A word association game: A good example

We all learned in school about our solar system, right?  

Well, let me ask you to the following: Can you tell me the exact order (measured from the point of view of the sun) of these planets without any problems?

The funny thing about this question is that most people are not capable of doing this.
But realize this; on average every person who went to school has spent at least 100 hours of his life studying this subject. And still most people are not capable of reproducing this basic knowledge. Why?

The only reason I can give to you is that this information is presented to us in a very dull way.  

Let us listen to a method presented by Mr. Tony Buzan. I assure you that you will have amazing results when you can push away your sepsis for a moment. Please follow me for a little journey for a moment. Some of the info will sound a bit strange as the info doesn't seem to be correct. Don't focus on that, but focus on the story to be told.

Just imagine that you're sitting in a spaceship at this very moment. You are in control of this spaceship and you are floating towards the sun. You are starting to sweat as it is getting hotter the closer you get to this sun. Drops of sweat are dripping from your face. Due to this your visor of your helmet starts to fog. On your right hand side you see a thermometer with orange/yellow mercury; the same color of the sun. 

Word association game example:

 
Thermometer towards the sun

The temperature is constantly rising more and more.
Finally it is getting VERY HOT and the thermometer explodes!
LITTLE silver bubbles of MERCURY float though your cockpit. One little ball of Mercury comes to rest right in front of your feet. It seems to be the first planet: MERCURY. The color of this little bubble matches exactly the color of this planet: Silver.
 
 
Mercury is small and silver colored

Your eyes are totally fixed at this little bubble of Mercury. All of a sudden you hear some buzzing. You hear it approaches to you.
You start to look around where this noise is coming from. Then you see it. You just cannot believe your eyes!
It is a little fairy. She is flying straight at that little bubble of Mercury and picks it up.
She appears to be our second planet: VENUS.
But she is a lot bigger than Mercury. Her skirt is exactly matching the color of this planet: Red/brown.

She starts to play with our little ball of Mercury.
 
 
Venus is a little bigger and red/brown

She starts to throw this ball higher and higher. All of a sudden this ball she isn't able to catch this ball of Mercury any more. It hits the floor very hard. With a big 'BANG' it falls on the floor of the EARTH. Our third planet.
 
 
Planet Earth

Visualization is everything in learning 
 

This BANG made a big hole in the ground. Lots of dirt landed in the garden of the neighbor. It is the garden of a very little and inflammable person: Mr. MARS. He easily gets a very red face when getting angry. The same as the color of the planet MARS.
 
 
Planet Mars is little and red

Right at the moment Mr. Mars wanted to attack me, my giant friend JUPITER came to help. He told Mr. Mars to calm down.
But what is that on his T-shirt? His T-shirt has three big letters: "SUN". It turns out to be the abbreviation of the other big planets: SATURN, URANIUS AND NEPTUNE.

And now I take a closer look I see something funny. He is wearing a little hat. And in this head I see a little dog. This dog looks very alike PLUTO.
 
 
SUN and PLUTO

Visual storytelling 
 

I am the first to admit that this story sounds weird at first. But it does its job!

Let's give it a try with you. Please close your eyes and try to visualize this story again. Let's see how much you can recall. As soon as you realize that you've forgotten a little detail, take a peak and try again.

The most important part of my story is the following. It is vital to visualize this story as vivid as possible. I guarantee you, if you do, you will never ever forget this story again.

And now the summary of my story:
How much time did I need to anchor this story into your brain?
And was it fun?
Do you remember more easily and more precise (details of the planet; size and color)?

I am sure you get my point I am trying to make here.

Let's continue and let's find out whether or not you have mind map talent ?