How Do I Reverse Brain Rot - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

How Do I Reverse Brain Rot? ![rw-book-cover](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U9a2_KqzF7Y/sddefault.jpg) 🔗 **Source:** [How Do I Reverse Brain Rot?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: #cognitive-fitness #digital-minimalism #focus #concentration #productivity #brain-training #social-media-addiction #deep-work > author: Cal Newport > source: Deep Questions Podcast > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y > date created: 2024-12-30 11:30 > > > [!info] Generated analysis — not the author's words. Sections below are machine-written > > from the captured source. Only text inside `> [!quote]` blocks is verbatim from the author. > > Do not quote or attribute any other line to the named author. > > > # 🏷️ Title: How Do I Reverse Brain Rot? >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Establish daily reading habit starting with 15-20 pages — Component 1 of cognitive fitness #cognitive-fitness - [H1] Remove social media apps from phone and keep plugged in at home — Component 4 #digital-minimalism - [H2] Begin regular writing practice with journaling or newsletter — Component 2 #writing - [H2] Schedule thinking walks 2-3 times per week without phone — Component 3 #mindfulness - [H3] Choose a hard skill to learn with clear feedback mechanisms — Component 5 #skill-development ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [[#📝 Summary]] - [[#📖 Main Content]] - [[#🗒️ Notes]] - [[#📚 References]] - [[#🗣️ Paraphrase]] - [[#📰 Newsletter]] - [[#✅ Action Items]] - [[#🧪 Hypotheses]] - [[#📊 Methodology]] - [[#❓ Questions]] - [[#🔮 Future Research]] - [[#💡 Implications]] - [[#🧠 Learning Styles Assessment]] - [[#📊 Accessibility Assessment]] - [[#🌍 DEIB Assessment]] - [[#✅ Logical Validity]] - [[#🛡️ DARVO Analysis]] - [[#🎯 Conclusion]] ### 🔗 References - [Cal Newport's NYT Op-Ed: "There's a good reason why you can't concentrate"](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/15/opinion/concentration-focus-distraction.html) - [Deep Work by Cal Newport](https://calnewport.com/books/deep-work/) - [Maryanne Wolf's research on deep reading processes](https://www.maryannewoif.com/) ## 📝 Summary - Cal Newport presents a 5-component cognitive fitness program to reverse "brain rot" caused by digital distractions - The program draws parallels to physical fitness routines but focuses on mental strength and concentration - Components include daily reading, regular writing, thinking walks, keeping phones plugged in, and learning hard skills - Practical implementation tips provided for each component to make the routine sustainable - Real-world examples show dramatic improvements in focus, family time, and work quality ## 📖 Main Content Cal Newport argues that just as we developed physical fitness routines in response to sedentary lifestyles, we now need cognitive fitness routines to combat digital distractions that are "rapidly diminishing our ability to think." His five-component program treats the brain like a muscle that needs specific exercises to maintain and improve cognitive function. The approach is grounded in neuroscience research showing that reading rewires the brain to create "deep reading processes" that increase intellectual complexity. Writing, while cognitively demanding, forces multiple brain regions to work together in ways that strengthen original thinking. The program also emphasizes practices that train attention control and resist the "constant companion model" of smartphone usage that emerged from social media business models. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=0) — [H1] Introduction to Cognitive Fitness Revolution - Key idea: Technology is diminishing thinking ability, requiring systematic response - Evidence: "I'm done seeding my brain...to the financial interest of technology billionaires" #### ⏱️ [02:45](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=165) — [H1] Component 1: Read Every Day - Key idea: Reading rewires brain for complex thought and attention control - Evidence: "Deep reading is our species bridge to insight and novel thought" - Maryanne Wolf #### ⏱️ [05:23](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=323) — [H2] Practical Reading Implementation - Key idea: Start with books you're excited to read, build to 30-50 pages daily - Evidence: "Pick something you're excited to read. It doesn't matter if it's simple or fun or trashy" #### ⏱️ [08:15](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=495) — [H1] Component 2: Don't Avoid Writing - Key idea: Writing orchestrates multiple brain regions to strengthen cognitive capacity - Evidence: "Writing requires us to use multiple parts of the brain in an improbable symphony of high strain effort" #### ⏱️ [12:45](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=765) — [H2] Writing as Cognitive Strength Training - Key idea: Writing strain should be embraced like muscle burn during exercise - Evidence: "Think of that strain you feel when facing the blank page like the burn of a muscle in the gym" #### ⏱️ [16:30](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=990) — [H1] Component 3: Go on Thinking Walks - Key idea: Solitary reflection builds capacity for internal focus and self-understanding - Evidence: Thomas Merton's transformation through self-reflection and discernment #### ⏱️ [21:00](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=1260) — [H1] Component 4: Plug in Your Phone - Key idea: Constant companion phone model is artificial business strategy, not inevitable - Evidence: "The weird thing is actually having the phone with you at all time" #### ⏱️ [25:45](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=1545) — [H2] Phone Separation Benefits - Key idea: Removing phone temptation feels like cognitive enhancement drug - Evidence: "People report it feels like a weight has been lifted off of their brain" #### ⏱️ [28:20](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=1700) — [H1] Component 5: Learn a Hard Skill - Key idea: Skills requiring focused practice strengthen long-term motivation systems - Evidence: Athletic, musical, or artistic pursuits provide clear feedback loops #### ⏱️ [32:10](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=1930) — [H2] Long-term vs Short-term Motivation Systems - Key idea: Hard skills train brain to prioritize meaningful rewards over instant gratification - Evidence: "The long-term system can come in and say 'we're going to keep practicing guitar'" #### ⏱️ [35:40](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=2140) — [H2] Reading Format Flexibility - Key idea: Physical books, Kindle, and quality articles all provide cognitive benefits - Evidence: "Articles are fine...what you want is sustained concentration" #### ⏱️ [45:30](https://youtu.be/U9a2_KqzF7Y?t=2730) — [H1] Real-world Success Story from Pakistan CEO - Key idea: Simple app deletion led to dramatic life improvements - Evidence: "Phone usage dropped from 6.5 hours to 3.5...90 hours a month I was just handing over" ## 📚 References - [Cal Newport's NYT Op-Ed](https://www.nytimes.com/opinion) - [Deep Work by Cal Newport](https://calnewport.com/books/) - [Maryanne Wolf's research on reading and the brain](https://www.maryannewoif.com/) - [Thomas Merton's "The Seven Story Mountain"](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17807.The_Seven_Storey_Mountain) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Daily reading literally rewires your brain to handle more complex thoughts while giving practice directing attention internally - Writing forces multiple brain regions to coordinate in unnatural ways, creating cognitive strength through deliberate difficulty - Regular phone-free reflection walks train the ability to focus internally rather than on external stimuli ## 📰 Newsletter Building cognitive fitness is becoming as essential as physical fitness in our digital age. Cal Newport's five-component program offers a practical path forward: daily reading (start with 15-20 pages of anything engaging), embracing rather than avoiding writing tasks, taking regular thinking walks without devices, keeping phones plugged in at home, and learning skills that require focused practice. The results can be dramatic - one CEO saw phone usage drop from 6.5 to 3.5 hours daily while dramatically improving family time and work quality. Like physical fitness, consistency matters more than intensity. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create workshops on "deep work for developers" - promote sustained focus sessions for complex coding tasks - Education: Develop curricula teaching attention management alongside technical skills - Developer experience: Design documentation that encourages deep reading rather than quick scanning - Developer marketing: Campaign highlighting cognitive benefits of focused development practices - Community management: Model phone-free discussion formats, encourage thoughtful long-form posts #### OSPO - Policy & Governance: Establish "deep work hours" for complex architectural decisions and code review - License Compliance: Implement focused review sessions without digital distractions for critical compliance work - Security Management: Create protocols for sustained attention during vulnerability analysis - Software Inventory: Design contemplative processes for strategic technology decisions - Developer Support: Train teams in cognitive fitness practices to improve problem-solving capacity - Community Engagement: Structure meetings to encourage deep thinking over rapid-fire discussions - Strategic Alignment: Build reflection time into OKR development and assessment processes #### Community - Maintainers: Encourage sustained focus blocks for complex architectural decisions - Contributors: Create onboarding that emphasizes deep engagement over quick fixes - Sponsors: Design funding decisions around contemplative assessment rather than quick reactions - Ecosystem: Foster cross-project collaboration through focused, phone-free working sessions #### WordPress - Core: Establish deep work blocks for major architectural decisions and complex bug fixes - Core Performance: Create distraction-free environments for performance profiling and optimization work - Core AI: Design contemplative evaluation processes for AI integration decisions - Community: Model cognitive fitness practices in meetups and WordCamps - Training: Integrate attention management skills into technical curriculum - Documentation: Write guides that encourage deep reading and contemplation - Design: Create focused design thinking sessions without digital interruptions ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Daily reading for 30+ days will measurably improve sustained attention span and reading comprehension - Removing social media apps from phones will reduce daily screen time by 40-60% within two weeks - Regular thinking walks will increase creative problem-solving capacity and reduce decision fatigue - Learning cognitively demanding skills will strengthen resistance to digital distractions in other areas ### 📊 Methodology - Pre/post assessment using attention span measurement tools and reading comprehension tests - Screen time tracking before and after social media app removal - Creative problem-solving assessments before and after implementing thinking walk routines - Controlled studies comparing skill-learning