Habits that Damage Your Brain 😵‍💫

Summary

The video script discusses the impact of daily habits on brain health, emphasizing the importance of implementation management. It highlights detrimental habits such as poor diet, negative self-talk, sedentary lifestyle, and being around negative people, which can negatively affect cognitive health. Conversely, it suggests positive habits like spending time in nature, maintaining a clean environment, learning new things, and seeking joy to foster a healthy brain. The script stresses the power of self-awareness and intention in shaping habits that can either harm or benefit our brains.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Implementation Management: Managing our actions and behaviors, including habits, is crucial as they shape our character and can have negative or positive impacts on our brain health.
• 🍽️ Diet's Impact: A diet high in processed and refined foods, along with high sugar intake, can be detrimental to brain health, whereas brain-healthy foods like avocados and blueberries are beneficial.
• 💬 Negative Self-Talk: Persistent negative self-talk can be harmful, reinforcing limitations and affecting cognitive performance.
• 🏃‍♂️ The Importance of Movement: Being sedentary is harmful; physical activity promotes brain health by increasing blood flow, creating beneficial neurotransmitters, and reducing stress.
• 🤝 Positive Peer Influence: Surrounding oneself with positive and inspiring people is essential for brain health, as negative influences can hinder personal growth and creativity.
• 🌿 Environment's Role: A clean and organized environment reflects clarity of thought and is less draining on cognitive resources compared to a messy environment.
• 🤕 Head Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries, common among athletes, can have long-term negative effects on cognitive function.
• 🧠 Continuous Learning: The brain benefits from constant learning and growth; not challenging the brain can lead to cognitive decline.
• 😓 Chronic Stress: Ongoing stress can physically shrink the brain, emphasizing the importance of developing coping mechanisms.
• 🌳 Nature's Benefits: Spending time in nature reduces stress, improves mood, and offers a break from screen time, all of which positively affect brain health.
• 💤 Prioritizing Sleep: Establishing a consistent sleep schedule is vital for cognitive health, as poor sleep habits can negatively impact brain function and recovery.
• 😄 Cultivating Joy: Actively seeking joy and gratitude can retrain the brain to focus on positive experiences, improving overall mental well-being.

Q & A

What is the concept of 'implementation management' as mentioned in the script?

Implementation management refers to the process of managing one's actions and behaviors, particularly habits, which can be either beneficial or detrimental to one's well-being. It is about creating habits that positively influence your life and avoiding those that have negative outcomes.

How much of our day is spent in habitual, mindless activities according to the script?

The script suggests that about 40% of our day is spent in habitual, mindless activities where we are on autopilot and not thoughtful about our actions.

What is the impact of diet on brain health as discussed in the transcript?

The transcript emphasizes that diet significantly affects brain health, particularly the gray matter. It suggests that a diet high in processed and refined foods with lots of chemicals and high sugar content can be detrimental to brain health.

What is the role of negative self-talk in affecting brain health?

Negative self-talk, such as saying 'why me' or 'I'm not enough', can be detrimental to brain health. It can reinforce limitations and contribute to a negative mindset, which is not conducive to cognitive health.

Why is being sedentary considered a negative habit for brain health?

Being sedentary is considered detrimental because the brain's primary function is to control movement. Lack of movement can lead to reduced production of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, essential for neuroplasticity, and can negatively impact the production of important neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

How does the company of negative people affect brain health?

Being around negative people can drain energy, drive, motivation, and creativity. It can lead to adopting their negative mindset and habits, which can be detrimental to cognitive health and overall well-being.

What is the significance of a clean environment for brain health?

A clean environment reflects clarity of thought and reduces the mental energy required to keep track of things. A messy environment can lead to stress and distract from cognitive tasks, which is why maintaining a clean space is considered beneficial for brain health.

Why is continuous learning important for brain health?

Continuous learning is crucial for brain health because it challenges the brain, promoting growth and preventing the 'use it or lose it' scenario. The brain needs to be stimulated to maintain its cognitive abilities.

How does chronic stress impact the brain?

Chronic stress has been shown to shrink the human brain. It can negatively affect cognitive health and performance by impairing the brain's structure and function.

What are some positive habits mentioned in the script that can enhance brain health?

Positive habits mentioned include spending time in nature, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, being around positive and inspiring people, and cultivating gratitude and joy in daily life.

What is the 'dominant question' concept and how can it influence our experience of joy?

