Topic 4: Associating Names and Faces - Tutorial 5
The Final Connection
Having learned how to picture any person's name using Substitute Words and Phrases, the next step is to associate that picture with the person's face.
The Two-Step Association Process
Identify Key Features
Look at the person's face and select one outstanding feature that stands out to you.
Create Visual Link
Associate your name substitute word with that distinctive facial feature.
Common Facial Features to Notice:
First impressions are lasting impressions - whatever seems outstanding to you now will usually still seem outstanding when you next meet that person. By looking closely at a face, you are concentrating on it and etching the details on your memory.
Practical Examples
Remember the rules of association: Make your mental picture as ludicrous and exaggerated as possible. If you really see that image clearly in your mind's eye, you will remember the name the next time you meet them.
Practice Exercise: 10 Example Names
Try these practice examples. For each one, create a vivid mental picture connecting the substitute word with the facial feature.
Real-World Success
Although these pictures take a while to describe in text, they can actually be pictured in your mind in a fraction of a second. Many 'Memory Man' stage performers throughout the world use this system to remember the names of five hundred or more people in an audience, after hearing the names just once!
This is an extremely impressive stunt when seen on television or in a theatre, but is actually based solely on the simple system described above.
Of course, you will need some practice before you can memorise five hundred names in quick succession, but you can benefit from the system after a very small amount of practice.