groups vs control groups on distraction resistance ### ❓ Questions - How do cognitive fitness practices transfer between different domains of mental work? - What is the minimum effective dose for each component to see meaningful cognitive improvements? - How do these practices interact with neurodivergent attention patterns and processing styles? ### 🔮 Future Research - Longitudinal studies tracking cognitive fitness program adherents over multiple years - Neuroimaging research on brain changes from sustained cognitive fitness practices - Cross-cultural validation of cognitive fitness approaches in different technological contexts ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Individuals need systematic cognitive training routines just like physical fitness regimens - Policy: Organizations should consider cognitive fitness as essential professional development - Security: Improved attention and focus directly impacts security awareness and threat detection - Education: Academic curricula should integrate cognitive fitness alongside subject matter expertise - Funding: Investment in cognitive fitness programs could yield significant productivity and wellbeing returns ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th grade (Flesch-Kincaid) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Clear component breakdown, numbered lists, practical examples - Improve: Infographics showing brain region connections, progress tracking charts #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Podcast format with clear verbal explanations and examples - Improve: Guided meditation audio for thinking walks, reading pace audio guides #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Rich metaphors (fitness, assembly line), clear definitions, analogies - Improve: Story-driven examples of transformation, vocabulary building exercises #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Step-by-step implementation guides, practice exercises - Improve: Physical workspace setup guides, movement-based learning activities #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-and-effect relationships, numbered components, systematic approach - Improve: Decision trees for choosing reading materials, progress measurement frameworks #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community examples, listener feedback, shared experiences - Improve: Cognitive fitness buddy systems, group challenge frameworks #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Individual practice focus, self-reflection emphasis, personal assessment - Improve: Private journaling prompts, solo progress tracking tools #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Walking in nature component, organic skill development - Improve: Outdoor reading recommendations, nature-based skill learning options ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear heading structure, logical content flow, descriptive examples - Improve: Alt text for any visual components, table headers for comparison charts #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Linear content structure supports keyboard navigation - Improve: Skip links for longer sections, clear focus indicators for interactive elements #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast text, clear typography in most formats - Improve: Ensure 4.5:1 contrast ratio maintained across all platforms #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Content scales well with text size increases - Improve: Test at 200% zoom, ensure no content clipping #### Media and captions - Present: Podcast includes transcript, clear audio quality - Improve: Chapter markers for easy navigation, downloadable transcript option #### Forms and interactions - Present: Simple content consumption, minimal interactive elements - Improve: Accessible progress tracking tools, clear error messaging for any forms ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Examples from Pakistan CEO, various cultural contexts mentioned - Improve: Examples from different economic backgrounds, non-Western cognitive traditions #### Inclusive language - Present: Gender-neutral terms, accessible vocabulary - Improve: Avoid assumptions about leisure time, acknowledge different family structures #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Multiple learning approach options, flexible implementation - Improve: Specific adaptations for ADHD, autism, other neurodivergent patterns #### Representation - Present: Diverse examples including international business leader - Improve: More varied professional contexts, different age groups, accessibility needs #### Psychological safety - Present: Non-judgmental tone about current habits, encouragement - Improve: Address shame around technology use, normalize different starting points ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Deductive strength: Clear premise that digital distractions harm cognition, logical component structure - Inductive strength: Multiple examples and research citations support conclusions - Causal reasoning: Well-established links between practices and neurological changes - Analogical strength: Physical fitness analogy well-developed and consistent #### Fallacies - False dichotomy: Slightly oversimplifies digital technology as uniformly harmful - Appeal to authority: Heavy reliance on single research sources in some areas - Hasty generalization: Limited discussion of individual variation in response to interventions #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Authoritative but encouraging, practical rather than preachy, evidence-based ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: No denial patterns present - acknowledges difficulty of implementation - Attack: No attacks on those struggling with digital distraction - empathetic approach - Reverse victim/offender: No victim blaming - places responsibility on systems and business models rather than individuals - Emotional cues and rhetoric: Motivational rather than manipulative, uses urgency appropriately ## 🎯 Conclusion Newport's cognitive fitness program offers a systematic response to digital-age attention challenges. The five components work --- ## 🔍 Sourcing audit — added 2026-09-10 A second pass over this episode, run 2026-09-09 against a fresh transcript, audited every brain claim for whether it is actually sourced: - **Exactly one claim in the ~51-minute episode is attached to a named researcher** — Maryanne Wolf on deep reading. Even that names no specific paper. - **Every other brain-mechanism claim is unsourced**, including the hippocampus / prefrontal cortex / Broca's area passage, which is delivered in the same confident register as the Wolf quote that is sourced. - The short-term versus long-term motivation framing and the App Store business-model history are the host's own synthesis, not cited work. - No dopamine language appears — the substitution here is brain-region vocabulary standing in for evidence. **How to use this note:** the five-component structure and practical advice stand on their own. Do not cite anything here as research except the Wolf line, and locate its underlying source first. This audit and the appendix below came from a duplicate Reader capture of the same video (doc `01m23bbdsc63h02q6ctssvtrz4`), created accidentally on 2026-09-09 during a transcript recovery and since archived. This note remains the canonical one. ## 🔄 Refactor Appendix — How Do I Reverse Brain Rot? > Density: 2–5 Literature atoms (H3), 0–3 Permanent candidates (H4). > Defaults: 3 Literature, 1 Permanent. Resonance filter: if you can't > articulate in one line why a claim matters, drop it. > > Konik claim-header rules: present tense, declarative, ≤10 words when > possible, searchable, unique, mirrors annotation focus if present. > > Atomicity: one declarative sentence per atom. "and"/"also" → split. > > Tag pool: #bmf · #addendum · #xref · #articleseed · #storystem · #share · #aphorisms ### 📚 Literature Atoms (H3) #### [H1] Wolf calls deep reading a bridge to insight > [!quote] ID:rw_wolf_deepreading > Deep reading is our species' bridge to insight and novel thought **Context & use**: - [00:03:29](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=209s) — Newport reading his own NYT op-ed, attributing this line to cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf. - This is the episode's only claim tied to a named researcher; every downstream brain claim in the episode should be checked against whether it gets the same sourcing. **Tags**: #xref **Highlight**: [view highlight](readwise://U9a2_KqzF7Y#t193)  #### [H2] Writing recruits five brain regions, unsourced > [!quote] ID:rw_writing_brainregions > Writing is hard. It requires us to use multiple parts of the brain in an improbable symphony of high-strain effort. **Context & use**: - [00:11:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=691s) — from Newport's own New Yorker piece, naming hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, Broca's area, verbal memory, and spatial working memory with no citation. - The clearest example in this episode of confident brain-mechanism language with no named source — flag anywhere this pattern repeats. **Tags**: #xref **Highlight**: [view highlight](readwise://U9a2_KqzF7Y#t691)  #### [H3] Newport names the constant companion phone model > [!quote] ID:rw_constantcompanion > I call this the constant companion model of phone usage **Context & use**: - [00:23:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=1418s) — his term for always carrying the phone, tied to an unsourced claim about post-App-Store social-media business models. - Useful vocabulary for the phone-placement habit independent of whether the origin-story claim behind it is verifiable. **Tags**: #xref **Highlight**: [view highlight](readwise://U9a2_KqzF7Y#t1418)  #### [H4] Newport calls quitting social apps an intellectual Ozempic > [!quote] ID:rw_ozempic > this would be the like Ozempic of intellectual activity **Context & use**: - [00:45:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=2708s) — generalizing from three listener letters to a universal claim about the benefits of quitting social media. - The episode's clearest hasty generalization; anchor point for the Logical Validity fallacy entry of the same name. **Tags**: #xref **Highlight**: [view highlight](readwise://U9a2_KqzF7Y#t2708)  ### 🧠 Permanent Candidates (H4) #### [P1] Brain-region specificity without citation is rhetoric, not evidence **Claim** (one sentence, Courtney's voice): When a confident public claim names specific brain structures without naming a study or researcher, treat the specificity as rhetorical scaffolding for the advice, not as evidence for it. **Evidence pointer**: [[#H2]] **Scope & conditions**: Applies to any "here's what happens in your brain" claim lacking a citation, regardless of whether the source is otherwise credible (Newport cites Wolf accurately elsewhere in the same episode, which makes the uncited claims easier to mistake for sourced ones by contrast). **Links** (≥1 with annotation): - [[Neurodiversity MOC]] — because applies-in attention and executive-function reading generally - [[Maryanne Wolf deep reading]] — because contrasts on sourcing rigor within the same episode  #### [P2] Testimonials generalize past what they can support **Claim** (one sentence, Courtney's voice): Three self-selected, already-persuaded listener letters can illustrate a