Memento mori sounds morbid. It may even conjure up images of people contemplating skulls.

But the ancient practice of “remembering that you will die” will not depress you when used as a memory exercise.

Far from it. When done using the exercises you’re about to discover, a variety of memento mori practices can help wake you up to the present moment.

And this awareness will help ensure that today (and every day) matters to your life.

That’s just one reason to practice the memento mori exercises you’re about to discover today.

They are powerful and have been throughout history.

Why?

For one thing, when you hold the fact that you are going to pass away in your mind for even a minute, mental junk that obscures the miracle of existence can start to lose its grip.

Petty worries shrink.

Procrastination fades. And you start choosing the conversation, the walk, the work and take more risks.

And that’s important because those are things you’ll actually be glad you did. As opposed to doom scrolling on your phone, which is usually an utter waste of time.

The Truth of Memento Mori Exercises Hidden in Plain Sight

Here’s the link between memento mori and memory training you might have missed:

I’ve taught memory training techniques for years, and the engine behind developing great recall isn’t “talent.”

It’s cultivating your attention in ways that you associate with meaning that is worth remembering.

Well-constructed memento mori exercises force meaning to the surface, which makes attention sharper automatically.

And as memory expert Harry Lorayne often pointed out, when attention sharpens, better memory follows.

That’s one reason why I keep an Amor Fati medallion from The Daily Stoic on my desk. In fact, I keep it right beside a “Mr. Death” pin that says “Catch you later.” I wore that pin on tour when I played bass with The Outside as a private reminder:

Do not sleepwalk through this rehearsal, and definitely not during this concert. You’re only going to get to do this one.

Finally, these two memento mori are kept with the Warrior of the Mind Emblem Tony Buzan awarded me for Outstanding Contributions to Global Mental Literacy. As you can imagine, it took on even more significance for me after he unexpectedly passed away.

It sounds ridiculously simple, but having visual reminders like this constantly in your environment makes a big difference to your quality of life.

And in the next few minutes, I’ll show you three more simple memento mori exercises you can do today to live a more memorable life. As a side effect, these will train the exact mental skill that makes your memory stronger overall.

One: Imagine Your Funeral

The exercise I’m about to share sounds grim, I know.

But it’s actually quite positive.

I adapted it from psychologist Richard Wiseman’s 59 Seconds, where he discusses brief, evidence-informed writing prompts that can shift perspective and behavior.

As Wiseman explains based on a study he cites, the imaginative act of seeing and hearing your friends, family and colleagues acknowledge your passing creates perspective and insight that can improve your happiness.

I’ve upped the ante and turned it into a brain game by not just imagining the scenario mentally, but by involving pen and paper.

Make a list of two friends, two family members and two colleagues (or fellow students if you’re still in school).

Next, write down one positive memory each person will share about you at your funeral. It could be a story or just a description of a personal attribute. Pretend that you can hear their voices as you complete the exercise.

This point is important:

Focus on the positive.

Don’t invite haters to your funeral. Really feel the upbeat sentiments people share about you and enjoy the warmth they create.

Then follow-up by imagining what you could do starting today to increase the praise you’ll receive. This simple additional step will help ensure you live a much more interesting life.

Two: The Monty Hall Memento Mori Exercise

If you’ve heard about The Monty Hall Problem, you likely have only heard it talked about as a quirky mathematical riddle. But for our purposes today, it’s really about why we humans cling to our first decision when changing our minds is the smarter move.

Here’s the Monty Hall Problem in simple terms, followed by an exercise:

Imagine that you’re on a game show.

There are three doors and behind one of them is a prize. Behind the other two, either absolutely nothing or undesirable objects.

The host, who knows the location of the prize, opens one of the two doors you didn’t pick and reveals either nothing. Or a dud prize, like a goat.

Then he gives you a choice:

Do you want to stick with the door you originally selected? Or switch to the remaining unopened door?

Here’s what makes The Monty Hall problem interesting:

Although you’ve already decided on a door, many analysts of the problem believe that switching at this critical moment gives you better odds of winning the prize.

This means that changing your mind is the better and more rational choice. But many people do not perceive the benefits and wind up sticking with their original choice.