Learning Faster: Memory, Senses, and My Brother’s Story

Here’s how a personal story reshaped how I think about learning in tech.

A few weeks ago, I shared the story of my brother surviving a life-changing accident. What I didn’t mention is one of the most fascinating parts:

After damaging his right temporal lobe, his memory was impacted, yet he could still remember and perform the taekwondo forms we practiced together 20+ years earlier. Muscle memory, rhythm, and repetition, all anchored by his senses, helped him regain balance and retrain his brain. Practicing those forms daily not only rebuilt his balance but boosted his confidence and reconnected neural pathways through movement.

Watching him rebuild piece by piece reminded me that growth isn’t always linear, but with consistency and belief, progress is possible, even after setbacks.

This experience sent me down a rabbit hole on how our senses impact memory and learning. Jim Kwik’s book Limitless takes this even further:

• What we see, hear, and feel directly affects retention.
• Engaging multiple senses accelerates learning.
• Neuroplasticity is real—your brain can rewire itself if you feed it the right input.

In a world where tech evolves faster than ever, these lessons hit hard. We all have 168 hours each week, but how we use them—what we see, hear, read, practice—rewires our ability to learn faster and stay ahead.

Whether I’m learning a new Azure capability or diving into AI use cases, this mindset, using my senses, applying movement, and teaching what I know, helps me stay ahead of the curve.

Here’s what’s working for me:

✅ Pairing learning with movement (walk and listen to a podcast)

✅ Teaching what I learn (explaining forces retention)

✅ Layering senses (audio + notes + visuals)

If my brother could retrain his brain using taekwondo after a head injury, imagine what we can do if we’re intentional with our senses and our time.

What’s one technique you use to retain new information faster?

If you could relearn any skill today—faster—what would it be?

Have you read Limitless or used neuroplasticity techniques? What worked for you?

#LifelongLearning #LimitlessMindset #Neuroplasticity #GrowthMindset #168Hours #MichaelEarls