practice working for someone, but they cannot establish a population-level effect size, no matter how confidently the host frames them. **Evidence pointer**: [[#H4]] **Scope & conditions**: Holds for testimonial-driven persuasion in any advice or marketing format; doesn't mean the underlying practice is ineffective, only that the letters themselves aren't the proof they're presented as. **Links** (≥1 with annotation): - [[Correlation vs causation]] — because applies-in this pattern generally - [[Solomon textile CEO letter]] — because evidence-for the specific anecdote analyzed here  ### ✏️ Fleeting Queue - [F1] Check whether Maryanne Wolf's "deep reading rewires neuronal regions" line traces to a specific paper or book of hers, or only exists at the level Newport quotes it — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=193s #xref - [F2] Check whether Newport's App Store/engagement-business-model history claim (constant companion model) appears with sourcing in his other books (Digital Minimalism, Deep Work) even though it's uncited here — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9a2_KqzF7Y&t=1418s #xref ### → Things 3 (max 2 actions) - [ ] Look up Maryanne Wolf's published work (e.g., *Reader, Come Home*) to check whether the "rewires neuronal regions" framing matches her actual claims — deep-read follow-up #things - [ ] Cross-check Newport's "short-term vs. long-term motivation system" framing against a named dual-process or reward-circuitry model, since it recurs across three of the five components without attribution — deep-read follow-up #things ## Full Transcript [00:00] Not long ago, I published a splashy [00:03] op-ed for the New York Times. It was [00:05] titled, "There's a good reason why you [00:09] can't concentrate." Now, it argues that [00:10] technology is rapidly diminishing our [00:13] ability to think, and that this is a [00:15] major problem for both the individual as [00:18] well as the success of our society more [00:21] broadly. In it, I propose that the [00:23] solution is a revolution in cognitive [00:27] fitness, not unlike the physical fitness [00:29] revolution that emerged in the second [00:31] half of the 20th century. Here's how I [00:33] conclude the piece. I write, "My [00:35] intention is to spur a shift in [00:37] understanding that can build into a [00:39] larger revolution. I'm done seeding my [00:41] brain, the core of all that makes me who [00:43] I am, to the financial interest of a [00:45] small number of technology billionaires [00:47] or the short-sighted conveniences of [00:48] hyperactive communication styles. It's [00:51] time to move past fretting about our [00:53] slide into the cognitive shallows and [00:55] decide to actually do something about [00:58] it. Now, this essay's made the rounds [01:00] and I'm proud of it. But there's one [01:01] question that I've been asked more than [01:03] any other by people who read it. How do [01:06] I become more cognitively fit? I gave a [01:09] few ideas in the essay, but people want [01:11] a more systematic brain fitness routine, [01:15] a sustainable way to push back against [01:17] the digital forces trying to make us [01:19] dumber. Well, it's Monday, which means [01:22] it's time for a Monday advised episode [01:24] of this show, which seems like the [01:26] perfect opportunity to dive deeper into [01:29] this question. All right, so here's the [01:31] plan. Uh, in the weeks since this piece [01:33] has come out, I've refined my cognitive [01:35] fitness program into five different [01:38] components, and I'm going to go through [01:40] each of these. I'll justify why each [01:43] make sense, and then give some practical [01:45] advice for making that component work. [01:48] Now, these five components add up to a [01:50] basic cognitive fitness plan that I [01:52] think basically everybody [01:54] should consider adopting. So, if you've [01:57] been feeling like you've literally been [01:58] losing your mind to technology and [02:00] you're ready to start taking back [02:02] control, [02:03] then this episode is for you. As always, [02:07] I'm Cal Newport and this is Deep [02:10] Questions, the show for people seeking [02:12] depth in a distracted world. And we'll [02:14] get started right after the music. [02:24] All right. So, let's get started with [02:25] our first component here. We'll do a [02:27] reveal. Uh, and it is read every day. I [02:33] think this is a very effective tool. Uh, [02:36] in physical fitness rather, there's a uh [02:38] a very effective idea is that you need [02:41] to lay a base of regular activity. This [02:43] is my inspiration here. So in physical [02:45] activity uh physical fitness we might [02:47] say for example you need to walk at [02:49] least 7 to 10,000 steps a day. This is [02:51] associated with all sorts of positive [02:53] health benefits. Well I think we need a [02:56] similar base layer of fitness when it [02:58] comes to cognitive training. And I think [03:00] that should be reading. Reading rewires [03:03] your brain in a way that literally makes [03:05] you smarter. I want to actually read a [03:08] quote from my New York Times piece about [03:10] exactly this effect. Making sense of [03:13] written text exercises our minds in [03:15] important ways. We develop what the [03:17] cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf [03:19] calls deep reading processes that rewire [03:23] and retrain neuronal region regions in [03:25] ways that increase the complexity and [03:27] nuance of what we're able to understand. [03:30] Deep reading is our species bridge to [03:32] insight and novel thought, she writes. [03:34] All right. So, what's being said here is [03:36] that the more time you spend reading, [03:38] the more you're rewiring your brain to [03:39] basically harness together different [03:41] regions that were originally evolved for [03:42] different purposes, but when combined [03:44] gives you this intellectual superpower, [03:47] complicated thought, nuanced thoughts [03:50] that brings more of your brain matter to [03:52] bear at trying to understand and produce [03:54] original ideas and original [03:56] understanding. [03:57] But there's another justification for [03:59] daily reading as well. It gives you [04:02] practice with the fundamental skill of [04:05] aiming your mind's eye at a desired [04:09] internal target. Now, we're already [04:11] naturally born to be very good at aiming [04:14] our attention at a salient external [04:17] target. So, if I say, I want you to [04:20] really pay attention in this basketball [04:22] game to player number 23, we're very [04:25] good at that. Oh, I can fix my attention [04:26] and just watch that player. But when it [04:29] comes to putting our mind's eye on an [04:31] internal topic like a thought or an [04:33] idea, that requires practice. That [04:36] doesn't come naturally. Reading is [04:38] giving you that practice. So if we read [04:42] more, we're going to rewire our brain to [04:45] be capable of smarter thought. And we [04:48] are getting practice directing our [04:50] mind's eye in a way that will help us [04:52] actually take advantage of that wiring. [04:56] All right. So if that's the big idea for [04:58] the first component, let me give you [04:59] some practical tips for actually [05:01] succeeding. [05:02] If you're not a big reader, I think the [05:05] key is to start with reading things that [05:07] you are excited to read. Do not be [05:11] snobby early on. Do not think I need to [05:13] be reading a good book that's going to [05:15] impress my book club friends or I need [05:17] to be reading a big profound book or [05:19] otherwise it's a waste of my time. No, [05:21] this the act of decoding the symbols [05:23] themselves at first is what we want to [05:24] get used to. The act of putting your [05:26] mind's eye on one target for a sustained [05:28] amount of time is something we want to [05:29] get used to. So, pick something you're [05:30] excited to read. It doesn't matter if [05:33] it's simple or fun or trashy. If it's a [05:36] romance novel or like a highly uh [05:39] emotional Colleen Hoover novel or if [05:42] you're reading uh really trashy genre, [05:45] you know, adventure fiction, doesn't [05:46] matter. Whatever you're excited about [05:49] coming back to. Now, I would start with [05:51] 15 to 20 pages a day. Let me tell you [05:53] how you hit that target consistently. [05:55] Read with your lunch. Read in bed before [05:57] you go to sleep. That'll get you to 15 [05:59] 20 pages, no problem. So, it's a good [06:01] automatic way to get to that base layer. [06:04] Over time, you want to increase those [06:05] pages. Maybe get closer to 30 to 50 [06:07] pages. This might require that you you [06:11] develop a little bit more of a reading [06:12] habit. Oh, like I have some time before [06:15] dinner. I'm going to actually sit and [06:16] read. I'm on the subway going to work. [06:18] I'm going to sit to read. So, as you get [06:20] more used to reading, it'll be easier to [06:23] develop a reading habit where you read [06:25] in more times during your day. The final [06:28] place I want you to get is once you're [06:30] used to reading, you can aim your mind's [06:32] eye. You're starting to build those [06:33] connections is to integrate more what I [06:37] am going to call hard books. So, you [06:38] start with books you're just excited to [06:40] read. So, you do it. Once you're up to [06:42] this 30 to 50 pages a day and aren't [06:44] having much trouble hitting it, make one [06:46] book in three quote unquote hard. And by [06:50] hard, I think of that as if it's [06:52] non-fiction, it's presenting [06:54] sophisticated original ideas or [06:55] analysis. said if it's fiction, it's [06:57] going to be a more challenging literary [07:00] genre that is ultimately going to be [07:01] more rewarding, but takes more [07:03] concentration to understand what's going [07:05] on, who's who uh slower consumption to [07:08] make better sense of what's actually [07:10] unfolding. [07:12] So, you can think of the difficulty of [07:15] the book you intake like your mile time. [07:19] If you're an amateur jogger, [07:22] if you're new to running, you're not [07:23] gonna be like, "Okay, I'm just going to [07:24] whip off a 530 mile because I really [07:26] want to do it." You're not going to be [07:27] able to do it. But on the other hand, if [07:29] you're continuing to train and you're [07:31] running more and you're building up your [07:33] endurance, then you can see that mile [07:35] time coming down. That's the way to [07:36] think about hard books. The more you [07:38] read and the more sophistication you [07:40] begin to interle in, the more ease [07:42] you'll have with tackling more and more [07:44] difficult books. And so where you want [07:45] to end up here is this. A solid amount [07:47] of reading every day. one out of three [07:49] books hard. One little addendum I'll add [07:51] to that is uh you should feel free to [07:54] reduce the daily page count if you're [07:56] reading a very hard book. So that what [07:58] matters there is the slow contemplation, [08:00] not the raw pages at that point. Let's [08:04] take a quick break to hear from some of [08:06] our sponsors. [08:09] If you're growing a business that sells [08:10] things to people, your ability to [08:12] successfully and efficiently fulfill [08:14] orders is critical to your success. This [08:18] is why you need ShipStation. 