Limitless - John's Digital Galaxy 🌌

--- ## Highlights If our mindset is not aligned with our desires or goals, we will never achieve them. (Location 249) Limitless teaches us the five key methods to achieve whatever we want: Focus, Study, Memory Enhancement, Speed Reading, and Critical Thinking (Location 262) Often when you put a label on someone or something, you create a limit—the label becomes the limitation. Adults have to be very careful with their external words because these quickly become a child’s internal words. (Location 383) “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” (Location 466) What’s one of your dreams? One that is ever present, like a splinter in your brain? Imagine it in vivid detail. Visualize it. Feel it. Believe it. And work daily for it. (Location 528) A limit in your Mindset—you entertain a low belief in yourself, your capabilities, what you deserve, or what is possible. A limit in your Motivation—you lack the drive, purpose, or energy to take action. A limit in your Methods—you were taught and are acting on a process that is not effective to create the results you desire. (Location 558) Mindset (the WHAT): deeply held beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions we create about who we are, how the world works, what we are capable of and deserve, and what is possible. Motivation (the WHY): the purpose one has for taking action. The energy required for someone to behave in a particular way. Method (the HOW): a specific process for accomplishing something, especially an orderly, logical, or systematic way of instruction. (Location 564) There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that if we never let our mind wander or be bored for a moment, we pay a price—poor memory, mental fog, and fatigue. (Location 627) “Two out of three respondents associated information overload with tension with colleagues and loss of job satisfaction; 42 percent attributed ill-health to this stress, 61 percent said that they have to cancel social activities as a result of information overload and 60 percent that they are frequently too tired for leisure activities.” (Location 630) “Faced with an onslaught of information and information channels, they have become unable to develop simple routines for managing information (Location 633) “Asking the brain to shift attention from one activity to another causes the prefrontal cortex and striatum to burn up oxygenated glucose, the same fuel they need to stay on task,” notes neuroscientist Daniel J. (Location 666) the reliance on technology to solve every question confuses people’s perception of their own knowledge and intelligence. (Location 709) Why, then, would you want to turn this liberating skill over to a device? Think about it: How do you feel when someone tries to impose their thinking on you? If a family member, friend, or colleague came up to you and said, “Don’t think about this; here’s your opinion,” you’d try to get away from that person as soon as you possibly could. Yet, when we immediately reach for the Internet to provide us with information, we’re essentially inviting the same thing. (Location 743) The acronym FASTER stands for: Forget, Act, State, Teach, Enter, Review. (Location 1009) The key to laser focus is to remove or forget that which distracts you. (Location 1011) And finally, forget about your limitations. (Location 1023) But learning is not a spectator sport. The human brain does not learn as much by consumption as it does by creation (Location 1030) www.LimitlessBook.com/resources (Location 1033) Remember, all learning is state-dependent. Consciously choose states of joy, fascination, and curiosity. (Location 1048) You are better able to retain information by reviewing in multiple spread-out sessions. (Location 1071) Someone who is constantly asking themselves how to get people to like them can never truly be their true self because they will always be molding themselves to the preferences of the people around them, even if they’re not aware of it. (Location 1135) KWIK START What is one dominant question you ask yourself? Write it down. (Location 1157) Because people typically don’t ask enough questions when they read, they compromise their focus, understanding, and retention. (Location 1159) How can I use this? Why must I use this? When will I use this? (Location 1164) How many of my perceived constraints are nothing more than LIEs and BS? (Location 1199) When we take responsibility for something, we are imbued with great power to make things better. (Location 1212) There are multiple forms of genius. (Location 1359) Maybe you aren’t the dynamo of Shakespeare or the blaze of Oprah, but there is some combination of genius inside of you that is either waiting to express itself or waiting to express itself more. The key is letting it free. (Location 1381) There are clear connections between positive thinking and physical health. (Location 1385) Meanwhile, the Mayo Clinic notes that “The positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits.” They note that these benefits include: Increased life span Lower rates of depression Lower levels of distress Greater resistance to the common cold Better psychological and physical well-being Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress5 REFRAMING LIMITING (Location 1387) So, how do you minimize limiting beliefs and develop a superhero mindset? To me, there are three keys. Key 1: Name Your Limiting Beliefs (Location 1402) So, listen carefully every time you find yourself using phrases like “I can’t,” “I’m not,” or “I don’t.” You’re sending messages to yourself that are affecting how you think about your life in general, even if what you’re beating yourself up over is something specific and seemingly not important to how you define yourself. (Location 1411) Key 2: Get to the Facts (Location 1422) So, when you’re examining the facts behind your limiting beliefs, be sure to consider two things: whether there is in reality any evidence to prove that you are truly hampered in this area and whether even that evidence was tainted by the noise in your head. Key 3: Create a New Belief (Location 1441) as long as you believe that your inner critic is the voice of the true you, the wisest you, it’s always going to guide you. (Location 1455) The better you become at distinguishing this voice from the real you, the better you’ll be at preventing limiting beliefs from getting in your way. (Location 1460) there’s lots of evidence to support the connection between mindset and accomplishment. (Location 1464) If we let negative emotions (such as limiting beliefs) control us, we’re regularly operating in survival mode and therefore confined to a reduced range of possibilities. (Location 1472) “when you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life.”7 What’s also essential to note is that the benefits of a positive mindset extend well beyond the experience of a positive emotion. Clear offers this example: A child who runs around outside, swinging on branches and playing with friends, develops the ability to move athletically (physical skills), the ability to play with others and communicate with a team (social skills), and the ability to explore and examine the world around them (creative skills). In this way, the positive emotions of play and joy prompt the child to build skills that are useful and valuable in everyday life… . The happiness that promoted the exploration and creation of new skills has long since ended, but the skills themselves live on.8 Fredrickson refers to this as the “broaden and build” theory because positive (Location 1480) A child who runs around outside, swinging on branches and playing with friends, develops the ability to move athletically (physical skills), the ability to play with others and communicate with a team (social skills), and the ability to explore and examine the world around them (creative skills). In this way, the positive emotions of play and joy prompt the child to build skills that are useful and valuable in everyday life… . The happiness that promoted the exploration and creation of new skills has long since ended, but the skills themselves live on. (Location 1483) positive emotions broaden your sense of possibilities and open your mind, which in turn allows you to build new skills and resources that can provide value in other areas of your life. (Location 1488) positive emotions: (i) broaden people’s attention and thinking; (ii) undo lingering negative emotional arousal; (iii) fuel psychological resilience; (iv) build consequential personal resources; (v) trigger upward spirals towards greater well-being in the future; and (vi) seed human flourishing. The theory also carries an important prescriptive message. People should cultivate positive emotions in their own lives and in the lives of those around them, not just because doing so makes them feel good in the moment, but also because doing so transforms people for the better and sets them on paths toward flourishing and healthy longevity.9 (Location 1491) LIE NO. 1: INTELLIGENCE IS FIXED (Location 1520) Few of us consciously think about our restrictions or the restrictions we believe others have. (Location 1532) It’s extremely difficult to accomplish something when you don’t believe it can be done in the first place. (Location 1534) With the fixed mindset, things are the way they are—we are powerless to change them. With the growth mindset, we have the ability to improve anything. (Location 1543) “A belief in inborn gifts and limits is much gentler on the psyche: The reason you aren’t a great opera singer is because you can’t be one. That’s simply the way you were wired. Thinking of talent as innate makes our world more manageable, more comfortable. It relieves a person of the burden of expectation.”8 Your intelligence is not only malleable but dependent on your ability to cultivate a growth mindset. (Location 1569) a fixed mindset usually shows up in your language. Maybe you say to yourself, “I’m not good at reading.” This kind of statement implies that you believe this is a fixed situation and that your skills can’t be improved. Instead, try saying something like “This is something I’m not good at yet.” This shift in language can be applied to anything you want to improve. (Location 1573) Here’s the truth: It’s not how smart you are; it’s how you are smart. There are multiple types of intelligence (more on this later). Like so many things, intelligence is a combination of attitudes and actions, and is dependent on context. New belief: Intelligence is fluid. (Location 1577) classroom, some of us heard it from a friend. Some of us heard it through the media—maybe a documentary, a TV show, or a movie. This myth is usually used in the context of highlighting longed-for possibilities: If only we could access the rest of our brains, what could we accomplish? The story has been traced to a number of different sources, but as so often happens in the shaping of public opinion, it’s likely built on by successive events. Some attribute it to author and philosopher William James, who wrote in The Energies of Men that “We are making use of only a small part of our (Location 1581) New belief: I am learning to use my whole brain in the best way possible. (Location 1621) Too many of us don’t come close to our capacities because we are too afraid of making a mistake. Instead of looking at mistakes as proof of failure, take them as proof that you are trying. (Location 1640) asked themselves what they learned. Here’s the truth: Mistakes don’t mean failure. Mistakes are a sign that you are trying something new. You might think you have to be perfect, (Location 1646) Mistakes don’t mean failure. Mistakes are a sign that you are trying something new. You might think you have to be perfect, but life is not about comparing yourself to anyone else; it’s about measuring yourself compared to who you were yesterday. When you learn from your mistakes, they have the power to turn you into something better than you were before. (Location 1647) Also, remember that you are not your mistakes. Making a mistake doesn’t mean anything about you as a person. It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that you’re inherently worthless, but you make mistakes; mistakes don’t make you. Place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones to rise to the next level. It’s not how we make mistakes, but how we deal with them that defines us. (Location 1650) New belief: There is no such thing as failure. Only failure to learn. (Location 1653) Here’s the truth: Knowledge is not power. It only has the potential to be power. You can read this book and learn everything in it, but if you don’t take it and apply the knowledge, it will be useless. (Location 1669) Don’t promise, prove. Your results will speak for themselves. New belief: Knowledge × Action = Power (Location 1672) The key is taking small, simple steps. Think about a stonecutter. The stonecutter may sit there and hammer away at his block of stone for what feels like an eternity, making only small chips and dents here and there. But in one moment, the stone will crack open. Was it the one time that did it? No—it was all the sustained effort that prepared the stone to split. (Location 1702) Approach your learning like a stonecutter. It will require you to cultivate patience, to have a positive attitude, and to be adaptive to your own needs. If you are the kind of learner who does best with a book in your hands, that’s fantastic. But if you already know that doesn’t work for you, why keep trying the same thing? Look for other ways to learn that do work for you. (Location 1704) Here’s the truth: Sometimes it is hard to learn new things. What’s more accurate is to understand that learning is a set of methods, a process that can certainly be easier when you know how to learn. New belief: When you learn new ways how to learn, the challenge of learning new things can be fun, easier, and more enjoyable. (Location 1710) LIE NO. 6: THE CRITICISM OF OTHER PEOPLE MATTERS (Location 1713) The biggest travesty in the world is people preventing and limiting themselves from expressing who they really are because they’re afraid of what other people think.” (Location 1721) Part of being limitless is learning to let go of the fear of criticism from other people. (Location 1731) Here’s the truth: Creating the life you want can be scary. But you know what’s scarier? Regret. One day we will take our final breaths and not one of other people’s opinions or your fears will matter. What will matter is how we lived. Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from. People will doubt you and criticize you no matter what you do. You will never know your true potential until you break the unfair judgements you place on yourself. Don’t allow other people’s opinions and expectations to run or ruin your life. New belief: It’s not your job to like, love, or respect me. It’s mine. (Location 1745) LIE NO. 7: GENIUS IS BORN (Location 1750) Through deep practice, ignition, and master coaching, anyone can develop a talent so deep that it looks like genius. (Location 1792) Here’s the truth: Genius leaves clues. There is always a method behind what looks like magic. New belief: Genius is not born; it’s made through deep practice. (Location 1803) My friend, entrepreneur Tom Bilyeu, hates working out, but he has a clear and compelling reason to do so, so he does it every morning. I really don’t like taking cold showers, but I do it daily (I’ll explain why in Chapter 8). (Location 1833) Here’s the formula: Motivation = Purpose × Energy × S3 (Location 1839) How do certain defining phrases determine who you are? How do your values define you? What does your sense of purpose say about who you are? (Location 1853) Start with Why by Simon Sinek, (Location 1886) To get your goals out of your head and into your hands, make sure they fit with your emotions—with your HEART: H is for Healthy: How can you make sure your goals support your greater well-being? Your goals should contribute to your mental, physical, and emotional health. E is for Enduring: Your goals should inspire and sustain you during the difficult times when you want to quit. A is for Alluring: You shouldn’t always have to push yourself to work on your goals. They should be so exciting, enticing, and engaging that you’re pulled toward them. R is for Relevant: Don’t set a goal without knowing why you’re setting it. Ideally, your goals should relate to a challenge you’re having, your life’s purpose, or your core values. T is for Truth: Don’t set a goal just because your neighbor is doing it or your parents expect it of you. Make sure your goal is something you want, something that remains true to you. If your goal isn’t true to you, you’re far more likely to procrastinate and sabotage yourself. (Location 1905) Knowing your purpose in life helps you live with integrity. (Location 1915) Your life purpose consists of the central motivating aims of your life—the reasons you get up in the morning. Purpose can guide life decisions, influence behavior, shape goals, offer a sense of direction, and create meaning. (Location 1917) passion is what lights you up inside. (Location 1936) Purpose is what you’re here to share with the world. It’s how you use your passion. (Location 1939) They say the two most powerful words in the English language are the shortest: “I am.” Whatever you put after those two words determines your destiny. (Location 1953) When we’re unaware of our values and the values of the people closest to us, it creates a space for conflict to arise; (Location 1981) Reasons that are tied to your purpose, identity, and values will sufficiently motivate you to act, (Location 1991) big part of self-love is being protective of your time and energy. Setting boundaries around your time, emotions, mental health, and space is incredibly vital at any time, but especially when you don’t sleep. When you lack any necessary fuel, such as sleep or food, your resources aren’t as abundant as they are at other times, so protecting what you have becomes very important. (Location 2010) Motivation comes from purpose, fully feeling and associating with the consequences of our actions (or inactions). (Location 2022) If you’re trying to force motivation, but you haven’t addressed these invisible, limiting identities, you won’t get very far. When you feel stuck, come back to the way your goal fits into your values, and then ask yourself what needs to be brought back into alignment. (Location 2050) Going back to the previous chapter’s list of the seven lies that hold you back, perhaps the eighth lie is that you have motivation —that you wake up and feel motivated every day. The reality is that you do motivation. Ultimately, motivation is a set of habits and routines, guided by your values and your identity, that you carry out every day. (Location 2052) Write down a list of your most common “I am” statements. How do you feel about the ways in which these statements define you? Create a list of the things you value the most. Now prioritize that list and think about how this aligns with your definition of yourself. Get into the habit of asking the question “why” before you do anything. (Location 2058) How do you make sure your brain is as healthy and energized as it can be? What should I make sure to have in my diet if I want my brain to be at its strongest? How do I consistently get a good night’s sleep? (Location 2066) Here are my 10 recommendations for generating limitless brain energy. (Location 2073) 1. A GOOD BRAIN DIET (Location 2076) Since we know for sure that there’s a direct connection between a good diet and a healthy brain, it’s essential that you feed your brain with the best food nature has to offer. (Location 2085) because there’s evidence to show that your brain runs very well with a little bit of dark chocolate in the