The 'dominant question' concept refers to the recurring questions we ask ourselves that shape our reality. By asking questions that seek joy, gratitude, or magic in moments, we train our brain to look for and recognize these positive aspects, enhancing our experience of joy.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Impact of Habits on Brain Health

This paragraph discusses the concept of implementation management and how habits can shape our lives, both positively and negatively. It highlights that about 40% of our day is spent on autopilot, engaging in habitual behaviors that can be detrimental to brain health. The speaker emphasizes the importance of diet, avoiding processed and refined foods, and the negative effects of negative self-talk and sedentary lifestyles. The paragraph also touches on the influence of social circles, suggesting that being around negative people can have a negative impact on cognitive health.

05:03

🌿 Pro-Brain Habits and Environmental Influences

The second paragraph continues the conversation on habits, focusing on the negative impacts of a poor diet, negative thinking, and physical inactivity. It also introduces the idea that a clean environment can lead to clarity of thought, while a messy one can be a sign of disorganization and stress. The speaker mentions the importance of learning new things to keep the brain active and the dangers of chronic stress, which can shrink the brain. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's personal habits that have contributed to their brain health, such as spending time in nature and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

10:05

🌱 Cultivating Joy and Gratitude for Enhanced Brain Function

In this paragraph, the speaker delves into the power of positive thinking and the habit of seeking joy and gratitude in everyday life. They discuss the concept of a 'dominant question' and how it can shape our reality. The speaker shares personal anecdotes about finding magic in mundane moments and the importance of setting intentions to look for positivity. They also mention the benefits of gratitude for reducing stress and fear, and how it can act as an antidote to the negative effects of chronic stress on the brain.

15:05

💤 The Importance of Sleep and Gratitude for Brain Health

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by emphasizing the importance of sleep and gratitude as key components of brain health. The speaker suggests a thought experiment about expressing gratitude for the things we might lose, highlighting the value of appreciating what we have. They conclude by reiterating the benefits of gratitude and how it can serve as a protective measure against the negative impacts of stress and fear on cognitive function.

Keywords

💡Habits

Habits refer to regular patterns of behavior that are repeated automatically. In the video, habits are central to the theme of brain health, with the speaker discussing how both positive and negative habits can significantly affect cognitive function. The script mentions that 'about 40% of our day is spent habitual,' indicating the prevalence of habits in daily life and their potential impact on brain health.

💡Implementation Management

Implementation Management is the process of managing one's actions and behaviors, particularly habitual actions. The video emphasizes its importance in shaping our lives, as 'you create your habits and your habits create you.' It suggests that by managing our habits, we can influence our brain health positively or negatively.

💡Brain Health

Brain Health in the video is the overall well-being and functioning of the brain. It is the main theme that ties together discussions on habits, diet, self-talk, and physical activity. The script highlights how certain habits can be 'detrimental to our brain,' such as a poor diet or negative self-talk, while others like physical exercise can enhance it.

💡Diet

Diet, as mentioned in the script, plays a crucial role in brain health. It is defined as the types of food that a person habitually eats. The video suggests that a diet high in processed and refined foods with lots of chemicals and sugars can negatively affect the brain, while 'brain foods' like avocados and blueberries can be beneficial.

💡Negative Self-Talk

Negative Self-Talk is the act of speaking about oneself in a negative or unhelpful way. The video describes it as a habit that can be detrimental to brain health, as it can reinforce limiting beliefs and affect one's self-perception. The speaker uses the phrase 'if you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them,' to illustrate the impact of negative self-talk on personal growth.

💡Sedentary

Sedentary refers to a lifestyle involving little or no physical activity. In the context of the video, being sedentary is highlighted as a negative habit that can harm brain health. The speaker explains that movement is essential for brain function, as 'your body moves your brain grooves,' and that physical inactivity can lead to a lack of essential brain chemicals like BDNF.

💡Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain that facilitate communication between nerve cells. The video mentions them in the context of physical activity, stating that exercise can increase the production of beneficial neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which are crucial for cognitive health and performance.

💡Stress

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. The video discusses chronic stress as a factor that can negatively impact brain health by potentially shrinking the brain. The speaker suggests that finding coping mechanisms to manage stress is essential for maintaining a healthy brain.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. In the video, cultivating gratitude is presented as a positive habit that benefits brain health by reducing stress and promoting a positive outlook on life. The speaker suggests that asking 'what can I be grateful for' can sensitize one to see more positive aspects of life.

