We know that some people are happy to get through the day without forgetting anything on their to-do list. The tips and tricks we share with you on this blog and the tools you’ll receive in the Ultimate Memory software package will ensure that you don’t have to worry about forgetting the information necessary to your day-to-day schedule – but if you want to compete in the World Memory Championship, you’ll have to take your memory improvement exercises to the next level.

Do you think you could memorize 400 random words (like aviary and stalagmite and lard) in 15 minutes, then recite them back – in order? Could you flip through a shuffled deck of cards one time, then five minutes later take an unshuffled deck and put the cards in that same order? Can you memorize a string of 100 digits, or match 100 faces with the correct names (first and last) after looking at them all in less than a quarter of an hour? If you can do all of these things, then you’re definitely in the running for the title of World Memory Champion. This title has been awarded since 1991 when the World Memory Championships were started by renowned memory expert Tony Buzan and Raymond Keene. This year’s tournament will be held in December in China, and it’s not too late to submit your application to compete!

If you can’t make it to China, you can use some of the sample materials available on the World Memory Sports Council website to test yourself and see how your memory stacks up. Click here for a sample word list or test yourself on how well you can memorize a four-page list of fictional dates and events. You can also read about Joshua Foer’s experience in first reporting on and then competing in the tournament, and discover some of the tricks the professional memory masters use.

Are you off to the store now with your mental list of things to buy – or are you off to China, ready to conquer the world of memory techniques?

You might also be interested in the World Scrabble Championship – click here to find out more.