Ron White - The 2,500-Year-Old Memory Skill the Romans Used That We've Completely Lost | SRS #307

Ron White, welcome to the show, man. Thank you. It's quite the honor. It's an. honor to have you. I found you. doom scrolling Instagram. Uh I think. maybe a month or two ago and usually my. feed is all everybody's going to die. We're all [ __ ] You know what I mean? And then I saw you and I was like, "Dude, that looks interesting." Yeah, >> you were just I think you were going up. to people on the street and have them.

memorize stuff. And so that's uh then I. dug into you and I was like, "Holy. shit." And then we found out you. memorized all of the names of uh our. guys that were KA in Afghanistan and uh. so we decided it would be awesome. Memorial Day segment. So that was imp. that was like two and a half hours. You've you recited every single service. member's name who was killed in. Afghanistan.

>> Yes. >> 7,000 words. >> About 7,500. >> 7,500 words. How many names? >> The official count is around 2461. The DoD official count. Um on my list, I. got my the names from a um a. website.org. And um on there they had some civilians. in there. And although the the spirit of. my list is the military names, I didn't. have the heart to take those names off.

>> Uh so my list is probably uh eight or. nine more than the official count, >> man. Well, that was impressive to see, man. And uh I think a lot of people are. going to love seeing that. So thank you. for doing it. >> Well, thank you for the platform to do. it. You know, there's a lot of gold star. families out there that some of those. names are 25 years ago. You know, Master. Sergeant Evander Andrews, the first one. was October of 2001. >> Wow. >> So, that's 25 years ago. You know, I.

want Master Sergeant of Vander Andrews. family and all those families that 20 25. years ago to, hey, we somebody still. cares. We still care. And so, and you. gave a platform for that. So, you know, thank you. >> It's my honor, man. Seriously. But uh. yeah, I was kind of joking around before. this. You got to be careful what you say. around this. Guy remembers everything. So, so what did you have for dinner last. night? That's a good question. Actually, I you know, uh barbecue. We had.

barbecue. I don't remember. Who knows? Barbecue, >> right? Uh you know, people think, you know, oh. this guy, you know, like you said, what. what are you going to say? If my memory. is is is. extraordinarily average, if I'm not. using a system, you know, I I will um. Amy, who's worked with me for 10 years, she she tells, "Ron, you got to make. this phone call today. Ron, you got to. email this person today. Ron, did you. mail that uh IRS form in?" I'm like, "No, I didn't mail the IRS for.".

So, it's a system. How did you I mean we. we'll get into all that stuff but what I. am curious what's your first memory. I. do have a first memory that's you know. it is uh I was about 2 years old 2 years. old but two it had to been two because. of I know where I was living um and it's. just a a blip you know it's just a 4se. secondond memory of me being in the. living room and somebody going to the. door and my mom talking to that person.

at the door and you know when I was in. my 20s I said mom you know I described. the memory and she's like oh that's that. was exactly the layout of of our. apartment but I think That's just a. fluke. I don't think my memory is. anything special. But that is my You. know what though? That mesh memor is. special to me in the sense that it was, you know, my mom, my family, but I guess. who else you're going to be around it. too, right? >> Well, let me start you off with a. introduction here.

>> Ron White, a two-time USA memory. champion, a US Navy veteran, and one of. the world's top memory experts. And you will tell anybody who asks that. you were not born with a gifted brain, but you've built one. You joined the. Navy Reserve after September 11th, served as an IS-1 intelligence. specialist, and deployed to Kabell, Afghanistan in 2007. You memorize the. names, ranks, and order of death of. every American service member killed in.

Afghanistan. 2,300. names, 7,000 words. You corrected that. earlier. It was actually more than that. and have been writing them for memory on. a 52 ft wall across this country since. 2012. You've appeared on the History. Channel, National Geographic, Fox's. Superhum, and Good Morning America. And. at every speaking event, you memorize. 200 to 300 audience names before you. walk on stage. Ron White, welcome to the.

show, man. >> Thank you. >> And a couple of things to knock out here. before we get going. I have a Patreon. account. Uh, honestly, they're the. reason I get to sit down with you today. And, um, they've been here with me since. the beginning. They've turned into quite. the community. And so, what I do is they get the opportunity to. ask every single guest a question. So, this is from Scott. Ron, for someone who. was diagnosed with TBI who struggles.

with some short-term memory, what. specific exercises or habits would you. recommend to help strengthen their brain. and improve memory over time? Well, you know, on on something like that, you. know, from a non-d doctor's point of. view, I'm a I'm a memory champion. I. would focus just on, you know, good. nutrition, health, you know, going for. walks, staying healthy, that stuff is. going to impact your memory, you know, um, our hippocampus, which is.

responsible for a lot of our long-term. memory. I don't think necessarily gets. and I don't know if it gets affected in. TBI or not, but I what I do know is that. as we age, that actually can shrink. And. one of the things that can stop and even. reverse the shrinkage of our hippocampus. is exercise. Right? So, exercise, staying healthy is something that I. would recommend to anybody, especially. somebody with TBI. Uh, drink plenty of. water. A dehydrated brain has trouble. focusing. Our brain actually shrinks a. little when it's dehydrated. So, a lot.

of my advice to him would be good. nutrition and exercise. And just trying. to control your nerves a little bit. You. know, stay calm. Uh, uh, stress is the. worst enemy to your memory. Um, so I. guess it would be more more general. advice like that. And there are memory. systems such as the the mind palace. which I know we'll get to today. And I. would as far as a system that's the one. thing I'd tell him to focus on. >> Roger that. One last thing. Everybody. gets a gift. >> Oh, nice. Nice. All right. That's very.

>> not healthy, but. >> Well, believe me, >> gummy bears made in the USA. Legal in. all 50 states. So, you're clean to take. those home to Texas. >> Yes, I will. I will uh be enjoying. these. So, thank you very much. Gummy. bears are my favorite. You know, I I. love them. It's like when you get a. vitamin and it's gummy bears, you're. like, you just can't eat one and like. you're like, "Dang, I just ate 5,000 my. daily recommended allowance of vitamin. C. I'm so I'm so healthy. Thank you so.

much. >> I do the same shit.". >> Yeah. >> But, uh, wow. But, uh, well, let's So, I. want to do a little bit of a backstory. on you because I know this started as a. kid, correct? >> But I was 18. Yeah. basically. >> 15. So I'd like to do that and then kind. of go through, you know, a little bit of. your life story and then how this all. works. So where'd you grow up? Was born. in North Hills, Texas or Fort Worth, Texas. I grew up in North Hills, which. is just about uh 15 minutes away from. Fort Worth.

>> What were you into? >> Well, uh, growing up, I I was pretty uh. uncoordinated kid, but I loved baseball. and I still do. you know, they'd put me. in right field and and uh they'd hit the. baseball. It was going to be a home run. and I'd be charging in as fast as I. could, thinking I was going to have to. make a diving catch cuz I just wasn't. too coordinated. But uh I really loved. baseball as a kid. Uh my dad uh was in. the army and he was a police officer, so.

I was just real into, you know, dressing. up, you know, in his police uniforms and. dressing up in his army uniforms. He was. in during the Vietnam era. uh although. he served in Korea during that time. Um. uh so uh military uh my family is very. patriotic family you know we loved going. on trips going to visit stuff like the. Air Force Academy and things like that. and then when I was about 15 14 uh I. took a job as a paper boy and that was.

kind of my entry into supporting myself. and you know if I wanted money to go to. the movies or whatever I had to go. collect money from my customers on my. paper route. So it was a bluecollar. family and uh and you know I they gave. me a good work ethic I guess you'd say. and. uh baseball military. and throwing papers. >> How'd you get into the memory stuff? >> Well so it was two weeks out of high. school and uh my friend Brian he said.

hey man I just got a job as a company. that um cleans chimneys. Do you want to. get a job there with me? We will be. telemarketers. I said, "Yeah, sure. No. problem." So, it was 2 weeks out of high. school. We sit down and I'm making I'm. making 80 phone calls a day. Can we. clean your chimney? Can we clean your. chimney? Can we clean your chimney? You. know, you imagine it was a thrilling. job, right? And uh one day I called this. guy and I said, "Hey, you know, we've. got a a crew in the area. We want to. clean your chimney." And he said, "I.

don't want our chimney cleaned. We're. trying to sell our house anyways. Thanks. for calling." And I said, "Sir, don't. hang up the phone. if you're trying to. sell your house, you should have a clean. chimney. And I heard a little chuckle on. the other end of the line. And he said, "You know what? I've got a room full of. telemarketers." And none of these guys. when they hear an objection do they try. to overcome it. They just accept it and. hang up the phone. He said, "Do do you. want to go to work for me?" And this was. him talking to me. He said, "Do you want. to go to work for me? I sell memory. training seminars.". >> Holy [ __ ] You got to be kidding.

>> That's it. That's it. Yeah. and and he. said uh he said, "I'll pay you more than. you're making now." You know, which was. a pretty safe bet, right? Okay. Anybody. could have said that to me and they. would have been right. You know, I'd say. all the time, "If you would have robbed. me back then, you would have just been. practicing, you know." So, I started. taking down his information and my sales. manager was like, "Hey, did you make a. sale?" I'm like, "No, I got a new job. I'm going to teach memory seminars." And. that my freshman year of college, I had.

a 0.9 GPA. So, you know, Albert Einstein. is not in my family tree. And the the. the telemarketer, she said, "Good luck. with that. You know, you're going to be. back here in two weeks." And that was 35. years ago. >> Wow. >> So, I I've been doing my career, I guess. you would say, for 35 years. >> Wow. And and it's that's a I'm glad you asked. that question because a lot of people. when they see me recite the names or you.

mentioned recite two or 30 hundred. names, they think, "Oh, this guy has. some special gift. He has some special. ability that I don't have." No, no, no, no, no. I was a telemarketer. A guy. hired me over the phone cuz I was a good. salesman and he taught me the system. I. genuinely believe anybody can improve. their memory that way. So, everybody. that you sold the STEM program to. probably could do this, huh? >> I've never That's what I'm gonna start. calling it now. The damn program. >> But, uh, no [ __ ] That's how it.

happened. >> So, you just took the program that you. were selling. >> and it worked. >> Yeah. I took I took his course. He laid. it out. He laid out the system and um uh. and I did it. I I perfected it. Um, I. probably had an advantage. You know, I. was talking to your security guy today. and I said, "Man, you know, I'm kind of. jealous of you in a way. You know, I I'd. like jiu-jitsu, but I I can always think. of an excuse not to train, right? And. just take it easy, be lazy." I'm like, you are forced to constantly keep your.

training up. I I like that. And that's. kind of the way it was with me with. memory. I got lucky in a way. I took a. job for a memory company, right? So then. I was forced to get good at it and. perfected it. Had I just taken a memory. seminar, I don't know if I would have. had the the drive or that early on to to. perfect it to the level that I did. Starting this podcast was one of the. biggest leaps of faith I've ever taken.

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So, did you actually did I mean this. turned into you're you're teaching how. to memorize the Bible, how to memorize. the Bill of Rights, how to memorize. jiu-jitsu moves, how to speedread, how. to I mean, was it all of that or did you. develop a lot of this on your own too? The the new the newer stuff. >> Yeah. So, when you've evolved the. course, I guess is what I'm saying. >> Correct. The course I took was a general. memory course. Over time, the things.

that I was interested in, I applied it. to. So, one of the things that, you. know, the in in Psalms in the Bible, you. know, in in Psalms chapter 1, it says. that the man who meditates on scripture. will prosper in whatever he does. So, I'm like, okay, I think I'm going to. memorize and meditate upon some. scripture. So, I applied it to the. things I was interested in. And and. that's where those niche products uh. that you mentioned evolved from. >> Interesting. Interesting. What so what.

are some of the tell me about the. course? You know what what what does it. teach you? >> Well um it's it's a series of modules. and you know sometimes sometimes it it's. in person you know sometimes I'll I'll. teach it in person at a at a conference. you mentioned the the uh the memorizing. of 200 names. When people arrive for a. conference, I'll memorize two or 30. hunds. So, often times I don't have to. even talk to them. I can just read their.

name tag and it says Shawn or you know. it says Brent or it says Sarah or or it. says Terry or it says Darren and I'll. just read their name tags. I don't even. have to say and then I'll get up on. stage and I'll say if you're one of the. two or 30 hundred people I met, stand. up. two or three people stand up and. then I'll run around and I'll call off. their names. So, I like every course I. teach always starts off with, hey, look. at this, you know, so it gets their. interest, but then it's just a series of. modules that walks them through how to.

memorize, you know, one lesson I'm going. to talk about how to visualize, how to. turn stuff into a picture. If you want. to remember something, you need to be. able to see it. For example, you meet me. today and six weeks from now you're. you're out at your favorite restaurant. and you look over there and you think, "Man, I've seen that guy before. I know. that guy. Who is that guy? I've seen his. face." 2 hours later you're driving home. and you're thinking, "Ah, that was Ron. White." We remember the face, but we. don't remember the name. >> Sometimes remember it later because you.

remember what you see. So the course. teaches you how to think in pictures, right? Turn turn Steve into a stove. Lisa, the Mona Lisa. When you hear the. number 21, you think of a deck of cards. And that's an overly simplified. examples, but it teaches you how to. think in pictures and then apply. techniques known as the memory palace or. the mind palace, but it's really geared. towards like if if it's not geared. toward, hey, you want to memorize your. grocery list. How's having a better. memory going to help? If all you do is. memorize your grocery list, how's that.

going to impact your life? But think. about it. your your viewers right now. who want to give a speech or a. presentation without notes or they want. to learn anything faster or they want to. quote Bible verses or memorize poems. That's the things that developing a good. memory can help you with. And so that's. what I like to focus on, man. I mean, I. could use this just. for this alone. I mean, so much. information is coming in and out of this. damn thing that it's just it's like it's. it's impossible for me to keep up, you.

know? But something like that to be able. to just reach in the archives and. retrieve something and spout it off a. statistic or a fact or whatever it may. be. I mean that would be. very useful. And when I memorized the. Afghanistan names, and I know we'll get. more into it later, but uh a a uh. a simple overview that goes to what. you're saying. I used this room that.

we're in to help me memorize the names, right? So, I visualize locations. Your. flag right there is Corporal Dean Page. These lights right here are um are Staff. Sergeant Darren Hoover. So, I I placed. what I wanted to remember and I. visualized it interacting with this. So. when I said the final 13 names, the the. Abbeby gate names, I was sitting here. with my eyes closed and I was going. around this room like that and I was. talking about what I saw on each.

location. I bring that up because you. just mentioned ah this would help me in. what I do. Well, what you could do is. the same thing. You could number spots. around this room, right? So this this uh. this shelf over here could be a spot. this flag, this flag, these things. Then. you're talking to somebody and as. they're talking, you're thinking, "Oh, that reminds me of something I want to. ask them, but you don't want to like. interrupt them, right, when they're. talking, right? >> They they say that they that they played.

baseball, right?" And you want to talk, remember to ask them that question, but. you don't want to interrupt them. So now. all of a sudden, you see a baseball. crashing through and hitting that flag. right there, and the flag falls on the. floor. They continue to talk for another. two minutes or one minute and then you. can look up there and remember what you. wanted to talk about. >> Oh, damn. That right there comes in. handy. I'm always trying to hang on to. questions. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> And I probably lose 75% of them. >> 100%. 100%. Visualize as they're. talking. Visualize whatever's behind.

them. So over here, I might see it. interacting with the flag. I might see. it interacting with this picture. Over. here you're talking. I'm still listening. to you, but now I've got the two or. three things uh that I want to talk. about. And then when I get a moment, I. ask you about those things. >> Interesting. Interesting. And so you you. started. so you were working for a tele. telemarketing company selling memory. courses, but did you start selling your. own too as a teen? >> Well, so I went to work for them at the. age of 18 and I worked for them for.

about a year and a half, two years, and. things happened that um led to me. leaving that company. Um, I it was my. decision. It wasn't their decision for. me to leave. It was I I I. needed to leave. And when I left that. company, I was 20 years old. And I. thought, I love this. I love this. But. I'm 20, you know, I'm 20 years old. Can. I do this? But I there was so much that. I didn't know about running a business.

If I had known everything that I didn't. know, I was too dumb to know what I. didn't know. I thought, how hard could. it be? So, I went down to the. courthouse. I registered a company name. I opened myself up a bank account. The. difficult part of that, well, there's a. lot of difficult things about it, but. back then there was no online course. It. was just me speaking, right? But I was. 19 years old, 20 years old, and I look. like I was 12 years old. So, you know, I've I've started shaving my head right. here, you know, giving myself a little. bit of age. And, you know, the other.

things have given me some age. But um. when I was 19 years old, I remember. giving my first speech. I walked into. this this company and I said, "Hey, my. name's Ron White. I'm I'm with uh the. company I was with, the memory company, and the guy said, "Okay, Ron, whenever. the speaker gets here, let us know. We'll all go in together." And I said, "Sir, I'm the speaker." He said, "Are. you out of high school?" And I said, "Yes, sir. Matter of fact, uh last month. it's been a year." you know,

and he was like, he he looked at me and. he said, he said, he said, "Ron, I. appreciate what you're doing. I like. your go to your go-getter attitude, but. my guys are pros in there. You know, if. if you if they're they're seasoned. salesman, I don't know if I'm going to. look good bringing you in." And I went. in and I memorized the names in the room. and then I repeated them and I looked at. him and he went, "Okay." You know, like. you can go. But early on, I guess I had. to over overcome that a little bit of a. credibility. You know, what's my. credibility? Uh I had won no memory.

championships. I had set no records. I. clearly looked like I was in high. school, but I loved what I was doing. And uh and I learned something about. back then, too. If you get good at. something, >> regardless of your age, if you get good. at something, regardless of your age, be. so good they can't ignore you. Right? And with time came age and everything. worked out. >> Right on. Right on. And then you joined. the military. >> I did. So I I I started my business or I.

started this business when I was 18. >> Uhhuh. >> And um when I was 28 years old, I'd been. in my career for a decade. So um. uh that's when I joined the military. >> Hold on. Do we need to rewind? Do we we need to rewind, don't we? 10 years. You were in business for 10. years before you joined the military. >> Uh yes, I was. >> Okay. Let's go back to that first. >> Okay. >> I I thought that you Yeah.

Let's go back to the business. So, you. made the decision to start your own. business. >> I did. And if I knew what I knew now, I. probably wouldn't have done it, right? But I'm glad I did. I'm glad I didn't. know because, you know, there was so. many things I had to learn. You know, for the first decade, I was behind on my. IRS taxes all the time. You know, I just. didn't know how to get all set up and. have a good accountant. I was trying to. do it all myself. I made so many. mistakes and it held me back so much. There were just so much. Now, fortunately, I got a great accountant, right? You I just go make the money and.

she does all the all that stuff. But as. an 18, 19 year old kid, the job I had, people always ask, "What did you do. before you uh you you taught memory. seminars?" I said, 'Well, I had a paper. out and then I worked at Taco Bueno. I. rolled burritos, you know. Um, you. didn't just tell them you don't. remember. >> So, I uh I had no business experience, right? I just had the I wasn't afraid to. make cold calls. That first 10 years, I.

was making 80 cold calls a day. So, uh. uh five five days a week. 400 calls a. week, you know, maybe 1,600 2,000 calls. a month, 20 plus thousand calls a year. >> Wow. >> So over and I was just calling people, hey, can I speak for your conference? Can I speak for your conference? Can I. speak for your conference? Can I speak. for your conference? And it was a little. bit different of a sales pitch than. that. But also, you know, I didn't know. what I didn't know. I didn't know that.

it's better when somebody else is. saying, "Hey, you should have Ron White. He's a great presenter." Right? But I. just went through it and I just made the. phone calls. Um, you know, people today. they'll they'll ask me, they'll say, "Ron," they want to be a speaker and. they'll say, "Ron, tell me, tell me, I. want to do what you do. How did you how did you do this where. you speak?" And I said, "Well, I got leads. I made call 80 a day. I. called uh I made 400 cold calls a week,

2,000 plus around 2,000 a month. And. they said, "No, they'll interrupt No, no, no, no, no, no. Ron, run. I don't. want to do that. I want to do what you. do now. You know, I'm like, >> we want to skip all the journey and just. go to this. >> Yeah, that's right. >> It's crazy. And and and probably you. too, right? You know, I mean, you've all. you've accomplished in your life and and. I heard you say it recently. People will. say that, "Oh, Sean, look how you just.

blew up and your YouTube channel took. off." And then I heard you talk about, hey, you didn't get to see the stuff in. the attic and all that kind of stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's you get the what. I don't know, whatever you want to call. them, the oh, this guy came out of. nowhere. Oh, you just popped up out of. nowhere. Oh, this dude, I've been doing. this [ __ ] for over 10 [ __ ] years now. Wow. >> You know what I mean? Media stuff. Been. doing the podcast since 2019. I didn't. just pop out of nowhere. >> Wow. >> I've dumped everything into this, as I'm.

sure you have, too. you know, and and. so. >> it's a lot of [ __ ] work. >> They're seeing the finished product. >> Yeah. Everybody Everybody It's It's It's. like that saying, everybody wants to be. a gangster until it's time to do. gangster [ __ ]. >> Yeah. And and in full honesty, if I was. starting today, I don't know if I would. make those cold calls. We have so much. at our disposal now, right, with the. YouTube and social media and Instagram. and all that kind of stuff. But it's.

still an important part. You got to get. out there and you got to talk to people. and you got to be willing to hear. rejection and that kind of stuff. And. those were lessons that fortunately I. learned going door to door selling. newspapers. But and I implemented that. and used that during that 10 years. So. it was a lot of um it was that I was I. was broke for 10 years. I was broke. >> Yeah. >> I would be sitting at home and uh you. know working or whatever and the. electricity would go off. I was like, "Oh man, I did it again." Um, the first.

time I spoke for free for the for pretty. much the whole decade, but a whole. decade. >> Decade. >> Wow. So, I uh I I would call real estate. companies, car dealerships. I mean, you. think about it. A car dealership, they. need to memorize their scripts, right? Their customers names, that kind of. thing. So, I would call them and I'd. say, "Hey, can I speak for free for and. I, by the way, I don't do this anymore, but I say, "Hey, can I speak for free. for your for your company?" take teach. them how to remember names and that kind. of stuff. And then I'd go speak for free.

and sell tickets to a a workshop or. something like that. It was about five. years into that there was a a rental. company, Color Time, and they like you. could go rent um I don't know, maybe. furniture or something like that there. But this was 1998. They said, "Well, I. was living in Seattle." Uh, and they. doing my business, and they said, "Will. you speak for our conference in Reno, Nevada, and um I said, "Yeah, I would.". You know, I was trying to do the math.

like, "How would I get there? Speak for. free?" And they said, "We'll pay you. $2,500." Now, this was almost 20 years. ago, right? And I'm like, " $2,500? Oh. my gosh. They're going to pay me $2,500. to speak for what I've been doing for. free?" boy, they don't know I'm giving. this speech for free in Seattle. And. they said, "Okay, just buy your plane. ticket and um you know, then send us the. invoice or or whatever." Well, I didn't. have money to buy a plane ticket. I. literally did not have money to buy a. plane ticket. I was broke.

>> Um I went broke living in Seattle. I had. a a guy who um turned out to be a. professional con artist and he uh uh uh. swindled me out of of some money. He was. very disappointed when he got my bank. account. He thought it was he thought I. was more of a high roller, but I worked. during the day selling memory seminars. and then at night I took a job as a. waiter at a restaurant. >> So I um was waiting tables. I said yes. to this company in in Nevada in Reno.

I'll speak at your conference. They said. buy your plane ticket. And I'm like why. do I tell them how if I tell them I. don't have enough money to buy a plane. ticket? They're not going to have me. speak. they're going to think I'm. nobody's paying me to speak, which. nobody was. And um I so I said, I got I. got to figure this out. So I I emailed. him back and I said, "You know what? I. got family halfway through there, so I'm. just going to drive and I'm going to. stop and see my family, you know, on the. way." And uh you could tell they were.

like, "That's a long drive, dude. That's. that's the craziest side you ever. heard." But they said, "That's fine.". But I didn't have the money. So, I. started picking up doubles, waiting. tables, and um my tires, my tires on my. car had the metal, the metal was coming. out of the tires. So, I thought, "Okay, I got to buy some tires, and then I got. to get enough money for gas money. I. don't care if I make it back. I just. have to get there and accomplish this. goal." So, I've got my money. I got.

enough money to buy my tires. I got. enough I picked up all these doubles. And I go out to where my my Jeep was. parked and it was gone. It got towed. So. then I had to use all my money that I. spent for the tires to get my Jeep out. And I just had enough money for gas. I. literally had just enough money for gas. And I drove down there the whole time. thinking my tires going to pop. My tires. are going to pop. My I got there, my. tires didn't pop. I memorized the names.

I gave the speech. They handed me a. check. It felt so good to get paid to do. this. And I got in my car, got a little. bit of money, cashed the check, got a. little bit of money, and as I drove back. into Seattle with those tires worn out, when the skyline of Seattle popped up, I'm like, I did it, man. >> Oh, man. >> Wow. Right on. >> That's what the first 10 years was like. >> No kidding.

So, where do we go from there? Well, you. know, after after that first 10 years of. trial and error, I it clicked in my. brain. Um, people are going to pay me to. do this. You know, at the time, I was. selling I was going speaking for free. for these companies at the end saying, "Hey, if you want to learn more, sign up. for my two-day workshop and they would. go to my go to my workshop." But it. clicked in my mind, dude, you don't have. to rent a room at the Holiday Inn. You. don't have to you don't have to do all. the details of getting people set up.

people will pay you to speak for their. conference, right? So, I was like, that. is that is uh that sounds so much. easier. And it was. At that point, I got. to just focus on what I'm good at, right? Making cold calls all day, renting room at the holiday end, signing. people in when they arrive, making sure. they got their name badge, none of that. anymore. And that speech changed. everything for me cuz I realized I could. switch my business model. And that's. when really my business changed because.

then I could just focus on what I'm good. at and what am I good at? Demonstrating. the power of the trained memory and. showing that anybody can do it and then. teach other people to do it. What I mean. so what else did you need to focus on? What is it exercises? Is it developing. the course? Is what what what exactly. are you focusing on. >> at that point? There was a guy named um. Billy Burton and I don't know if Billy. Burden's still alive or not, but he was. one of the leaders in the memory world. at the time and I called him up on the.

phone and I said, "Billy, I'm a. 25year-old. uh guy. I'm doing memory. What advice. could you give me?" He was very very. generous considering I just told him I. am starting in your industry. Now he was. maybe getting near retirement age but I. was still tell him I was I mean probably. he didn't fear me either right but he. was still very generous and kind to me. he said Ron these are the things I will. do and then he told me one thing that. really changed everything for me he said.

when you get done with your seminar. people are going to want to learn more. you need to have something for them to. take with them that's crucial I said. what do what do I do he said create a. memory course on cassette. And that right there was a massive. gamecher for me. Um because I realized. it was a way for me to make money. without me having to show up. Right. First of all, I would sell it at my.

events. I I I um you know, every time. you hear a motivational speaker and they. say I used to live in a van down by the. river, right? I really did go homeless. during that time. And uh that's when I. was I had I set my computer up at a. friend's house. I didn't I didn't stay. there, but he was kind enough to let me. set it up. And during the day, I would. go in and I would type type out my. course, type out my audio program. And. that audio program um made a difference. And here's how. I was selling it on.

cassettes and and people were benefiting. from it, but it was really only if they. were at my workshop, right? Well, one. day a friend of mine named Chris called. me and said, "Hey, Chris.". He didn't say that. He said, "Hey, Ron. My name is Ron." His name is Chris. See, see, aren't you glad to see the memory. guy is just a normal memory. He calls. himself the wrong name sometimes. Uh he. said, 'Hey Ron, there's a company called.

Jim Ran International. Jim Ran was a a. great business philosopher. He passed. away in 2008. He said, ' Do you know who. Jim Ran is? I said, "Yes, I know who Jim. Ran is." And he in my industry, he was a. legend and not from memory, but business. conferences. And um he said, "The owner. of that company is Kyle Wilson. Kyle has. an office 15 minutes from where you. live. I just called Kyle and I told him. that you were going to bring his your. memory course on cassette to him. Go.

drop it off. I'm like I was so I had. such imposttor syndrome. I'm like Chris. there is no way Kyle Wilson general. international is going to have any. interest in me. Why would they want to. pay any? They got a wall full of. speakers trying to present him stuff. And I'll never forget it. I walked in. I. opened up the door at Kyle Wilson's. office and his assistant Crystal was. right there. And I had one foot in and. one foot out. And I said, "Hey, could. you give this to Kyle Wilson?" And uh. and she said, "He's here. Do you want to.

talk to him?" Like, "No, I don't want to. talk to him." I was so intimidated. She. gave that cassette to Kyle Wilson. Kyle. had this massive email for Gimro. International email list and he just. sent out a blast and he sold some. He. called me on the phone. He said, "Ron, how what's what price could I get for. 2,000 of those?" And I'm like trying to. maintain my composure. I'm like, 2,000. of these? I've never I haven't sold 200. I gave him a price. Two weeks later, he. called again. Ron, I need 2,000 more. Two weeks later, he called again. And he.

he he was a he's a ma he still to this. day, he's a master genius marketer. >> And he sold out of them. And um one. >> button up on this story. If there was no. Kyle Wilson, I would not be sitting here. today. There would be no Afghanistan. memory wall. I would never have served. in naval intelligence. And the reason for that is is we became. friends. And one day he called and said, "You want to drive to Shrivefeport, which is 3 hours west east of Dallas to.

go to the casino?" I had no money. I had. no money. And um we get to the casino. and he says, "Ron, I like to gamble in. private. I'm going to go to the this. table. You go over there." And I'm. thinking, "Thank goodness." cuz I didn't. want to let him know he was going to. pick up really quick. I didn't have any. money. So, I sat at the bar and drank while he. was gambling on on the way back. He he. said, "Hey, man. How'd you do?" I said, "Uh, I left where I came with I came. leaving what I came with." And uh we did.

that a couple times. And one of those. trips, he said, "Ron, something's. bothering you. What's bothering you?" I. said, "Kyle, I'm getting ready to get. kicked out of the Navy. I'm getting. ready to lose my security clearance uh. for int I is1 I naval intelligence. I. said I I owe the IRS $40,000. I have no. way of paying this. And it's I'm going. to be so embarrassed. My family was so. proud of me that I was in the Navy and. now I'm going to be an embarrassment.

And um he listened to me. We go to his. office. He walks into his office. He. writes me a check for $36,000 which was. the exact amount. He said, "Here you go, Ron. Pay off your IRS bill. This is not. a gift. This is an advance on. commissions. I'm going to sell your. course and take out your commissions as. an advance." Um, thank you for letting me tell that. story. I hadn't didn't even pop in my. mind, but that's a powerful story to me,

an important one in my life. >> You're welcome. What is it? What is it that was in the courses that. were gaining so many people's attention. that wanted to buy it? >> Well, you know, you think about it, uh, a business person, a leader, you know, they want the ability to stand up on a. stage and give a speech or a. presentation and not use any notes. Imagine you're at a conference or you're. at a presentation and that guy is. standing up there on stage and he's. reading his notes or he's reading his. PowerPoint. It happens all the time, but.

it's not a dynamic speaker. Mhm. >> So with the memory system, you're able. to take what you want to say and speak. without notes. A lot of people like like. learning how to do that. But sales. people, think about it, you know, you've. got people who are taking a job at a car. dealership or they're taking a job as a. salesperson, they're getting in front of. their customer and as soon as they get. in front of their customer, what. happens? They lock up. They can't. remember what they're supposed to say. And then their customer walks away and. then they remember what they're supposed. to say. So sales scripts remember what.

you're supposed to say giving speeches. or presentations without notes. I think. one of the biggest things that people. like about memory about learning how to. improve your memory is being able to. remember names and faces. You meet. somebody today and then you meet their. wife and two weeks later you see them. out and you're like Sean Katie how are. you doing? You know it's magical. You. show the person that you care. So Zig. Ziggler used to say people don't care. how much you know until they first know. how much you care. So, and those are the.

business reasons I think the primary. ones. But there's another group and that. group is the students, the students. This one of your Patreon members asked. me on a question today. Uh, how do you. study for this test, the MCAT, and I was. able to to to lay it out students. And. then maybe the final category, which. I've already mentioned, is scripture. memory. Right? For people who have a. have have a religious faith in whatever. their religion is, that's important to. them, >> right? What did Jesus do when he was.

tempted? He quoted scripture, right? So, the ability to have the word of God. written on your heart and on and in your. mind uh is a lot of things for for a lot. of people of faith. So, faith-based. students and those business people who. want to just close more deals. Makes sense. What about the speed. reading? Speed reading is possible. Now, I've gone I've I've my opinion on this. has shifted over the years. First, I believed it's not possible.

That's what I believe for two decades. I. believe that I've been doing this for 35. years. I always joke I say I know that. sounds impossible because I look like. I'm 27, but I've been doing this 35. years. Right. Right. But, um uh for the. first 20 years or so, I uh didn't think. it was possible. people would after my. class, hey Ron, can you teach me how to. speedread? And I just tell them, hey, look, I don't think it's possible, and. I'm not going to sell something that I. don't think is possible. So for 20.

years, I said no to that product line. cuz I just didn't think it was possible. Then after about 20 years, I thought, people are asking me this question. You're just saying it's not possible. because you don't think it's possible. What do you know about it? Right? >> So I'm like, okay, I'm going to try this. out and see if I can do it. And then I. was able to do it and actually doubled. my reading speed. And I'll give you a. real quick cliffnotes version of how to. speed read. So when we're reading, what. happens is is something called visual. regression. You're reading a line or.

something. The boy went to the store, but your eye is not trained. It bounces. around a lot and it's called visual. regression. So the boy went to the. store, your brain would read that. The. boy went, the boy went to the boy went. to the store. It's bouncing around. And. people all say, "Ron, I don't do that. I. just read straight through." You. probably don't it, but you're probably. doing it so fast you don't realize it, but because you're doing it, it's. slowing you down, right? >> So, the best speedreading strategy I. could give a person, and there's many,

but if I could give the best one, it's. put your finger underneath the words. that you're reading or a pencil and. force your finger to follow the words. You've people probably seen speedreading. people and they're going like this. across the page. What they're doing is. they're forcing their eye to follow. their finger. So, they're going like. that. And there's some other things that. you that alone might double your reading. speed on a on a laptop or a computer. You could do it with the cursor. Um, but. some other things are don't don't.

subvocalize the words. You know, don't. say the words. Don't read to yourself. If you're reading to yourself, if you're. saying the words, you're going to be. limited to how fast you can talk, not. how fast you can read. And the average. person is reading about 200 words a. minute. Almost everybody by using their. finger and just staying a little bit. more focused can read fast, can read. twice as fast. Almost anybody. So that's. when I developed a speed reading course. when I realized, hey, okay, you can make. you can sell this and feel good about.

it. And that's what I did. >> Makes sense. Makes sense. Where do we go from here? >> Well, that's the first 10 years, I would. say. And um after that, that's when. September 11th happened and that's when. I enlisted in the military. So I guess I could talk a little bit. about that. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. So I was 28 years old. I'd been. teaching memory for a decade and um.

mainly for free, but right about that. time I'd learned people were paying for. this. And so, uh, I moved back from. Seattle and I was sitting in my friend's. living room, Brian McMahon. He's been. one of my closest friends since he was. 12. Complete numbum skull. If if there's any proof, you don't have. to be a genius to do this. Brian McMahon. is the proof. He's going to he's going to fold he's a. black belt in jiu-jitsu. He's going to. fold me up for saying that. But um uh we.

were sitting in his living room right. after September 11th and he said uh he. said, "Don't laugh at me, but tomorrow. uh or this week I'm going to join the. army." And it was one of those moments. I was 28 years old. I was a decade into. my career. I did I was no I wasn't. looking for a new career. I wasn't. looking for a new opportunity. But it. was September 11th, right? And so we. were just months removed. This was. probably December. So, you just a few. months removed from September 11th. And.

he said, "Don't laugh at me. I'm going. to join the uh the army tomorrow or this. week." And it was a split-second. decision. I said, "Dude, I'm going to go. with you." So, we went down to the. recruiting station the next day. Uh he. joined the Army. I joined the Navy cuz I. have an IQ, right? Army's great. My dad was army, but I. wanted to join the Navy. I'll tell you. the real reason I joined the Navy. Well, my dad, my grandfather served in World. War II in the Navy. So, uh, to this day, I have his his uniform hanging up on the.

wall, his World War II uniform. But one. of the big sellers for me joining the. Navy and not the Army was the Army. wanted to make me a mailman. I learned. that day the it's the recruiters have. they're told this is the slots you need. to fill and whoever walks through that. door, right, that's the job they're. going to give them. And and I walked. through that door and he said, "We want. to make you a mailman." And I'm like I. was like, "Sir, sir, I I'm joining the. Navy." there's nothing wrong with that. job and I'm not disparaging that job a. at all but it's not what I wanted to do.

and I joined as a reserveist and he said. well Ron if you join as a reserveist and. and you deliver mail you will uh get to. go to Germany for your two weeks every. summer I'm like sir if I want to join go. to Germany I'll go to Germany so I. walked out and I walked by the Navy. recruiting station and on the door to. the Navy it said no boot camp I mean. they were doing, this was right after. September 11th, they were doing anything. to get people in those doors. No boot.

camp. I said, "That sounds very. interesting." I went in and they said, "Uh, they said, "For a reservist, you're. your two weeks boot camp." I did a. 17-day boot camp. Um, and they asked me. some questions and I took some, you. know, you got to take some tests, you. know, to to get in the military. And. after all that was done, they said, "Do. you want to be in naval intelligence?". And that's when I said, "This is I'm. going for the Navy." And so that's what. I did. >> Right on. Right on. I think we skipped. something. >> Yes, sir. >> The Guinness Book of World Records.

>> Maybe I ignored that. What happened there? >> Oh gosh, that was a fiasco. That was a. fiasco. Um, so. uh it was 2001, February 2001, something. like that. I was at the grocery store. with my my girlfriend at the time and. she was shopping and I pulled the. Guinness Book of Rules records off the. shelf. As fate would have it, I opened. it up and when I was flipping, I saw a. memory record. Ge Metring memorized a.

27digit number and it said the digits. were flashed on the screen for 3 seconds. and I looked at it and I said 3 seconds. 27 digits. So 3. * 27 that's a minute and 21 seconds. I. could beat that. I can beat that easy. That's a slam dunk. So I told my. girlfriend, I said, "There's a guy in. the Guinnessburg world records, I do. this every day at my speeches. I can. break this record." She's like, "Yeah, whatever, pal. You know, if you could do. it, why don't you do it?" And I said, "You know what? I'm going to do it." So.

I called the Fox Good Day Dallas show. and I said, I showed them the Guinness. record. I'm like, "I can I can break. this record." And they said, "Okay, let's let's practice it right here in. the studio." And we did it. And I didn't. get it right. And then I they said, "Okay, we'll we'll consider this." And. then I went back to my friend Brian, the. guy I tal that I joined the military. with. I said, "Dude, we got to train for. this." So for a week, he just said. numbers. I memorized them. Not once did. I get it right. I went back to the. producers. I said I said, "Can I be on. the show?" They said, "You can be on the.

show this day." They said, "Let's try it. again. Let's practice." I didn't get it. right. In a week or 10 days of practice, not once did I get it right. Not once. Brian, my friend, said, "Ron, or he. calls me Ronnie. Ronnie, you don't have. to do this." I said, "I'm going to do. this." The producer said, "You don't. have to do this." I said, "Just put me. on the air." And we were sitting in. chairs like this. They said, "Uh, 27-digit number." Um, we did one more.

digit, 28 digits. And right, so I. thought it was 27 digits, 3 seconds. each. So, I said, "Do 28 and let's just. make sure I do under 1 minute and 21.". And I got it. The lady said the number. I said it. I repeated it to her and she. said, "We got a new Guinness record live. on Good Day." And I didn't want to say. it, but lady, that's the first time I. ever got that right. You know, but I picked the right time, right? And. um.

uh uh so I was telling everybody, I was, you know, hey, book a Guinness Record. Breaker Ron White for your next. conference, right? I put it all over my. website. I put it all over this. And and. then I finally got around. I'm not the. most organized man. You would think I. would be. Couple years down the road, I. got to around putting it, submitting it. to Guinness. So, here's my record. Here's the proof. Here's the TV show. And Guinness came. back to me and they said, "Ron, you.

didn't break the record. Not even close. It wasn't 3 seconds per digit. It wasn't. this digit flashed on for 3 seconds. This digit flashed on for 3 seconds. This digit flashed on for 3 seconds for. a total of minute 21. The entire 27digit. number flashed on the screen for 3. seconds. And then it disappeared. And. then he said it from memory. And I. thought, "Oh no, you've got to be.

kidding me." Because there was no way I. could make this right. There was no way. I was going to make that right. There. was no way I could train and get that. Today, I kind of know how he did it. I. could get closer to that, but I still. don't know if I could break it today. So, that became a thing in the back of. my mind. You know, I felt like a. dishonest person. >> for three years on all my marketing. material. Guinness record breaker. We. scrubbed it from everything, but people. would still bring it up and I would. always correct them, but I felt it was.

an honest mistake, but people don't know. if it's an honest mistake or not, right? So, I had this I had this I'm I hate to. even say the word, but just not. authentic, but it it wasn't true. But. that was the perception I I felt like I. had. So, that really motivated me to I. got to make this right. I've got to do. something that says you you just read. that that introduction today. Ron's one.

of the top memory experts in the world. Mhm. >> Well, I was saying that. back around this time, 25 years ago, and. I said to myself, "This isn't authentic, man. This is not authentic. You are. getting introduced right now as one of. the top memory experts in the world. You. have no degree from a college on. something related to memory. You've. broken no records. You've competed in no. tournaments. You've done nothing other. than given yourself a marketing title. like any business person would do. And.

that marketing title is you're the best. So I said, you've got to do something to. earn this title. And that's when I set. my sights on the USA Memory Championship. and some records like that. >> Right on. Right on. Thanks. Wow. That's. humble. I bet that was humbling, huh? >> It was humbling. Um I also just felt. foolish. You know, sometimes attention I. was foolish that that I thought that. that Guinness record would be that.

simple. Uh cuz a minute 27 seconds for a. 27-digit number is not not that. impressive. Even though that was the. first time I ever got it right, I was. embarrassed that I thought that was a. Guinness record. >> Damn. Damn. Well, Ron, on that note, let's take a break. When we come back, we'll pick back up with their naval. career. >> Yes, sir. If you've listened to this show for a. while, you've probably heard me talk. about functional mushrooms before and. why I'm interested in that whole space.

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Welcome to Hollywood versus reality. They do it right. What does he do in the movies? Tell me. if I'm doing this wrong cuz I don't. watch any of this. Little flick like. that, right? Seems pretty cool. It is. pretty cool. Got to silence it.

In another lifetime, I did gun reviews. for a living. Proprietary magazines, supposedly the best engineering in the. world. When that breaks, you're. now bringing them back. It does look prettying cool. I got I got. to admit that. I lost my entire family. Uh my mom, my. dad, my brother in 18 months. Um what?

>> Yeah, it just it just in uh 20 22 2023. and uh it just you know a memory guy. It. just it wrecked my brain and uh so. >> your whole family. >> Yeah. And so. >> dude, >> it it not all at once, you know, they. had the decency to space it out 6. months, you know, 6 months each, but it. really threw me off. >> Who was it? It was my mom, my dad, and. my brother.

>> Jeez. >> Yeah. They all passed real quick. >> But it threw my my me off. It threw my. business off. Threw my game off. >> I'll bet it did. >> Yeah. And I was had a relationship at. the time and it ended cuz I couldn't. focus. Right. So then I I lost the. fourth relationship. Uh but all that to say, uh it it it it. it threw my business off. Uh, and being. here. really forced me to focus on those.

Afghanistan names. It's really helped me to start getting. my focus back. You know, I I hear you. talk about Gabe and I lost my brother to. the same thing you lost Gabe, too. >> Oh, [ __ ] dude. I'm sorry, man. >> Yeah, but uh this is helping me get my. focus back. >> Good. >> I'm grateful for it. I'm happy to hear. that, man. Dan, that's tough. I'm sorry. that you went through that. >> Well, we all go through loss, right? And. uh it's just normally not all back to.

back. >> So, your military career? >> Yes, sir. >> Where do you want to start? You're an. intelligence specialist. I was an OS. So, you went to school at Damneck. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Right. Right next door to us. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, I never did the job as a. of an OS, but uh cuz I went to BUDS. right after that. But yeah, I wanted to. be an intelligence specialist, but then. when I saw how long the school was, I. was like, I'm not [ __ ] doing that.

So, you So, you picked something much. easier. What can I do that's going to be. a walk in the park, right? >> Oh, [ __ ]. >> Well, I wanted to be a SEAL, but I just. did not uh have the qualifications to. for that. you know, you're you're in you. know, I didn't I'm an honest man. I. didn't you know, the funniest thing is. is you're in the military. I remember, you know, being with an IS, you know, we. were all sitting out and this guy's out. there smoking. You know, he's an is. And. we're talking and uh he's like, "Yeah.".

He said, "Yeah, I was going to be a. SEAL, but I just, you know, he's, you. know, he's he's on the Fat Boy program. right now, you know, in the Navy to lose. weight." He's like, "Yeah, I was going. to be a SEAL, but I just couldn't do it. cuz my eyes my eyes are bad, you know.". and and then I said, "Well, you know why. I didn't do it? Because I can't [ __ ]. do it.". So, I was happy with uh naval. intelligence, though. So, did the did. the memorization skill that you've. learned help with being an intelligence.

specialist? >> Well, um. a little bit. A little bit. So, a lot. A. lot. Um uh you you talked about the. school, the intelligence school, right? >> Mhm. >> So you go through this uh Brit is what. they called it at the time. Uh. I believe it was basic reserve. intelligence training is what they it. was it was a course. No, actually, sorry. to We were there at the same damn time.

cuz I I went in the Navy July of 2001. and graduated boot camp right at. September 11th because I actually had a. hernia surgery I was supposed to fly. home for. I hid it through all of boot. camp cuz I thought they were going to. kick me out because of a hernia. So, I. lied to him, told him I was fine until. the very end. It was like looked like a. [ __ ] softball come and. >> you know and I was like uh anyway. So, by the time I had gotten through like.

the couple weeks or whatever a rehab it. was, it would have been what probably. October, November 2001. that I was at Damn Neck and OS school. >> Were you there at that time? >> I wasn't. Um, so I I I my enlistment. date wasn't actually until March of uh. 2002. >> Okay. >> Cuz I went I was a little bit delayed. I. I enlisted around December, but I didn't. actually my official date wasn't until.

March. Um, but you know, you asked a question, does. the memory um help with the school? It. does, but I guess backing up a little. bit. Um, you know, I uh I told you I. almost got kicked out of the Navy. So. during that time, I'm in my the. intelligence training and uh the the. master chief comes in, the SSO comes in. and says, "Ron, come with me. Bring your.

badge." Everybody's like looking at me. like, "What's going on?" And we go back. to her office. And I guess a little bit. before that part of the story that needs. to be told is when you, you know, go in. into this community, they ask you a. series of questions on a piece of paper. And the questions are, "Have you ever. smoked weed? Have you ever had a. speeding ticket? Have you ever been. arrested? Have you ever been 90 days. late on your credit? Have you, you know, all these all these type of things." And.

so she handed me the form in a piece of. paper and I went, "No, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.". And I handed it back to her. And and at. the time, I didn't really realize what. was going on. She didn't even pay. attention to my answers because she got. so so sidetracked with something else. So I didn't put it all together at the. time. She said, "Ron, I have never," she. said, "I've been doing this for 10 years. or something. I've never seen somebody. answer those questions this quick that.

quickly. They're going through it and. they're saying, "Dad, did I really get. arrested or did I not was I really 90. days late or was it 89 or was it 91?". She were like, "You're just yes. Yes, yes, yes. No, yes, yes." I've never seen. it that fast. I said, "Well," and I. hadn't thought about it. It was It was. yes or no questions, right? So, she. guess I didn't pay attention to it. She. puts it in her file folder. Fast forward. a couple months later, she walks in. Ron, get your badge. Uh, go come with.

us. And we sat down and she said, "Ron, we got your We've been doing. investigations on you and you've been. arrested. You've had over 50 speeding. tickets. Uh, I got I was arrested for uh. warrants for speeding tickets, nothing. I wasn't knocking over a 7-Eleven, you. know, but uh you've been arrested. You've been 90 days late on your credit. Uh, all these things." And I I said, "Uh, yeah, I told you that." She said, "There's no way you told us that." I. said, "It's on the form." And she got. the form and she was like, "I can't.

believe this. He told us this." But that. was actually quite a selling point for. me cuz the whole reason they don't want. you to have IRS debt or all this other. stuff, right? Is so nobody's going to. bribe you, right? Nobody's going to go. to you and say, "Hey, China's not going. to say, "Hey, if you don't's bribing US. government officials, Ron, come on. Who the [ __ ] would do that? >> It's all above board. Right. >> Right. Uh but they figured, well, if.

somebody goes to Briar, he's just going. to tell them. Uh yeah, I got I was late. to my credit. Tell them. I don't care. But because of that and because I. cleaned up those things, uh I got to. stay in. Um, and in the the basic. reserve training, the brick training, I. did use the memory system, you know, I. would I told you I I I use rooms. >> to memorize. >> Mhm. >> So, I would make make a house in my. brain and the house would be China.

And this room would be China's aircraft. carriers. This room would be China's. aircraft. This room would be other. important details that I wanted to know. about China's military. Well, then I got. 10 pieces of furniture mapped out in. this room. So now I take the 10 facts. about the aircraft carriers, the shape. of them, the size, the capabilities, whatever that I think is important to. know, and I memorize them around those. 10 pieces of furniture. The next the. next room, the 10 features of their. aircraft, I would want to know. So I'd.

have I'd have facts about this this. house is China, this house is Iran, this. this house is another country. And so I. really did breeze through that that. training. Uh uh and then then the test. would they would give me the test and. the test would be something regards to. what's the capability of this aircraft. in Iran's arsenal. How far can it fly on. a tank of gas? How far can its weapons. go? And I would just think back to that. room in that house and boom, answer the. question. So it really did help me.

mainly in my training. Um, uh, it helped. a little bit prior to getting in the. country of Afghanistan because I would. read books on Afghanistan and I just. memorized certain facts about it. Uh, Massud was leader of the Northern. Alliance, right? So, I would know little. facts like that to just give me context. on the country. >> Mhm. Um, one day, one day it didn't, it wasn't.

didn't wasn't as wellreceived as I. thought. Um, I wanted they made me a. briefer. I was I I was the personal. briefer for an '06 an army colonel. Uh, he was the highest ranking intelligence. officer in Afghanistan. And I was his. personal briefer. So, at the end of. every 12-hour shift, I would give him a. briefing. And they selected me for that. role just because in my civilian career, you know, I give briefings, right? It's. not we don't call it that, but that that. they thought, okay, that's what we'll.

do. But um. I uh. one day I had this idea that I'm going. to give this briefing without reading my. notes. So, at the end of every 12-hour. shift, I would brief him. We call them. sig acts. I don't know if that's a term. n is it a broad term in the military, significant acts. >> Mhm. >> So, um sig acts the significant acts. during the day and I would prepare a.

report for him. This is everything that. happened. We had this happen in Helmond. We had this in Kandahar. We lost this. number of the United States military in. this incident or this battle. Some of it. was from direct fire, some of it was. from indirect fire. This is how many the. Afghans lost. And I would prepare this. report and at the end of the day, I. would brief him on on what happened. Well, I had this big idea that I'd do it. without notes and I'd win favor with the. colonel. So, I gave my briefing uh.

without notes and I got it. I got it. perfect. But I learned something that day and. that was. they there's no harm in holding a piece. of paper when you're given a military. briefing and when it's that detailed. even though I had it right he didn't. have full confidence in me that I got it. perfectly right and he said white that. was good I appreciate the work you put. into that but use paper next time I want. to have full confidence knowing that you.

what you're saying is 100% accurate I. said yes sir. Um, with that said, I used it in so many. other ways. >> Interesting. Interesting. Anything. significant you want to talk about in. your military career? >> When a United States Navy Seal says, "Is. there anything significant in your. career?" You you you. blush a little and have a little bit of. imposttor syndrome, right? Uh, I gave a. lot of PowerPoint briefings. Uh, and I.

did do 51 convoys, but nothing happened. on those convoys. And I'm perfectly. happy that nothing happened on those. convoys. >> Mhm. >> Um, I will say that. the airport in Kbble where Abbeby Gate. was, >> I've been to that airport 10 times on a. convoy. >> Uh, we I went on a convoy there one day. and nothing happened. Um I we leave we. get back to the base and somebody from.

our base I was at ISF headquarters in. Kbble right next to Hamid Carzi's palace. right next to the embassy and a base. called Camp Edgars. I learned later when. I memorized everybody who died in the. war in Afghanistan that that's Captain. Daniel Edgars. I didn't know it at the. time but he passed. He was the 150 135th. name. I said the guy left from camp. Edgars and he goes to that airport in. Cobble Abbey Gate that area and he he.

died. It was a vehicle born IED and I as. an intelligence guy I um uh remember. that that video and I remember thinking. man I was just there. I was just there. and now he's there and he's dead. M. >> and then 2 days later we shut down. convoys for a couple days and then 2. days later I went back and you know that. was I think that's when I first I I. always had had been briefing the names.

of the fallen and I didn't I didn't say. the names of the fall in my briefings. but I was always aware of the deaths. probably more than the average person. who was deployed cuz I had to know every. day how many who died. I never knew that. guy's name until about six weeks ago. And I went and figured it out. Who is he. on the Afghanistan wall? And based on. the time and based on where he died, there was Corporal Adam Quinn. And. so that name has an attachment to me.

Now, I think there was one other time. that really all this led up to me. wanting to memorize the names. Um, I had. teeth problems. I still have teeth. problems, but I had a tooth problem when. I was in the base. And um. it's a it's a question. Do you want to. go tell your chief that you have to go. to the dentist when you know that's. going to require other men getting in a. convoy doing a completely unnecessary. convoy because your teeth is bad, their.

lives are at risk, so you can go to the. dentist. So I kept prolonging it as long. as I could. maybe I can just get to this. deployment without having these guys go. off base, right? Finally, I decided I. had to get my teeth fixed. And I went in. to the room, the intelligence center, and I sat down. It was 10:00 at night, and it was full of people. Full of. people. And um I sat down, I said, "What's going on?" I mean, high ranking, high ranking guys said, "What's going.

on?" And they said, "Somebody's about to. get swacked." And we had these monitors. on the screens. The the whole room was. just TV monitors. Um it was like the mo the TV show 24. just a lot less fancy, right? And they. had all the monitors were on the same. house and somebody in that house, a high. value target was getting ready to get. killed. And I sat down and I was just. watching and the guy said on the phone.

he was communicating and he said 3. minutes out. and then this is you know I didn't. experience death in the same way you did. in your deployment. I experienced death. in a very sanitized way on a television. screen. But even at that, I thought, "Wow, these people are about to die and they. have no idea. That person who just. walked out of the house to go to the. bathroom or whatever just saved his life.

and he has no clue. That car that just. pulled up and they went in, they're. about to die." And then I heard 2. minutes out and as a guy who just gave. PowerPoint briefings, I'm like, "Whoa.". 60 seconds out and then boom and you see. these people running and you see the. they're being chased by I guess a. helicopter or some type of and they're. they're shooting at them and then you. see them fall. and I just went back to my room that.

night. and I just wrote in my journal, why do. people kill each other? Why is there. war? Why is this happening? I understand. if we don't kill the Taliban and. al-Qaeda, they're going to kill us, but. why? Why? Why? And it bothered me so. much. And that bother in my heart for. any death, not just the United States. military. And and I get and I get the.

people who are listening, they're going. to say it's just it's a person, you. know, and but I understand there's some. bad people, too. But. those questions. and all these stories that I just. mentioned is what led up to me wanting. to do the Afghanistan war to focus on. the death of war. Uh so my military. career really led to to the tribute I do. today. >> Right on. Right on. That bothered you.

that much, huh? >> Well, it didn't bother me in a PTSD way, right? I don't you know not a. >> I'm not picking that up. >> No, there's none nothing. It wasn't. >> first time we've seen. real death. It was our guys killing. >> bad guys. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah. >> It bothered me in the sense it was, you. know, it wasn't traumatic, right? It. wasn't traumatic. It wasn't necessarily. something that I even lost sleep over. other than it but I did it did start.

getting that philosophical question in. my brain. Why is there war? Why must. people kill? Goes back to, you know, it's the it's a story as old as time. You know, Cain and Abel, right? It's. not, you know, Harry uh uh Billy Joel, we didn't start the fire. I realized. this didn't just start with us. You. know, it's the world's been burn. How's. the song go? The world's been burning. since the world's been turning. But um. yeah, it's I think that those moments is. what made me want to focus later on the. Afghanistan war. Gotcha. Gotcha. Makes.

sense. Are you familiar with Poly. Market? >> Yeah, I am. >> All right. This is about war. So, >> Oh, man. >> Here's the question. Poly Market gives. only a 5% chance that the Iranian regime. falls by June 30th. You deployed to. Kbble as an intelligence specialist. You've seen these con what these. conflicts actually cost. When you look. at what's happening in the in Iran right. now, what does your gut tell you?

Will we be will the regime fall by June. 30th? >> I cannot. My honest answer is I don't know. But I. do have an opinion. I don't have an. answer on the time frame. But I do have. an opinion.

It is my sincere hope that there are no. boots on the ground and that that there. are no names to learn. There are already. some names to learn. >> Yep. >> You know, I have no idea how it's going to turn. out. I have zero idea and I have no. educated guess. um with the my only. other thought on this is and I don't. even know you you've done you've talked. to so many people Sarah Adams and Joe. Kent and you've talked to so many people.

who. know so much about the background of. this war. and I don't necessarily know that. but if it's true and I don't know if. it's true that we don't want him to get. nuclear weapons which seems to be the. thrust of the idea Right. I'm not a fan of war and I'm not even. saying we should have done this cuz I'm. saying I'm just hoping for the best. right now. I will say this though, I do.

fear a nuclear war. If you if you say there's only a 2%. chance of of a nuclear war every year. 2%. Every year there's a 99.8%. chance of no nuclear war. No nuclear be. Okay, I can live with that. Well, what. happens with percentages. is over a hundred years. that 2%. becomes an 18% chance that it has.

happened within a 100 years. If it's just a 1% chance every year that. that there is a nuclear war, 99% chance. there's not. After a hundred years, it's a 63% chance that it will have. happened. I'm not going to be alive in a. 100 years. But there are people who are. being born today that if there's a 1%. chance, there's a 63% chance in their.

lifetime. on the war in Iran. I hope there's no. boots on the ground. I hope it's. resolved. I'm not a a fan of anything. that's going on really. >> and I don't know all the reasons why. other than I just don't like it. >> Yeah. >> But I hope I also see the point of view. of nuclear proliferation is a scary. thing. You've memorized the names of 2300 plus.

Americans killed in Afghanistan. You. built that wall so people will. understand the scope of the sacrifice. before we go to war again. What does it. mean to you that we're now in a conflict. with Iran? >> I don't like it. I don't like it. You. know, when I said at I recited the names. and I was I was emotional when I. finished saying the names, you know, and. what I said at the end of that, I said, "It is my hope that humans evolve to the. point one day that we can solve our. differences with words instead of war. I.

just hope I just hope that the people. who are in our government, the. officials, the politicians that they are. so cautious before they send men and. women wearing the cloth of our nation. into harm's way and also they consider. the cost on the other side and the. overall cost of war. The cost of war is. is the the names that I said today, Master Sergeant of Vander Andrews, that. was 25 years ago that we lost him, October of 2001. But today, his family,

it's not 25 years ago for him. I met his. daughters at a NASCAR race. For them, it's it's every day. And and. I I'm not I'm not a fan of the Iran War. >> Yeah. If this escalates and Americans. start dying in a war with Iran, which. they already have, will you memorize. those names, too? >> Maybe, but probably not. Um, the. Afghanistan names,

uh, it took 10 months to memorize, rank, first name, last name. Today on your. show. was the first time I ever finished it. >> No kidding. >> This was it. This was the first time. >> Wow. So, I would um. I started when I started memorizing them. in 2012, there was 1,853.

>> As I was memorizing it during that time, we lost 600 more. It was impossible to. to finish it because I couldn't. I would. set the wall up. I would do it. But more. more were dying. And I had some personal. events in my life where I haven't done. the wall in four or five years. It's. never been complete. So, I just in the. last two weeks got the last name HM3. Maxon Soviet memorized. Um,

I think what I would like to do. eventually is get to where I know the. months that everybody died. Like this. was this was September 2011 or something. like that. So, I think there's a little. bit more I want to do with the. Afghanistan wall, but um it it takes so. much time. I would love to do Iraq, but. there's 4,500 there. The Vietnam wall is. 59,000. I think Afghanistan is my tribute. I. think that's where I focus my time. >> Roger that,

Congratulations, man. What a [ __ ]. time to do it, huh? Memorial Day 2026. >> and and I finished it on your show and I. also thought the timing was so great. because we are in this conflict with. Iran and when I when I say those names. when I write out the wall it have I've. done it over 30 times. NASCAR races, Major League Baseball games,

Fox News, whatever. Every time I've done. it, people will walk by the wall. They'll look at it and they'll say, "What is this?" And we'll cuz they can. tell it's something military. It looks. like the Vietnam War. We'll tell them. every single time somebody will say, "Uh, is is this name on the wall? Is is. that name on the wall?" And I'll show. them. But the reason I share that story. is you mentioned um I finished it today. the.

people would say when I was memorized. and I had a friend of mine, she said, "Why don't you just say the names,". which I did today, and it was it was. very fitting, right? I loved it. I got. very emotional. I've never I've never. had tears. I've never had tears. I've. done this 35 times. I had tears today. because it was emotional. Cuz it was. complete. The greatest most I shouldn't. say greatest. I don't want to use the. word greatest. the most significant. memory project of my life is complete. today. And when I got to that final 13.

names, the tears were just going down my. eyes. I I I I couldn't believe it. But. when I was training for this, somebody. said, "Ron, we we uh why don't you just. read them? That way you don't have to. write them. You got Cuz Jeffrey, you got. to spell it. You can spell it. J E F R A. Y. J E F E R Y. J E O F F J E F F R I E. G O F FF R I E J G G O F That's just. Jeffrey. So spelling it is so much. difficult. And my friend said, "Why.

don't you just say them? You don't have. to worry about spelling." And I said, "No, I want today was powerful." Today. was powerful. But I wanted people to. look at it and walk by that wall and. say, "Wow, I didn't know it was this many." I want. them to understand and I think today. that was accomplished just by saying the. names. But it's my hope that maybe a. politician heard it and for two hours. that politician realized, "Wow, that guy.

just talked for 2 hours and he said. everybody that we lost, that's not. including. necessarily all the civilians. That's. not including everybody in Iraq." And. that's what I want. I want people to. understand the cost of war. >> Good for you, man. Good for you. That's a hell of a statement. We talk a lot on this show about how. important it is for the military to.

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All right. So, let's move back to your. service. So, you were going to do you. were going to do the the the memory. championships while you were in, correct? >> Yeah. What happened to that? >> Did some good research there. Maybe you. guys are in military intelligence. Yeah. Oh jeez. Don't spread that rumor. Everybody already thinks that. >> Oh, that's right. That's right. Okay. All right. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, I'm sure. Yeah. Anyways, uh I was so during I time. to join the the military. I was.

perfecting my my courses. I was really. trying to get my business. And by the. way, if it's okay, I I there if people. were interested in this course, they. wanted to learn a little bit more. The. next step to do that is. brainathlete.com. Uh I have a great course there that is. really the next step that they need to. perfect their memory. But during that. time that I was developing the courses. and I was developing my business, I. thought, I've got to prove that I'm a.

memory champion or I got to take this. out of my bio. I don't want to be one of. those lame businessmen that says, "We're. the top of the world, but you got. nothing to prove it." Right? So, I said, "USA Memory Championship. That's it. That's what I'm going to do." And then I. started looking at the records. Ah, this. guy memorized a deck of cards. um in a minute 40 seconds. There's no. way. A shuffle deck of cards. He.

memorized it and then he set the cards. down and then he reassembled a second. deck to match the first deck from. memory. There's no way. And then I. looked, this other guy had memorized 140. digit number in 5 minutes. I'm like, there's no. >> Wow. Like, >> holy [ __ ]. >> 140 digits. He looked at it, they took. the paper away, and then he wrote 140. digits. And I'm like, oh, now I'm. starting to get intimidated. This is. going to be this is going to be a redo. of the Guinness record thing, except. it's not going to be uh.

uh a misunderstanding. I'm just going to. lose, you know, I'm just going to flat out. lose this. And uh but I thought, you. know what? This is it. You got to do. this. You got to do this. You have to do. this, Ron. So, I started training and I. my goal was to compete and well, I. really didn't start training, but I just. set my sights on it. I started thinking. about how would I memorize a deck of. cards. Started developing a strategy. And this was March, February, March of uh 2007. I'm like,

I'm going to compete in the 2007 USA. Memory Championship. I'm at the base in. Fort Worth, the Naval Air Station, Joint. Reserve Base. I'm thinking about I'm. going to compete in this memory. tournament. Uh a guy walks by me and um. he says, "Why, are you going to. volunteer to go to Iraq or Afghanistan?". Said, "I can't go, man. I got a. business. I'd have to cancel contracts, refund deposits. I can't go. He said, "Chill out, White. You're not going." 2. hours later, this guy says, "White, you. going to volunteer to go to Iraq or. Afghanistan?" I said, "I can't go, man. I got dep I got contracts that have to. refund." And 2 hours later, my my chief.

said, "White, do you want to go?" And I. looked I said, "I don't want to go, chief. I got a business." I said, "But. why are you asking me this?" And he. said, "Well, we got a list of people. here. We're going to send these 25. people. Well, we're asking for. volunteers before they get volunttoled.". and I said, "I don't want to go." He. said, "You're not on the list. You don't. have to go." Over the next couple days, there was more conversations and and I. did end up going, which kept me from. competing in the 2007 USA Memory.

Championships. That's why I didn't. compete. I was deployed. When I. returned, the 2008 USA Memory. Championships was happening. I'd been. back in the country 6 weeks. I said, I'm. going to give this a shot. I'm pretty. relaxed. I have no I have no reason if I. lose this. That's pretty acceptable. You. know, I've been in Afghanistan. I. haven't been training. This is if if. there's any time to lose, this is the. time that I have a built-in excuse to. lose. >> You're gaming the system looking for a a.

great way to look when you lose. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> So, I go in and I compete and I come in. fourth place and uh out of like 50. people and I'm like, "Wow, I didn't even. train for this." And I came in fourth. place. I said, "I'm going to win this. thing. I am going to win. So I began. training diligently for the 2009 USA. Memory Championship. And I uh got a. former US champion, David Thomas, to. give me some ideas and strategies. And. he really helped me out a lot. But my.

biggest coach, and most people can't. even understand this, you might. understand this. My biggest coach for. the USA Memory Championship was not a. memory guy. It was a United States Navy. Seal, former SEAL. His name was TC. Cummings. He served uh in the '9s. And. people all the time are like, "Ron, why. in the world would you hire a United. States Navy Seal to train for a memory. tournament? What in the world do they. know about memorizing a deck of cards?". Cuz he knows nothing about memorizing a. deck of cards. But what Navy Seals do.

know is they do know how to be calm. under pressure. They know how to believe. in themselves. They don't they don't get. ruffled. They know how to structure. their training so they don't just win, they dominate. So I hired this guy TC. Cummings and he structured my training. like a Navy Seal would structure. training, you know, for a memory. tournament, not for but um you know. there was a Norman Schwarzoff quote and. TC would say it to me a lot. Um the more. you sweat in times of peace, the less.

you bleed in times of war. So he would. he said, "Ron, how are your competitors. training for this memory tournament?" I. said, 'Oh, well, you know, they've got. they're telling their kids to be quiet, you know, in the next room and they're. turning off the radio and they're. training in complete silence. He said, 'Th that's not how a Navy Seal trains. We don't train in perfect conditions. I. said, TC, what do you want? What you. going to shoot off a gun over my head. while I'm memorizing a deck of cards? What are you going to do? He said, you.

need to make your your training, and this was him talking to me, and I'm. sure you you you would feel this as. well. I don't know anything about SEAL. training, but he said, "Ron, we make our. training so tough that sometimes it's. tougher than the actual war. And when we. get to war, we don't just win, we. dominate." He said, "That's what you. need to do." He said, "You don't want to. train in perfect conditions." He said, "I want you to get It was It was the. winter time." He said, "I want you to. get plastic playing cards. I want you to. get snorkel gear and get a wet suit cuz. it's 30° outside and you're going to.

train underwater." I'm like, "What? I'm. going to train for a memory tournament. underwater. So, I'm at the apartment. swimming pool. I got these goggles on. I guarantee I'm the only nerd training. for this tournament in a swimming pool. and the water's seeping into my goggles. You know, I'm trying to breathe. I'm. floating around. I got these plastic. playing cards and I'm memorizing. underwater. But what it really helped me. do was learn how to focus when all these. distractions were going on. That's and.

that's what he wanted. And then I would. get out of the pool and I would. reassemble the deck of cards. I got to. the point where I could memorize a deck. of cards underwater faster than anybody. in the United States could do above. water at a tournament. Uh I had a a a. trip to Australia during that time so I. didn't have to wear snorkel gear and. there was people all out at the pool. And imagine this, you're at the pool and. this guy's walking out there with. snorkel gear, plastic playing cards. He. jumps in the water. He's memorizing a.

deck of cards. Kids got a volleyball. It's bouncing off the top of my head. People are bumping into me and I'm. memorizing. Then I get out and I. reassemble the deck of cards. It was. training like that. When we got to the. actual tournament, so by the time we got. to the the um event, the card event, it. was like three events in. And so we're. at the card event. By this time, I had. already set a United States record. So. all the TV cameras were on me. So I was. getting ready to go. all these cameras. around me. They were they were taking.

pictures and the judge said go. And when. the judge said go, I zoomed through it. I was like, "This is so easy. There's no. water going down my mask right now." I. set it down. Boom. And um then we it was. a minute 27 seconds. Fastest in the in. the United States at the time. And the. judge flipped them over, Karen Pinson. And Karen I remember like it was. yesterday. Karen said, "We had a new US. record." And she high-fived me. And. there was some kids over here, my fellow. nerds. They they said, "We want to.

protest that score. We want to protest. that event." And Tony Dino, the founder. of the USA Memory Championship, said, "Why do you want to protest that event?". He said, "When that event was going on, people were dropping plates in the other. room." And they were. I I hadn't. registered when I was memorizing, but. when they said that, I was like, "Oh, yeah. I did hear something." And they. said there was plates and it distracted. us. And a whole roll of people said, "Yeah, we couldn't focus after that. we. didn't get it. And Tony Dito said, "Well, this guy sitting right here, Ron,

he just broke the United States record. and the plates were dropping when he was. memorizing, too. The results stand." And. that's when it really clicked into my. mind. Man, this training that TC gave me. was really focusing my mind to train. with distractions. He had me go to. country western bars and, you know, all. these cute girls are dancing around or. whatever. and and he said, "Ron, I want. you to go up to some girls, find the. cutest ones you can find and and tell. ask them if they will watch you memorize. a deck of cards." I'm like, TC, that's.

the most awkward thing to do. Number. one, it's not going to get me anywhere. No, no girls ever like, "Oh, how fast. can you memorize these numbers? I want. to give you my phone number." Right. It. doesn't ever work that way. >> But if she does, at least you'll. remember it. >> That's right. That's right. Well, believe me, I tried that angle for the. first couple years and it does not work. Maybe it's just me that doesn't work. with maybe a different guy would work. But uh so I'd be at country bar. I'd be. at my the restaurants. I'd have people. staring at me. Um but it was his.

training. And I really owe OTC a lot. Um. I I'll say one other thing. Um there was. one there was one day that I I he we had. to be up and training by 8:30 in the. morning. I had to be training by 8:30. This day I wasn't. And we were doing our. weekly call. And he said, "Ron,". he's he was a a hospital corman in the. Navy, so he was always having to listen. to his guys. You know, they wouldn't. like you. You were hurt in boot camp, right?

>> Is that where you were hurt? >> Yeah. >> And you didn't say anything. >> That's so common, right? Especially with. the guys with the SEAL mentality, the. warrior, the warrior mentality. They're. not going to tell you when they're. injured because they don't want to be. taken away from their job. M. >> so as a seal as the hospital corman guy. he had to listen for the things that. they weren't telling him and he said Ron. there's something man here that you're. not telling me I don't know what it is. but something's not right said TC I I I. was not training by 8:30 I I slept late.

today he said well in the SEALs when we. didn't do something we had to face a. consequence if we had a goal and we. didn't get it we had to face a. consequence quence. It wasn't a. punishment, but it was a consequence. I said, "Well, what's what's my. consequence, TC?" He said, "That's up to. you." He said, "Personally, I didn't. like cold. I hated cold." He said, I she said, "You decide." So, I hung up. the phone and I thought, "I don't like.

cold either. It's lower than 30° outside. right now. I got a swimming pool here.". So, get my girlfriend on the phone and I. said, "Hey, I'm getting ready to swim. around this pool for a minute or. whatever." Uh, but if I'm not back in a. minute, could you send the paramedics to. my laser? So, I jump in the water. I sw I've never. felt water that cold. I thought I. thought, "Oh, when I jump in the water, I'm going to get used to it and this is. going to feel good." That never.

happened. It was cold. It was like. jumping in a glass of iced tea, you. know, and I was It was I don't know, it. was less than 30° outside and I swam. around. I got got out of that water. But. I tell you what, when I walked into that. USA Memory Championship, I knew I could. trust myself. I knew that if I didn't do. something I said I was going to do, I'd. face a consequence. I'd wipe the slate. clean. And it was no longer in the back. of my mind. There was no doubt in the. back of my mind. And I wasn't going to. be sitting up there on stage getting. ready to memorize a deck of cards and.

think, "Ah, who am I to be the USA. memory champion? I can't even get up at. 8:30." Yeah, I didn't get up at 8:30, but I faced a consequence thanks to my. Navy Seal coach and it gave me a clear. conscience. Um, one other short story on. him. One day I didn't want to train. I. was I said, "Ti, I'm not training today. I'm sick." He said, "Oh, wonderful. This. is great." I said, "Why is this great? I'm sick." He said, "Well, if the USA. Memory Championship happens, are you not. going to compete cuz you're sick?" I'm. like, "No, I would compete then, but I'm. not going to train when I'm sick." He.

said, "No, Ron. This is the perfect This. is a gift from God. You are You are This. is a gift from God. You You're going to. be able to train and see what it's like. to compete when you're not your best.". Well, in 2009, I walked into that. tournament. My belief in myself was so. strong because of this this training. I. walked up to the trophy and I said, and. I said it to myself, it wasn't to. intimidate anybody else. It was just for. me. I walked over to the trophy and I. said, "You're going home with me." And I.

knew it. I just knew it. People were. walking up to me and all the. competitors, you know, they're trying to. size each other up. They're like, "Hey, how was your training on cards? How was. your training on numbers?" And I would. answer them, but they never once. noticed. I didn't ask them, "How's your. training going?" Cuz I didn't care. I. just knew I hit my numbers, I'm going to. win. Uh, that year I set the record for. the fastest to memorize a deck of cards. in a minute and 27 seconds. Uh, I set. the record for memorizing a 167digit.

number in 5 minutes. >> Uh, and I became the USA memory. champion. >> How do you I mean, so hold on. Just walk. me through that strategy, the deck and. the number. How do you do it? >> So, it's the same way. Really, it's the. same way. The first thing that you want. to do if you want to remember anything, you want to memorize anything, there. there are a couple different techniques, the the the the primary technique that I. would recommend to anybody, whether it's. a deck of card, a speech, a student. wants to remember, get better grades, create yourself a mind palace for you.

This room is a mind palace for me. There's a picture back here behind my. head. That's my number one location in. this room. This chair is number two. The. floor right here is number three. I I I don't know what what type of. weapon that is. What is that weapon? >> Which one? >> You got quite a bit right there. The one. next to the the belt. >> That is a Sig Sauer MPX 9 mm suppressed. >> Nice. That's my number four location.

This flag is five. That flag is six. These lights are seven. The cigars are. eight. That glass of alcohol up there is nine. the the that shelf with that on that is. nine. Um 10 is this picture with the. cross. Um 11 is this picture of you. Uh 12 is the top of your head. You want. to know something crazy, Sean, about the. top of my head?

>> You're braver than me? That's the. direction I need to go right now. I'm. just holding out hope like the people. don't notice yet, but everybody notices. Uh, but that is my number 12 location. Here's something crazy. Ah, this is this. was so powerful. I got goosebumps when I. realized this. So, to map out this room, to make this room right here, a mind. palace, which believe it or not, I'm. answering your question on the a deck of. cards. But when I made this room a mind. palace, I wanted to get a p pictures of. the room. Well, only way I could do that. was YouTube, right? So, I grabbed a uh.

it was with the the your interview with. Joe Kent. I grabbed a screenshot of Joe. sitting in this chair. So, I got this. chair and I got that. I grabbed a. screenshot of this for those, right? And. then I grabbed a screenshot of you for. you and what's behind you. All I was. looking for in that entire interview was. a picture of a shot of this this angle. with your eyes open. I didn't want to. get my screenshot and you know you going.

like that or something like that, right? So, I I did not plan it at all. I didn't. it wasn't planned at all. The I I I saw. a picture of you with your eyes open and. I screenshotted it and I put it in my. mind palace PowerPoint and then when I. attached the final 13 names to Abby. Gate, I attached them to this room. Staff Sergeant Ryan Nass, Lance Corporal. Dylan Morola, Corporal Hbert Sanchez, and then Sergeant Nicole G. Sergeant.

Johnny Rousario, Corporal David Paige, Staff Sergeant Darren Hoover, Corporal. Hunter. Lopez, Lance Corporal Jared Schmidt, Lance Corpal Riley McCollum, Lance. Corpal David Espinosa. Top of your head, Lance Corporal Kareem Naku. The. screenshot that I caught of you that was. not planned, Sean, this was totally. unplanned was a shot of you going like. that. And I attached HM3 Maxton Soviac.

to you to your fingers. Well, it didn't. hit me till later. This is the peace. sign, man. This is the peace sign. And. the whole reason I did the Afghanistan. wall is to make us cautious to go to. war. So, that was powerful for this is a. mind palace. That's how I memorized the. names. Now, I'll transition a little bit to a deck. of cards. Let me tell you the most simple way to. memorize a deck of cards. There's a.

little bit more advanced way. The most. simple way is this. You map out a room. Then you have a picture for every every. um card. So for me, the king of hearts. is my mom. Why not the queen of hearts? Because in my memory system, this is the. way it worked out. King of hearts is my. mom. Um. ace of spades is Drew Carrie, right? Let's let's switch switch Let's switch. this to you, not me. Think of somebody.

that you love. a lot. A man, a woman, whoever, and tell. me. I I I'm not Who do Who is it? >> Tell you. >> Yeah. I'm not I I cannot do what that Oz. guy did. You know what I'm saying? >> Huh? >> My daughter. >> Perfect. and um. let's make her the queen of hearts. What does your daughter like to do? What's what's one of one thing she likes. to do? >> Terrorize people. Terrorize people.

Where does she like to do this? Everywhere. Everywhere. So your daughter. terrorizing people is the Queen of. Hearts. Now. give me a a a name of of somebody that. you know that you worked with in the. military. just first name military or. your job here or however you want to do. it. You can even make up a name. >> Okay. >> And what is that? >> Eddie. >> Eddie. Eddie Penny. >> Yep. >> Okay. I'm not the mentalist, but I know.

um I got a story about him. Um Eddie. Penny. Let's make him I always like to. make spades people that I've worked. with. Uh um let's make him the king of. spades. So Eddie Penny, the king of. spades. Maybe he's got his weapon, right? Your daughter terrorizing Eddie. Penny with his weapon. King of spades. One more. Um, let's think of a singer, a man or a. woman singer famous. Who Who can you. think of? >> MC Jagger.

>> MC Jagger. So the number three, if you. put it like this, it looks like an M, right? So the three for me is always an. M. So, let's make MC Jagger the three of. clubs because he you hear his songs in. dance clubs, right? We'll stop there. So, now you're at the table and you're. memorizing a deck of cards. You've got. you think back to this room. First card. gets played and that first card gets. played.

is the king of spades. That's Eddie. Boom. You attach it on your number one. location. You see Eddie shooting up that. picture right there. The next card that. gets played is the queen of hearts. That's your daughter. Now, your. daughter's standing in this chair and. she's terrorizing and she's going crazy. right here. And then the next card that. gets played is the three of clubs, MC. Jagger. So now you imagine Mcjagger's. over here and he's interacting with with.

this right here. Then you set the cards. down and you have to recite the cards. You just walk back around the room. Oh yeah, that was uh Eddie Penny over. here. So that's the king of clubs. This. was my daughter. So that's the queen of. hearts. And that was Mcjagger. So that's. the. three of clubs. King of spades. >> King of spades. >> The me. See the memory guy. The king of.

spades back there. But that's that's the. general concept. >> Okay. Yeah. How about the number? How. many digits did you say? 167 digits. >> Yeah, same concept. Uh the let's do 21's. a deck of cards, right? The blackjack. table. Uh 25 could be a quarter, 25. cents. Um 55 could be a speed limit. sign, right? We'll just do those three. Now, the first number you see is 55. So. now you've got a a speed limit sign that. you're imagining here, but you just.

can't see a speed limit sign. You've got. to imagine cars are zooming by, right? Like if you just saw a speed limit sign. in this picture back here, that's a real. passive picture. Your brain doesn't. remember passive pictures. You need. action and emotion. That's why every. single person listening to this right. now, they can tell you where where they. were on September 11th. They can't tell. you where they were on October. Where. were you on September 11th? >> I just told you I was uh coming out of. surgery. >> Yes. And you know, and even you know it. that that that. uh emotion of September 11th sed it in,

right? >> Mhm. But you can't tell me where you. were October 25th of that year. Mm-m. >> Yeah. We remember things that have. emotion tied to them. So you remember. the car accident, but you can't remember. where when you drove 2 weeks ago and you. got gas in your car, right? So you got. to make these stories crazy. Right here. we got a speed limit sign and people are. zooming by. That's 55. >> Um right here you got people um at a. blackjack table, right, for the number. 21. >> for a deck of cards. So, you take the.

pictures or you take numbers, you turn. them into a picture, and then you attach. those pictures around around the room in. a in a sequence. Um, and that's that's. essentially it. There's a process of. turning numbers into pictures, but. that's how you could do it with some. very basic pictures. >> Okay. >> Yeah, makes sense. kind of. >> it it makes it's the it's the mind. >> How How long did it take you to memorize. that 167 digit number? 5 minutes.

>> 5 minutes. >> And holy [ __ ] What What is that? That's. a So you're coming up with What's five? What? 5 * 60 is what? 300. >> It is. >> So 300 divided by what? 167. That's less than So you're coming up. with a story less. a a story. less than every two seconds. That's. right. Um.

that's [ __ ] crazy. But kind of kind. of You're right. You're on the right. track there. Based on how I described it. to you, yes. Based on what I just said. to you is how I did it. Yes. But I did. it a little bit little bit more of an. advanced way. um I was memorizing seven. digits at a time. So I was seeing a. group of seven numbers and I was. creating a picture for that sevendigit. number. So in memory, the more you can. compress the data, the faster you can.

memorize. So let's say you have a. picture for every card, right? You know, your daughter's a card, Eddie's Eddie's. a card. Um, if you do that that way and you want to. memorize 52 cards, you need 52 pieces of. furniture, right? 52 pictures. Well, what if you can take a series of three. cards and those three cards get played. and that's one picture. Then you take. that one picture and you put it on the. location back here. Got.

>> so I was using 17 locations when I. memorized a deck of cards. When I would. do numbers, it was seven numbers per. location. >> Okay. Wow. I mean, that's still moving. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> It is. But here's the thing, and I'm I'm. an honest man. I don't I would be remiss. if I did not say my record was 1 minute. and 27 seconds. The current record. is 19 seconds. >> 19 seconds. >> 19 seconds.

>> I believe it's right around there. around the 20 second mark. >> [ __ ]. >> Yeah, I think. Yeah, it was a world. record for a while. >> Yeah. And my record of 167 digit. numbers, there's guys doing 400 digits. now at the USA Memory Championship. Um, so my while my my records were. impressive for the time, uh, you know, they've been beat and that I'm okay with. that. I love that. I love that. I love. that the sport's evolving. And yes, I. call it a sport, right? Nerds got nerds. got to have a sport, too. Um, but I love.

that this the sport is evolving. I love. seeing these guys uh do things that I I. was never able to achieve in memory. And. I think it's fantastic. What do these. people say out on the street? I mean, your Instagram is just full of going up. to what appear to be random strangers, you know, and just going, "Hey, do you. want to memorize the Bill of Rights? If. you don't, I'll give you 50 bucks, >> right?". >> You know, "Hey, do you want to memorize. the Ten Commandments? Do you want to. memorize.

whatever it is? I mean, what do these. what are these people like? They look a. little apprehensive, but what do they. say after it's over? They're amazed. They're amazed. Um, so the the funny. thing about that or maybe interesting. thing, I don't know, you'll be you and. everybody else will be the verdict if. it's interesting or not. But the way. that evolved, so this is 11 11 months ago. 11 months. ago, I had 13,000 followers on.

