Train Your Brain for the AI Revolution (1/6): The Hidden Problem No One’s Talking About

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Hello, Habit Mechanics — Dr. Jon Finn here. In this special 6-part series, I’m unpacking my brand-new book Train Your Brain for the AI Revolution: The Proven Four-Step System to Become Irreplaceable (No Tech Skills Required).

In this first episode, I reveal the hidden Brain State problem that’s quietly sabotaging performance in the AI era. You’ll hear the first 7 chapters of the audiobook, plus exclusive commentary on how to master your Brain States — the key to unlocking focus, energy, and long-term success in an AI-augmented world.

Whether you’ve read the book or you’re just curious, this series will give you powerful, practical tools to stay ahead — at work, in life, and with AI.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why Brain State mastery is now the #1 human superpower
• What makes our coaching system the "Dyson of performance coaching"
• How to apply our proven 4-step brain-based system (including tools like the 3-to-1 Reflection)
• Why brain-smart teams will win the AI race

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello Habit Mechanics .
It's Dr John Finn here.
I hope you're having afantastic week so far.
I hope by now you have at leastnoticed that we've released a
new book Train your Brain forthe AI Revolution, the Proven
Four-Step System to BecomeIrreplaceable.
And possibly most importantlyfor many people, no Tech Skills

(00:24):
Required and possibly, mostimportantly, for many people, no
tech skills required.
So for some of you you may haveread the entire book.
For others you may be thinkingabout reading it.
For others still, you may be afew or more chapters in.
So what I've decided to do, whatwe've decided to do here at
tougher minds hq, is to releasethe entire book as the entire

(00:50):
audio book, which has been freefor a while anyway inside the
app, but we thought we'd put itinto the pod as well and put a
bit of a commentary around it.
So installment is going to bechapters one to seven of the

(01:10):
book, then there will be all thechapters connected to step um
two, then all the chaptersconnected to step sorry, all the
chapters connected to step one,then all chapters connected to
step two and three and four andso on and actually saying that
out loud makes me realize therewill be six uh segments to this

(01:33):
podcast.
So if you if you've if you'vestarted reading the book, then
you will understand that ourrenewed mission is to help
people to master their brainstates, because we genuinely
believe that this is going to behumanity's most important skill

(01:54):
the ability to understand howour brain actually works and
start getting more control ofhow our brain is functioning
through the brain state model.
We know that psychologicalperformance, what we might call
cognitive performance, is thefinal frontier of human health,

(02:16):
happiness and performance.
But it's like the Wild West,literally.
There are loads of things outin the market, loads of claims
being made and a lot of it isabsolute nonsense.
It's made up or it's drawn fromtheoretical models that were
created way before we actuallyunderstood how brains worked.

(02:38):
And what we've been doing hereat tougher minds for over 25
years now is rebuilding theperformance coaching model from
the the ground upwards or fromthe brain downwards, and we like
to think of it as the dyson ofcoaching.
So anyone who's experienced ourcoaching, they know it's

(03:01):
different.
Anyone who's read the habitmechanic, they see that what
we're doing is different becausewe start with the brain and how
the brain works, and not justthat, we show you how to move
from knowing what it's a goodidea to be doing and how to
automate that.
So you've got a behavioralbridge between knowing and doing

(03:22):
.
And what we've done inside ofthe new book train your brain
for their evolution is we'vetried to make that simpler still
through our four-step successcycle methodology.
Um, so that's what you getinside of train your brain for
the ir revolution.
It's designed to give yousimple you a simple practical

(03:45):
framework that you can useimmediately, and you can learn
this system in under three hours, and you can show others how to
use it as well if you want, andyou get something which we
believe is humanity's mostimportant skill.
So we want to share this with asmany people as possible and

(04:08):
fundamentally, there are threecore things that we talk about
inside Train your Brain for theAI Revolution.
The first thing is that brainperformance is your hidden AI
era advantage.
It's not about the tech.
The tech's prettystraightforward because it's so

(04:29):
heavily invested in in the senseof it's easy to use.
What is much more challengingis getting our brains working
well, because AI tools and theywill transform our world as we
know it they are only as good asyou and your brain because
humans have to operate the toolsto get the most out of them.

