What you learn that you easily forget is what you learn that you don’t like. We often see wise men, they are strangely absent-minded. They forget eating, sleeping, house, wife, children... that is, their daily real life. Yet, if someone discusses their expertise, then you will see how extraordinary their memory is.
Winston Man
Excerpt from AI:
Winston Man’s quote "What you learn that you easily forget is what you learn that you don’t like. We often see wise men, they are strangely absent-minded. They forget eating, sleeping, house, wife, children... that is, their daily real life. Yet, if someone discusses their expertise, then you will see how extraordinary their memory is." offers a deep insight into the relationship between love for learning and the ability to remember. Here is a detailed analysis of this quote.
1. "What you learn that you easily forget is what you learn that you don’t like."
This quote reflects that interest and passion are the deciding factors in whether we remember or forget what we have learned. When we learn something we don’t like, don’t feel interested or connected to, the ability to remember will be weaker. Learning without passion makes our minds easily forget the information because it doesn’t create interest or meaning for ourselves.
Meanwhile, what we love and are passionate about will easily make a strong impression and be deeply engraved in our minds, because it is not just pure knowledge but also something we feel valuable and want to share or apply to life. This also explains why we can easily remember details about personal interests (such as sports, music, or a field we love), but easily forget subjects or knowledge that we don’t find interesting.
2. "We often see wise men, they are strangely absent-minded. They forget eating, sleeping, house, wife, children... that is, their daily real life."
This is a very subtle description of wise men or people with a strong passion for their work or professional research. This quote reflects that forgetfulness in real life is not due to poor memory ability, but extremely high concentration on a field they love. These wise men often have a deep and goal-oriented mindset that they are passionate about, to the point where they don’t pay attention to trivial things like eating, sleeping, or family relationships.
Absent-mindedness here is a manifestation of devoting all energy and mind to a specialized field, thereby creating a superior memory in that field. This shows the connection between passion and memory ability: when we truly love and focus on something, our minds will naturally remember every detail without having to put in too much effort.
3. "Yet, if someone discusses their expertise, then you will see how extraordinary their memory is."
This is the most important part of the quote. When wise men or people who have a deep passion in a certain field, when they are talking about their expertise, they can have superhuman memory. This happens because they have lived and breathed in that field. For them, professional knowledge is not just theory, but a part of identity and life.
In contrast to forgetting things you don’t like, deep thinking and passion help them easily remember and use information related to their expertise proficiently. This quote emphasizes that focusing on passion and expertise can increase memory and understanding, allowing people to possess extraordinary intelligence in the fields they are passionate about.
4. The connection between passion and memory
Winston Man offers a deep perspective on how passion can affect learning and remembering. When we really love something, our minds tend to remember it naturally. Conversely, when we learn things we are not interested in, our memory will worsen and it will be difficult to retain knowledge for a long time. This reflects that passion is the factor that makes learning easier and more memorable.
This thinking can be applied to learning in many fields, from academics to careers. If a person is passionate about the field of technology, for example, they will easily remember complex terms and techniques in the industry without feeling tired. Meanwhile, if they learn something they don’t find interesting, they may easily forget that knowledge, even though they may have spent time studying.
5. Meaning for personal development
Winston Man’s quote also encourages us to find the passion and field we love in life and work. When doing things we love, we not only achieve success but also develop intellect, memory, and creativity. Along with that, loving what we do will also help us overcome difficulties, persistently learn and achieve great achievements in work or life.
Conclusion
Winston Man’s quote points out a close relationship between passion and memory. When we love something, the brain will remember it naturally and easily. Conversely, what we don’t like will be easily forgotten. Wise men, with their strong passion in their field of expertise, may forget details in real life, but when it comes to their expertise, their memory becomes superhuman. This emphasizes that finding passion and pursuing it not only helps us achieve success in our work but also helps develop intellect and memory ability in a superior way.