mix. (Location 2089) THE TOP 10 BRAIN FOODS Avocados: They provide monounsaturated fat, which helps to maintain healthy blood flow. Blueberries: They protect your brain from oxidative stress and reduce the effects of brain aging. There have also been studies that show they can help with memory. Broccoli: A great source of vitamin K, which is known to improve cognitive function and memory. Dark chocolate: This helps your focus and your concentration and stimulates endorphins. Chocolate also has flavonoids, which have been shown to improve cognitive function. The darker here the better, as the darkest chocolate has the least sugar, and we’ve already talked about how sugar is something to eat sparingly. Eggs: They provide memory-improving and brain-boosting choline. Green leafy vegetables: These are good sources of vitamin E, which reduces the effects of brain aging, and folate, which has been shown to improve memory. Salmon, Sardines, Caviar: They’re rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help reduce the effects of brain aging. Turmeric: It helps reduce inflammation and boost antioxidant levels while also improving your brain’s oxygen intake. There’s also some indication that turmeric helps reduce cognitive decay. Walnuts: These nuts provide high levels of antioxidants and vitamin E that protect your neurons and protect against brain aging. They also contain high levels of zinc and magnesium, which are really good for your mood. Water: Your brain is about 80 percent water. Dehydration can cause brain fog, fatigue, and slower reaction and thinking speed. Studies show that well-hydrated people score better on brainpower tests. I (Location 2094) Ingredients: 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into slices 2-inch piece of turmeric, peeled and cut into slices (note: this will stain, so watch clothes and countertops) 4 cups filtered water organic green tea (loose or plastic-free tea bags for 2 servings) ½ organic lemon, juiced Dash of black pepper Raw honey (optional) Place the turmeric, ginger, and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer on medium-high heat. Add the green tea and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice, dash of black pepper, and honey (if using). Strain and serve hot. Avoid eating for 20 minutes after drinking this tonic. (Location 2114) MORNING MAGIC SMOOTHIE Serves 1 Ingredients: ½ cup frozen wild blueberries ½ cup chopped jicama (peel removed) Big handful of organic spinach (you can add more, too!) 2 tablespoons hemp seeds 1 teaspoon MCT oil 1 teaspoon organic spirulina powder ½ cup unsweetened coconut water ½ cup unsweetened almond milk Ice (optional) Add all ingredients to a blender, blend, and start your day with brain and body fuel! BRAIN BOOST SALAD Serves 2 For the salad: 2 cups organic arugula 2 cups organic spinach ¼ cup pomegranate seeds ¼ cup raw walnuts, chopped 1 avocado, sliced 4 organic eggs, boiled then sliced when cool (if vegan, replace eggs with 2 tablespoons hemp seeds and 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds) For the dressing: 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ lemon squeezed 1 tablespoon raw honey ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt 2 tsp black sesame seeds (for garnish) Place all salad dressing ingredients (except sesame seeds) into a bowl or mixing container and blend/shake well. Set aside. Add the arugula, spinach, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts to a large salad bowl. Pour salad dressing on top of the salad and mix together. Transfer the mixed salad onto two plates. Top each salad with ½ sliced avocado and 2 sliced eggs. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy! EASY ROASTED SALMON & BROCCOLI WITH SWISS CHARD Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoon of chopped garlic 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 salmon fillets, preferably wild not farmed (4 to 6 ounces each) 2 to 4 slices of lemon 1 large head of organic broccoli, chopped into bite-sized florets (3 to 4 cups) 2 teaspoons Himalayan sea salt, divided 1 small shallot, finely chopped 1 small bunch organic Swiss chard or rainbow chard, finely chopped 1 teaspoon organic mustard seed powder Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the lemon juice, chopped garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Lay the salmon down in the middle of the sheet pan and pour the lemon–garlic–olive oil mixture on top of each fillet evenly. Then place the lemon slices on top of each fillet. Mix the broccoli florets, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon sea salt together in a large bowl. Place the mixture around each salmon fillet on the sheet pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. While the salmon and broccoli are baking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil on low heat in a skillet. Add the chopped shallot, stirring often until clear and cooked. Add the Swiss chard with 2 tablespoons water to the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chard is softened. Remove from heat. Add the salmon, broccoli, and chard to two serving plates. Sprinkle the broccoli with mustard seed powder to boost anti-inflammatory benefits. Serve and enjoy! COCOA-CINNAMON-GINGER “HOT CHOCOLATE” Serves 2 Ingredients: 4 cups unsweetened almond or coconut milk 2-inch ginger piece, peeled and sliced lengthwise 3 tablespoons unsweetened raw organic cocoa powder 1 teaspoon organic cinnamon powder 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (sweeten as desired) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Small pinch of sea salt 2 cinnamon sticks, as garnish Heat the almond milk and ginger slices in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, coconut sugar, vanilla, and sea salt and whisk until dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer once again before removing from the heat. Pour into two mugs, using a strainer to prevent the ginger from going into the cups. Add one cinnamon stick to each mug and enjoy! Note: This drink can be served cooled during the summer months. Also, if serving as a dessert, add one dollop of coconut cream and blend for a sweeter, frothier taste. (Location 2126) - 💭 Recipes 2. BRAIN NUTRIENTS (Location 2185) 3. EXERCISE (Location 2198) 10 minutes of aerobic exercise a day can have enormous benefits. (Location 2207) 4. KILLING ANTS (Location 2211) patients eradicate their ANTs.”6 ANTs are “automatic negative thoughts” and, if you’re like most people, you place limitations on yourself in the form of these thoughts (Location 2216) ANTs are “automatic negative thoughts” (Location 