#308 A 6x Memory Champion Shares His Secrets | Nelson Dellis

Dr. Adam Dorsay introduces SuperPsyched and interviews six-time US Memory Champion Nelson Dellis about why memory is central to identity and why cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s are so devastating. Dellis describes memory championships as timed, full-day events involving feats such as memorizing a deck of cards, hundreds of digits in five minutes, and large sets of names and faces, emphasizing that success comes from a trained—not “naturally good”—memory. In the age of AI, he argues that continuing to use memory supports cognitive health, may help prevent atrophy, and preserves a core human element tied to lived experience. They discuss how Alzheimer’s may impair retrieval rather than erase memories, and highlight Dellis’s activity-based book, "Everyday Genius," which trains memory and other skills like calculation, creativity, and faster reading, alongside lessons learned from painful competitive losses.

00:00 Welcome to SuperPsyched

00:28 Why Memory Matters

00:48 Meet Nelson Dellis

03:04 Trained Not Gifted

05:12 Inside Memory Championships

06:38 Memory in the AI Age

09:03 Alzheimers and Identity

11:19 Everyday Genius Challenge

14:28 Curiosity as Cross Training

19:18 Learning Through Failure

20:21 Closing and Subscribe

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