Timeline vs. Pattern thinkers

Some people, like my wife, remember people, events and places by threading them through a timeline. In other words, for my wife to retrieve data in her mind, she must first locate it on a mental calendar. This calendar – that is, time – serves as the connecting thread that sequentially links her memories.

My mind, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. I rarely remember when an event took place. Instead, I create patterns in my mind – Trees of Thought, of you will – that are connected through contextual relevance. That is, it is my interaction with the event in space. not in time, that plants the memory in my mind.

Some people, however, can do both. There are advantages and disadvantages for each method. How do track information in your mind?

Ovadya Batat