2217) If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them. If you regularly tell yourself that you can’t do something, or that you’re too old to do something, or that you don’t have the smarts to do something, you won’t do that thing. Only when you move on from this kind of destructive self-talk can you truly accomplish what you want to accomplish. KWIK (Location 2222) 5. A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT (Location 2227) 6. A POSITIVE PEER GROUP (Location 2239) A recent Temple University study showed that people (specifically teenagers in this study) act differently when they are alone than they do when they are with others. (Location 2243) 7. BRAIN PROTECTION (Location 2254) 8. NEW LEARNING (Location 2260) 9. STRESS MANAGEMENT (Location 2269) 10. SLEEP (Location 2283) If you want better focus, you need to get good sleep. If you want to be a clearer thinker, you need to get good sleep. If you want to make better decisions or have a better memory, you need to get good sleep. (Location 2284) sleep actually functions as a sort of laundry cycle for the brain, where during sleep, blood vessels (and lymphatic channels) in the brain hyperperfuse and flush out metabolic buildup from the day and remove neurotoxins and distribute components that enhance cellular repair.” (Location 2299) Reid and others found that aerobic exercise had strong positive results on a group of participants who’d previously regularly encountered sleep problems. (Location 2319) The benefits of meditation are numerous (and there are many, many books out there that detail them), including everything from boosting immune function to decreasing anxiety to actually increasing your gray matter. One of those many benefits is helping with insomnia. (Location 2341) You’re not caught up in your thoughts, but you’re in a process of observing that you’re thinking. You begin to recognize that you can have control over your thoughts and that you can choose what you are thinking.” (Location 2355) Zeigarnik effect—that uncompleted tasks created a level of tension that keeps that task at the front of our minds until it is completed. (Location 2388) Feeling bad about your lack of progress is likely to make it more difficult for you to stop procrastinating. So, give yourself a break. Beating yourself up isn’t going to improve anything, and, since you’re reading this book now, you’re already taking steps to avoid procrastinating in the future. (Location 2409) In my experience, the best way to deal with this is to find a way to break the task into bite-size pieces, which lead to habits that lead toward success. Circling back to the Zeigarnik effect, every time you complete one of these smaller tasks, you get to take that weight off your mind. And as each of these subtasks is finished, you’re that much closer to completing the task overall. (Location 2411) only three things can change a person’s behavior long term. One is to have an epiphany, (Location 2416) everyone, but not necessarily feasible at any given time. The third is to, as Dr. Fogg puts it, “take baby steps.”3 I like the way this story illustrates the principle of small, simple steps: (Location 2417) The third is to, as Dr. Fogg puts it, “take baby steps.”3 (Location 2418) One is that they present you with something achievable—a win on the way to reaching the championship of getting this job done. The other is that they all put you in a situation where you’re likely to get even more accomplished. (Location 2441) By breaking a task that you’re procrastinating about into smaller pieces, the path to getting it done becomes clear. (Location 2445) The best way to deal with the tension between what you want and what you’ve done so far to achieve it is to remember what the Zeigarnik effect teaches us. You’re not going to be able to ease your mind about this task until you complete it, so get yourself moving toward completion. Start somewhere. Anywhere. Even if you don’t have the energy or the motivation to get the entire thing done, get started on getting it done. You’ll be thankful for the relief. (Location 2446) Small simple steps repeated lead to habits. Our habits are a core part of who we are. (Location 2452) Charles Duhigg in his best-selling book, The Power of Habit. (Location 2462) James Clear, author of the best-selling book Atomic Habits, says, (Location 2467) your brain is automating the solution to that problem. That’s what a habit is. It’s the solution to a recurring problem that you face throughout life, one that (Location 2471) cue is walking into the room and finding it dark. The craving is feeling that there would be some value in the room not being dark. The response is flipping on the light switch, and the reward is that the room is no longer dark. (Location 2475) lives is a fundamental streamlining technique that we (Location 2481) “It’s much easier to start doing something new than to stop doing something habitual without a replacement behavior. (Location 2499) “For a target behavior to happen,” he notes, “a person must have sufficient motivation, sufficient ability, and an effective prompt. All three factors must be present at the same instant for the behavior to occur.” (Location 2513) Fogg identifies three key motivators: (Location 2520) Time: We only perceive something to be simple if we have the time available to perform the function. Money: Similarly, if something stretches our financial resources, we do not consider it simple. Physical effort: We consider things that are physically easy for us to be simple. Brain cycles: Simple things don’t tax our thinking, and we shy away from things that require us to think too hard. Social deviance: This goes back to the acceptance motivation. A simple act fits into societal norms. Nonroutine: How far something is out of one’s normal routine will define its level of simplicity. (Location 2533) Prompts Finally, Fogg notes three types of prompts: Spark: A spark is a type of prompt that immediately leads to a form of motivation. For example, if opening your e-mail leads to a level of fear over what you might find there, you’re likely to adopt a habit that will change that fear. Facilitator: This type of prompt works when motivation is high, but ability is low. For example, if you want to use a certain kind of software on your computer but are tech-averse, a tool that makes that software easier for you to use is likely to cause you to adopt this behavior. Signal : In some cases, you’ll have both high motivation and high ability. The only other thing you need to make a behavior a habit is some kind of reminder or signal. If you love making brain smoothies, all