(04:49):
So the first thing that we wantto help people to do is to get
personal mastery over theirbrain states, and we see this as
as your new secret weapon inbeing at your best and getting
all the stuff that you want toget done to the standard.

(05:10):
You want to get it done withoutburning out.
The second core thing that wetalk about in Training your
Brain for the AI Revolution isthat we see that human AI
coaching is the future ofleadership.
So if you want to lead others,you want to coach other people
or you want to lead in anorganisation, the key is going

(05:34):
to be helping others to mastertheir own brain states, and we
map out in the book how you canstart to coach others to thrive
in the ai world.
So human ai coaching I've notheard anyone else even use that

(05:55):
term, never mind write a bookcentered around it and we're
actually already training peopleto become certified human AI
coaches and by going through thebook you'll see exactly what we

(06:15):
mean by that.
The third core idea in Trainyour Brain for the Air Evolution
is that brain smart teams willwin the AI race.
So if you've got a business, ifyou're running a team and you
want to be a thrivingorganisation, the key is going

(06:38):
to be to get your people brainsmart as quickly as you can,
because what we see goingforward, it's a bit like Lean.
Sigma 6 was fundamental formanufacturing firms being
successful in the 80s, 90s,early 2000s.

(06:59):
We see those famous casestudies of people like GE and
Toyota car manufacturers.
Much like Lean, sigma 6 wascrucial for them.
We see that brain stateintelligent cultures are going
to be the key for successfulorganizations and teams in the

(07:24):
AI era, and at the heart of abrain state intelligent culture
are brain smart teams.
That means teams who understandhow their brains work.
In other words, they understandbrain states, understand how to
manage their brain statesindividually and collectively,
because that's how the onlyconstant in the AI era is new
problems to solve, and actuallywe can solve those problems

(07:47):
faster than ever by using AI,but we can only do that if our
brains are working really well.
So there's some of the thingsthat you learn about in Train
your Brain for the AI Revolution.
It's what all of our work iscurrently centred on, so we're
helping people one-to-one, tomanage their own brain state.
So we're doing lots ofone-to-one coaching and you're

(08:08):
seeing lots of the fantasticcase studies coming out of the
work that people like our headof coaching, andrew Foster, is
doing Got senior leaders talkingabout how they have doubled
their salary, talking about howthey're being offered equity
sharing businesses because theyare now being seen as AI leaders

(08:31):
and they're attributing that tothe work that we're doing with
them.
We're seeing our first group ofhuman AI coaches going out into
the world and having a similarimpact to Andrew Foster and the

(08:52):
team.
So actually coaching peoplewithin their own businesses or
setting up their own coachingpractices and actually training
people in the skills that wetalk about when unpacking Train
your Brain for the AI Revolution.
And then we're also workingwith organisations to create
BrainSmart teams and helpbusinesses to create behavioural

(09:16):
bridges between what they knowor what they'd like their people
to do, to actually automatingmore of that really great
behavior that makes it easierfor people to engage in the
business, but also for thebusiness to thrive and everybody
in it to thrive.
So, yeah, so what's going tocome up then is, um, the first

(09:40):
seven chapters of train yourbrain for the air revolution.
My temptation is always to saythe Habit Mechanic, because
that's so wired in my brain.
But I don't think I've slippedup yet on this pod, but excuse
me if I do in the future.
But what you get in chapter oneis your first three-minute

(10:04):
brain state, state two, and weintroduce the three brain states
in chapter two.
It's called unleashing yourbrain's full potential in the ai
era.
So we start to talk more aboutso.
In in chapter one we go quitedeep on recharge, the recharge
brain step, and in chapter twowe talk a bit more about medium

(10:27):
charge and high charge and thenwe introduce the success cycle
at a high level.
Chapter three we talk about thelighthouse brain.
That might be familiar to somepeople from the Habit Mechanic
and we go further with thatconcept inside of this new book.
And we go further with thatconcept inside of this new book.
Then we talk about chapter four.

(10:48):
We talk about the brain's powermodes, extending that
lighthouse brain metaphor,talking about a solar-powered
rechargeable lighthouse orbattery that's running the
lighthouse.
Then we introduce Willpower,who is one of the core

(11:10):
characters in the lighthousebrain.
We introduce Willpower'sassistants in chapter 5 where we
fully introduce the successcycle.
So you're going to meet thetask director, the day designer
and the routine engineer andyou'll learn more about those.

(11:33):
And then chapter 6 we give youa practical example of the
success cycle in action, andthat's a distinct feature of
train your brain for the airevolution.
Compared to the habit mechanic,the habit mechanic is packed
full of case studies of peoplethat we've worked with, people

(11:55):
that we admire, people that arehighly successful for train your
brain for their evolution.
There's some part of it thatpeople really like, because, if
multiple people have told me isthere told me, there's a
constant narrative going throughof Sarah's story.
So we show you how Sarah usesthese tools in her daily life.
And then chapter seven, which Ireally like, is the happiness

(12:18):
equation, where we really drawout what is happiness and what
are the core components.
For me, happiness is like anequation, and if you understand
what the equation is, you've gota much better chance of it
working in your life.
So we unpack that.

(12:38):
So that's it.
So coming up, you're going tohear chapters.
I'll include the introductionas well as a bonus, just so you
understand how to get the mostout of the book but then you'll
hear chapters one to seven.
I would really encourage you tolook at the e-book, look at the

(12:59):
physical book.
There are lots of very powerfulvisuals in the book book.
There are lots of very powerfulvisuals in the book.
Um, obviously, we can't getthose across in an audio book,
but the book is is organizedaround the four core steps of
the success cycle and there's athe bonus step, which is the

(13:22):
learning how to help others.
And you know, the physical bookand the e-book are just very,
very deliberately put together.
I think the physical book isit's under 10 UK pounds and I
know it's discounted on Amazon,so in the US it's probably just

(13:44):
over $10.
So we've made it as cheap as wecan.
Literally, we just want to getthis out there, so we're not
making anything on the book.
The physical book it's prettymuch break even.
Do get a copy.
It's not going to break thebank and I think that, um,

(14:08):
you'll get more out of itbecause, again, it's a book to
be written in and to be um foryou to, to encourage you to take
notes and things from.
So, anyway, yeah, enough of metwittering on.
Next you're going to hear thebook and, as ever, if you have
any questions, thoughts,reflections, then get in touch.

(14:29):
We would love to hear from you.
This book is brought to you bytougher minds.
Publishing train your brain forthe ai revolution the proven
four-step system to becomeirreplaceable, no tech skills
required.
Written, written by Dr JohnFinn and read by me.
Dr John Finn Our mission Icreated this book because I

(14:52):
believe mastering our brainstates will become humanity's
most vital skill for health,happiness and success in the AI
era.
I'll guide you in masteringyour own brain states and show
you how to help others do thesame.
This book is dedicated to thepioneers who will help humanity

(15:13):
master its brain states andcreate an extraordinary future
in the AI era.
Thank you for being a pioneerand joining me on this mission.
How to get the most out of thisbook?
Inside offices, worldwideprofessionals stare at their
screens, surrounded by AI toolsthat promise to transform their

(15:35):
work.
Each offers incrediblecapabilities analysing data,
managing projects, handlingroutine tasks.
Yet, despite all thistechnological power, many feel
more overwhelmed than ever.
Something isn't clicking.
To understand what isn'tclicking, consider this

(15:55):
counterintuitive truth Successin the AI era doesn't require
mastering every singleartificial intelligence tool.
Instead, the foundation lies inmastering something far more
sophisticated your brain, themost complex technology in the
known universe.
The key is understanding how tooptimise your brain's three

(16:20):
essential energy modes, what Icall your brain states.
This book provides ascience-based system for
optimising how your brainnaturally cycles through
different states throughout theday.
Learning to match these brainstates to different types of
work transforms how you createvalue in our AI augmented world.

(16:45):
And even if you have not usedany AI tools yet, you'll still
get a great deal out of thisbook.
Through our work with over20,000 professionals, from
Fortune 500 executives toworld-class athletes, we've
proven these brain optimizationprinciples work in real world

(17:07):
settings.
Building on the foundation ofmy best-selling book, the Habit
Mechanic, I've created the HabitMechanic AI Edge System to help
you thrive in this newtechnological landscape.
How this book works, you'lllearn the success cycle, our

(17:27):
proven four-step system foroptimising your brain states in
the AI era.
You can start using thesepractical tools immediately to
enhance your performance andreduce overwhelm.
By the midpoint of the book,you'll have everything you need
to implement this systematicapproach for thriving in our

(17:48):
AI-augmented world.
The second half provides deeperinsights into the science
behind these practices, helpingyou refine your approach as you
gain experience and as AItechnology evolves.
And as AI technology evolves,work through the success cycle
steps in sequence fromunderstanding your brain state

(18:11):
patterns to organising yourtasks, to optimising your daily
rhythm, to making improvementsautomatic.
Each step builds on the next.
Keep this book accessible asyou integrate new AI tools into
your workflow.
The opportunities ahead areextraordinary and they're yours

(18:32):
to capture through optimisinghow your brain works with these
powerful new technologies.
If you have any questions aboutany area of this book, I am
here to help.
Just send me an email atcontact at toughermindscouk, or
contact me via our website,toughermindscouk.

(18:54):
Let's begin with a simple butpowerful tool that will
immediately make it easier foryou to improve your brain state
management.
Chapter 1.
Your first 3-minute brain statetool.
Welcome, I'm Dr John Finn.
For 25 years, I've specialisedin the behavioural science and

(19:16):
psychology of resilience,performance and leadership,
completing three degrees,including a PhD, in these fields
.
My expertise lies in helpingindividuals, teams and leaders
optimise their cognitiveperformance during periods of
significant change.
I've helped over 20,000 people.

(19:36):
Now, as we enter the mostprofound technological
transformation in human historythe AI revolution, I'm
dedicating myself to helpingpeople succeed in this
unprecedented era of change.
Whether you're just beginning toexplore AI tools or already
using them regularly, theprinciples in this book will

(19:59):
help you integrate thesetechnologies more effectively
into your life so you can thrive.
My research has revealedsomething counterintuitive
Professionals excel in the AIera not by mastering every
emerging technology, but byunderstanding and optimising

(20:19):
their brain's neurobiologicalenergy patterns, which I call
your brain states.
More on the science later.
Those who grasp these patternsare completing sophisticated
projects in a fraction of thetime, while maintaining energy
for what matters most in theirlives.
Building on the principles frommy best-selling book, the Habit

(20:43):
Mechanic, I've developed apractical four-step system
called the Success Cycle to helpyou master your brain states
and give you the human AI edge,so you can seize the
extraordinary opportunities ofthe AI era.
Whether you're seekingpromotion, starting or growing a

(21:08):
business, developing your teamor wanting more energy for
family life, mastering yourbrain states transforms what's
possible.
As we enter this unprecedentedperiod.
Technology can either overwhelmus or help us create the lives
we truly want, and this systemensures you'll be among those
who thrive.
Your three brain states.

(21:29):
You have three brain states.
Here's a quick overview.
First, your recharge brainstate.
This is your essential recoverymode when your brain rebuilds
its energy reserves.
Second, your medium chargebrain state.
This is your efficientprocessing mode, perfect for
handling routine tasks.

(21:50):
Third, your high charge brainstate.
This is your peak performancemode, enabling sophisticated
thinking and complex problemsolving.
While you'll learn to masterall three brain states, we begin
with your recharge brain state,the foundation for everything

(22:12):
else.
Without proper recharge, bothmedium and high charge states
become impossible to maintaineffectively, making it
impossible for you to be healthy, happy and perform to your
potential.
Let me share a simple tool thatwill help you activate your
recharged brain state moreeasily.

(22:32):
I will introduce this toolusing Sarah's story.
Sarah sat at her desk, herscreen filled with three new AI
tools her company had recentlyimplemented.
Each promised incredibleproductivity gains.
Yet she felt more overwhelmedthan ever.

(22:53):
I have all these powerful tools, she told me later, but some
days I can barely focus enoughto use them effectively.
Other days, I'm so wired fromconstant notifications that I
can't wind down.
At night.
I couldn't switch off, couldn'trecharge.
There had to be a better way.

(23:14):
Sarah's transformation beganwith a simple but powerful tool
the daily three-to-onereflection.
The purpose is simple yetprofound to help you calm your
thinking and achieve what wecall the recharge brain state,
your brain's essential recoverymode.
Most importantly, this toolhelps you learn to redirect your

(23:39):
mental spotlight to consciouslyguide your attention away from
threats and worries toward morehelpful patterns of thinking.
To make the daily 3-1reflection even more powerful,
you can activate brain circuitsthat naturally enhance positive
thinking through thispre-reflection routine.

(23:59):
First, choose one of theseoptions Either take a
five-minute walk focusing onslow, calm breathing, or jump up
and down for five to tenseconds or more.
Second, quickly open and closeyour right hand several times.
Third, force yourself to smilewhile doing this.

(24:22):
Fourth, begin your dailythree-to-one reflection, which
I'll show you how to do shortly.
This pre-reflection routine ispowerful because it activates
your accumbens striatalprefrontal cortex network, what
Dr Kelly Lambert calls theeffort-driven reward circuit.

(24:45):
By using your right handspecifically, you're engaging
the left prefrontal cortex,which is associated with
positive emotions.
Your right side activates yourleft brain.
Adding a smile strengthens thispositive activation even
further.
Okay, ready, here goes.

(25:06):
Take a few minutes to completethe following two steps.
Step 1.
Rate yourself First.
Ask yourself this question howwell did you do your best to be
your best and achieve your goals?
Today?
You could say you did great oryou failed, but I'd like you to

(25:26):
be a bit more accurate, becausethis will be more helpful for
you.
So please rate yourself from 1.
You failed to 10, you wereperfect.
You are probably somewhere inbetween.
Write or type out your score.
Step 2.
Complete a focused reflection.
Write down or type out 3 ormore positive or helpful things

(25:51):
about your day and then one areayou can improve in the next 24
hours.
For example, here's one ofSarah's early reflections I am
proactively trying to get betterat using AI tools.
I had breakfast with my familyusing AI tools.
I had breakfast with my family.

(26:12):
I am doing a three-to-onereflection, one thing to improve
in the next 24 hours get to bed10 minutes earlier tonight than
last night.
At first it seemed too basic.
Sarah shared how could justwriting down three positives and
one area for improvement helpme to be at my best in the AI

(26:35):
era?
But within days I noticedsomething changing.
I was calmer.
I could see more clearly whichtasks needed my best thinking
energy.
Most importantly, I wasstarting to understand my own
brain's patterns.
Here's the fascinating part ofhow this works You're actually

(26:59):
using your high-charge brainstate, through focused writing,
to activate your recharged brainstate.
I'll say that again.
You deliberately got yourselfinto a high-charge brain state
in order to activate a rechargedbrain state.
This is what makes thetechnique so powerful.
I use the 3-to-1 reflectionevery workday evening to process

(27:21):
the day, switch off and preparefor deep sleep.
And while it's called a 3-to-1reflection, I actually write
down as many positive or helpfulthoughts as I can possibly
think of.
The act of writing or typing iscrucial.
It forces you to direct yourmental spotlight away from

(27:44):
threats and worries towardhelpful patterns of thinking.
This deliberate redirection ofattention is the cornerstone of
training your brain, makingdaily 3-to-1 reflections easier.
To make it easier to completeregular daily 3-to-1 reflections

(28:04):
, I have created a PDF template.
I use this and if you want touse it, go to toughermindscouk
forward slash.
Train your brain.
To download your copy.
I will also remind you tocomplete exercises like the
daily three-to-one reflectionsin the Habit Mechanic podcast.

(28:26):
Listen to it heretoughermindscouk forward slash
podcast.
Finally, our Habit MechanicUniversity app is also designed
to make completing regular daily3-1 reflections easier.
To learn more, go totoughermindscouk If you want to

(28:49):
learn more about the sciencebehind the daily 3-to-1
reflection.
I unpack it in Appendix A whenI reveal the brain mechanics
behind emotional regulation.
But don't worry about thatright now.
Let's keep going Now that youhave this tool for activating
your recharged brain state, youmight be wondering about your

(29:09):
medium and high charge states.
How do they work with AI tools,how can you optimise them for
peak performance and how do youmaintain the right energy
throughout your day?
We'll explore all of this inour next chapter, but first, if
it's helpful, make a note toremind yourself to complete a

(29:32):
three-to-one reflection thisevening, as Sarah discovered.
At first it seemed too basic,but that simple practice changed
everything.
Every journey begins with asingle step, and this one will
create the foundation foreverything we'll build together.
Chapter 2.

(29:52):
Unleashing your brain's fullpotential in the AI era.
Now that you understand how toactivate your recharge brain
state, let's explore how yourother brain states transform
your work with AI tools.
Remember Sarah After masteringthe 3-to-one reflection, she

(30:14):
discovered something fascinating.
Once I could reliably activatemy recharged state, she
explained, I started noticingclear patterns in my thinking
and energy throughout the day.
Some hours were perfect formentally challenging work, while
others were better for routinetasks.

(30:35):
Understanding these patternscompletely changed how I used AI
tools.
Sarah had discovered whatneuroscience shows your brain's
energy patterns shift betweenthree distinct modes recharge,
medium charge and high chargethroughout the day, each

(30:56):
perfectly suited for specifictypes of work.
The science behind these brainstates is well established, as
highlighted in the 2023 paper.
Why is everyone talking aboutbrain state in trends in
neuroscience by Yale UniversityAcademics?
I unpack more of the science inAppendix B, but right now let's

(31:20):
focus on how you can use thesestates to transform your
performance.
Medium-charge brain state yourmedium-charge brain state is
perfect for handling simple,routine and largely undemanding
tasks, for example, sendingsimple emails, helping a client

(31:40):
solve a standard problem orhandling administrative tasks.
In recent years, theseactivities consume more and more
of our working hours, leavinglittle time for premium thinking
and doing our most challengingand high-impact work.
But here's where AI creates anextraordinary opportunity.

(32:02):
Consider this startlingprediction from Winning by
Design, a leading sales trainingcompany that works with some of
the world's largest businessesWithin the next 12 months, ai
will enable companies to operatemany of their sales and
marketing functions at just 2%of current costs, while

(32:24):
achieving better results.
That's a staggering 98%reduction in costs with improved
performance.
This transformation is possiblebecause AI can now handle most
medium-charge tasks faster andmore efficiently than humans,
freeing us to focus onhigher-value work.

(32:48):
High-charge brain state.
High Charge Brain State yourhigh charge brain state enables
your most sophisticated thinkingand high impact work, from
complex problem solving andcreative development to
strategic planning.
This is your brain's premiumoperating mode, where your
unique human capabilities trulyshine.

(33:10):
Unique human capabilities trulyshine.
Our research shows mostprofessionals can only maintain
one to two hours of thissophisticated thinking each day.
The rest gets consumed byinterruptions, routine tasks and
mental fatigue.
But here's what makes thismoment in history extraordinary.

