“You must have a good memory.”

It’s the compliment I get most often and the one I find most annoying.

It’s like telling an Olympic weightlifter she must have been born with strong muscles. It ignores what actually built them: intentional, consistent training.

The same is true for memory.

Calling someone “gifted” with a good memory reflects a common—and false—belief: that remembering is a talent, rather than a skill.

But memory is trainable.

I share the most effective system for growing your long-term memory and remembering what you learn here: