Using a PAO memory system is a must if I’m going to get anywhere in the world of memory athletes. PAO stands for Person-Action-Object.
Upgrading to a PAO System
I used to use the Major System to remember numbers and cards (find out more about the Major System here). There’s nothing wrong with the Major System by itself, but I know it won’t be enough for any memory competition.
Still, in developing my PAO, I’ve incorporated the Major System as closely as I could. This way, should I get lost while learning the PAO, I can rely on the consonants as a clue.
For example, should I stumble on number 04, I know that the person, action, and object will all have the sounds s – n. With some luck, I’ll be able to figure out that Isaac Newton is sneezing on a sandwich.
Why use a PAO System?
Admittedly, there is more upfront work in preparing this system. But, once I’ve mastered the technique, its benefit is efficiency. The way that information is compacted into a single scene turns six digits into one little vignette.
For example, using my PAO chart, the number 713904 turns into a vivid image of Catwoman mopping a sarcophagus. Combine that with the power of a memory palace, and we’re off to one heck of a start!
How the PAO System Works
I’m going to use a two-digit PAO. That means every set of digits from 00 to 99 has a person, action, and object attached to it. When we read off a number, like 713904, we first break it into a series of two-digit numbers. In this case: 71-39-04. The first two digits correspond to the person. The second two match up with the action, and the last two are tied to the object.
If you look at the chart below, you’ll see that 71 is Catwoman, cutting, and cat. We only need the person — Catwoman — from this selection. Similarly, 39 is Miss Piggy, mopping, and map. 39 is the second set of digits, so we need mopping. Lastly, 04 is Salman Rushdie, serenading, and sarcophagus. Since it’s our last number, we’ll take sarcophagus.
Of course, we want to visualize these vignettes as vividly as possible. We also want to place the story inside a memory palace, but that’s another story.
I have posted my PAO chart below. As I work through the PAO, I may swap some of the items, but this is a good starting point. I’m also making ‘flash cards’ for each of the PAOs. I’ll update this article when they’re done and post it as well.
Enjoy!

Number | Person | Action | Object |
---|---|---|---|
00 | Sylvester Stalone | sassing | sausages |
01 | Steven Tyler | strangling | stork |
02 | Isaac Newton | sneezing | sandwich |
03 | Superman | smoking | sea monster |
04 | Salman Rushdie | serenading | sarcophagus |
05 | Shia Labeouf | saluting | salamander |
06 | Swedish Chef | shooting | shark |
07 | Simon Cowell | sucking | squirrel |
08 | Sigmund Freud | sifting | saffron |
09 | Scotty Pippen | sipping | spiders |
10 | Tony Soprano | tazing | toaster |
11 | Tony Tiger | tightening | tits |
12 | Trevor Noah | tuning | tuna |
13 | Toni Morrison | tempting | tomato |
14 | Tony Robbins | tracing | tree |
15 | Tommy Lee | tilting | television |
16 | Tommy Chong | teaching | t-shirt |
17 | Tia Carrera | tickling | taco |
18 | Tina Fey | transferring | taffy |
19 | Tom Petty | tapping | table |
20 | Nastradamus | nesting | nest |
21 | Nikola Tesla | notarizing | nuts |
22 | Nick Nolte | nagging | nanobots |
23 | Nelson Mandela | numbing | namplates |
24 | Nancy Reagan | nursing | nurse |
25 | Neil Armstrong | nailing | Nile |
26 | Noam Chomsky | navigating | nachos |
27 | Nick Kroll | nicking | necks |
28 | Ned Flanders | neighing | Newfies |
29 | Natalie Portman | napping | North Pole |
30 | Marge Simpson | moistening | music |
31 | Mr. T | mottling | meat |
32 | Minnie (Mouse) | mangling | moon |
33 | Marvin the Martian | miming | muumuu |
34 | Mr. Rogers | marking | mermaid |
35 | Mario Lemeux | milking | melon |
36 | Macho (Man) | mashing | mushroom |
37 | Mark Cuban | making | macaroni |
38 | Morgan Freeman | moving (*too close to transferring?) | muffin |
39 | Miss Piggy | mopping | map |
40 | Richard Simmons | racing | raisins |
41 | Raymond Holt | rattling | rutabega |
42 | Richard Nixon | ransacking | rainbow |
43 | Ralph Machio | remembering | ram |
44 | Road Runner | reading | railroad |
45 | Rob Lowe | rolling | (bread) roll |
46 | Richard Branson | recharging | radish |
47 | Russell Crowe | rocking | raccoon |
48 | Roger Federer | refusing | ruffians |
49 | Russell Peters | rapping | raven |
50 | Lisa Simpson | listening | lizard |
51 | Leon Trotsky | litigating | litter |
52 | Link (Zelda) | lunging | Lincoln |
53 | Lightning McQueen | lamenting | lama |
54 | Leia Organa | lording | lure |
55 | Louis L'Amour | laying | lollipop |
56 | Lon Chaney | latching | leech |
57 | Lara Croft | licking | lockbox |
58 | Laurence Fishburne | laughing | leaf |
59 | Louis Prima | leaping | leopard |
60 | Charlie Sheen | chest compressions | cheese |
61 | Chris Tucker | shitting | shingles |
62 | Chuck Norris | chunking | chainsaw |
63 | Charles Manson | shimmying | chum |
64 | Cher | cheering | Christmas tree |
65 | Charles Lucky Luciano | shouldering | challis |
66 | Chester Cheetah | cha-cha-ing | chakra (floating eye) |
67 | Chaka Khan | shaking | cheque |
68 | Chris Farley | shuffling | chef |
69 | Charlie Chaplin | shaping | chaps |
70 | Casper | kissing | chrysanthemums |
71 | Catwoman | cutting | cat |
72 | Candy, John | canjuring | candy cane |
73 | Karl Marx | cumming | camel |
74 | Keanu Reeves | carrying | crab |
75 | Kenny Loggins | killing | coyote |
76 | Carol Channing | crushing | ketchup |
77 | Captain Caveman | kicking | Kitkat |
78 | Kung Fu Panda | coughing | knife |
79 | Kirby | keeping | cape |
80 | Frank Sinatra | fisting | fossil |
81 | Father Time | fighting | fetus |
82 | Fiona (from Shrek) | fainting | fawn |
83 | Freddie Mercury | fumigating | foam |
84 | Franklin Roosevelt | farting | ferret |
85 | The Flash | filming | flamingo |
86 | Frederick Chopin | fishing | fish |
87 | Fidel Castro | fucking | ficus |
88 | Fred Flinstone | offending | fife |
89 | Fabio | fabricating | fiberboard |
90 | Patrick Star | passing | pussy |
91 | Pete Townsend | petting | patella |
92 | Pam Anderson | painting | penus |
93 | Pac Man | pumping | pumpkin |
94 | Professor X | piercing | parrot |
95 | (Emperor) Palpatine | peeling | pelican |
96 | Prince Charming | pushing | pachyderm |
97 | Penelope Cruz | packing | pike |
98 | PT Barnum | peeing | pufferfish |
99 | Papyrus | peeping | puppeteer |