(33:30):
While AI can't replicate thispremium cognitive work, it can
dramatically amplify it.
Think of it as having an expertconsultant instantly available
on demand, helping you completeyour most challenging and
high-impact work in a fractionof the time and at a fraction of
the cost.
Here's a real-world exampleProducing the audiobook version

(33:55):
of this book, a high-chargebrain state task, took one
person with optimised brainstates just three days using AI
tools.
The same task for a previousbook of identical length, when
AI tools were not available,required two people working for
ten days and cost nine times asmuch.

(34:17):
That's a 233% increase in speedand a 90% reduction in costs.
We're seeing similartransformations across many
professional fields.
A quick note about AI tools.
You might be wondering whichspecific AI tools we used for
examples like this audiobookproduction.

(34:38):
However, this book deliberatelyavoids recommending specific AI
tools because they evolve sorapidly.
Tools available at the time ofwriting might be renamed,
replaced or obsolete by the timeyou listen to this.
More importantly, the key tosuccess isn't about using any

(35:02):
one specific tool, but ratherunderstanding how to optimise
your brain states to workeffectively with whatever AI
tools you choose to explore.
Ultimately, your journey willinvolve discovering which tools
work best for your unique needsand circumstances.

(35:23):
The success cycle your four-stepAI edge system.
Achieving the type of result Ishared isn't about working
harder.
It's about aligning yourbrain's natural patterns with
AI's capabilities.
This is where the success cycletransforms everything.
Just as elite athletes usesophisticated systems to

(35:47):
optimize their performance, ourfour-step system helps you
thrive in the AI era.
Step one measurement your brainstate analysis.
Map your brain's energypatterns to reveal your biggest
opportunities for transformation.
Step two planning yourstrategic roadmap.

(36:09):
Match each task to the righttype of energy and identify
where AI tools can enhance yourcapabilities.
Step 3.
Optimisation your daily rhythm.
Design, structure your day tomaintain peak energy for what
matters most professionally andpersonally energy for what

(36:35):
matters most professionally andpersonally.
Step 4.
Automation your excellenceengine.
Develop triggers and systemsthat make optimal performance
automatic, using AI tools toenhance rather than drain your
energy.
The results More qualityrecharge time, less routine and
mundane work and significantlymore hours in your peak state,
doing the energising,high-impact thinking that makes

(36:59):
you feel at your best.
Sarah's experience shows thepower of this system.
Within weeks of starting thesuccess cycle she shared, I was
consistently finishing my mostvaluable work by early afternoon
.
Ai tools handled routine tasksduring my medium charge periods,
while I saved my high chargehours for strategic thinking.

(37:22):
Best of all, I had real energyleft for family time in the
evenings.
But creating thistransformation starts with
understanding somethingfundamental about how your brain
works.
In the next chapter you'lldiscover a simple story that
helps you to begin controllingthese complex patterns the story

(37:46):
of your lighthouse brain,chapter 3.
Your Lighthouse Brain.
Imagine you have a lighthousein your brain.
Two important characters livethere.
The first is Hugh, which standsfor Horribly Unhelpful Emotions
.
The second is Wilhelmina.
Power, or Willpower for short.
Most importantly, willpower isHugh's guide and mentor.

(38:09):
Hugh works in the Lighthouse'scontrol room.
Think of Hugh using a beam oflight from the Lighthouse to
constantly scan your thoughts,your feelings and the
environment around you.
Hugh's primary instinct is tospend its time looking for three
things First, threats from yourpast, such as memories of

(38:31):
mistakes or regrets.
Second, threats in the present,meaning any immediate problems
or challenges.
And third, threats in thefuture, including worst-case
scenarios about what mighthappen.
But that's not all when thereare no obvious threats on the
horizon, not all when there areno obvious threats on the

