| Myth | Reality |
| Some people have bad memories. | Although the memory ability you are born with is different from that of others, nearly everyone can improve his or her ability to remember and recall. Improving your concentration would certainly benefit your ability to remember! |
| Some people have photographic memories. | Some individuals have truly exceptional memories, but these abilities result more often from learned strategies, interest, and practice than from the natural ability to remember. |
| Memory benefits from long hours of practice. | Experts believe that practice often improves memory, but they argue that the way you practice is more important than how long you practice. For all practical purposes, the storage capacity of your memory is unlimited. In fact, the more you learn about a particular topic, the easier it is to learn even more. |
| People use only 10 percent of their brain power. | No one knows exactly how much of our brain we actually use. However, most researchers believe that we all have far more mental ability than we actively use. |