As we acquire knowledge and information, we tend to believe that once we learn it, it ends there. With the hope that our brains will automatically retain it and make it avail to us when we need it.
But in actual fact, we forget most of what we have learnt. Our brains only retain a small percentage of what we have learnt. It retains what only seems to matter to us. And as we go on with our lives, the information that doesn't seem to matter that much, it eventually gets completely thrown out of the brain. We forget it.
Hence we should not entirely depend on our brains to retain information.
The best way to go about it is to write down notes.
Taking down notes of what you learn as you acquire the information, keeps your body active and engages your brain. The more you write something down, the better your chances of understanding and never forgetting it compared to just merely listening or reading.
This is why I say, never trust your memory.
How many times have you learnt something, and promised yourself that you will never forget it because it seems so easy? But you dismally fail when you think back and try to remember it. You don't even remember a little bit of what you learnt. This is the danger of solely relying on our memory to learn.
The most common denominator between the best students and even experts in their fields is their intentional act of taking down notes of whatever they learn.
Some learners in school struggle with school not because they are stupid or not smart enough but because they trust their memory. And it therefore disappoints them when they are tested on tests or examinations.
One of the many elements that can make you be the best at what you do is to take notes of what you learn. Now it is even easier as we have Notepad apps on our phones. We can literally take notes everywhere and anywhere without carrying a physical notepad and a pen with us.
Stop trusting your memory and see how much you improve in remembering what you learn, and becoming better at what you do.
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