Instagram. Uh I'm about to. >> 11 months ago. >> 13,000. Uh I'll cross 1.8 million. sometime very soon. Um I had um a. business coach. He's not a social media. guy. He's just a business coach, right? Uh Andy Elliot. And I sat down with him. and he said I said, "Ron, tell me about. your business." I told him. He said, "I. got an idea. I got an idea. get yourself. a camera and go out there and talk to. people and um walk up to them and do.

these memory things. I'm like, "Ah, I. really don't want to do this. It's kind. of, you know, it's kind of uncomfortable. approaching strangers, but whatever. He. gave me this idea. Let me test run it.". So, I I would walk up and I would say, "Excuse me, sir." And it really is I 90. 99.9% are people I've never met before. There is 1% that I do know and for those. we we make it real. I say, "This is. whoever. I'm going to teach them.

something today." But I'll walk up to. these people and I'll say, "Excuse me, sir. If I could teach you how to. memorize the Bill of Rights, the. presidents, the Ten Commandments, whatever, really fast, I'll give you 50. bucks." And what I've learned is that. even offering people 50 bucks, 50% of. the people say no. And almost everybody. over 40 says no. Right? you know, uh, uh, you know, some people. have commented, "Ron, you're just. picking young, uh, young people." Well,

they're the ones who are going to say. yes to social media. But I go up to them. and I I uh will say, "I can teach you. this." And I think the reason that it. caught on so well is maybe the $50. gamifies it a little bit and people are. curious if they're going to they're. going to get that. And spoiler alert, I. give everybody the $50 regardless of. what happens. I appreciate their time, right? But as I'm teaching them, I think. what drew it to what drew people to it. was they're watching somebody learn.

something on the spot, somebody who. doesn't think that they're smart, the. viewers learning something on the spot, and everybody wins. And that person. walks away 3 minutes later like, "I. can't believe I just I just memorized. the Ten Commandments, or I just. memorized the first 10 presidents." Uh, and it's just a real positive thing and. I love doing it. >> You got one for me? >> Sure. Um, >> you're going to teach me how to do one? >> Yes, sir. >> All right, let's do it. >> Okay. Um, I'm going to be [ __ ] embarrassed as.

[ __ ] if I don't get this, by the way. >> No, you're not. Everybody says that. Everybody says that and everybody gets. it. So, let you want to do the Ten. Commandments. >> I already know them. Okay, nice. I'm. assuming you know the Bill of Rights. >> I don't. >> Okay, let's do that. >> All of it. >> Let's do that. Let's use our fingers. So, first one, imagine this is a. microphone. >> Actually, I I know the majority of it.

>> You know the majority. So, let's let's. Yeah, let's do something else. >> Okay. >> I don't want to cheat. >> Okay. How about. this one? Uh this one's a little bit. more involved, but how about we do the. biatitudes? Matthew chapter 5. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, is there a there's a picture. back here behind me. >> There's a lot of pictures back there. behind you. >> Okay. >> The one of the one uh the painting. >> or just or you just telling me to pick. one? >> You pick one. >> Okay. >> Um.

so this is the biatitudes comes from the. sermon on the mount. Okay, there it is. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for. theirs is the kingdom of heaven. On this. picture behind me, I want you to imagine.

the frame is the kingdom of heaven. It's. gold, right? It's the kingdom of heaven. And I want you to imagine a spirit like. like a ghost is just pouring down. So. just we're not going to memorize the. blessed are they just the the main. thing. Poor in spirit kingdom of heaven. So what's on the the the back there? >> The kingdom of heaven. >> Blessed are the poor in spirit. >> Blessed are the poor in spirit. >> Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. >> Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. >> The next one is blessed those who mourn. for that shall be comforted. We're only. going to think the two things. The.

people who mourn are comforted. Imagine. me with tears rolling down my face. I'm. mourning and I got a comforter around. me. Blessed are those who mourn. They. should be comforted. So which one is. this? >> Okay. >> They the people who. >> blessed those who mourn are in the. kingdom of heaven. >> Blessed are the those who mourn because. they shall be. >> comforted. >> Comforted. Blessed are the poor in back. here on this frame. We had a spirit. pouring down. Blessed are the poor in. spirit the frame because theirs is the.

kingdom of heaven. >> Okay. Blessed are those who mourn right. here for theirs blessed for they shall. be comforted. I want you to um look down. here at my shoes and I'm telling you a. story and I'm saying these are my shoes. This is me. The word is meek. So what. are my shoes going to represent? >> Meek and they inherit the earth. So. they're we're on the ground earth. So. the meek will inherit what? >> The earth. >> Now let's just review. Blessed are the. poor in spirit for theirs is the. >> kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who. mourn, for they shall be comforted.

>> Blessed are the meek, for theirs they. shall inherit. >> the earth. >> the earth. So now we go to um let's go. to this this right up here. And blessed. are those. who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Imagine somebody is hungering and. thirsting and and they they want. something to eat and drink. So over. there they're eating, they're drinking, they're being filled. Hunger and. thirsting being filled. The phrase is. this. Blessed are those who hunger and.

thirst for righteousness, for they shall. be filled. So what what blessed are. those who what? Hunger and. righteousness, for they shall be filled. Perfect. We'll do one more and then. we'll review. And believe it or not, there's only two more. Blessed are the. merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. So over here on these UFC gloves, I want. you to imagine whose gloves are those. These ones? >> Yeah. Andre Arvlo's. He is showing mercy.

on somebody. He's got those gloves, but. he's showing mercy. Blessed are the. merciful, so they shall be shown mercy. So what is that one? >> Blessed are the merciful, so they shall. be shown mercy. >> Let's review real quick. Blessed are the. poor in spirit, for theirs is the. >> kingdom of heaven. >> Blessed are those who mourn, for they. shall be. >> comforted. Blessed are the meek, for. they shall inherit. >> the earth. >> Blessed are those who hunger and thirst. for righteousness, for they shall be. >> [ __ ] filled. >> Filled. >> Filled. They're filling them. They're. they're filling their stomachs up.

>> Um, blessed are the merciful, the gloves, for they shall be shown. >> mercy. >> Mercy. And then this last one, or. there's two more. Blessed are the pure. in heart, for they shall see God. I want. you to see this guy right here looking. out of the airplane. And regardless of. what people say about him, I think he. has a pure heart. Blessed are the And. I'm making a joke there. Of course you. do. Blessed are the pure in heart, for. they shall see God. You're looking out.

of that window and you're seeing God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they. shall see God. The pure in heart shall. what? Seeing God. See God. One last one. You got this shot. I promise you. I'm. going to say it with you. Blessed are. those. Let's This last one is the. American flag. The frame is the kingdom. of heaven. Just like the frame was the. kingdom of heaven over here, right? >> Mhm. >> I want you to imagine that somebody is. being persecuted for being an American.

over there. >> Mhm. >> Blessed are those who are persecuted for. theirs is the kingdom of heaven. So. blessed are those who persecuted. Think. of the frame. And what does the frame. tell us? >> They'll enter the kingdom of heaven. >> Perfect. I'm going to say all these with. you and you're done. That's it. Blessed. are the poor in spirit for theirs is the. what the think of the frame. >> What's that? >> Blessed the the frame is telling us the. kingdom of heaven. So back here on this, blessed are the poor in spirit, for. theirs is the. >> kingdom of heaven.

>> Blessed are those who mourn, for they. shall be. >> comforted. >> Blessed are the meek, for they shall. inherit the. >> earth. >> earth. Blessed are those who hunger and. thirst of righteousness, for they shall. be. >> filled filled. Blessed. are the the gl the the the gloves. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall. be shown. >> mercy. >> Blessed are the pure in heart, for they. shall. >> You're looking out that window of the. helicopter. >> See God. >> See God. Blessed are those who are purch. persecuted.

Theirs is the. >> kingdom of heaven. >> Booya, baby. So now, Sean, that was a little bit more. involved than my average video on the. street. Um, it's more just one word, you. know, freedom of speech, the the right. to bear arms. But you, man, you may. right now, you may be saying to. yourself, "Right, I don't got it. perfect. I don't got it perfect." You. you got it in your brain, though. >> So now that this afternoon, you review. it. You review it again. You review it. tonight. You review it tomorrow. Then.

you got it. to he kingdom of heaven. comforted filled. mercy. see God kingdom of heaven is that it is. that all of them. >> did you say inherit the earth. >> inherit the earth. >> that's awesome man that's awesome and. that's how memory works you take what. you want to remember and you visualize. it around a room you you see it interact. you with that location but if if if.

what's important important to you is. scripture and your faith. You could ma. you could have you could have this is. called a mind palace. You could map out. a mind palace for your faith. If it is. you want to be oh look at this the the. seal trident it how great is that on. this Bible. Um you want to give a. business speech you map out your. business speech and you you visualize it. around a room. This system was developed. as the legend goes uh 2500 years ago by. a man named Simon Edites. The legend's. not true, but it's a story that goes.

back 2500 years. And Roman orators 2,000. years ago, this is true. Roman orators. would use this system to give their. speeches on the floor of the Roman. Senate. They would take the first thing. they want to say and put there, the. second thing here, the third thing here, the fourth thing here. Legend has it is. that the saying in the first place, in. the second place, in the third place, it. originates from this system. the. speakers would say in the first place, in the second place. >> Is that true or not? I don't know. But.

it fits the the system. I do want to memorize scripture. That's. that's one thing. I'm new at this. Actually, I guess I'm not that new. anymore. It's been about two years. But. we're in the Bible belt here in. Tennessee, and everybody has scripture. memorized except me, >> right? >> So, so how do I mean, where do you. start? I know I saw on your website you. have this this course a jiu-jitsu a. bunch of stuff. What how do you where do. you start with this? Is it specific.

scriptures or is it you can memorize it? It teaches you to memorize whatever you. want to memorize. >> It's whatever you want to memorize. A. lot of people um want to memorize. scripture word for word. >> A lot of people which that's the primary. desire. There is others though. So this. is here's a crazy story. Um, I I lost my faith a little bit uh. you know in in the 2010 to 2020 that.

that time frame. And uh. my mom I went up she was very religious. lady and I uh. I want to honor her legacy. I I don't. think she would mind me telling this. story. She's passed. She said uh she was. a hoarder and I wanted to help her. clean. It was a huge heartache that I.

had that she lived like that. And one. day, and I'm answering your question on. scripture memory, believe it or not. Um. one day I uh said, "Okay, this is the. day I'm going to go over there and I'm. going to talk to her about this house.". and uh showed up and um she didn't. answer the door. And I hadn't been in. her house in the last 10 years or in. that time frame, 10 years. I hadn't been. in her house four or five times. The. stench was overwhelming. It broke my. heart. I could there was nowhere to sit. down. Even if it smells like flowers in.

there, there was one chair and she slept. in that chair. There was nowhere to sit. down. Stuff was stacked in the roof. I. knocked on the door and she didn't. answer. And. so I said, "I got to go in." I opened. the door and I walked in the kitchen. I. didn't see her, but I saw a possum. A. possum sitting on the counter eating a. bowl of soup. And he was just looked at. me. He was like, "Come on in, dude." You. know, I got this bowl of soup. You want. any? And I was like, "A possum?" And I. got so mad. The anger just swelled up in.

my heart. Not at my mom, but that she. was living like this. And I went in the. backyard and I found her. I said, "Mom, there's a possum in your house." And she. said, "No, there's not." I said, "Yes, there is." She said, "Show me." So, we. went in the house and I said, "He's. right there." She said, "There?" No. Are. you kidding me? I don't I don't believe. that. I said, "Mom, I've had it. I've. had it. You're my mom. This breaks my. heart. I can't stand this anymore. I'm. hiring a professional hoarding clue and. we're going to clean your house." Well, I was mad, though. And Sean, I said. something that day that I'll regret for. the rest of my life. It haunts me to.

this day. Um, I wanted to shock my mom. cuz she wasn't as mad as I was. She. wasn't as heartbroken as I was, but. she's a woman of faith. So, I said, "Mom, there's no God. There's no God. God would not let you live like this.". And I saw the look on her face. I got. the reaction, but I should not have said. it. And she, we had a falling out. because of that. Not much. My mom loved. me. The falling out didn't last, but. more than a couple hours. But she would. text me, "Ronnie, I'm going to be.

praying for you to get back to God. Ronnie, I'm I'm praying for you to get. your faith back in God. I know you you. had it at one point. And um I said, "Mom, I I don't care about any of that. I just want your house clean." So August. the 10th, I had a professional hoarding. crew. This was just a couple weeks after. that. They showed up. They were behind. me. I knocked on the door and uh she. didn't answer. And I went to the window, looked through the window, and she was. on the floor. And I was through that.

window as fast as I could. Uh, and I got. down there the day the day that I had. determined was going to be the day we. were going to change my mom's life. I. found her dad on the floor. And I said, "Mom, get up. Get up. Get up." And um, during that day, I looked at her. refrigerator. I'd been in the house two. weeks prior. There was a picture that. was on the refrigerator that wasn't on. there two weeks prior. And it was a. picture of me with Proverbs 22:6. train.

up a child in the way of the Lord and. when he is older, he will not depart. from it. I knew the scripture because. she had trained me that way. I knew she. had been praying for me to get my faith. back in God. And after that happened, there was just a series of events that. was undeniable that I thought, okay, there this Ron, you're not the smartest. guy in the world. You haven't figured. out. There's there's no God. There's. some stuff out here that you don't know. about. So that's when I started opening. up the Bible again and that's when I. started praying and uh during that time.

I developed a a course called the 1189. Bible memory course. There's 1189. chapters in the Bible. 1189. and I by the way I've never done the. course but I developed this course um. that somebody could say what's in Exodus. chapter 20 the Ten Commandments. What's. in Numbers chapter nine? Following the. Israelites, uh the Israelites fall in. the cloud of smoke and fire through the. desert. So, I did it as a tribute to my. mom just to get into the Bible. I.

created this course. I didn't. necessarily memorize it. So, I don't. necessarily, but I just created it for. other people. I put it up there on my. website. And one day, I was getting. sales on my website. I'm like, "What in. the world is going on? People are buying. this 11.89 course." And I don't even. know what's going on. A guy had done it. He had created a mind palace with 1189. locations and he knows what's in every. single chapter of the Bible now and he. did some podcast and um and wow that was. my entry into re into faith.

>> I really you mind if I tell you what. Psalms chapter 1 says about memorizing. scripture. Psalm chapter 1 says, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the. counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the. way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of. the scoffers, but his delight is in the. law of the Lord, and on his law he. meditates day and night. He'll be like a. tree planted by streams of water, who in. its season yields much fruit, and whose. leaf does not wither. In whatever he. does, he prospers, but not so the. wicked, they are like the chaff that the. wind blows away. Neither will sinners.

stand in judgment, or the wicked in the. assembly of the righteous. For the Lord. watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. In that scripture in Psalms chapter 1, right in the middle of it, it says that. the person who meditates on scripture. will prosper in whatever they do. And it. is when Jesus was tempted, he quoted. scripture. Writing the word of God on. your heart, whatever your faith is, writing whatever is important to your. faith on the tablet of your heart. It. gives you comfort in times of trouble.

when you're talking to someone who is. going through a difficult time. Maybe. you're able to say to them, "And I know. there's AI. I know there's Google. I. know there's all that, but there's. something different between reading. something on Google or AI telling you. something and having it written on your. heart, having it written on the tablet. to your mind." And so I I. if you want to memorize scripture, map. out a mind palace and visualize the. scripture around your home.

Roger that, man. Thank you for sharing. that, John. >> Yes, sir. Wow. You want to take a break? >> Sure. >> All right. Sure. Let's take a break. >> Thank you. We've talked before about how Stanley's. basically family in our house. And once. you start thinking about it that way, you start paying a lot more attention to. what you're actually feeding your dog. That's one of the reasons we started. using Sundays for dogs. Sundays is.

different because it starts with over. 80% all natural meat and then uses. ingredients like kale, ginger, and. blueberries. And instead of blasting it. with high heat like traditional kibble, they gently air dry it so it actually. looks like real food. Honestly, it looks. more like jerky than dog food. And. Stanley, he absolutely loves it. The. second he hears the bag open, he's right. there. What do you think, Stanley?

And one thing I really like is there's. no prep involved. No fridge, no freezer, no mess. You just scoop it and serve it. It was also founded by a veterinarian, Dr. Tori Waxman. And you can tell the. whole brand was built around giving dogs. better quality nutrition without making. it complicated for owners. Make the. switch to Sundays. Go right now to. Sundays for dogs.com/srs50.

and get 50% off your first order. Or you. can use SRS50 at checkout. That's 50%. off your first order at. sundaysfordogs.comsrs50. Sundays fordogs.com/srs50. or use code SRS50 at checkout. All right, Ron, we're back from the. break. I want to move into how memory. works and how how you can train it.