💡Nature

Nature, in the context of the video, refers to the natural environment outside of human development. The speaker recommends spending time in nature as a positive habit for brain health, noting its healing properties, such as clean air and better lighting, and its ability to reduce stress and provide a sense of grounding.

💡Sleep

Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body, characterized by altered consciousness, muscle relaxation, and reduced interaction with one's surroundings. The video discusses the importance of sleep for brain health, noting that habits that negatively impact rest and recovery, such as using screens before bed or consuming caffeine late in the day, can be detrimental.

Highlights

Approximately 40% of our day is spent in habitual, mindless routines, which can be managed through implementation management.

Habits have the power to shape our lives, and negative habits can be detrimental to brain health.

A balanced diet, particularly brain-healthy foods like avocados and blueberries, is crucial for cognitive health.

Processed and refined foods with high sugar content can lead to glucose spikes, negatively affecting brain function.

Negative self-talk can reinforce limitations and hinder cognitive abilities.

Sedentary behavior is linked to reduced brain function, emphasizing the importance of physical activity for brain health.

Exercise promotes the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, supporting neuroplasticity and cognitive performance.

Being around negative people can drain energy and creativity, impacting one's mental state and brain health.

The importance of surrounding oneself with positive influences and encouraging individuals for personal growth.

A clean and organized environment can lead to clarity of thought and reduced mental strain.

Head injuries can have severe consequences for brain health, especially among athletes and individuals in high-impact professions.

Continuous learning is essential for brain health, as the brain benefits from growth and challenges.

Chronic stress has been shown to shrink the human brain, highlighting the need for effective coping mechanisms.

Spending time in nature can reduce stress, improve focus, and provide numerous cognitive benefits.

Establishing a consistent sleep schedule is vital for overall well-being and cognitive function.

The power of asking intentional questions, such as 'How can I make this moment more magical?', can shape one's reality and experiences.

Cultivating gratitude and joy can positively impact brain health by reducing stress and promoting a positive outlook.

The brain acts as a 'deletion device', filtering out information to prevent overload, but intentional focus can enhance awareness and perception.