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Vanta boosts compliance [10:04] team productivity by 129%. These are big [10:08] time results. So whether you're prepping [10:11] for a sock 2 or running an enterprise [10:14] GRC program, Vanta keeps you secure and [10:17] keeps your deals moving. Get started at [10:20] vanta.com/deepquests. [10:23] That's vanta.com/deepquests. [10:26] All right, let's get back to the show. [10:28] All right. So, that is component number [10:30] one of five of our plan for cognitive [10:34] fitness. Let's go to component number [10:37] two. [10:40] Don't avoid writing. Now, here's [10:43] something I've learned. Most people [10:46] don't like writing. They avoid it if [10:49] they can. And now that we've introduced [10:51] generative AI tools that are capable of [10:54] doing more and more of especially like [10:55] the low stakes everyday writing for you, [10:57] many people are writing less than ever [11:00] before. What I'm suggesting here is that [11:02] you consider rejecting this trend in [11:05] your own life and seeking out as many [11:08] opportunities to write as possible. [11:11] Now, to be clear, I understand why [11:13] people don't like writing. This is not a [11:16] a moral failure. It's actually a [11:18] physiological reality. a rational [11:20] response to a physiological reality. Uh, [11:22] I want to read a quote I wrote in a New [11:25] Yorker piece I published a couple years [11:26] ago about what happens in the brain when [11:30] you write. All right, so here's what I [11:32] wrote. Writing is hard. It requires us [11:34] to use multiple parts of the brain in an [11:36] improbable symphony of high strain [11:38] effort. Our hippocamus hippocampus [11:40] summons relevant facts. The pre-tal [11:42] frontal cortex tries to organize them. A [11:45] brain region known as Broca's area helps [11:47] us narrate in a familiar inner voice. [11:48] Our verbal memory stores and manipulates [11:51] the narration as we transfer it to the [11:52] page. Meanwhile, our brain recruits our [11:54] spatial working memory which evolve to [11:56] track our location physical space to [11:57] orient our words within a hole. Right? [12:00] So, this is why we feel resistance to [12:02] writing. We basically have to [12:03] orchestrate many many regions of our [12:05] brain to work together in a way that [12:07] they weren't evolved to do. It's hard [12:08] and we feel strain. But here's the [12:10] thing. That sense of strain or [12:12] difficulty that you experience when you [12:13] face the blank page serves a useful [12:16] purpose from a perspective of cognitive [12:20] fitness. If we think of reading as [12:22] helping to rewire your brain in a way [12:24] that makes it capable of smarter [12:26] thoughts, then writing we can think [12:28] about is uh an activity that actually [12:30] then makes use of those capabilities. It [12:33] makes your brain more capable. It takes [12:35] those yolked together regions of your [12:37] brain, reverses the flow and says, [12:39] "Let's use this to produce original [12:42] thoughts. We wired these to understand [12:44] complicated thoughts. Now we can use [12:46] them to produce original thoughts." So, [12:48] if we want to follow the fitness analogy [12:50] we've been using here, reading is sort [12:52] of like building a cardiovascular base [12:54] and getting your body used to activity. [12:55] You know, I jog, I walk every day, I [12:57] stretch, I'm no longer inactive. Writing [13:00] is like the intense gym workout. You [13:03] need that base to be able to go to the [13:05] gym and do a hard workout without just [13:08] ripping every muscle. But it's that hard [13:10] workout that's actually going to then [13:11] grow demonstrable strength. So writing [13:15] creates more strain and resistance than [13:16] reading. It's harder, [13:19] but it gives us a lot of cognitive [13:21] strength. And if you think about that [13:22] way, I think it makes more sense. Like [13:24] you can walk and do steps and maybe even [13:25] get in light runs every day. So you [13:27] should be reading every day. Writing is [13:29] like your gym workout. You want to you [13:30] want to seek out writing, but also [13:32] recognize it's going to require more [13:33] concentration. It's harder. It's a [13:34] harder thing, but we get the bigger [13:36] gains from it. [13:38] So, I want you to change your mindset [13:40] about writing. Instead of thinking of [13:42] that strain of facing the blank page to [13:44] write that group email and as an [13:47] intolerable [13:49] feeling, like I would do anything to get [13:50] away from this. Instead, think of that [13:54] strain you feel when facing the blank [13:55] page like the burn of a muscle in the [13:58] gym. [13:59] And if you're working out, you learn to [14:01] retrain your brain to say, "Oo, I like [14:03] that feeling. That means I'm about to [14:05] get stronger. Yeah, it's hard in the [14:07] moment, but I'm going to feel good [14:08] afterwards and I'm going to get [14:09] stronger." That's how I want you to [14:10] think about the strain of writing. Do [14:11] not flee it. Do not say, "JI will do [14:14] this and somehow this will make me more [14:16] productive." As if that's really the [14:17] bottleneck to your value production is [14:19] how quickly you write the occasional [14:20] email. It's just you fleeing the string. [14:22] Don't you want to get that muscle [14:23] stronger. [14:25] All right, so here's some practical [14:26] tips. uh your self-perception matters. [14:29] So just say, "Hey, I'm someone who likes [14:30] to write." Just keep telling yourself [14:32] that. Make that part of your identity. [14:35] When uh our group at work is like, "Hey, [14:37] who wants to send this message to the [14:38] client?" You be the one who says, "I can [14:40] do it. I can write it. I like writing. [14:41] I'm good at writing. I don't mind doing [14:43] it." Two, study technique. When you [14:46] read, hey, why was this article good? [14:49] What's the art? What's the What's the [14:50] author doing here? Why is this flowing [14:52] so well? Oh, look at this rhythm. Look [14:54] at the switching back and forth between [14:56] A and B. Look at this integration of [14:58] quotes. It's like quote sentence, quote, [15:02] explanation, call back. Begin looking [15:04] for analyzing, understanding, and [15:06] appreciate the art of writing in your [15:08] reading. What you're doing there is [15:10] you're pulling out techniques that you [15:11] can then utilize in your own writing. [15:13] It's going to make your own writing feel [15:14] better. [15:16] use journaling or if you have a [15:17] newsletter or whatever it is, but have [15:19] some way that you are writing regularly, [15:22] but also doing it in a way that forces [15:24] you to structure your thoughts. That's [15:25] why I like journaling or maybe if you're [15:27] you're publishing a small newsletter. [15:29] These activities force you to not just [15:31] write words, but to use the writing to [15:34] organize your thoughts, to take [15:36] something that seems kind of clear in [15:38] your head and have that feedback loop of [15:40] like, how do I express this clearly on [15:42] words? Oh, it wasn't as clear as I [15:43] thought in my head. and that that [15:44] feedback makes me clarify it and then [15:46] the writing helps me again and you get [15:48] much more complicated thoughts out of [15:50] it. You have to practice structuring [15:51] your thoughts with text. So you need [15:53] something that you're doing [15:54] semi-regularly that does force you to do [15:56] that. It really could even be if you're [15:59] reading interesting books, just taking [16:01] notes in a word file somewhere about the [16:04] core ideas from each chapter as you read [16:06] it. Even that internal exercise alone [16:08] can help you make sense of thoughts at a [16:10] much more uh add much more structure to [16:13] the thoughts that are in your head. I [16:15] also want you psychologically to [16:17] acclimatize to the 10-minute rule. So [16:19] the hardest part about writing is the [16:20] first 10 minutes. That's the part where [16:22] you feel the peak intolerable seeming [16:24] resistance because again remember that [16:27] symphony of brain regions I talked about [16:29] earlier. You have to coordinate a lot of [16:30] your brain together before you can [16:32] effectively start producing words. That [16:34] takes time. [16:36] That could take 10 minutes. So until all [16:38] of those areas are successfully [16:40] connected together and firing together, [16:42] the writing is going to feel really bad. [16:44] But then once they are, it gets easier. [16:47] So if you're used to that, oh, the first [16:49] 10 minutes are going to stink and then [16:50] it's going to feel better. It feels much [16:53] more tolerable. Like I know how this [16:55] movie plays out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This [16:57] is really hard. I'm writing nonsense, [16:58] but it's going to get better once I get [17:00] to the other side of that 10 minutes. So [17:01] really acclimatize yourself to that. And [17:04] I think you're going to find writing to [17:05] be less demanding. All right, so we got [17:08] two components of my cognitive fitness [17:09] routine. Let's bring up the big board [17:11] again. It's time for component number [17:14] three. Here comes the big reveal. [17:19] Go on thinking blocks. [17:22] All right, here's what I mean by that. [17:24] Go on. Jesse's amused by my my tape. I [17:26] think it's dramatic. Jesse, what do you [17:28] think? [17:28] >> I kind of like it. [17:29] >> Oh, there we go. All right. Those who [17:30] are listening don't know, you're missing [17:31] a you're missing a real I would say and [17:34] Jesse tell me if I'm correct me if I'm [17:35] wrong here. Avatar caliber effects [17:39] we are deploying in this episode right [17:41] now. Just that's what I want you to [17:42] imagine is actually happening on the [17:44] screen. All right, let's keep going. [17:46] What do I mean by a thinking walk? I [17:47] want you to go for a walk several times [17:49] a week. Do not bring your phone. If you [17:52] have to have your phone, have it buried [17:53] in a bag. Put on the ringer and put a [17:56] headphone in your ear so if it rings [17:57] you'll hear it. You don't So you're not [17:58] checking it. It's actually going to be a [18:00] pain to get it out. On the walk, I want [18:02] you to think about something important [18:03] to you. It could be professional. It [18:04] could be personal. It could be a problem [18:06] you need to solve. It could be something [18:07] you're working through or maybe your [18:08] brain brainstorming or daydreaming about [18:11] something you're excited about, but a [18:13] solitary target that you're turning your [18:15] mind towards. [18:17] The key is to get practice on this walk [18:20] of turning your intention inwards and [18:22] making sense of some sort of information [18:24] or yourself that there's exterior [18:26] distractions around and you're able to [18:28] turn your intention internally and [18:30] actually operate in an internal world of [18:33] abstract thoughts. Now, in an age of [18:36] constant algorithmically optimized [18:38] diversion, we're sort of losing our [18:41] comfort with this type of [18:42] self-reflection. And I really think this [18:43] is a problem from a cognitive fitness [18:45] standpoint. Self-reflection is where you [18:47] make sense of your life. It's where you [18:48] develop your sense of self. It's where [18:49] your best ideas come from. [18:52] And it's very cognitively demanding [18:54] because again, we love to look at the [18:56] tiger. We have a hard time turning [18:57] inward. So, it requires practice. And [19:00] thinking walks are a great way to do it. [19:03] I really think we underestimate now what [19:06] we're losing when we don't spend time [19:09] with our own thoughts. There's a famous [19:11] book, for example. It's published back [19:12] in 1948. It was called The Sevenstory [19:15] Mountain. It's the autobiography of [19:17] Thomas Merton who goes from being a sort [19:19] of a drift academic in New York to a [19:21] Trappist monk down in Kentucky. If you [19:25] read this book, and I reread it [19:26] recently, I have a first edition of it. [19:28] His transformation [19:30] from this unhappy academic to a monk [19:33] is all about self-reflection. [19:36] He dramatizes throughout this memoir his [19:40] thoughts, his engagement with his [19:41] thoughts, his dialogue with himself. [19:43] It's all discernment. It's all [19:46] exploration of what is going on inside [19:49] his own head. Like, let me lead you read [19:51] you a quote from the book. This is a key [19:53] scene when Mertton uh gets this big [19:57] feeling of inspiration from reading a [19:59] Gerard Manley Hopkins poem. Hopkins is a [20:02] a sort of Jesuit poet and thinker. [20:05] and he he turns inward to try to make [20:08] sense of this feeling and has a big [20:10] revelation. All right, so let me read [20:11] from the book here. Suddenly, I couldn't [20:14] bear it no longer and got into my [20:16] raincoat and started down the stairs to [20:18] walk to the local Catholic parish. And [20:20] then everything inside me began to sing, [20:22] to sing with peace. Later, while walking [20:25] the late night streets after a [20:26] particularly debaucherous night, a [20:27] crystal clear thought emerges. I'm going [20:29] to be a priest. Now I'm adding there [20:33] there's a little bit of the quotes from [20:34] the book and some of that is my own [20:35] summary of it but basically what I'm [20:37] capturing here is there's these key [20:38] scenes in the book where he's reacting [20:41] to the strong feeling from a poem goes [20:44] walking thinking about it thinks about [20:45] it the next night after a hard night of [20:47] partying introspecting [20:50] turning his attention inwards and [20:52] realizing I think I need to be a priest [20:54] that's self-reflection that's [20:56] discernment [20:57] but it's not just about understand [20:59] yourself it's also about cognitive [21:00] fitness if you can turn your mind inward [21:03] and keep it on a target. Not only does [21:04] it make your own life better, it makes [21:06] your brain stronger for almost any type [21:07] of purpose. All right, so here's some [21:10] practical tips. These walks can be short [21:13] at first. Maybe do like one long one [21:15] each week, like on the weekend, but [21:17] otherwise these can be like relatively [21:18] short walks of just going around the [21:19] block. Just get used to that rhythm. As [21:23] I mentioned before, if you absolutely [21:24] have to bring your phone, put it in a [21:26] place where you can't do a quick check, [21:28] right? Because your short-term [21:29] motivation system is is always measuring [21:32] the cost of various activities towards [21:34] the benefit. So if the phone is in your [21:36] pocket, it's saying we could pick that [21:38] up and look at it. That's very low [21:40] friction to do. But we're almost [21:42] certainly going to get a reward for [21:43] doing that. The reward wins over the [21:45] cost. Let's do it. But if the phone is [21:47] in the bottom of your bag, it's like [21:48] actually the cost of having to stop and [21:50] open the bag and go in and get it. That [21:52] might outweigh the reward of what we see [21:54] on like Tik Tok. So actually I'm not [21:55] going to generate a sense of motivation [21:57] to do it. So it's easier to avoid [21:58] distraction if you make the distraction [22:00] less available. I think the gold [22:01] standard is just don't have your phone. [22:02] But if you do make it less accessible, [22:05] it could also help if at the end of [22:07] these walks you journal your insights. [22:10] So it forces you through this exercise [22:12] of like let me try to [22:15] structure and make clear in a physical [22:17] artifact [22:19] what it was that I was wrestling with [22:21] inside my mind. That's a feedback [22:23] function that over time clarifies your [22:26] internal thinking. [22:28] So, you need to think about um what did [22:31] I figure out on this walk? And when you [22:33] write it down, you're like, "Oh, maybe [22:34] that's not as clear as I thought." And [22:35] that's going to actually help you get [22:36] more cognitive fitness out of this [22:39] actual exercise. [22:41] All right, we're making good progress [22:43] here. Let's go back up to the big board. [22:45] It's time for our fourth item. The [22:48] fourth component of my cognitive fitness [22:50] routine. [22:52] Plug in your phone. You may have heard [22:55] me talk about this before, but I think [22:57] it's absolutely vital. So, I actually [22:59] want to emphasize it. When you're at [23:01] home, do not have your phone with you. [23:05] Keep it plugged in. I suggest keeping it [23:07] plugged in in the kitchen. You can put [23:08] on the ringer so if someone calls, you [23:11] can go look for it. You can go in there [23:12] to check in on messages or to look [23:14] things up. If you're waiting for someone [23:16] to text you about something important [23:18] and you worry about missing it, tell [23:19] them, "Hey, my phone's in the other [23:21] room, so call when you're ready and I'll [23:23] hear the ring and then I'll know to come [23:24] see what's going on." The key is to [23:27] spend hours each day in your house [23:30] without your phone there as a constant [23:32] companion. Now, this might seem weird at [23:34] first, like why am I artificially not [23:36] holding on to my phone? But actually, [23:38] the weird thing is always having your [23:39] phone with you. [23:41] I call this the constant companion model [23:43] of phone usage and it's not intrinsic to [23:46] the device. This is actually an idea [23:47] I've been writing about for a while now [23:49] that the original idea for a smartphone [23:51] was not to be something you have on you [23:53] at all times. That actually evolved [23:54] later after the advent of the Apple App [23:57] Store and the discovery by the social [24:00] media companies that if people keep [24:03] their phone with them at all times, they [24:05] can exponentially increase the amount of [24:06] engagement they get. So the constant [24:08] companion model of using your phone is [24:10] not some deterministic inevitability of [24:13] having a smartphone. It's a business [24:15] model based on fracking your attention. [24:17] So the weird thing is actually having [24:19] the phone with you at all time, not [24:21] keeping it plugged in while you're in [24:23] your house. So this is one of the best [24:24] ways to fight back against this. Now, [24:26] why does this matter? because it gives [24:29] you lots of practice doing things [24:32] without that constant short-term [24:34] motivation ping of pick up the phone, [24:36] pick up the phone, pick up the phone. [24:37] You don't realize the extent to which [24:39] you're battling against your short-term [24:40] motivation system with every single [24:41] thing you do when the phone is with you. [24:44] People report when they run this [24:46] technique that it feels like a weight [24:48] has been lifted off of their brain or [24:50] they've been given some sort of like [24:52] highly potent synthetic aderall because [24:54] without that constant battle against [24:56] your short-term motivation says to pick [24:58] up your phone, you focused effortlessly. [25:02] You get clarity you didn't have before. [25:04] So think every show you watch, [25:05] conversations at the table, reading a [25:07] book, doing chores, like doing all these [25:10] things without that temptation to pick [25:13] up the phone completely changes your [25:15] experience of what it can be like in the [25:16] world and that makes your mind much [25:19] stronger. This is a great way to build [25:20] up cognitive fitness. So here's some [25:22] practical tips about it. Uh if you want [25:24] to listen to a podcast like mine during [25:26] chores, use AirPods. [25:28] If your house is large enough that [25:29] you're going to another floor and the [25:31] AirPods can't reach to where your phone [25:33] is, then you can bring the phone to [25:34] whatever floor you're on and plug it in [25:35] somewhere there, but don't put it on [25:37] your person. [25:39] Train people who are uh used to texting [25:41] you and getting rapid responses that you [25:43] don't have the phone on your person when [25:44] you're in your house. So, you know, if [25:46] it's in the evening or the morning, they [25:47] might have to call if they want to get [25:50] your attention. [25:52] And of course, the other advanced tip [25:54] here is make the phone itself less [25:56] desirable by taking off any app that [25:59] makes money from your engagement. Any [26:01] social app for example, take that off [26:03] your phone. And this will give you a [26:05] sort of diluted simulation of the phone [26:07] plugged in effect when you're away from [26:09] the house and the phone might be with [26:10] you. The less interesting the phone is, [26:14] the less strongly your short-term [26:15] motivation system fights to try to get [26:17] you to pick it up. And you get more [26:20] training and practice. just keeping your [26:22] focus on whatever you happen to be [26:23] doing. So, it's a great way to pick up [26:26] cognitive fitness. I sort of think of [26:27] this as the like stop smoking [26:30] analogy. That's like the right analogy [26:31] here. Spend a lot of time each day [26:33] without your phone. It's like if you're [26:34] trying to get stronger, yeah, I think [26:36] you should stop smoking. [26:38] That sort of background activity that [26:39] over time is making everything else [26:41] harder. That's how I think about this. [26:43] All right, we're down to our fifth and [26:45] final piece of my cognitive fitness [26:48] components. Let's give the big reveal. [26:52] Learn a hard skill. [26:55] This is the final component of my plan. [26:57] Master a skill that requires you to [26:59] focus [27:01] to get better, but that also gives you [27:03] clear rewards. You get a clear signal [27:05] that oh, I am getting better. So, I have [27:08] to focus to get better, but then I get a [27:10] clear reward when I do. I think athletic [27:12] pursuits fall into this. Golf or tennis [27:15] or pickle ball or whatever it is. As you [27:17] work harder on this skill, you get a [27:19] clear reward of, oh, I'm getting better [27:21] shots or I'm scoring more points. I [27:23] think musical pursuits are obvious as [27:25] well. Oh, I can play this song that's [27:28] hard and it's cool and I couldn't play [27:29] it before. I'm clearly getting better. [27:31] Um, artistic crafts or pursuits, you can [27:33] see the same thing. Oh, I'm better at [27:35] knitting and you can see it because the [27:36] sweater is more impressive. [27:39] So, I think this is a it's a a great way [27:42] uh to build up skills. Now, actually [27:43] last week I had the author Brad Stolberg [27:46] on the show to talk about how building a [27:48] disciplined practice can make you less [27:50] distractable, [27:52] right? So, for example, he uses [27:54] weightlifting, powerlifting as a [27:55] centering force for his own cognitive [27:57] life. And so, that's part of it, right? [27:59] If you're learning a hard skill, it [28:02] builds up a sense of discipline so you [28:03] can resist distractions easier. But [28:05] there's other cognitive fitness [28:06] advantages here as well. One of the big [28:10] ones I think is it helps train your [28:12] long-term motivation system that when we [28:15] focus on something hard over time we get [28:18] really uh meaningful rewards. The more [28:21] your long-term motivation system can get [28:23] involved in the game, the more of these [28:24] sort of hard one meaningful rewards that [28:27] you introduce into your life, the more [28:29] primacy your long-term motivation system [28:31] gets over the short-term system. The [28:34] long-term system can swap it, right? So, [28:36] if the short-term system is pick up your [28:38] phone, pick up your phone, you know what [28:40] can squash that? The long-term system [28:41] can come in and say, "No, we're going to [28:44] keep practicing the guitar because I [28:46] have learned the rewards of mastering [28:48] these songs are great." And it's much [28:50] bigger than the reward of seeing [28:51] something interesting on Tik Tok. So, I [28:52] can just turn down the volume on that [28:54] short-term motivation system. And you're [28:56] much easier able to keep your attention [28:58] focused. So the more experiences you [29:02] give your long-term motivation system of [29:05] successfully reaping long-term rewards, [29:07] the more you have the ability to [29:09] modulate the influence of the short-term [29:10] system. And in other scenarios as well, [29:13] that short-term system no longer is [29:15] going to have as much of a bite. The [29:17] other cognitive fitness advantage of [29:18] learning a hard scale is just practice [29:19] focusing. You know, it's hard to say, [29:22] let me just sit down and focus just to [29:24] practice it. But if I have a reason to [29:26] do it, I'm trying to learn this chord [29:27] and then I learn it and then it sounds [29:29] better, it's easier to sustain your [29:31] concentration. But that is just practice [29:34] again with aim in your mind's eye, which [29:35] a lot of cognitive fitness comes back to [29:37] this facility with blocking out noise, [29:40] modulating your short-term motivation [29:41] system, sustaining focus on a target of [29:43] your choice. This is an excellent way to [29:46] practice that on a regular basis. So, we [29:48] get the three benefits of this one. what [29:51] we talked about with Brad in general, [29:53] you're just more disciplined, makes you [29:55] uh easier able to resist distractions or [29:58] diversions. Two, it specifically [30:01] requires you long-term motivation system [30:03] to help you with that. And three, it's a [30:05] great way to practice sustaining focus [30:07] on a complicated target for a longer [30:09] piece of time. Some practical tips here. [30:11] This needs to be something that you do [30:12] on a regular schedule, not just when you [30:13] feel like it. It should be a more [30:14] disciplined pursuit. Um, it needs some [30:18] sort of skilled component that improves [30:19] with deliberate practice, but then gives [30:21] you clear indications that you're [30:22] getting better. That's what's going to [30:23] help your long-term motivation system [30:25] learn. There's some sort of coaching you [30:27] can do here. It helps any sort of [30:30] feedback or coaching from another person [30:32] can really help you stick with it. All [30:35] right, so there you have it. I gave you [30:38] uh five components [30:40] for impro imp uh improving your [30:43] cognitive fitness. This is like a [30:44] standard exercise routine before your [30:46] brain. Read every day. Don't avoid [30:50] writing. Go on thinking walks. Plug in [30:52] your phone and learn a hard skill. This [30:56] is like a the cognitive equivalent of [30:58] having a reasonable [31:00] health and fitness routine just to stay [31:02] in reasonable shape. You don't have to [31:04] do these five, but you really should be [31:06] thinking about your cognitive fitness [31:07] like your physical fitness and health [31:09] and say, "Well, here is what I do. Here [31:10] are my rules. Here are my regular [31:11] activities." And maybe you customize [31:13] this to yourself, but what I would like [31:15] you to avoid is having none, to not be [31:17] thinking about that at all. Because we [31:19] live in an environment now with so many [31:21] so much digital junk food, so much [31:24] incentives, digital incentives for [31:27] mental inactivity that if you're not [31:29] thinking about it, you're going to end [31:31] up the cognitive equivalent of being [31:33] really out of shape and unhealthy. All [31:36] right, so if you want to go deeper into [31:37] these ideas, definitely read that New [31:38] York Times piece. it'll kind of lay out [31:40] the whole philosophy there. Um, my book [31:42] Deep Work, which came out 10 years ago, [31:45] lays a foundation for a lot of those [31:46] ideas as well. So, check that out. But [31:48] there you go. Get your brain smarter. [31:53] >> So, when you incorporate the reading 30 [31:56] to 50 pages, that can all be books, New [31:58] Yorker articles, magazines as well. [32:00] >> Yeah, I think that's fine. Yeah, I think [32:02] I think articles are fine. um make it [32:04] physical or Kindle, you know, uh not [32:08] 50page equivalent of tweets like well, [32:10] you know, hey, I scrolled Twitter for [32:12] three hours and if I really add up all [32:13] those words, that's like 50 pages [32:14] because what you want is that sustained [32:16] concentration of following the structure [32:18] of the thoughts and getting lost in a [32:20] particular piece without changing your [32:22] cognitive context. Um yeah, I think [32:23] articles are articles are just as good. [32:26] Books you can read on a Kindle if you [32:28] want. That's physical. It just uses [32:30] electricity to change the physical [32:31] configuration. So there you go. Just [32:34] this is all an excuse. You just like the [32:35] fifth one because it's an excuse to play [32:36] golf. [32:38] >> You're like, I'm just working on my [32:39] cognitive fitness. [32:41] >> That effective feedback. Your handicap [32:44] goes up. Is that effective feedback? I [32:45] don't know. [32:47] >> It's feedback, [32:49] that's for sure. Okay, before we move on [32:51] to our second segment, I want to take a [32:52] quick break to hear from some more of [32:54] our sponsors. 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Step three, you use [35:15] their moisturizer when you're done, [35:16] which is lightweight and non- greasy and [35:18] helps your skin stay healthy. I really [35:21] hadn't done much with my skin until I [35:23] got these three products from Calira [35:25] Lab. I didn't realize how much I was [35:27] missing. This is a small habit that [35:29] produces big results. So, go to [35:31] calderab.com/deep [35:33] and use the code deep for 20% off your [35:36] first order. All right, let's get back [35:39] into it. [35:41] All right, well, you've heard enough [35:43] from me. Now, it's time to hear from [35:45] you. As is our tradition at the end of [35:47] the Monday advice episodes, I like to [35:49] open my inbox and see what you, my [35:50] audience, has to say. So, if you have a [35:54] question, a reaction, or something [35:55] interesting to share, you can send it [35:56] over to podcast at calalupport.com. All [35:58] right, Jesse, what's our first message [36:00] we have today? [36:02] >> The first message is from a former [36:04] social media influencer. [36:06] >> Oh, interesting. [36:07] All right. So, I'll just call this [36:09] anonymous because I don't know if they [36:10] know if I was going to read this or not. [36:12] Um, during my time in school, I [36:15] accidentally became an influencer of [36:17] sorts, which sounds weird, I know, on [36:19] Instagram and Tik Tok in the nutrition [36:21] space. I gained followers, had millions [36:23] of views, went viral, etc. At first, I [36:26] was over the moon, but I quickly felt [36:28] the mental impact of being chronically [36:30] online. I walked away from the slot [36:32] machine and stopped posting on the [36:33] platforms in 2024. [36:35] My experience with social media and the [36:37] decrease in my mental health, [36:38] productivity, original thought, [36:40] individuality, happiness, etc. really [36:41] shook me. It's become a topic I'm [36:43] extremely passionate about. I share my [36:46] journey on my blog and plan to start a [36:47] community group here for those looking [36:50] to leave these addictive platforms. It's [36:53] definitely isolating being a 25-year-old [36:54] who's not on social media, but reading [36:56] your book was a nice reminder of why I [36:58] chose this path and how I know I'll be [37:00] happier for it. Thank you again for [37:01] standing on your beliefs and being a [37:03] guiding voice in this space. I also find [37:05] extremely admirable that you're not on [37:06] these platforms. You walk the walk. [37:09] Well, that's great to hear, right? That [37:11] when this person left their influencer [37:13] role, they're like, "Oh my god, [37:14] everything is so much clearer. I'm [37:15] actually happier. I didn't realize how [37:17] much this is weighing on me." One thing [37:19] that captured my attention is that she [37:21] said, "It's isolating being 25 and not [37:23] on these platforms." I'm interested in [37:25] that. I think that is becoming [37:29] less true as these platforms over the [37:32] last three years have to their doom [37:35] followed the Tik Tok model of breaking [37:37] away from [37:38] following people, following friends, [37:40] choosing who you're trying to get [37:42] content from and have instead moved to a [37:44] model of just we're going to [37:45] algorithmically show you random short [37:46] form stuff that'll press your internal [37:48] buttons. The more these become just [37:50] abstracted slop entertainment, the [37:53] smaller the impact becomes on, oh, I [37:55] don't use these anymore because there's [37:56] no one to notice it. There's no one that [37:57] you're talking to on there. There's no [37:59] one who's following you on there. So, no [38:01] one knows it if you're on there or not, [38:03] with the exception of like some memes [38:04] you may or may not know. So, hopefully [38:06] that is that's becoming easier. All [38:09] right, what else do we got, Jesse? [38:11] >> Our next message is from a writer [38:13] reacting to your interview with Amy [38:15] Timberlake. [38:16] >> Okay, interesting here. All right. So, [38:18] this is from Anjali Banerjee who knows [38:20] Amy