>> Well, first of all, you've had studies. on you. You didn't was it UT? Did an uh. did an MRI on your brain? My like people are trying to figure out. how the hell you're able to do all this. stuff. Yes, I have had. >> You say you weren't born with it. It's. no special gift. I have no special gift. I have no special ability that anybody. doesn't have. I'm I'm not a dumb guy, but I have no You know, growing up, they. weren't saying, "Oh, that guy's going to. be a memory champion one day." You know, my uh Amy who's worked with me for 10.

years, you know, I'm I'm always telling. her I'm like sitting here today. I said, "Amy, remind me to to pay that bill on. Monday. Amy, remind me to call that. person." And she texts me throughout the. day. You got to you got a Zoom call at. in in 60 minutes. And I tell you, I I. tell you what, 50% of the time my reply. is, "Oh, thank you. I had no idea.". Like, "What do you mean you had no idea? You're the one that scheduled it." or oh. my gosh, I forgot about that. Um, so my.

my memory is very average or natural. Now, the one of the and and I'll share. with you exactly how I the best advice I. could on how to train it, but the UT. study. So, there was a uh uh Stan Lee, right? He was the inventor of. Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and all. that, you know, he's the the comic book. drawer. He had a TV show in 2010 called. Stanley Superhumans where he wanted to. get people that he said were real life. superheroes, right? And uh and they.

selected me as one of Stanley's. superhumans. So when I met with the. producers, I said, "I I get what you're. saying, Stanley Superhum, but there's. really nothing unique about my memory. I. I've learned a system. Anybody can do. this. uh you're gonna see me do some. crazy things here on this show, but I. believe me there's I'm not a I know the. name of the show is Superhumans, but I'm. just a normal guy. And the producers. said, "Well, that's not really the. premise of our show, so we're going to.

we're going to delete everything you. just said. Now, let's go to University. of Texas." So, we go to the University. of Texas. They put me in in an MRI tube. And they and that's you know when they. put before they put you in an MRI tube. before they put you in they asked you if. you're claustrophobic. >> and I said no. >> Now I know the proper way to answer that. question. >> You found out. Huh? >> Found out. So I'm in there. You know the. I'm like oh my gosh. I'm like uh if it. had not been the History Channel Stanley.

Superhumans I would have said get me out. of here. Matter of fact, I've got uh I. had a pain in my side over here last. year. And I'm like, "Doc, can you just. do some blood tests?" I'm like, "Is it. anything bad?" He's like, "Yeah, no, it's nothing bad, but we still don't. know." I said, "I'm going to just be I'm. going to say I'm okay. I'm not getting. in that MRI tube." That's how much I. hated it. But, um, I get in that MRI. tube and I'm laying on my back and they. have these series of words flashing up. on the screen that they want me to.

memorize. And it was like I think it was. like word pairs. It was it was like this. word with this word, this word with this. word, this word with this word. And um. and they were scanning my brain as I was. memorizing. Then they reg. was was that is this is this right? Is. this the right order? Was that word. paired with that word? If you find any. mistakes, you hit a buzzer. Right. No, that that that's not right. Or maybe. Yeah. See the memory guy. If I'm not. memorized, maybe it was the other way. Maybe if it was right, I hit the buzzer.

just proves to you I have a very average. memory. But when I'm using that system, so I get out of the MRI tube and uh the. the the guys running it, they said, "You. got a perfect score." And the um the. host of the show, not Stan Lee, but he. had a another guy who's actually the. host, uh Daniel Brandon Smith. Daniel. Brandon Smith asked the MRI guy. He. said, "How often do you see a perfect. score?" And the scientist said, "I've.

been doing this 20 years. This is the. first perfect score." And so on the. show, it was perfect for the show, right? Ron is a superhuman memory. And. the MRI guy said 35% more of my brain. was lit up, was activated when I was. memorizing than they see in the average. person, >> which also ah Ron has some superhuman. memory, but it wasn't. So, the reason. 35% more of my brain was lit up than the. average person when they're memorizing.

is claustrophobic. That was part of it. I'm not. >> freaking the [ __ ] out. >> They were seeing the the the panic in my. brain, right? That pro. I never thought. of that. That probably could have been. part of it. Um, >> yeah. We don't know why there's so much. fear, >> right? This is This is memorization. >> Yeah. They all thought it was the memory. guy. Uh, it was a very Yeah. Are what. about you? You and I'm going to finish. the story, but as a seal, did you have.

claust did you experience any. claustrophobia? >> No. >> No. >> No. >> Yeah, >> I don't have it. >> My dad has it really bad. Yeah. But it. doesn't bother me for whatever reason. >> Well, uh, that's why you're able to do. what you do. And us normal guys, uh, we. salute you. Um. uh and and uh they pulled me out of that. MRI tube and uh they said uh uh his 35%.

more of his brain is lit up than the. average person. And the reason that that. is litten up is. I was using the mind palace. I was. visualizing my memories. What they were. seeing on the activation of my brain is. they they were seeing me walk around my. house and see this piece of furniture, see that piece of furniture, see that. word turned into a picture. So the part. of the of my brain in the prefrontal. cortex was lighting up because I was.

seeing these images. I was seeing my. memories. Um, and it it it it does. activate more of your brain. U but it. also works. They took me to Home Depot. after that and they got a shopping cart. and we walked around Home Depot for two. hours. And for two hours, Daniel. Browning Smith pulled a hammer or a tool. off of the shelf and I only got to see. it once. He showed me the hammer and I. saw the price and I memorized it. He put. it in the the shopping cart. He pulled a. saw off of the shelf. I saw the price. I.

memorized it. He put it in the cart. For. two hours, we walked around. He took. stuff off the shelf. He showed it to me. He put it in the shopping cart. After 2. hours, we go to the cash register and I. turned my back to the cash register and. the screen lit up, you know, with the. price when they scanned it. So, they. would scan it, the price would light up. They would scan it and I would say the. price out loud that I remembered it to. be. And I scan this whole shopping cart. full of stuff. And when they get all the. way done, I'm expecting the high fives.

I'm expecting, "Ron, that was awesome, man. You rock. How did you do that? You're super human." That's what they've. been telling me all day. Anyways, so. so I was expecting this and instead the. manager of the store, the producer, the. the TV guys, they all huddle up and they. break the huddle like they're coming. back to the line of scrimmage and they. walk up to me and they said, "Ron, you. did really good, but you missed three.". And I said, "I didn't miss any. The.

computer missed three." And the manager. was there and he was like, "Dude, no, you missed three." I said, "Can we do. this one more time?" And every time you. say I'm wrong, can we do a price check? And uh they said, "Okay." So we did it. again. They said I was wrong on one. I. said, "I want a price check." We did a. price check. And all three times uh the. computer was wrong. Now, in fairness, the computer didn't make a mistake. It. was the person who typed it in. originally and but it worked out perfect. for the show. Um, and they they only.

showed two of the price checks, but they. saved one of them for the very last. Right. So, it appeared that I got all of. them right and then the last one uh was. the final price check and I got it. right. Um, a cliffnotes version. And how. did you do that, Ron? How did you do. that if there's nothing special about. your brain? How in the world did you. memorize a shopping cart full of. products? So, same concept of the mind. palace, but the mind palace necessarily. wouldn't help me because I didn't I I. didn't necessarily need to memorize it. in some c certain order. What I just.

needed to know was this price. This this. hammer was let's just say $21 to make it. simple. That's all I needed to know. If. you want to remember a name, so when you. want to remember a name, you pick out a. distinctive feature on their face. You. meet a guy with with his name is Brian, and Brian has really big ears. So, you're looking at this guy, you're. walking towards him, and you're. thinking, "Big ears, big ears, big. ears." "Hey, my name's Ron." And he. says, "My name is Brian." Instantly, I. now imagine a brain going out of his.

ears cuz that's his distinctive feature, right, Brian? A hammer works the same. way. He pulls the hammer out of the off. the shelf. I say, "What's the. distinctive feature?" The distinctive. feature is that yellow that yellow band, whatever, that's going around the handle. right there. That's my distinctive. feature. That's what I'm going to zone. in on. Then he says, "It's $21 deck of. cards." Boom. That yellow band is the. the yellow lights at the casino and the. casino is lighting up and there's the. deck of card playing on that. Boom. He.

throws it in the shopping cart. As we. walk, I'm reviewing. I'm thinking yellow. band on that hammer. That that's that's. the neon lights, the yellow lights at a. casino. And I'm just reviewing. He gets. the next one. The saw that saw had a. some handle that I zoned in on. And. let's say that saw was $25. that I. imagine quarters 25 cents right on the. handle. Boom. He throws it in and as. we're going to the next items, I'm. constantly reviewing. Names is the same. way. So, so if you're in a room full of. people and you want to remember people's.

names just like a hammer or just like a. saw, as these people are walking towards. you, zone in on them and say, "What is. unique about this guy? What stands out. to me about this guy? He has uh he has. it's his ears or it's his chin or it's. his nose or it's his eyebrows or his his. his his his. beard. And so as you're walking towards. him, you're zoning in on these features. Then he says his name, his name is. Steve. You imagine a stove on his. distinctive feature, right? So you're.

taking the name, creating a picture, attaching it to distinctive feature to. to button up this point here. When they. pulled the hammer out of the shopping. cart and scanned it, the whole time I'm. looking, yellow band on that hammer, that's Vegas deck of cards, baby. 21. $21. Boop. $21. The guy in another scenario, you're at a. business conference. The guy you just. met leaves the room and then he walks in. 30 minutes later, he's walking towards. you. Big ears. Big ears. What was on his.

ears? What was on his ears? A brain. Brian, good to see you again. It's good. for the short term, right? You got the. you got if they if I went to back to. Home Depot today, that was 17 years ago. What's the price of that hammer? I have. no idea. >> cuz I didn't review the conference that. I was at two years ago and I met a guy. named Brian. If I saw Brian today, I'm. not going to know his name. I didn't. review. So, this is the process of. memory, taking images, seeing them as. pictures, and attaching them to what you. want to recall. But if you don't review,

you're not going to remember anything. long term. Review is the the biatitudes. If you want to lock these biatitudes in. long term, you're going to have to. review them today, review them tomorrow, review them in a week, review them. again, and then get them locked in and. get it to where it's smooth and you can. it just flows off your tongue and and. but the review is the the key to that. It's the most overlooked part of memory. in my opinion. Interesting.

>> Wow. That's, you know, it's I was going. to ask you, how do you remember people's. names? >> Yeah, that's probably the biggest thing. that comes to my mind that people would. struggle with is name recognition. >> It is. It's important. You know, Dale. Carnegie said, "Everybody's favorite. subjects themselves, the sweetest sound. of the ears, the sound of their own. name." Zig Ziggler said, "People don't. care how much you know until they first. know how much you care." When you can. remember somebody's name, you show them. that you care. You know, you show them. that they're meaningful. There are so. many people out there that are having. rough times in life and just the measure.

of respect to remember their name. You. see them, you call them by their name. and it maybe just lights up their day. that day. Wow, Sean just remembered my. name and I just met him once and he just. remembered my name. I feel so special. You get so much out of remembering. names. The first thing you get, you make. people feel good and that's that's. enough of a reward. Sometimes it's a. great connection, right? And it leads to. a great friendship or a great business. deal or whatever. But the first thing is. it just makes people feel good. And when. you want to remember a name, focus in on.

something on their face that stands out. And then here's what's going to be. here's everybody listening to this right. now. The thing that's going to hold them. up, the thing that's going to make them. say, "I'm not going to do this. This is. too much work." That this is the thing. They can't they don't have pictures for. names. They're going to meet somebody. named Brian and Brian's talking to him. and they're trying to turn the name. Brian into a picture and as they're. trying to turn that name into a picture, they're not listening to what Brian's. saying. And then as they not listen to.

Brian says and they're zone out and then. Brian's like, "Hey dude, are you. listening to me?" They're like, "No, actually I'm not. I'm trying to see a. human brain going up your nose right. now." And it's Yeah. So this is how I would suggest everybody. practice. Uh when you're at the grocery. store, look at the name tag. Turn the. name into a picture. Even if you don't. talk to her or him, turn that your bank. teller, turn it into a picture. You see. a a sign on a a billboard, turn that. name into a picture. Just start. developing a mental database. And once.

you decide the picture for Brian is a. brain, it's always a brain for you, whatever it is. In other words, you. don't say this Brian is a brain and this. Brian is my friend Brian. And it's a. brain. Uh but once you have pictures for. names created, that's what's going to. take the most work. I'll tell you this. The first time I spoke for a group, I. remember I was 19 years old. There was. five people in the room. I was speaking. for free and I I only called on three of. them. I did not think I could memorize.

all five names and I was there to teach. them a memory seminar. >> [ __ ]. So, I only called on three of them. I'm. glad the other two at the end didn't. test me on their names cuz I didn't know. their names. But I say that as a little. bit of a measure of hope, right? This is. my career. Where did I start? I started. exactly where everybody else is starting. right now. I started thinking, I can't. do this. I'm not good at remembering. names. But I did one thing that that. most people don't do. I spent the next. couple weeks turning names into.

pictures. I spoke at a conference in. Canada a decade ago and I walked up to. the guy and he said, "Ron, I'm so. excited you're going to recite. everybody's name in the audience." I. said, "Uh, Darren, no. I typically do. 150 to 200 names. I've never done more. than 200 names." And there's over 300. people at this conversation. Oh. He. goes, "No, Ron, YOU GOT IT. YOU GOT IT, MAN." I was like, "I don't I stretched. my own imagination." Now, here's a thing. that I will share. When you're at a.

meeting like that and you need to. memorize massive amounts of data, looking at their ears and stuff like. that, I will actually use their. clothing. Don't do that in real life. because it only works for the for a. meeting, right? But I attached stuff to. their clothing. I attached stuff to. their hats. 301 people stood up. I had. my girlfriend at the time over there. She had a notepad. Every time I got a. name right, she made a mark. And that's. my record. 301. Damn, man. Wow.

Let's talk about. memory, faith in the Bible. Yeah. So, you know, I told you I doubted my faith. a lot, right? I I went through a point. in my 20s where uh my mom just point. blank asked me, "Are you going to be a. preacher?" Cuz I was in church all the. time. I was there on uh I led a Bible. study on Tuesday nights. I went to. church on Wednesday nights. I was the. Saturday night service and I was there.

at the Sunday service. My mom, who was a. woman of faith, she was happy about. that, but she was also like she even for. her was a little bit much. and she said, "Ronnie, are you going to be a preacher. or something?" Said, "Mom, I don't know. I'm memory guy. I kind of like memory. guy, but I just love stuff about the. Bible." Then I uh lost my I drifted. away. And part of it I was just maybe I. was just can I trust it, right? Like how. do I know? How do I know these stories. are true? How do I how do I know? And am. I just fooling myself or is there some.

something here? And over time, I think I. just sort of like went like that. Um, but as a memory guy, one of the things. that I wondered, how can we trust the. Bible's true when Jesus died in 33 AD. and most of the gospels weren't written. till 20 or 30 years later, right? How. that that that's from memory. They're. not there's not taking notes at the.

tomb. You know what I'm saying? There's a 500year gap between Abraham. and Moses. Gen Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The. first five books of the Bible. That at. least that's what um most Christians and. Jews believe that Moses wrote the first. five books. Well, if there's a 500year. gap between Abraham and Moses, that means what what he wrote in.

Genesis, he didn't live any of that. >> It was a oral tradition, right? So if that's all oral tradition, all of. Genesis, if there was a 20, 30-year gap. between Jesus dying and the gospels. being written, how the modern people. would say memory is not reliable. My. memory is not good, you know, and when. modern people we hear that this, we. think memory is unreliable. The ancient.

people, it was so much different. They. had these group oral traditions. So you. think about it, Jesus spoke in parables, right? >> What are parables? And what are parables. are pictures? And that's what I've been. saying today. Your mind needs to. remember a picture. And by the way, when. I the the parables are easy to remember. because they're a picture. You know, 2. Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is God. breathed." Right? So when I'm saying.

this, when I'm I'm I'm going to tell you. I why I believe we can trust the. reliability of the scripture based from. a memory guy's perspective, right? Not. based from a religious perspective. But some people would say, Ron, it's. supernatural. Forget all that stuff. about memory and all that other stuff. It's it has nothing to do with that. It. it's supernatural. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scriptures God breathes." It was. written by the breath of God through. moving the hands of humans. Right? But I'm not discounting the supernatural.

way the Bible was transmitted. >> But these oral cultures, it's not like. we have memory today. It was group. memory. They would recite it all. together and they would drill it and. they would repeat it. They would tell. the stories over and over again. If. somebody in the group would say the. story wrong, the group would correct. them. So these oral traditions was. almost just as good as as writing. something down. The way the Bible was. engineered itself, Proverbs chapter 1.

says, "The fear of the Lord is the. beginning of knowledge, but the very. next verse says, "Fools despise wisdom. and discipline." The Bible's written. like that in a lot of places where it'll. say a line and then the very next line, it's like a contrast. The fear of the. Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but. fools despise wisdom and discipline. those two sentences kind of go together. because they're contrasting ideas. I. don't know if if I explained that the. right way or not, >> but the way the Bible's written, the way. is engineered is it it helps your.

memory. Psalms the 23rd Psalms um he. makes me lie down but between on green. pastures laid beside still waters. That's imagery. So when when these. stories were passed down, they were. passed down with imagery. green. pastures, steel, still waters. Imagery. cemented in your memory. If you have the. faith of a mustard seed, you can move a. mountain. Imagery. The way Jesus spoke. was imagery. He was and I don't know.

why. I'm speaking from a memory. perspective, not a religious perspective. here, but from a memories perspective. I've got to think if if Jesus is who he. says he was, he wants these stories to. be passed down. He knows we're nothing. but we're we're humans, human memory. I've got to tell these stories in a way. that they can remember them. So, I'm. going to speak in parables. I'm going to. talk about I'm not going to say if you. have faith, you can do anything. That's. not a picture. I'm going to say if you. have the faith of a mustard seed, you. can move a mountain. So, I believe the. parables were engineered so we could.

remember them. I believe the group. memory. But I will say this, this isn't. just the the the Christian faith. The. oral traditions of all ancient societies. or a lot of ancient societies um are. very reliable, fascinating. the. Aborigines in Australia, um, they would pass stuff down in songs, much like I'm saying now. They would. sing songs, they would say them in. groups, they would tell these songs and. stories in and in groups. If somebody. got it wrong, they corrected it. These.

songs were the GPS for Australia tens of. thousands of years ago. So, and I don't. know what the songs were like, but I do. know they could know there's going to be. a canyon, there's going to be a. mountain, there's going to be a rock. formation, and then and then there's. going to be this right here. So, if they. were ever out in the wilderness of. Australia, they had it in songs. And I I. I was sort of thinking about how could. they do that other than just song. lyrics. But I thought have an idea. I.

don't know if this how it is. This is my. idea. But. a the alphabet song. A B C D E F G H I J. K L M N O P. >> And you notice how you said that? You. said it faster than the other words. A B. C D E F G H I J K L M N O P. My guess, and I don't know if this is true or not. I know they memorized the landscape of. Australia with the song. Well, if it's a. tree and then there's a long distance.

and it's a canyon and then there's. another long distance and it's a. mountain and then there's three. mountains real close together, that's. the elemental p. >> So these this GPS, they could be out and. the pauses, the slowness would be the. distances. The elemental P like a. topographical map, it's all close. together. The elemental P, tree, mountain, whatever. Their songs were so. accurate. There was a a volcano called. Budge Bim in Australia. Budgebim.

