Motivation to remember

Memory and our use of it is one of the things which makes humans different from any other animal.  We can learn, retain and use it over and over again, adapting to different situations.  Using what has been learnt before.  What is held in memory.  However,  memory also fails, this we call forgetting.  Personally, I sometimes think my memory is like a sieve, everything just goes in then out.  Years of studying psychology didn't really help me either.  The reason being what I learnt I failed to use to improve my own memory.  So now, with most of my life over I am only just beginning to realise I can use what is up top, hidden inside.  I have read stories of how the old orators of Rome use to recall speeches and recite them word for word, lasting hours long.  They were not super humans.  We are still the basic genetic material now as we were 2000 years ago.  They say knowledge is a great leveller, but perhaps it's not just the knowledge it's also remembering it.  If only I could retain things better I have always thought, and I can.  I know it now, it's just a matter of putting in the effort, having a go, practicing.  The concepts are there, they are so clear, plain simple and not secrets hidden away.  A good memory is a matter of one thing, personal motivation. 

Things can then be done by ordinary people which onlook think are feats, the reality is anyone can do them.  Just a little application is needed.

Five core concepts
Organization
Visualisation
Attention
Association
Meaningfulness

Bibliography
Kenneth L. Higbee's(2001), Your Memory, how it works & how to improve it. Da Capo Press, Lifelong Books..