Understanding Memory

I’m a 4-Time Australian Memory Sports Champion and international bestselling author. I work with individuals to help them improve clarity, recall, and cognitive performance in real-world situations.

I write a weekly newsletter sharing short private notes on memory, learning, and cognitive performance, drawn from over 20 years of coaching work with professionals and students.

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Understanding Memory, by Tansel Ali Understanding how memory works, why it fails, and what actually makes recall reliable, by Tansel Ali.
The Overthinking Trap: Why Mental Clutter Blocks Memory
Oct 23

Oct 23 The Overthinking Trap: Why Mental Clutter Blocks Memory

Tansel Ali

Overthinking doesn’t weaken memory, it blocks it. Mental clutter pulls attention away from encoding and recall, making memory unreliable under pressure.

How Overthinking Disrupts Focus (and What Actually Restores Calm)
Oct 21

Oct 21 How Overthinking Disrupts Focus (and What Actually Restores Calm)

Tansel Ali

Overthinking drains focus, energy, and memory. Learn how mental labelling and emotional regulation reduce cognitive interference, so recall stays reliable even under pressure.

Why Your Memory Struggles in a Distracted World
Oct 18

Oct 18 Why Your Memory Struggles in a Distracted World

Tansel Ali

Your brain can’t remember what it never had time to absorb. See how distraction disrupts memory formation and how restoring deep focus allows information to settle and stick.

Why You Forget Things When You’re Stressed
Oct 16

Oct 16 Why You Forget Things When You’re Stressed

Tansel Ali

When stress rises, memory falters. Understand how pressure interferes with recall and how staying calm under demand allows your memory to remain clear and reliable.

Think You Have a Bad Memory? It Might Be Something Deeper
Oct 14

Oct 14 Think You Have a Bad Memory? It Might Be Something Deeper

Tansel Ali

If you often forget names, tasks, or details, your memory isn’t failing, it’s signalling. Learn how to spot the patterns behind forgetfulness and retrain your brain for clearer focus and more reliable recall.

How to Remember Client Details Instantly (Using the Major System in Conversations)
Oct 11

Oct 11 How to Remember Client Details Instantly (Using the Major System in Conversations)

Tansel Ali

Ever forgotten a client’s name or birthday right after a meeting? See how the Major System turns names, numbers, and key details into memorable images that support trust, confidence, and professional credibility.

How to Remember Data, Numbers, and Statistics Instantly
Oct 9

Oct 9 How to Remember Data, Numbers, and Statistics Instantly

Tansel Ali

If numbers and data slip your mind after meetings or presentations, this method can change everything. See how the Major System turns complex figures into simple visual stories that stay clear and easy to recall.

How to Memorise the Major System (and Make Numbers Stick for Good)
Oct 7

Oct 7 How to Memorise the Major System (and Make Numbers Stick for Good)

Tansel Ali

Numbers slip away because they’re abstract, not because you’re bad with them. The Major System turns digits into vivid images and stories your brain holds onto easily, so recall becomes faster, cleaner, and more reliable.

Why You Keep Forgetting Tasks (and How to Remember What You Need to Do)
Oct 4

Oct 4 Why You Keep Forgetting Tasks (and How to Remember What You Need to Do)

Tansel Ali

Tasks disappear because they were never anchored properly. Simple, well-placed memory hooks can lock errands and to-dos into recall so they surface exactly when you need them.

Why You Forget Names Instantly (And How to Fix It)
Oct 2

Oct 2 Why You Forget Names Instantly (And How to Fix It)

Tansel Ali

Names vanish because they arrive without meaning. By turning a name into a clear, personal association, recall becomes instant, reliable, and effortless, even in high-pressure moments.

Why Do I Forget Things So Quickly? (And How to Fix It)
Sep 30

Sep 30 Why Do I Forget Things So Quickly? (And How to Fix It)

Tansel Ali

Forgetting names, facts, or what you just read is common. It happens when information isn’t encoded properly, and with the right memory strategies, recall becomes clear, fast, and reliable again.

Why Rote Repetition Fails
Sep 27

Sep 27 Why Rote Repetition Fails

Tansel Ali

Repetition feels productive, but it rarely creates lasting memory, because effort alone doesn’t encode information in a way the brain is designed to retain.

How to Strengthen Memorization and Stop Forgetting
Sep 25

Sep 25 How to Strengthen Memorization and Stop Forgetting

Tansel Ali

Forgetting doesn’t mean you have a bad memory, it means the memory wasn’t strong enough. Learn how to build lasting recall through depth, reinforcement, and meaningful connection.

How Bigger Stories Create Unbreakable Memory
Sep 23

Sep 23 How Bigger Stories Create Unbreakable Memory

Tansel Ali

Memorisation doesn’t stick through repetition alone. Strong recall comes from exaggerated, meaningful stories that your brain can access weeks, months, even years later.

The Framework That Stops You Forgetting Your Speech
Sep 20

Sep 20 The Framework That Stops You Forgetting Your Speech

Tansel Ali

Struggling to remember your speech usually isn’t a confidence issue, it’s a structure issue. Learn how a simple memory framework locks your key points in place so recall feels effortless.

Why You Shouldn’t Memorize a Speech Word-for-Word (And What to Do Instead)
Sep 18

Sep 18 Why You Shouldn’t Memorize a Speech Word-for-Word (And What to Do Instead)

Tansel Ali

Most people memorise speeches word for word and lose flow under pressure. Learn how the Memory Palace helps you lock key points in order so you can speak naturally and confidently without sounding rehearsed.

How to Memorize a Speech Using the Memory Palace Technique
Sep 16

Sep 16 How to Memorize a Speech Using the Memory Palace Technique

Tansel Ali

Most people memorise speeches through rote repetition and end up forgetting lines or sounding robotic. The Memory Palace shows how to lock key points in order so recall feels effortless and delivery stays natural and confident.

Guide and Glide: How Peripheral Vision Unlocks Faster Reading
Sep 1

Sep 1 Guide and Glide: How Peripheral Vision Unlocks Faster Reading

Tansel Ali

Speed reading doesn’t come from forcing your eyes to move faster. It comes from training visual guidance and peripheral vision so reading becomes smoother, quicker, and easier to understand.

Three, Five, or Eight? How Eye Span Sets the Ceiling on Reading Speed
Sep 1

Sep 1 Three, Five, or Eight? How Eye Span Sets the Ceiling on Reading Speed

Tansel Ali

Most readers process one or two words per glance. Skilled readers expand their eye span to three, five, or even eight, then reading speed increases without sacrificing comprehension.

The Chunking Method: Why Reading Faster Starts With Seeing More
Sep 1

Sep 1 The Chunking Method: Why Reading Faster Starts With Seeing More

Tansel Ali

Most people read word by word, which slows comprehension and drains focus. Chunking trains your brain to process groups of words at once, so reading becomes faster, smoother, and easier to understand.

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Understanding Memory / Tansel Ali