Timberlake. So, we we interviewed [38:22] the acclaimed children's book author Amy [38:25] Timberlake, I think two weeks ago, uh [38:27] because we were interested in the idea [38:29] that she uses a typewriter, [38:31] which is a slower piece of technology [38:33] than a computer and has fewer features, [38:35] but makes her a better writer. We use [38:37] this as a metaphor about slowing down [38:40] can actually produce more and technology [38:42] doesn't always understand that. It's [38:43] always about just speeding up. So, um, [38:46] and Jolly Banner G wrote and said, "I [38:50] wrote stories as a child on a [38:53] typewriter, but switched to the Mac when [38:54] it first came out and used computers [38:56] thereafter, but then about 7 years ago, [38:58] I decided that screens notifications [38:59] were too distracting. So, I went to my [39:02] local typewriter shop and bought an [39:03] electric typewriter, but I had to keep [39:04] programming the margins. So, I took it [39:07] back and bought my first completely [39:09] manual typewriter, a Hermes Rocket [39:12] Circuit 19 circuit 1956. From there, I [39:14] caught typewriter fever and now own over [39:18] 100 manual machines. That would be me, [39:19] Jesse, if I start getting typewriters. [39:22] This whole office will be full of [39:23] typewriters [39:24] everywhere. I'm curating my collection, [39:27] focusing on keeping typewriters with [39:28] type faces that can be easily scanned in [39:30] the word using OCR apps or unusual [39:32] models with unusual type faces. I wrote [39:34] much of the first draft of my 14th novel [39:36] on a typewriter, and I posted an image [39:38] of the typewritten draft of the first [39:40] paragraphs versus the final version on [39:42] my blog. Oh, we should look at that. [39:43] Let's bring this up here, Jesse. This is [39:45] the blog post. So, Angelie Banner G [39:48] publishes under the name AG Banner. And [39:51] I'm putting this on the screen here. [39:52] Okay, there you go. So, look at that [39:54] oldfashioned [39:55] typewriting. Um, and then this actually [39:59] an interesting article because she talks [40:01] about what her final published opening [40:03] was versus this. So she cut most of this [40:07] but she wrote about how this is how she [40:10] got out all the relevant thoughts and [40:11] then she realized what's actually core [40:13] here and then she cut a lot to get to [40:14] the final version of it but the essay [40:16] helped her uh the typewriter helped her [40:18] work out helped her work out those [40:20] views. So I think that's I think that's [40:21] pretty cool. I mean again the idea here [40:23] that this comes back to it's all about [40:25] bottlenecks. In fact, I think uh we [40:28] might get into this in more detail in an [40:30] upcoming episode, but it's this idea [40:33] that there's a lot of steps involved in [40:35] doing creative or cognitive work. And a [40:38] lot of the tools we come up with, the [40:40] digital tools are supposed to make us [40:42] more productive speed up parts of that [40:44] process, [40:46] but it's like an assembly line. And what [40:49] really matters is the bottleneck pieces, [40:51] right? So if you do the other steps [40:54] faster, it's just going to pile up work [40:55] at the bottlenecks. You're still not [40:56] going to get more actual results out. [40:59] And often the bottlenecks in cognitive [41:01] or creative work are not sped up by just [41:04] having better tools. And in fact, [41:05] sometimes they require that you step [41:07] away from tools to be able to actually [41:08] improve your output there. And I think [41:09] typewriting is a big piece of this. Like [41:11] the bottleneck for bookw writing is [41:13] often producing really good words and [41:17] and and improving that bottleneck is [41:19] often not about some tool that makes you [41:20] go faster, but actually being able to [41:22] spend more time in a cognitive state [41:24] where you're more likely to come up with [41:25] the good things. And so you can have as [41:27] many AI sped up research database tools [41:31] as you want, but if that bottleneck [41:33] stays small, you're still not going to [41:34] be producing books much faster. So I [41:36] think that's cool. Also, I didn't [41:37] realize this, Jesse. It's a good idea [41:38] that what people do who write on [41:40] typewriters is they scan it. That was [41:42] new. So she was saying she finds [41:45] typewriters that have fonts that can be [41:46] easily scanned into like word with a [41:48] optical character recognition program. [41:50] So you you do it you type and then at [41:53] some point you scan those in a computer [41:54] and now you're editing on the computer. [41:56] >> I kind of like that workflow. [41:58] >> Just some insider baseball for the [42:00] audience. It is incredible like how fast [42:02] you type. [42:03] >> Did I type? [42:04] >> Yeah. So, I was I was thinking if there [42:06] was type fires all around here, it'd be [42:08] kind of loud. [42:09] >> It would be loud. I do have a loud [42:10] keyboard, which I want to say Jesse [42:12] refuses to use. [42:14] >> I like the other one. [42:15] >> Oh, the other one's so much worse. [42:17] >> You don't like the other one? [42:18] >> I That's okay. So, audience, I have a [42:20] beautiful mechanical typewriter that [42:22] lets me type at an incredibly fast [42:24] speed. Very good. Springed up. It's [42:26] loud, but it's a very good mechanical [42:27] typewriter. And Jesse insists on using [42:29] the Apple magic where it's like the the [42:31] little flat keys on the rubber gaskets. [42:33] It's like soft. I don't know. I kind of [42:34] like it. [42:35] >> It's hard to go fast. So the the the [42:36] mechanical one you the finger springs [42:38] back up so you can get back into action [42:39] a little bit quicker. [42:40] >> I think that's you type a lot faster [42:42] than I do. [42:42] >> Well, we are going to start recording [42:45] this podcast on wax cylinders and then [42:48] we can later like remaster them. See, [42:50] I'm going to embrace this. Then we can [42:51] later remaster them in the digital. But [42:53] that way we'll we'll focus more. [42:55] >> The other insider baseball is like you [42:57] not only type fast, but you keep on [42:59] typing. Like you don't stop typing. I've [43:01] been writing for a long time. I'm [43:03] >> like go. [43:04] >> I do go. I write. I write a lot and I [43:07] write fast [43:09] without AI. All right. Do we have any [43:11] more? We have one more message, right? [43:12] >> Yeah, we do. All right. Our final [43:13] message is a case study of someone [43:14] putting your advice into practice. [43:17] >> All right. Let's see what we got here. [43:18] This comes from Solomon. Salman says, "I [43:20] run a textile company in Pakistan. I [43:22] employ about 200 people and it's growing [43:23] fast. I came across your podcast and [43:25] then picked up Deep Work a couple months [43:27] ago. I want to share what happened [43:29] because I think you'd find it [43:30] interesting. I deleted Instagram, [43:32] Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter from my [43:34] phone. Not my accounts, just the apps. [43:35] If I need them, I can log in on a [43:38] computer. And that's it. That was the [43:39] whole intervention. The first few days [43:41] were rough. I didn't realize how deep [43:43] the habit was until there was nothing to [43:45] scroll. I literally asked my wife if I [43:46] could use her Instagram. Her feed was [43:49] built for her, though, and I quit after [43:50] 2 minutes. A week later, I forgot those [43:52] apps even existed. My phone usage [43:55] dropped from 6.5 hours a day to 3.5. [43:57] That's 90 hours a month I was just [43:59] handing over to feeds. But the numbers [44:02] aren't even the main thing. I started [44:04] sleeping better, started working out [44:05] again, and this is the one that hit me [44:07] hardest. I'm actually present with my [44:09] six-year-old daughter now. More drawing, [44:12] building, and playing in the last month [44:13] than the previous four. I didn't need a [44:16] vacation to be a good dad. I just needed [44:17] to put down the phone. I wrote about [44:19] this experience on LinkedIn and it kind [44:21] of blew up. People messaging me saying [44:22] they're deleting their apps. Others [44:23] saying they've been struggling with the [44:25] same thing for years. wasn't trying to [44:26] preach or anything, just shared what [44:28] happened. Honestly, your work was the [44:31] push that started all of it. I'm now [44:33] doing deep work sessions from more most [44:34] mornings. 60 to 90 minutes, no [44:37] distractions. Still figuring out how [44:38] best to use them as a CEO. Turns out [44:41] removing noise doesn't automatically [44:42] give you clarity. That's a different [44:43] problem. But even the early sessions [44:45] have produced some of the best thinking [44:47] I've done in years. All right. I love [44:49] that story. I mean, look, if you take [44:52] the benefits that you get from stopping [44:55] using social media on your phone and you [44:56] just listed them abstractly, people [44:58] would pay huge money for those benefits. [45:00] If you said, "I have a a a productivity [45:03] tool that is going to like gain you back [45:06] 90 extra hours. It's going to [45:07] significantly increase like the time [45:09] with your kids, your ability to work [45:10] out, you're going to feel better, you're [45:12] going to produce better thoughts." If I [45:14] said I had a app that did that or a pill [45:16] that did that, this would be the like [45:19] oympic of intellectual activity. [45:22] Everyone would be all over it. But it [45:23] exists. Just stop using social media on [45:26] your phone. [45:27] Just these huge benefits are just [45:29] sitting there. It's like people in [45:30] physical fitness are like exercise. If [45:32] you could put the benefits of [45:33] semi-regular [45:35] moderate exercise into a pill, it would [45:36] be a blockbuster. Well, it's the same [45:38] thing. The benefits of not using social [45:40] media in your phone, especially as like [45:41] a grown-up with kids, are immense. [45:45] Sometimes you just need a push. It's [45:47] that you just got to stop it. Just like [45:49] I said in that New York Times piece, [45:51] stop with the moderation. Stop with the, [45:54] well, I just use this in this case and I [45:55] have these apps to control this or that. [45:57] It's digital ultrarocessed food. It's [45:59] digital Doritos. It's digital Oreos. [46:01] You're a grown-up. Don't eat Oreos. [46:03] Don't eat Doritos. Right? Like, we just [46:05] need to move on from algorithmically [46:06] curated short form content. it adds no [46:09] value to your life and you get massive [46:11] value if you stop using it. So, I think [46:13] that's a great example um of what can be [46:17] gained. So, thank you Solomon for [46:18] sending that in. All right. Uh like we [46:21] like to do, I want to end our Monday [46:22] episode by quickly bringing you up to [46:23] speed with what I'm up to. [46:26] So, I read the other day uh the book I [46:29] read last week was The Noonday Devil. [46:31] This was recommended by one of our [46:32] listeners. [46:34] It's a it's written by Charles Jean [46:36] Charles Nalt in French and I I forgive [46:39] me but I don't know the I didn't