One of my friends struggled to remember the capitals of countries for a geography test. So, he turned it into a game with a twist. For each country, he’d look up a touching or fascinating story about something or someone from the capital city. When he thought of Paris, he remembered a love story he read about. Tokyo reminded him of a documentary about resilience after natural disasters. His scores improved, not because he crammed harder, but because he cared more.

In essence, if you want something to stick, make it matter. Connect it to emotions—your own or others’. When you feel it, you’ll remember it. And isn’t that what we all want? To not just go through the motions, but to truly remember the moments and lessons that shape our lives. So, next time you need to recall something important, ask yourself: how does this make me feel? You might be surprised at how much easier it becomes to remember.