you need is to walk into your kitchen in the morning and see the blender to prompt you to make one. (Location 2540) KWIK START Can you identify the habits you want to break? What is that one habit that’s holding you back from doing other important things in your day? Write it down, then identify the prompts that trigger you to perform that habit. (Location 2548) W is for Want: Make sure you really want it. (Location 2554) I is for Innate: Does the new habit you’re trying to adopt align well with your innate abilities? (Location 2557) N is for Now: Create a prompt for yourself that encourages you to perform the new habit now. (Location 2560) He started reading books—the first being Mindset by Carol Dweck (Location 2574) baroque music to pace his reading (Location 2575) if you set up winning routines early in the day, you can benefit from what Tony Robbins calls “the science of momentum”: (Location 2582) Let me walk you through a typical morning. (Location 2588) Many geniuses throughout history have regularly accessed and often gleaned their best ideas and made their greatest discoveries from their dreams. (Location 2590) mnemonic technique designed to help you do so. Just think of the word DREAMS: (Location 2595) also have a glass of celery juice, (Location 2610) Check in on your dreams before you get out of bed. There’s so much gold to mine here, so I strongly recommend that you not skip this step. Get yourself hydrated and oxygenated. Nourish yourself with some of the brain foods mentioned in this chapter. Set a plan for the day. (Location 2630) KWIK START Create your new morning routine. Remember, it doesn’t have to be a lot. Even a simple three-step routine can help jump-start your morning. What are the three things you will always do when you first wake up to set up your day to win? Write them down. (Location 2637) Bolster your understanding of the habit loop by thinking about the four components of some of your most common habits, like making your breakfast or taking the dog for a walk. What’s the cue, the craving, the response, and the reward for each of these? Spend a few minutes thinking about a habit that you’d love to replace with a more constructive one. Using the Fogg Behavioral Model, what new behavior can you adopt that fits neatly into the model? Walk yourself through the process of starting a valuable new habit using WIN. (Location 2643) Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes (Location 2656) flow as “the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.” To Csikszentmihalyi, flow is an expression of “optimal experience.”1 (Location 2657) Dr. Csikszentmihalyi describes flow as having eight characteristics:2 Absolute concentration Total focus on goals The sense that time is either speeding up or slowing down A feeling of reward from the experience A sense of effortlessness The experience is challenging, but not overly so Your actions almost seem to be happening on their own You feel comfort with what you are doing As (Location 2660) the four stages of flow: (Location 2688) Stage 1: Struggle (Location 2689) Stage 2: Relaxation (Location 2692) Stage 4: Consolidation (Location 2698) FINDING FLOW (Location 2709) 1. Eliminate Distractions (Location 2711) It can take you up to 20 minutes to reconnect with what you’re doing after you’ve been distracted from doing it. (Location 2712) 2. Give Yourself Enough Time (Location 2716) it takes about 15 minutes to achieve a flow state and that you don’t really hit your peak for closer to 45 minutes. (Location 2717) 3. Do Something You Love (Location 2719) 4. Have Clear Goals (Location 2728) 5. Stress (Location 2754) Make your space impenetrable by outside stressors so you can concentrate completely on the task at hand. (Location 2762) “Perfectionism reduces creativity and innovation,” (Location 2764) Psychology Today. (Location 2765) If you go into a task with the belief that you absolutely must perform this task perfectly and that failure will be devastating, you’re going to be so focused on not failing that you’ll never get into a state where you can truly excel. (Location 2768) 4. Lack of Conviction (Location 2773) ask yourself these questions: Do I have the necessary skills to do this? Do I have all the information I need to do this? Do I have enough passion for this project to do this? If the answer to any of these is no, set the task aside until you can answer each of these questions in the affirmative. But if the answer to all three of these questions is yes, take this supervillain down and get into the flow. (Location 2779) The flow experience is one of the greatest highs any of us will ever experience. It is also fundamental to becoming limitless. (Location 2782) Reflect on a few times you’ve been in the flow. What were you doing? What was consistent about those experiences? How can you get back there more often? Take out your calendar and find a spot in the next few days where you can carve out 90 minutes to two hours. This needs to be a time when you can free yourself of all distractions. Now, what are you going to do with that time to dramatically boost your productivity? How often do you go into a project with one of the supervillains we talked about in this chapter stalking you? What can you do right now to defeat that supervillain before going into your next project? (Location 2784) In this section, you’re going to learn the science of accelerated learning and meta learning in five areas: focus, study, memory, speed reading, and thinking. (Location 2806) What can I learn from what I’m like when I’m most focused? How can I increase my ability to concentrate? How do I limit my distractions and calm my busy mind? (Location 2814) Interestingly, when we talk about someone being intelligent, we often call them “bright.” Going back to our magnifying glass analogy, maybe what we’re really saying isn’t that this person is much more intelligent than most other people; maybe that person is just more focused. (Location 2826) KWIK START Rate your current level of concentration from 0 to 10. Now rate your desire to increase this level. Your concentration is like a muscle. You can train to become stronger with practice. (Location 2832) concentration is a critical component of anything you want to accomplish. (Location 2837) concentration is like a muscle that gets stronger the more you exercise it. “Concentration is something you can learn and something you can practice to get better at,” (Location 2841) “I define concentration as my ability to keep my awareness on one thing for an extended period of time. Every time my concentration drifts, I use my will power to bring my