Back in November 2016, I launched a year-long, accelerated learning project called Month to Master.

During this project, I’m aiming to complete 12 expert-level challenges, completing one challenge per month. The challenges include building the software part of a self-driving car, landing a standing backflip, beating the world champion at a game of chess, developing perfect pitch, holding a 30-minute conversation in a foreign language, completing 50 consecutive pull-ups, and a few others.

My first challenge, during November, was to memorize a shuffled deck of cards in less than two minutes, which is the threshold speed to be considered a grandmaster of memory. There are only 150 grandmasters of memory in the world.

After only 22 hours of practice, over 24 days, I memorized a deck of cards in one minute and 47 seconds, surpassing my goal by a solid 13 seconds.

When I shared my success with family, friends, coworkers, etc., here’s how a normal conversation would go…

Other person: “Whoa, this is insane. I can’t believe you were able to accomplish this in such little time.”

Me: “Thanks. Although… I’m pretty sure anyone could accomplish this if they wanted to and they put in the same amount of time.”

Other person: “Not a chance. I have a really bad memory. In my entire life, I would never be able to memorize a deck of cards, at any speed.”

Me: “That’s actually not true. You don’t need a good memory. You just need to learn the system. I’ve taught other people how to do it in only a few hours.”

Other person: “I’m not convinced. I just think you are one of those people that can learn something like this. You’re pretty amazing.”

Me: “Umm..thanks.”