Transcripts

what do you think are some of the common

habits that people all over the world

now are engaging in each

day that have been detrimental to their

brain health this actually leads to the

eye the eye is implementation management

okay and so the idea here is that is the

things you're doing which would include

your

habits about university studies suggest

about 40% of our day is spent habitual

yeah like mindless we're just going

through a routine but we're not

thoughtful about it cuz we're on

autopilot right and so

implementation management is managing

your your actions and your own behaviors

which would include your habits because

that's habitual and so the idea is you

create your habits and your habits

create you and also habits could also be

get giving you some a negative result

you know certainly as as well um there

are certain things that we're doing that

we could stop or do less of right the

choices and then you could always do the

opposite you could do you know start

something new or do more of something

that's positive um I would say uh the

diet right what you eat matters

especially you know especially for your

gray matter so I would say on the

opposite side of all the brain foods

that we talk about like avocados and

blueberries and so on I would say you

know the processed food the refined

Foods the you know a lot of lot of

chemicals in the foods the high sugar

you know the glucose spikes that's

something that be detrimental to our

brain right second thing um negative

selft talk when we say why me why why is

this always happened to me why am I not

enough uh I'm I'm not that smart

whatever it happens to be people at

events they say that to me all the time

because I know I'm a memory coach and

they say you know they come to me and

say Jim I think I'm getting too old I'm

just I have a horrible memory and I

always say same thing stop if you fight

for your limitations you get to keep

them mhm right and so the idea here is

negative selft talk could be detrimental

third thing being sedentary right we

live behind screens I don't know about

most people but I do and we're not

moving and the number one reason I want

to remind everyone the number one reason

we have a brain its number one function

is to control our movement and as your

body moves your brain grooves

and so I would say something that's

negative a negative habit is not moving

yeah you know they say sitting is a new

smoking um but when we exercise we

create you know bdnf brain derived

neurotropic factors which is like

fertilizer for your brain for

neuroplasticity when we exercise create

dopamine serotonin endorphins you know

these these important uh

neurotransmitters and substances that

are really good for cognitive health and

cognitive performance when we when we

move we create blood flow you know so

more oxygen to your brain I mean there's

so many benefits changes it reduces

stress and so on um so being

sedentary um I would also say being

around negative people is not good so

much good for your brain uh we all know

that sometimes you spend time with

people and I don't know if you ever

noticed like some people it seems like

batteries are included but there are few

people batteries just were not included

and they like take all your energy and

your drive and your motivation and your

creativity

um so I would say who we spend time with

is who we

become and uh and being around people

that uh that are not one that are not

who you want to be like um or aspects of

them that they don't inspire you I mean

we all need people to cheerlead for us

to be kind to us uh to to encourage us

and if you haven't found that person you

know be that person be that person for

somebody else mhm that person especially

for yourself so a negative pure group

and again those those people could be

your family it could be your friends

people closest to you and they could be

sincere but they can be sincerely wrong

too you know they could have good

intentions maybe they they're like I you

always listen at those podcasts and

reading all those books or whatever and

maybe they don't want deep down they

there's a secondary gain they don't want

you to outgrow them because they don't

want to be separate from you so it can

be good intentions or maybe they don't

want you to get your hopes up up or you

know and they're trying to protect you

um with our friends and family sometimes

the people I care about that we care

about most are the ones that hold us

back because we give them permission and

we give up our sovereignty to their

expectations and opinions and I want us

to remind everyone you could love your

family but they don't they don't have to

be your peers like when I say have a

positive peer group I'm saying self-

selecting individuals that their opinion

affects how you feel you know and affect

standards right meaning I have have this

rule that just don't take criticism from

someone you wouldn't take advice from

don't take criticism because like a lot

of us are fearful of other people's

opinions and expectations but if you

want to do anything in your life you

know there's this judgment that comes

around it and people have their their

opinions especially on social media um

and we could decide and hold that

internal reality that you know we will

work on having the people around that we

could identify with that you know I that

they relate to that Inspire them and I

certainly have you know people like that

also as well yeah so yeah go go going

back to the the habits this is just all

about

implementation and so Implement

implementation management is managing

the things and getting yourself to do

the things you need to do um even if

they're difficult you mentioned some of

the um

habits that people are

engaging with that are maybe sabotaging

their day-to-day lives in many ways that

are stealing their life away without

them realizing if we flip

that and think about look you have so

many habits you recommend to people

covered Lo in the first conversation but

I don't know if I said to you Jim yeah

what are three of your favorite yeah

probrain habits that people could do

yeah what how would you answer that let

me let me give you a few more of the

negative habits and then and then cuz

that'll inform the U positive ones so we

talked about a bad brain diet you know

is probably not good for your brain

definitely negative thinking is a habit

habits of thought not moving is a habit

being sedentary so obviously the

opposite of all these make a difference

a positive peer group is good but a

negative peer group could affect your

words your actions your thoughts your

character your habits um a dirty

environment that that's a I mean we

don't think about our environment as

much but our external reality affects

our internal reality so you notice like

you clean your desk or you put

everything in the right folder on your

computer you have Clarity of thought um

but a messy environment I reflects you

have to use so much energy to hold like

where everything is sure and I feel like

that wouldn't be a good use of our brain

so a negative habit would be you know

sustaining a dirty environment um head

injuries I would put that up there

because I get to work with a lot of

extreme athletes or you know UFC

fighters or football players and you

know hockey players that have had had

trauma um not learning something is not