write [46:40] down the translator's name. Um so this [46:43] is it's the he's a Benedicting monastic [46:46] I believe. Uh so it's a religious book [46:48] as published by the Ignatius a Jesuit [46:50] press but it's interesting. This is why [46:52] the listener suggested it to me because [46:53] he thought there'd be some overlap with [46:54] what we've been talking about here with [46:56] the deep life. It's about the Greek term [46:58] acidia ac [47:00] which you can translate as like [47:02] spiritual sloth. And it was this really [47:04] big issue for the early monks. Right? [47:06] This is something that the desert [47:07] fathers the original monastics in the [47:09] near east deserts of the early common [47:11] era they struggled with in their sort of [47:13] desert monastic cells. St. Thomas [47:15] Aquinas wrote a lot about this in the [47:17] medieval period and then it sort of fell [47:19] off the radar and this book is bringing [47:21] it back. and say we should bring this [47:22] term back because it's really useful. [47:25] And I did find some interesting I mean [47:27] anytime we have people writing about one [47:29] of these mental states or productivity [47:31] issues for 2,000 years I'm interested. I [47:34] was like oo I like these older takes and [47:37] there's a couple interesting things I'll [47:38] mention real quick I learned from this [47:40] book. So this idea of spiritual sloth or [47:42] acidia part of the definition is a [47:45] certain lack of activity right? So part [47:47] of it is you could just not do stuff. [47:51] You just stop doing stuff. Uh and they [47:54] they captured that as a problem. But [47:55] what was interesting is they said the [47:57] other way that a CDIA can show up is [47:59] essentially busyness for the sake of [48:01] busyness. Now the term that the French [48:04] author uses is confusingly translated as [48:07] activism because obviously activism has [48:09] a clear meaning in English of like you [48:11] are uh you are advocating for a cause. [48:15] But they actually the author means [48:17] activism differently here as like pseudo [48:20] productivity, busyiness for the sake of [48:22] busyness. Being active for the sake of [48:23] being active without an actual [48:25] meaningful goal to it. So I thought that [48:26] was interesting. They're like spiritual [48:27] sloth. Um this sort of sense of despair [48:32] could either lead to I just stop doing [48:34] things or I'm just doing nonsense all [48:36] the time to distract myself. And the [48:37] real cure is meaningful activity aimed [48:41] at meaningful goals. So it was [48:43] interesting book. I mean, these are like [48:45] religious academic books are not [48:46] necessarily like the most fun reads, but [48:48] I got a lot of good information out of [48:49] it. Um, and otherwise, the main thing [48:52] else that's going on in my life is I'm [48:54] still trying to figure out I have summer [48:55] coming up. I'll keep you posted, but I [48:58] always have my summer schedule. That is [48:59] how I run my weeks during the summer [49:01] when I don't have class responsibilities [49:03] at Georgetown. And I am thinking about a [49:06] shift this year, Jesse. My my [49:07] traditional summer schedule has been uh [49:10] deep work every morning till late [49:13] morning or lunch and then I would do [49:15] Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in the [49:18] afternoons is when I would do other [49:19] things like podcast recording or [49:21] meetings or calls and keeping Monday and [49:23] Fridays open of calendar things, [49:25] professional calendar things so I can [49:26] just like have long days thinking and [49:28] reading or even just recharge. I'm [49:30] thinking about switching it to uh [49:33] Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday as the days [49:36] with my active afternoons and then [49:38] Thursday, Friday leading to the weekend [49:40] being the days where I don't schedule [49:42] things on the calendar. [49:44] I think that's going to match better our [49:46] podcasting schedule. [49:47] >> You're still going to deep work in the [49:49] morning, right? [49:49] >> Yeah. Uh deep work every morning. Yeah, [49:51] that's that's the given. So, anyways, I [49:52] think [49:52] >> if you stop doing deep work, like [49:54] nobody's going to listen to the show [49:55] anymore. Well, it all falls apart. [49:57] >> Which like, yeah, which by the way, it's [49:59] like all the pressure of the internet is [50:01] >> you better keep on doing deep work. [50:02] >> What I mean, all the pressure of the [50:04] internet is like, hey, just work on the [50:05] stuff you do afterwards. But if you [50:07] don't have anything to talk about, [50:08] what's the point? Then you just get like [50:09] obsessive about, I don't know, your [50:11] thumbnails or something. But like, you [50:13] still actually have to have something to [50:14] to talk about. [50:15] >> You got to do deep work with Humeman. He [50:17] said he wanted to do it with you. [50:19] >> Um, yes. Yeah. Yeah, we could do it [50:21] together. [50:22] >> He said he wanted to do it. [50:23] >> All right. Me and human do some deep [50:24] work. Do some deep work together. Um, [50:29] as long as you don't go in the gym. It's [50:31] a strong individual. Strong individual, [50:33] man. They're out there. Yeah. He like [50:35] set some record on that one on Cameron [50:37] Haye's podcast because like whenever [50:39] people come on his podcast, he puts him [50:41] through this gauntlet of exercises and [50:43] he like carried the boulder up the [50:44] mountain or something. Didn't take any [50:46] breaks. [50:46] >> I'm not going on Cam Hannes's I'm not [50:48] going on Cam Haynes's podcast. That's [50:50] like the worst way to get people on your [50:52] show. like, "Hey, come on my podcast. I [50:54] have a pretty good audience. Um, you're [50:55] g have to carry a boulder up a [50:57] mountain." [50:58] >> Yeah. Then run 10 miles and then lift. [51:01] Oh, [51:01] >> my my equivalent is going to be like, [51:02] "All right, I'm going to make you spend [51:04] an hour reading in translation a book on [51:06] a Cydia." That's my equivalent of [51:09] pushing the boulder up the mountain or [51:11] we'll do a typing speed challenge. [51:15] Might you might be strong, but what's [51:17] your what's your WPM? What's your words [51:19] per minute? All right, that's all the [51:20] time we have for today. Thank you for [51:21] listening. Uh we got an AI reality check [51:24] themed episode coming out on Thursday [51:25] and then another advice episode the [51:27] Monday to follow. So we will see you [51:29] soon and until until then as always stay [51:32] deep.  📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/How Do I Reverse Brain Rot.md|How Do I Reverse Brain Rot? by YouTube]] ## Highlights - Not long ago, I published a splashy op-ed for the New York Times. It was titled, "There's a good reason why you can't concentrate." Now, it argues that technology is rapidly diminishing our ability to think, and that this is a major problem for both the individual as well as the success of our society more broadly. In it, I propose that the solution is a revolution in cognitive fitness, not unlike the physical fitness revolution that emerged in the second ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kq7xefqr44ykea71t9e8bf23)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - one of five of our plan for cognitive fitness. Let's go to component number two. Don't avoid writing. Now, here's something I've learned. Most people don't like writing. They avoid it if they can. And now that we've introduced generative AI tools that are capable of doing more and more of especially like the low stakes everyday writing for you, many people are writing less than ever ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kq7xefst08vre3j41b0g040z)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - is like the intense gym workout. You need that base to be able to go to the gym and do a hard workout without just ripping every muscle. But it's that hard workout that's actually going to then grow demonstrable strength. So writing creates more strain and resistance than reading. It's harder, but it gives us a lot of cognitive strength. And if you think about that way, I think it makes more sense. Like you can walk and do steps and maybe even get in light runs every day. So you should be reading every day. Writing is like your gym workout. You want to you ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kq7xefw1zpd46a6ks5zd0d3b)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted - notes in a word file somewhere about the core ideas from each chapter as you read it. Even that internal exercise alone can help you make sense of thoughts at a much more uh add much more structure to the thoughts that are in your head. I also want you psychologically to acclimatize to the 10-minute rule. So the hardest part about writing is the first 10 minutes. That's the part where you feel the peak intolerable seeming resistance because again remember that symphony of brain regions I talked about earlier. You have to coordinate a lot of ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kq7xefyyh8pq9aj6vwvcgjyw)) - Tags: 👻 ai highlighted ## New Highlights added 2026-09-09 at 1:42 PM - [00:03:29] (t=209s) to understand. Deep reading is our species' bridge to Deep reading is our species' bridge to insight and novel thought, she writes. insight and novel thought, she writes. All right, so what's being said here is All right, so what's being said here is that the more time you spend reading, that the more time you spend reading, the more you're rewiring your brain to the more you're rewiring your brain to basically harness together different basically harness together different regions that were originally evolved for regions that were originally evolved for different purposes, but when combined ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01m23m3tmvb5dzcqyjzrthm9m7)) - Note: The only claim in the whole 51-minute episode attached to a named researcher — Maryanne Wolf on deep reading — and even here no specific paper is cited. Worth noting as the ceiling on this episode's sourcing, not the floor. - Tags: atom/literature/h1, reading-habits, attention - [00:11:31] (t=691s) you write. All right, so here's what I wrote. Writing is hard. It requires us wrote. Writing is hard. It requires us to use multiple parts of the brain in an to use multiple parts of the brain in an improbable symphony of high-strain improbable symphony of high-strain effort. Our hippocampus hippocampus effort. Our hippocampus hippocampus summons relevant facts, the prefrontal summons relevant facts, the prefrontal frontal cortex tries to organize them. A frontal cortex tries to organize them. A brain region known as Broca's area helps brain region known as Broca's area helps us narrate in a familiar inner voice. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01m23m3yr7efmh0rdqfm4f2tzm)) - Note: Unsourced. Hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and Broca's area named in a confident mechanism story with no citation — delivered in the same register as the Wolf quote that IS sourced. This is the pattern to watch in the genre: brain-region vocabulary standing in for evidence. - Tags: atom/literature/h2, cognitive-fitness, attention