| Limitless |
| 1 | What's in it for me? Unlimit your brain to learn and achieve anything. When he was a child, the author, Jim Kwik, suffered a traumatic brain injury. It left him with a learning disability, which meant that, at school, he had to work a lot harder than all the other kids. On top of that, he was also frequently bullied. Even a teacher once labeled him "the boy with the broken brain." For years, the author assumed that because of his injury he had to put a lot of hard work into learning. |
| 2 | But in college Kwik realized that there was a different way. He didn't need to work harder в" he needed to learn better. The tips he uncovered allowed him to increase his focus, improve his memory, and start to absorb information faster than ever before. Just like the author, you too may be harboring untrue beliefs about yourself. These blinks will show you that just a few changes in your mindset, motivation, and methods can help you become truly limitless. |
| 3 | In these blinks, you'll learn - why taxi drivers have bigger brains than others; - how Bach can help you study; and - why you're no better at reading than a third-grader. Technology makes our lives easier, but it may be hindering our learning abilities. Is digital technology good or bad? The question may be simple, but the answer is far from straightforward.В On the one hand, smartphones and tablets can seem liberating. |
| 4 | After all, they do allow us to "outsource" some of our brain's simpler functions. Sounds great, doesn't it?В Well, perhaps not. Some researchers feel that this digital habit is becoming a problem. They believe it hampers our cognitive abilities. Think about how we all constantly switch between tasks в" from working to checking notifications to texting. One neuroscientist, Daniel J. Levitin, believes that this process causes the brain to quickly burn up its fuel, leaving us stressed and exhausted. |
| 5 | The key message here is: Technology makes our lives easier, but it may be hindering our learning abilities. We have constant access to a wealth of information right at our fingertips. It's no surprise then that studies indicate that the average person consumes three times more information today than in the 1960s! But pummeling ourselves with all this information isn't necessarily a good thing. That's because being able to look up facts whenever you need them causes your memory to atrophy. |
| 6 | It withers away, like an under-used muscle. On the other hand, forcing yourself to recall information actually creates and strengthens memories. Overusing technology may also reduce your capacity to think critically. After all, there's no shortage of opinion on the internet. Some would say that it's a good thing: it allows us to see issues from lots of different perspectives. But the truth is that most of us don't actually go looking for varied perspectives. |
| 7 | Instead, we identify a few sources we already agree with, and use them to reinforce our beliefs, thus essentially accepting other people's ready-made opinions. This means that our capacity for deduction and problem-solving begins to weaken, and we lose the ability to think critically. So it's more important than ever to keep your brain in tip-top shape. How do you do this? Jim Kwik offers a few suggestions. |
| 8 | One simple tip, especially pertinent for the digital age, is to spend 30 minutes each day with all your devices turned off. You can use this time to relax, be creative, and just let your mind wander.В But what if you do spend too much time with your devices? Will it change you в" and your brain в" forever? Well, maybe not. Our brains are resilient and adaptable, as we'll see in the next blink. Each of us has the power to change our brain. |
| 9 | How many times have you thought, "I'm too dumb to learn a second language," "I have a terrible memory," or "I'm just not good at this subject"?В When we spend too much time comparing ourselves with our peers, we often fall into the trap of thinking that we're somehow not as good as they are. But this can prevent us from reaching our full potential. You may not be pleased with your achievements today в" but that certainly doesn't mean that you won't shine tomorrow. |
| 10 | Your brain is в" as scientists put it в" highly neuroplastic. It simply means that, throughout your life, it changes. A lot. The key message here is: Each of us has the power to change our brain. Lots of people think that our brains reach their full capacity sometime around adolescence. After that, it is, allegedly, all downhill. Fortunately, there's lots of evidence to the contrary.В Let's look at London cab drivers. |
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