Most people complain about forgetting names, mostly because they haven’t taken the right steps to remember a name when hearing it for the first time. Follow these steps to improve your memory for names:
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Pay attention. Make sure that you hear the name clearly. If you don’t, ask him to repeat it.
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Give the name special meaning. Connect the name with some aspect of his physical appearance or personality by:
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Exaggerating: Imagining an artist drawing a caricature of the person and highlighting that one physical feature
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Associating: Linking that one physical feature with some aspect of his personality, such as the way he moves or expresses himself or wears his clothes.
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Repeat the name. Use it in conversation with him — but don’t overdo it. Repeat the name silently to yourself.
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Review afterward. Think again about the clever association you’ve made between his name and some aspect of his appearance or personality.
