J M
- Intelligence is not measured by how much you remember
- Forgetting is normal and is a sign that your brain is doing its job
A fast, powerful, and accurate memory is definitely something that comes in handy in many cases like in school, of even in your current workplace when you’re trying to name people’s names or tasks at hand.
But forgetting stuff is actually unavoidable and is just something that happens to most of us, sometimes in the times that we need it the most. When that happens, it is not unusual to feel slightly dumb and disappointed for having a brain lapse. After all, there’s nothing worse than forgetting someone’s name in a very important meeting.
If you wonder why is it that you sometimes forget seemingly simple and easy things, well, the answer is there is really nothing wrong at all.
According to a study done by the Neuron Journal, it is found that forgetting things is actually a natural brain process that can possibly make you smarter at the end of the day.
On the other hand, a study done by a group of professors from the University of Toronto mentioned that forgetting us unrelated to your lack of IQ and that having a perfect memory might have nothing to do with your intelligence. And again, forgetting occasional details might even make you smarter.
To some people, the person who remembers the most at any given time is seen to be the smartest among the bunch.
The studies, however, said that remembering the big picture instead of the little details is better for your brain for your safety in the long run.
Our brains are actually more powerful and smarter than we think. In fact, our brains are so smart that our hippocampus, where the memories are stored, knows hot to weed out details by optimizing intelligent decision making by holding on to the important stuff and letting go what is not.
The brain doesn’t expand your memory. Rather, it retains new memories by overwriting old ones. When your brain is crowded, they are more likely cause a conflict and interfere with decision making.
So remember, next time you forget something, it is a sign that your brain is doing its job.
