272. Say What Sticks: The Neuroscience of Memorable Communication

People are forgetful. Here’s how to make your messages more memorable. After any presentation, your audience will forget about 90% of what you said. That’s okay, says Carmen Simon — just make sure they remember the right 10%. Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, speaker, author, and expert on how the brain processes and retains information. Her research reveals a humbling truth: “We forget our lives almost as quickly as we live them,” she says. But instead of fighting our forgetfulness, Simon believes we can work with it — by getting intentional about what we want people to remember. “So many people aspire at attention and memory, but very few really know what they want to be memorable for,” she says. “Ask the question: what is my 10% message?” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Simon and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to distill your communication for maximum memorability. Whether you're pitching an idea or presenting to a team, Simon’s practical techniques will help you ensure your 10% message is the one your audience takes away. Episode Reference Links: Carmen Simon Carmen’s Book: Impossible to Ignore Ep.39 Brains Love Stories: How Leveraging Neuroscience Can Capture People's Emotions Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (02:26) - Attention vs. Memory (05:02) - Novelty & Surprise (06:23) - Why Attention Isn’t Enough (07:51) - The Power of Priming (09:24) - Priming in Business Communication (10:08) - Why Audiences Forget (13:19) - Smart Repetition (14:55) - The Final Three Questions (22:25) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

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272. Say What Sticks: The Neuroscience of Memorable Communication is an episode from Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques. by Think Fast Talk Smart.

This episode is 23:32 long.

This episode was published on Mar 16, 2026.

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