awareness back.” (Location 2846) If you’re having a conversation with someone, make a concerted effort to pay attention to nothing other than that conversation. (Location 2852) If you notice your awareness drifting away from the conversation, refocus your glowing ball of light. (Location 2853) If you make the commitment to practice concentration an hour or so a day, it will soon become second nature. (Location 2855) Whenever possible, try to do one thing at a time. (Location 2856) multitasking is a grossly inefficient way to get anything done. (Location 2857) Another key to boosting your concentration is de-cluttering your environment. (Location 2861) physical clutter in your surroundings competes for your attention, which results in decreased performance and increased anxiety and stress levels. (Location 2865) College London, compared the brains of heavy media multitaskers with those of light media multitaskers and found that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which is involved in focus, was smaller among the former group. (Location 2889) it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task.”8 That’s more than 20 minutes every time you’re distracted—and how often are you distracted every day? (Location 2896) Tools like meditation, yoga, and certain martial arts can be tremendously valuable in helping you calm your busy mind. (Location 2898) Three important ones are: 1. Breathe (Location 2900) –7–8 Method. It works like this: Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8. (Location 2902) 2. Do Something That Has Been Causing You Stress (Location 2907) things weighing on our minds are going to continue weighing on our minds until we deal with them. (Location 2909) 3. Schedule Time for Distractions (Location 2915) KWIK START Schedule your next distraction time. (Location 2923) Unlimiting your focus is a key to unleashing your superpowers. When your mind is truly focused, when you’re completely throwing yourself at a task, you achieve at levels that are impossible when you’re distracted or divided in your thoughts. Before we move on from this chapter, let’s try a few things: Take a good look at your to-do list and identify the thing (or things) on it that is likely to invade your thoughts until you get it done. Formulate a plan for dealing with that task using some of the antiprocrastination tools you now have. Do something right now that changes your productivity environment so you can do a better job of staying on task. Practice a technique for calming your busy mind. (Location 2925) I’m going to be a lifelong student, how can I optimize my study time? Is cramming the best way to learn something? How do I become a better note-taker? (Location 2936) This scenario was so completely outlandish that I did the only thing I could do under the circumstances: I took the engagement. (Location 2955) KWIK START Think about a topic or subject you’d like to learn this month. How would you go about studying this topic? What’s your current approach or process? (Location 2970) there are four levels of competence or learning. The first, known as “unconscious incompetence,” is when you don’t know what you don’t know. (Location 2973) “conscious incompetence,” you’re aware of what you don’t know. (Location 2976) I would add a fifth level: true mastery. (Location 2987) you’re going to approach your goal of being a limitless learner, you’re going to want to make study a part of your entire life. (Location 2998) here are seven of my favorite simple habits to unlimit your studies. Habit 1: Employ Active Recall (Location 3032) To employ active recall, do this: Review the material you are studying. Then close the book, turn off the video or lecture, and write down or recite everything you remember from what you just reviewed. Now, look at the material again. How much did you remember? (Location 3040) Habit 2: Employ Spaced Repetition (Location 3046) By spacing the intervals out, you’re further exercising these connections each time. It produces long-term, durable retention of knowledge and, in my experience, once people start using it, they swear by it.”5 (Location 3053) Spaced repetition seems to work most effectively when you can review the material at similar intervals. (Location 3056) Habit 3: Manage the State You’re In (Location 3060) the state you’re in when you perform any activity will have the greatest impact on your success. (Location 3061) Your posture also controls the state of your mind. Sit as if you’re about to learn the most crucial life-changing information. (Location 3065) When you sit straight, it also facilitates breathing and the circulation of necessary oxygen to your brain and the rest of your body. (Location 3067) Habit 4: Use Your Sense of Smell (Location 3073) The scent of rosemary has been shown to improve memory. Peppermint and lemon promotes concentration. (Location 3077) What this shows us is that smell is an enormously important, yet underused, memory tool. If a particular scent can rocket us back to our childhoods, a different scent can be used to accelerate our recall. (Location 3083) Habit 5: Music for the Mind (Location 3088) Baroque music seems to have some particularly valuable qualities. “Music stabilizes mental, physical and emotional rhythms to attain a state of deep concentration and focus in which large amounts of content information can be processed and learned,” (Location 3094) Habit 6: Listen with Your Whole Brain (Location 3103) There’s a very strong connection between listening and learning, and more than a quarter of us are auditory learners, meaning that the primary way in which we learn is through hearing something. (Location 3105) The Plateau Effect. (Location 3108) H is for Halt: (Location 3118) tune all of this out and to be completely present with whomever you’re listening to. Remember that listening involves more than just the words a person is saying; vocal inflection, body language, facial expressions, and more create additional context and provide additional information (Location 3121) A is for Anticipate: (Location 3127) Your enthusiasm for what you’re hearing will greatly increase your potential of truly hearing it. (Location 3129) Habit 7: Take Note of Taking Notes (Location 3133) The ultimate advantage of taking notes is that they customize the information you need to retain to your vocabulary and your mode of thinking. At their best, notes allow you to organize and process information in a way that makes it most likely that you can use this information afterward. (Location 3135) First off, be sure that you understand the purpose for taking these notes. (Location 3141) By being