“I’m Horrible at names!”
Have you ever muttered this to yourself? We all know how important it is to remember someone’s name, but it can be so challenging! Give these simple tips a try and you might soon be able to say, “I’m great at names!”
- The most important thing is to LISTEN to the person’s name when they introduce themselves. Don’t let yourself worry about the handshake or what clever response you will make! Just focus on really truly listening their name.
- Tell yourself that it really matters that you learn their name – pretend that your life depends on it! Tell yourself that you are great at remembering names – your positive attitude will make all the difference in the world.
- Use “Associations” techniques. To do this, simply associate the person’s name with something else. For example:
- Associate their name with someone else you already know
- Connect their name with something real – “Charlotte” and Charlotte’s Web
- Link their name with someone famous – “George” with George Clooney
- Use “Language” tricks. These really work!
- Alliteration – “Lovely Linda” or “Perfect Patty”
- Rhymes – “Kate is Great!” “Tall Paul!”
- Meet and repeat – repeat their name three times silently to yourself when you first meet them, and then say their name out loud a couple of times when you reply.
- Use Visualization
- Spell their name, and then imagine seeing the letters of their name. This is my Go-To method! It really works for me.
- Note if “Marilyn” looks nothing like Marilyn Monroe……
- Pick out a distinctive feature, and think “Susie with the dazzling smile.”
Pop Quiz! What technique would you use if you met someone named “Agatha?”
Or “Nancy?” See? You’re better already!
Try these different ideas – some will work better for you than others. Soon, you’ll be saying, “I’m great at names!”