good for your brain so be like just you

know if you're not learning you're not

growing you're not challenging and so

like our brains are like it's an organ

but it acts like a muscle it's use it or

lose it and so I would say not learning

every day could be not you know could

affect your brain um and that's a habit

and then uh being stressed all the time

could affect our brain whatever whatever

emotional stress Financial stress

whatever the stressors are chronic

stress has been shown the shrink the

human brain and so not having coping

mechanisms for me you know so though

can't answer your question like habits

that really helped me of late I would

say spending more time in nature because

I'm not on my screen uh nature is very

healing clean air better lighting um I

feel

grounded uh it reduces my

stress um I also could do that with my

family um so it's it's the it's family

time or walking the dogs things like

that so I would say that that's good um

I would put one more negative habit on

there besides the things we've talked

about in the last episode like touching

your phone at night or in the first

thing in the morning all those things um

anything that would affect your sleep

you know that's that any habits that

would negatively impact your rest and

recovery at night um and that could be a

habit of drinking caffeine later in the

afternoon it could be you know being on

screens you know certainly also as well

um it could be ruminating which is a

habit of like all the things you need to

do or all the things that that worry you

um and I'm not saying again it's easy to

mitigate these things but the self

awareness is a starting point for for

all change again so good habits uh for

me being out in nature going to bed at

this at the same time is so very

important to me I mean

I'm I'm I don't know it took me like I'm

turning 51 it took

me like a long time to get to the point

where I'm just okay with going to bed at

like 99

9:30 and you know so like for me

welcome to my world man I love it I love

I mean and a lot of this the impetus was

having a

one-year-old because you know we're just

exhausted and he wakes up in the in the

middle of the night and so we want to

sleep closer to when he's sleeping but

the idea here is uh prioritizing your

sleep so nature going to bed at the same

time each night even on weekends and no

one's perfect about it but it's made a

big difference uh in my life and then

the last thing I would say for my brain

and there's tons of stuff that on our

podcast in the book like literally I

could sped off 200 different habits um

the habit of looking for Joy I I mean I

I have this the question this thing I

talk about called the dominant question

when I was with Will Smith I train a lot

of actors how to speed read scripts

memorize their lines be focused on set

and this dominant question and idea like

we have 60,000 thoughts on average today

a lot of those thoughts come in the form

of questions and there's certain

questions we ask all the time that we

don't consciously and unconsciously and

those questions determine our reality

and his dominant question we found out

is how do how do I make this

moment

magical and he gets answers right and

then I was like okay my dominant

question is how do we make it better so

how do we make this question better and

he was like okay instead of how do I

make this moment magical how about how

do I make this moment even more magical

with a presupposition being This

Moment's ready magical and this is a

question he consciously asks himself or

he's programmed himself to ask both oh

no I don't know if it was programmed but

he and it explains a lot of like you

know like when we're we're shooting in

Toronto um a superhero film and it was

like 2:00 at night it was a night shoot

and it's not very glamorous it's cold

it's in February in in Canada and um but

his family and I are in a tent um

shivering a little bit watching the

screens and he's during the break he's

making us hot chocolate even though

there's a crew that would do that and he

starts telling us stories and cracking

jokes and I I you know that's that's a

result of that dominant question how do

I make this moment even more magical

right and I would just and I'll talk

about the power questions in in another

that's coming up for Limitless uh in the

acronym but the idea here is that one of

my habits is just trying to find more

joy more magic and I think what we what

we look for we were more likely to find

it's like that what's that that red car

experiment it's like you know you see if

asked everybody like in the past 24

hours how many red cars they saw on the

way to home or work you're like I don't

know how many but I you do probably saw

them yes but if you're offered to

somebody you know $100 for every single

red car they saw they'd be very clear in

seeing the red cars and I feel like

there's a lot of things we could be

grateful for at any given time but they

we're not asking those questions I I

think that's such a key point when we

think about Joy or gratitude or how do

you make this moment magical like

literally in the last week my daughter

has been doing this game with me like I

don't think this game existed when I was

at school but it's something to do with

when you see a mini in the road like the

the car or mini you you sort of give

someone a gentle punch and you say a few

things like now it's nuts because I

didn't know there were that many Minis

on the road right right but suddenly

you're playing that game you're seeing

minis everywhere and now when I'm not in

the car with my daughter I am seeing

minis everywhere right those minis have

just not suddenly appeared on the road

right it's your awareness you know the

intention has been put out that you're

looking for Minis and it's a kind of

same thing with negativity or positivity

right you can train your brain to start

looking for Joy you can train your brain

to be grateful yeah but you got to set

the intention I love that I I think I

think everyone would benefit from making

that a habit and habitual things like

even asking that that question is what

can I be grateful for you know in this

moment it it just sensitize you to see

more Minis that that's always there but

we know weren't paying attention your

brain Prim is a deletion device is

trying to keep information out if we let

everything in there's a billion stimuli

that would overload us right but when

you ask questions we activate that

reticular activating system which is

like a

spotlight you know and so you start

seeing what you're asking for and uh you

I think that's that's a great Habit to

be in you know gra gratitude habit is so

good for your brain because it gets you

out of fear and gets you out of stress

because again chronic stress shrinks

your brain chronic fear

you know will make you more susceptible

the colds the flu the virus will

compromise your immune system but I

think gratitude is an incredible

antidote and so you can even do a

thought experiment it's like you know

what if the only things you had in your

life tomorrow were the things you

Express gratitude for

today like wow that would change things

for me at least like I'd be expressing

my gratitude for all the little things

because I didn't want to lose I wouldn't

want to lose them the next day but

the act of expressing it as a habit I'll

feel you know the benefit that comes

with it also