Can you really train your memory – or are some people just “bad with names” forever?
In this episode of Present Perfect, I sit down with Nicolas, a psychologist and entrepreneur who helps individuals and teams improve both their individual and collective memory. We talk about what actually affects your ability to remember (spoiler: it’s not just “having a bad brain”), and how small, practical changes can dramatically upgrade your recall in daily life and at work.
We dive into:
The difference between a fixed and growth mindset about memory – and the tiny word “yet” that can change everything
How sleep, stress and your phone quietly sabotage your ability to remember, even simple things like a PIN code
Simple mnemonic techniques: turning numbers into images, building stories, and using emotions and senses to make information “stick”
How to remember names and faces at events – from LinkedIn prep to safe daily micro-exercises at the supermarket
Why handwriting, spaced repetition and strategic breaks (hello, Pomodoro) beat passive highlighting and endless scrolling
The idea of the first, second and third brain – your biological brain, your digital notes, and the shared “brain” of your team or company
How AI tools and meeting note-takers change our memory – and how to use them without outsourcing your brain completely
If you’ve ever forgotten a password, blanked on someone’s name, or finished a book and realised you remember almost nothing, this episode will give you concrete tools to train your memory and support your cognitive abilities – without needing to become a “memory champion”.
03:10 – “Bad memory” vs growth mindset – adding the word “yet”
04:45 – Sleep, stress & why your PIN suddenly disappears
08:00 – Turning numbers into images & stories so they actually stick
10:30 – How to remember names & faces (LinkedIn prep, daily micro-exercises)
16:10 – How to remember what you read: testing effect, spaced repetition & breaks
23:10 – First, second & third brain: personal, digital & collective memory in companies
35:10 – Memory, AI & the future of work