clear on your intention with your notes, you are able to distinguish between information that is relevant to you and information that is not. (Location 3144) if you take notes with a goal in mind, every note you take will have relevance. (Location 3148) Once you’re clear on your goals, take an active approach to note-taking. Listen with the intention of getting exactly what you need, and write your notes in ways that will benefit your recall later. (Location 3149) Equally important is making sure that you use your own words wherever possible. (Location 3152) When you use your own words in your notes, you begin to process the information, and that greatly enhances learning. (Location 3158) We show that whereas taking more notes can be beneficial, laptop note takers’ tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental to learning.”12 (Location 3165) Take note of what’s being emphasized. Make sure you’re understanding the points the speaker is making and, if the opportunity is available, ask questions. (Location 3169) While you’re taking notes, use a method that I call “capture and create.” On the left side of the paper, you’re capturing, you’re taking notes; on the right side, you’re creating, you’re making notes. You’re writing your impression of what you’re capturing. How can I use this? Why must I use this? When will I use this? (Location 3171) After your note-taking session is over, review your notes immediately. (Location 3174) If you want to make sure you’re always getting the most from your note-taking, remember the mnemonic TIP: T is for Think: (Location 3178) Before you begin any session where you’re going to be taking notes, think about what you’re hoping to retain most from this session. (Location 3179) P is for Prioritize: As you review your notes after the presentation, prioritize the information that is most valuable to you, perhaps adding additional notes as necessary to make the priority information clearer or making an outline to highlight key points. (Location 3184) Try out your new note-taking tools. Maybe go through this chapter again and take notes about it. (Location 3192) What can I do to improve my memory right away? How do I keep a big chunk of information in my memory? How can I easily access this information when I need it? (Location 3198) Memory is arguably the most important part of the learning process. If you could not remember, then you could not learn anything. There is no knowledge without memory. But why do most people have less-than-ideal memory skills? I think it’s because of the wa <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3230) KWIK START How would you rate your memory right now? What aspects would you like to improve? Take our memory assessment at www.LimitlessBook.com/resources to understand more. 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💭 bruh ic <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3590) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3592) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3596) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3606) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3611) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3614) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3616) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3617) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3620) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3637) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3652) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3657) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3662) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3663) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3681) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3685) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3688) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3702) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3707) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3708) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3714) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3727) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3729) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3732) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3756) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3765) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3767) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3771) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3775) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3793) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3809) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3816) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3824) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3829) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3841) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3844) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3846) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3849) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3851) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3854) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3858) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3868) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3874) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3877) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3880) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3883) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3886) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3892) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3897) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3985) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 3994) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4007) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4010) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4015) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4046) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4052) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4063) (Location 4089) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4102) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4104) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4107) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4116) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4144) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4159) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4319) <You have reached the clipping limit for this item> (Location 4333)