How good is your memory? Do you think remembering the random order of a deck of cards is a big deal? How about upping the ante to 59 decks? This must seem like a dauntingly impossible task, but it has been accomplished. Dave Farrow is the current Guinness World Record holder for Greatest Memory. Dave was able to remember all 3068 cards in random order to make the claim of having the greatest memory.
Pro Speakers Bureau's interview of Dave revealed a down to Earth, funny and massively intelligent individual who overcame the diagnosis of a learning disorder to have the last laugh. Dave has risen to become the head of several companies and is on the front lines of research of a new device that will help in the struggle with HIV.
So without further delay we introduce Dave Farrow or as we call him, The Memory Man.
PSB: Can your talent of memorization be applied to anything?
Dave: Absolutely, it might me different a technique but there's no limit. I even invented a technique for memorizing dance and martial arts moves.
PSB: When did you first discover you had this gift of memorization?
Dave: I haven't discovered it yet because I don't have a gift. Memory is a skill and it can be taught. Most people think your memory is just what you are born with but once you learn how your mind really works a whole world opens up. It's a skill that can be taught to anybody. You either have a trained memory or you don't. It's the difference between pushing a car and getting in to driving it. You have the same tools in both situations but one you're pushing a ton of effort out and the other you're applying good strategy to succeed.
PSB: One of your aims is to help students study better and of course memorize better. What kind of student were you in school?
Dave: I was diagnosed with two learning challenges ADHD and dyslexia. I went on a two year quest to discover everything I could about memory. I went from a very poor student to being at the top of many of my classes. The transformation was so quick I actually failed some classes even though my test scores were the top because some teachers assumed that I was cheating and lowered them on me. It was only when I demonstrated my memory techniques that they believed me and gave me the grades I had earned. That's when I learned that to change your life you need to be aware of how others see you.
PSB: So you went from being a very poor student to being the CEO of Wizardtech, Accella Scientific, and the founder of PD Marketing. Tell us a little bit about Wizardtech.
Dave: Wizardtech started off as corporate training company. It started off teaching sales people how to remember people's names. Because no one is going buy something from someone who calls them dude. Currently I do public speaking, seminars and offer products that show others how to use the full potential of their mind. I offer seminars open to the public as well. In my career I have taught at major corporations and to celebrities. Accella Scientific Inc, is a biotech company I co-founded in 2003. It is based on an invention I developed to test for HIV using nanotechnology. PD marketing is a publicity company that is growing now as well.
PSB: You are also an inventor. Can you tell us a little bit about your invention that will benefit the medical field?
Dave: Well, one day I realized I could read technical information at over 800 words per minute and remember anything why not use this to learn technology that I have always wanted to learn. I was able to learn things very quickly. I decided to learn nanotechnology. I must have done a very good job because I was written up in a nanotech magazine and was invited to speak at a nanotech conference. I was self taught but was speaking to professors. I had some investors too.
I came up with this invention. It's a hand held device that will test for HIV with the prick of finger. Basically it will be the size of a cell phone and with one drop of blood of you can test for the HIV virus without the need of a lab. My biggest passion is to help the third world, which was the inspiration for this invention.
PSB: For someone who was diagnosed with two learning challenges you have excelled in many ways and overcome stereotypes. What is one piece of advice you would give a student struggling in school and with tests?
Dave: There are tips. Break up large tasks into chunks. Take each chunk of work and push your energy up very high to get it done fast then take a break. And repeat. You find that your energy and recall go up. Increase the intensity of your focus. Visualize what you read. That's just a few tips. There are hundreds more. However, the most important thing I learned is emotional. Don't believe what other people say about you. The key is, don't let other people put in you a box because you will be in that box the rest of your life. If you don't decide what you want to be then there are people lining up around the block who will tell you what they want you to be and do. Don't fall into that trap of thinking that someone else knows you better then you know yourself. None of that will make you happy. You have to decide what you want to be and what will make you happy.
PSB: Well, thank you Dave for your time. And one last question? What was the first question I asked you at the beginning of this interview? Just kidding around, thank you so much for the interview.
