A memory recall system wouldn’t be a complete system without some way of remembering numbers. One of my earlier post ‘Easily remember lists with the Memory Journey method’ explains how to remember lists, but now I want to concentrate on a more powerful and flexible method called the Major System.
Versions of the Major System date back to over 300 years ago. When you learn this simple but effective way of memorising numbers, you’ll be amazed at how many times you’ll find it incredibly useful throughout the rest of your life!
When you learn the rules of the Major System, it becomes second nature to use in various ‘real world’ scenarios. I’ve used this system for over 30 years and find it a very handy tool, even more so as I’ve aged. I use it a lot, whether at work, at home or even on holiday.
So what can the Major System help you do?
- Remember phone numbers
- Remember birthdays
- Remember dates in general
- Remember PIN numbers
- Remember very secure passwords
- Remember lists
- Remember speeches
- Remember presentations
- You will find more uses as you grow with it
Learn to use the Major System
To start then, let’s learn the conversion of digits to letters (1 through to 9. And also zero: 0). Later, we’ll build on this to show you how to convert numbers to words, and finally show you some ‘conversion to visualisation’ examples of how to use the Major System in the real world.
Digit to letter relationship
Looking at the table below, you will see digits (1 to 9), followed by zero (0). You will also see a letter that relates to each digit.
Learn these ten relationships meticulously so you can convert them in your mind forward and backwards. i.e:
1 = T and T = 1
2 = N and N = 2
3 = M and M = 3
…etc.
These are the foundation for the entire system. The memory association column is only there to help you remember initially. If easier, use your own memory association to anchor these in your mind. When you can recite the letter associations for 1 to 9, including 0, you will be ready to come back and continue this post.
Digit |
Relationship |
Memory Association |
| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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| 4 |
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| 5 |
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| 6 |
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| 7 |
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| 8 |
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| 9 |
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| 0 |
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from a well known brand of corn flakes looks like a (7)
has two loops like an (8)
Ok, you’re back and you know the letter associations for 1 to 9, including 0. Great, let’s move on.
The Major System works by converting numbers into consonants, then into words by adding vowels. The table below shows examples of how a converted digit to green letter, that you are already familiar with, is used to create a word.
So what are those yellow letters I hear you ask?
Well, to put it simply, we’re more concerned with the sounding of a word called ‘phonetic pronunciations’. It’s how a letter or group of letters sound within a word when you say the word out loud.
Grouping the yellow with the green in this manner creates a far more flexible system for converting numbers to words. For example, T, D, TH have similarities in how they sound when read out aloud in a word, and so we group these together. If they don’t sound similar to you, then notice how your tongue and mouth move as you pronounce them aloud and you will see similarities there. With a little practise you will soon get used to this. So T, D, TH all mean the same value of 1.
It’s the same idea for the rest of the yellow letters grouped with their green counterparts further down the table. Saying P and B aloud rolls off the tongue similarly, and so grouped together. As does Z and S. Understand? If not keep testing number to word conversions using Gabe Cooks’ tool mentioned below, and you soon will.
Digit |
Associated Letter(s) |
Word Examples |
| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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| 4 |
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| 7 |
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| 8 |
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| 9 |
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| 0 |
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Side Note: Consonants H, W, and Y don’t have a number value related to them and so when used with vowels, don’t change the value of the word. You will see Hut in the table above has the same value (1) as Tea. This will become clearer once you become familiar with the system. For now, don’t think too deep on this point.
Major System conversion tool
There’s a great Major System conversion tool created by Gabe Cook that converts numbers to words and vice versa. You can practise conversions for one, two or more digits using his tool to cement the Major System firmly in your mind. Follow this link to use this tool.
If you’ve studied the table above and experimented with Gabe Cooks’ conversion tool, you should now have a good idea of how conversions work. i.e. How you take a number and convert it to a word or words. All you need to do then is make a memory using the converted words mixed with visualisation.
Conversion to visualisation examples
To give you an idea of how you may use the Major System, I’ll outline a couple of examples below.
Where did I park my car?
Instead of remembering ‘Level 3′, I may see in my minds’ eye a ‘Mower’, parking next to my car, running, with fumes spewing out the back, or maybe even someone sat on it, reversing, parking. Simply use your imagination to relate the number 3 (Level 3) with a word from the Major System, in this instance Mow. I guarantee, as soon as you walk back into the car part, you will do a quick conversion back M = 3. And know what level your car is parked on.
Actually, you may have picked up on the fact that Mower converts to number 34. However, you will know there’s no level 34 (most likely) and so you are just referring to M = 3 in this instance.
Can I easily remember my pin number?
Let’s take another example to help you come to terms with using the Major System. This time we’ll use it to memorise a 4 digit debit card number.
Whatever your debit card pin number is, you should be able to work a ‘conversion to visualisation’ out for it. Sometimes it isn’t a simple task depending on the number, but that’s what makes it fun and interesting. Once you have it converted and mentally stored, you won’t forget it again.
For our example then, let’s take the pin number 4839. How would we remember that? Well you could try and fit the 4 digits into one word, but I find that a bit complicated. Instead I would split into 2 words. One for 48 and one for 39. Let’s use the words Reef and Map in our example. There would be different words that may suit your imagination depending on your interests, but this is fine for our example.
So then, you come to use your card and realise you can’t quite remember your pin. Maybe you’re having an off-day, or maybe it’s a card you haven’t used for a while. It could even be your partner’s card. Whatever the reason. If you did the mental work to convert your pin to a visualisation, then you shouldn’t have a problem recalling it.
Remember, make your visualisation as clear in your mind as you can. You can exaggerate things, make them colourful. Animate them. Just experiment with the Major System and your imagination until you get a sense of what works well for you.
Pin 4839 ‘conversion to visualisation’ example
You’re underwater in the Australian Great Barrier Reef with a Map out in front as you swim along. There’s a red line on the map that you follow and then in the distance, you see a giant bright orange coral that looks to have finger like appendages waving about in the current. Two of the fingers have an extra large debit card stuck between them. The blue of the debit card against the radiant orange backdrop is impressive.
See how we’ve mentally linked the debit card with the Reef and Map? Convert the words back to numbers and you have recalled your pin number.
Side Note: The written word when explaining a ‘conversion to visualisation’ sounds long winded, but when you do this mentally, it is far quicker. After you have practised a few times, it will become second nature.
Final thought: If you’ve studied this post thoroughly, you should now have a good idea of how the Major System works and be ready to put it into practise in your everyday life. For the rest of your life!