Budgebim uh exploded. over 30,000 years ago. So the ancient. people of Australia had these songs. talking about Budge BIM exploding. There's no way that the m that the. people 500 years ago would have known. about that if it hadn't been passed down. in a song. So these songs of ancient. cultures, whether it's the Christian. faith or whether it's the Aborigines, they're doing it as songs. They're doing. it with group memory. Group memory is.

reliable. Individual memory isn't, but. that's how much of the Bible and other. things were passed down. >> It actually makes a lot of sense. Wow. That does make a lot of sense. >> It was their It was their identity, right? It was It was how they survived. Imagine there's a drought in Australia. and in this drought, this one plant. maybe is their survival cuz they can. they can drink the they can drink the. liquid that's inside of it. It saved.

their lives. It's a plant that you would. never eat because it has a sour bitter. taste, right? I'm giving you a. hypothetical here. It's a sour bitter. taste. You would never eat it in a. million years, but it becomes part of. their song because it saved their lives. during this time. Generations later, they don't eat that plant either because. it has a sour, bitter taste, but they go. through the same drought. Everything. dies. They remember the song and it. saves their life. So memory, it it was a. a survival skill. It was crucial to.

ancient humans. Modern humans, I think, were becoming drones. We're outsourcing. our memories to chat GPT or AI or all. this other stuff. Here's a crazy study, Sean. There there's a study called the. PISA, the program for international. student assessment. The PISA study tests. 15 year olds on on math, science, and. all this stuff. They've been doing it. for years. This is the first generation, the current generation. This is the. first the young kids today. This is the.

first generation that is scoring lower. on these tests, which they it's not an. IQ test, but they are correlated into. IQ. this first generation that scored. lower on IQ test in these tests than. their previous generation. There's. something called the Flynn effect. And. the Flynn effect says every generation. the IQ has improved. Every generation, the generation that was before it, their. IQ has increased until now. And there's. a neuroscientist named Jared Horvath, I. believe. He is saying it's screen time.

He's saying it's he said our kids are. even in the class in the classrooms the. classrooms they're learning on screens. Well, what happens in a classroom when. you're learning on a screen you're. skimming. It's not this is this is his. theory. Um but it makes sense. You're. skimming. It's not deep studying. It's. not deep studying like we had when we're. learning for a person. It's skimming. studying. And maybe there's alerts and. notification is distracting you. But his. belief, and I think it's probably true,

is technology is great asset, but it's. also harming this current generation and. probably generations going forward. >> Yeah, I wouldn't disagree. I don't think. anybody would disagree with that. >> Wow. What's that? What's his name? >> Jared Horvath. >> Jared Horvath. >> He's a neuroscientist. I Somebody just. sent me the article a couple weeks ago. >> I got to get that from you. That would. be an interesting talk. >> It was fascinating what I read on him.

>> Right on. Right on. Well, I got a hot. question for you. Ready? >> Yes. >> All right. Here we go. >> Ron, when you look at historical minds. like Einstein, Tesla, Da Vinci, and. Newton, they all had this ability to. focus deeply, recognize patterns, and. hold complex ideas in their mind. Today, technology remembers everything. for us. Social media destroys attention.

and AI is starting to think for us. Sounds like what we just talked about. From your perspective as a memory. expert, are we becoming more advanced or. are we quietly weakening the human trait. that creates genius? It's a great question. And for years, I. mentioned I've been doing this 35 years. I got asked that question a lot and not. it was never as eloquent as that. That's. a very eloquent way to ask that. question, but it was all the question. always got down to.

is technology ruining our brains. And I. was always answer that question. No, no, I don't think so. I think we. have we have more to remember right now. So relying on technology, there's no. problem with it. And I still believe. that's true. But. I do think that it is harming our. ability to focus and it is harming our. ability to think almost. Um you know Sir. Isaac Newton said if I've stood on the. shoulders if if I have seen further than. anyone before it's because I've stood on.

the shoulders of giants. So Isaac Newton. had this knowledge base and he was able. to see experiments and see things that. others people couldn't see. Not because. he was a genius, but because all the. people before him had done all these. experiences and he had that knowledge in. his brain, right? Well, today if the knowledge isn't on. our brain, if the knowledge is in the AI. and it's in the computer, how are we. going to have the ability to see farther. than anybody before? Yeah, we can ask.

AI. I think AI is a great tool. I use a. AI all the time, but I I I use it. I. take what it's saying and then I'll step. away and I'll think about it. I'll. journal about it. Old old school. learning, right? I'll talk to it. Um, technology is we're outsourcing our. brains. We're going to become drones, I. think. You know, they got the drones. flying right now. We're going to be the. drones and AI is going to be flying us. Your AI is going to control us. Uh,

focus is the most difficult part of what. I did with the Afghanistan memory wall. 100% the most difficult part. when when. I was sitting in the chair and had my. eyes closed, I was if sometime something. would pop in my brain and I'd have to. push it out of the way, but that. happened 50 to 75 times. There's a followup here. We hear stories. of people lifting cars in emergencies or. the brain doing things that seem to be.

impossible. Are those rare miracles or. proof that humans have access to. abilities we usually never tap into? And. even though the idea that we only use. 10% of our brain is a myth, do you think. most people still underestimate what the. human mind and body are actually capable. of? >> I love that last part of that question. The first part was um is this is this um. a miracle or is it um the human, right? >> Yeah. Do we have do we have abilities we.

usually never tap into? >> Yeah. Yeah. And first of all, is it a. miracle or is it the human ability? It's. probably both in some cases, but as far. as the brain, as far as the the the. human brain, 100%. 100%. 100%. If there are people watching this. right now, if there are people watching. this and they've they've enjoyed it, if. they turn off the the the the the. channel or or whatever and they go about. their day and they tell their their. friends, "Hey, yeah, I heard this memory.

guy talk and he memorized all this stuff. and he and he held some records. It was. some crazy cool stuff. I could never do. it. Uh but it was pretty interesting to. listen to him talk." Boom. I failed. That's not the message that people. underestimate what they're capable of. Sit down and give yourself a project. You will be astounded at what your brain. can can remember. Build out this map. that I'm talking about, right? This mind. palace. Number five pieces of furniture. in your living room, five in your. kitchen, five in your living room, five. in your bathroom, and then tonight.

before you fall asleep, say those 20. pieces of furniture forwards and. backwards, forwards and backwards. When. you're brushing your teeth tomorrow when. you're getting ready for work, say these. 20 pieces of furniture. Just get them in. your brain. Then find something that's. important to you. What interests you? Do. you like sports? You want to memorize. the roster of your favorite baseball. team? Are you a fan of history? You want. to memorize the president of the United. States? Find something that interests. you. And just guys, I'm imploring you, everybody who's listening to this, do. this. Because everybody is.

underestimating themselves. Everybody. Every single person I walk to upon the. street and I say, "I can teach you. this." They always say, "Oh, my memory. is terrible. I'm not good. I'm not good. at that." When you approach it with this. system, it it is uh everybody take what. you think your memory is capable of. How. many numbers you think you could. memorize in 5 minutes? Take that number, whatever it is. It's different for. everybody. and then multiply it by 10, 20, 30, 50,

or 100. And then that's the real number. Thank you. Thank you. Let's let's move. back into the Afghanistan wall. We're. closing out the interview. It's Memorial. Day. You've accomplished something amazing. right here in this studio this morning. Yeah. Um. so this was the first time that I've. completed it, right? And it was so. emotional. And a lot of our talk today.

has has been on how I did it and and. you know. on on. my memory, right? And that's all valid. I'm the one I am sitting in this chair. But I do want to say thank you to some. people who helped me train because. without them I couldn't have done it. Um. Amy Haynes has been has been with me for. 10 years and she's been with me through. a lot of things and without her sitting.

in a chair for the last month and. listening to me say names and as I say. the names she she checks the work and. she says nope nope nope. Yep. Without. that. this would have been almost impossible. today. So, and her support and. encouragement was tremendous. Uh, so she. is the main one that I want to say thank. you to for that. Uh, when I heard that I.

was going to be here, uh, I told her not. because, um, I was going to to bring her. along, but just to tell her, right? And. she was so excited. She was more excited. for me than anything at all. And when I. saw her excitement, I just thought, she's never traveled with me in 10 years. of working with me. But I want to say. thank you to her for all she's done for. me. So I'm going to bring her on this. trip. But it worked out so magically. because when I was saying the names, I. had the confidence of the training with.

her. And so thank you to her. Thank you. to Esther Vermillion who also gave me. encouragement and she helped me train. and Lori Griffo who gave me tremendous. support and encouragement and also. helped me train. Um, the stories of the wall though, that's. why I do the wall. I don't do the wall. to show people that I have a great. memory, right? It's not about uh it's. not the USA memory championships, the. deck of cards, memorizing the numbers.

That was to say, hey, I'm legit, dude. Look at me. The Afghanistan memory wall. is to say, these are the men and women. we lost. We say you are not forgotten. and we always say you are not forgotten. But I want to say to every single. individual person you are not forgotten. You know Ernest Hemingway said that. everybody dies two deaths. They die the. day they die and then they die the last. time their name is spoken. And in a way.

I just wanted to keep their memories. alive. So I that's the main reason I do. the wall. It has made me a better person. by hearing the stories of the wall. But. that's that's the meaning behind the. wall. Um. I uh. it it's an individual basis. What I was. going to say is. when we say you're not forgotten, it's. sometimes a corporate or group whole, you know, Memorial Day, you're not. forgotten. I wanted to say Private First.

Class Austin Stags, you are not. forgotten. Private Buddy Mlan, you are. not forgotten. Chief Petty Officer Adam. Brown, you are not forgotten. Corporal. Chad Wade, you are not forgotten. Sergeant Firstclass Matthew Abati, you are not forgotten. Sergeant James. Aub, you are not forgotten. Individually, you're not forgotten. I. will set up that wall at a NASCAR race. I'll set it up and in front of the Alamo.

and I'll be writing on the wall and. people will walk by in New York City. I'm writing the wall and this lady, she. was jogging and she stopped. She said, "What is this?" And my brother. uh he was my biggest helper back then. She he she went up to him and she said, "What is this?" and he said told him. what it was and she asked him if a.

specific name was on the wall. So he. brings her over to me and. and she said, "Is this name on the. wall?" I had a deadline. I had to be. finishing live on Fox and Friends. morning show in the last five. It was I. had to time it to finish live on the air. in the last five minutes of their show. I was very distracted. I always try to. give people the attention because. they're the reason I'm doing it. But I. was distracted that day. To this day, I. don't know the name, she said. But I. always I took time with her and I said, "Ma'am, why? How do you know that name?".

And she said, "My brother was a little. guy." And this guy was a big guy. And so. he would always carry my brother's. backpack and his backpack. And when they. went out on a patrol, he always just. walked in front of my brother naturally. And because he did that, he is dead. today. and my brother is alive. And I said, "I'm so sorry, ma'am." And I. showed her the name on the wall. She. stood there with tears in her eye. I. went back to my hotel room that night.

and I was laying there and I was. thinking about the day and I think, "Oh, what was that guy's name?" I think it. was Katsenberger. But even if it was Katsenberger, there's. two. There was a specialist, Christopher. Katzenberger, and there's a staff. sergeant, Jeremy Katsenberger. I don't. know who it is, even if it was. Katsenberger. And I thought, I wish I. knew that guy's name. That's such a. powerful story. And then I realized it. doesn't matter that I don't know the. name. That's the story of all of them. All of them carried our backpacks. All. of them walked before us. And all of.

them made that sacrifice for us and our. nation. I don't know his name, but I. know that's the story of all of them. And I know you know some of the names. >> Yes, I do. I know Adam Brown. I heard you talk about him that he was a. good man. He was. He was. Well, Ron, you want to end us with a. prayer? >> I do. Can I read you a story real quick? >> Yes, please do.

>> But I do. Um, so I want to give you a. gift, Sean. This is um uh the stories of. over 30 people that we've lo we've lost. in Afghanistan. This was written by um. by the way, this isn't a a a book where. anybody can go get her anywhere. This is. just for you, okay? So, this is not uh. anything like that. This was written by. Darren Sap. Darren Sap uh was in the. Navy. He was a yellow shirt on an. aircraft carrier. He directed the the.

planes and that kind of thing. He has a. little bit of a connection with you. Uh. you uh uh a guy named Bill Brown was the. Navy Seal found uh Swim Foundation. founder. he co-wrote a book with him and. uh Bonito Olsen who was the dog handler. for a dog named DGO and Eddie Eddie. Penny's SEAL team uh he co-wrote a book. with him and Eddie Penny wrote the. forward. >> Wow. >> This book was written by that guy. So it. has a connection to Eddie Penny. I want. to read you one story. This is this is.

not one story, one letter. First Lieutenant Todd Weaver when he was. in Afghanistan, he uh wrote a letter to his wife in case. something would happen to him and he. left it on his desktop when uh his his. computer was mailed back to Emma. And I. have Emma's permission to print this and. I also have Emma's permission to read. this. When this letter was when she got. her his laptop back, there was one icon.

on the desktop. the entire computer was. wiped clean. And it was this letter. right here that he wrote to Emma. And. here's the letter. Dear Emma, if you're. reading this, I guess I did not make it. home. And therefore, I was not able to. remind you again of how much I love you. I love you so much, baby, and I will. always love you. Although I may not be. here right now, take comfort in the fact. that I am watching over you right now. I. am not gone and I will always be with.

you in spirit. I know this time must be. hard for you, but I also know how strong. you are. Never forget that God knew what. was best for us before we were even. born. Take comfort in that. This. happened for a reason. Although you may. not believe it now, you will one day. I. want you to know just how important you. are to me. I could not ask for a more. caring, beautiful, and loving wife. The. memories that we have shared over the. last few years have been the best of my. life. Although it may seem like my life.

was cut short. I lived a life that most. can only dream of. I married the perfect. woman. I have a beautiful daughter that. amazed me every day. I even had two. great dogs, at least most of the time. I. couldn't ask for anything more. If you. feel sad, just think back to the. memories that we shared. Look at our. daughter and how beautiful she is. Be. strong for her. Remind her about her. daddy and tell her that I loved her more. than anything else in the world. Her.

birth was the best day of my life and. she was the best thing that ever. happened to me. Her smile and laughter. represent all that is good and beautiful. in this world. Tell her that daddy is in. heaven now and will watch over her and. protect her every minute of every day. I. love you, Emma, but never be afraid to. do what you need to do to be happy. It. is also important that you continue to. find happiness in your life. Although. you may not think that is possible right. now, have faith. Much better times are. coming. You and Kylie have a wonderful. life ahead of you. And I'm so happy to.

have shared some of it with you. I love. you. Your loving husband, Todd, Emma, and her daughter Kylie are. thriving now. They're doing very well. It's stories like this that have made me. a better person. And thank you for. giving me the platform today to tell. some of these stories. That was heavy. That's what this is all about. You want to pray? >> Yes, sir. >> Let's do it.

Jesus, we just want to say thank you for. today and thank you for connecting me. with Ron and but more importantly, we. just want to say we want to wish. everybody a happy Memorial Day and. especially the Gold Star families who. lost somebody just like the letter that. Ron just wrote. Pray for them. Please let them be having a damn good. time up there. Pray for our country. Amen. >> Amen.

>> Thank you. >> Save the heavy stuff for last, huh? Holy. >> I wanted to read this. >> What page is that? >> That is the first story. So, it's the. first story you would read. >> First lieutenant. >> There it is. Wow, >> Ron. >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you, brother. >> Thank you.

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