(38:52):
horizon.
Hugh's second instinct is tofind easy, new and exciting
things that make it feel good.
Hugh loves doing things andhaving experiences that give it
short-term gratification.
This isn't a character flaw.
Hugh's scanning and feel-goodseeking behaviours are built-in
survival programming that helpedhumans thrive for hundreds of

(39:16):
thousands of years.
The problem is that in today'svolatile, uncertain, complex and
AI-augmented world, these sameinstincts often work against us
often work against us.
Hugh naturally gravitates towardmedium-charge brain state tasks
, those routine, familiaractivities that provide quick

(39:39):
satisfaction.
Answering a simple email,checking off an easy-to-do item
or scrolling social media allgive Hugh the immediate reward
it craves while using minimalenergy.
But high-charge brain statetasks, those complex, creative
tasks that create real value,require sustained mental effort

(40:02):
without immediate payoff.
Hugh instinctively resiststhese activities because they
demand energy and don't provideinstant gratification.
When you sit down to write astrategic report or learn a new
skill.
Hugh often tries to redirectyour attention to something

(40:23):
easier and more immediatelyrewarding.
This is where Willpower comesin.
There's a training room in thelighthouse where willpower
spends time learning how to helpyou fulfil your potential.
When Hugh notices a problem orgets tempted by short-term
gratification, it can callwillpower for help.

(40:44):
Think of it as a mentoringrelationship.
Willpower doesn't just solveproblems for Hugh.
Over time, it teaches Hugh howto automatically respond more
helpfully and effectively.
You've already experienced thismentoring relationship in
action through the three-to-onereflection.

(41:05):
This practice is itself ahigh-charge task that is
designed to move you into arecharged brain state.
It's a high-charge task becauseit requires focused mental
energy.
When you first try it, hughmight resist, preferring to
check emails or scroll socialmedia instead.

(41:26):
But with Willpower's help, youlearn to direct your attention
deliberately, building somethingvaluable through sustained
mental effort.
When you completed that exercise, you were actually using
Willpower to guide Hugh'sspotlight of attention.
Instead of letting Hughrandomly scan for threats or

(41:49):
problems, you deliberatelydirected that spotlight onto
three specific areas.
First, how well you did yourbest today, rating yourself out
of 10.
Second, three specific positiveor helpful things about your
day.
Third, one clear area forimprovement.
Third, one clear area forimprovement Think about your own

(42:13):
reaction when reading earlierabout AI's impact on sales and
marketing, how 2025 could seecosts reduced to just 2% of
current levels.
Where did Hue direct yourspotlight?
Did you feel threatened,skeptical?
Now consider your reaction tothe audiobook example, seeing

(42:34):
how AI tools helped complete inthree days what previously took
two people 10 days.
Did your spotlight focus onopportunity or threat?
This awareness of where Hughdirects your attention is
crucial, but even more importantis learning to deliberately
redirect that spotlight.

(42:55):
That's exactly what thethree-to-one reflection helps
you practice.
By writing down your thoughts.
Think of it as going to the gymfor your brain.
You're strengtheningWillpower's ability to guide
Hugh toward helpful patterns ofthinking.
Like any high-charge task, thisskill becomes easier with

(43:17):
practice.
What starts as a challengingtask gradually becomes more
natural as willpower helps Hughdevelop new patterns of thinking
.
This deliberate redirection ofattention creates a powerful
transformation.
When willpower can do its jobproperly, your Hugh becomes

(43:38):
calmer and more balanced.
This makes everything easier,from building good habits around
sleep and exercise to stayingfocused at work and generally
being at your best across allareas of your life.
As we like to say calmer you,better you.
But here's the challenge many ofus struggle with in the rapidly

(44:01):
changing AI era.
Our modern world presentsunprecedented challenges that
can overwhelm this delicatebalance and put Hugh on constant
alert.
For example, there are four keychallenges we face.
First, constant connectivitymakes it hard to switch off.

(44:21):
Second, social media triggersendless comparison.
Third, ai tools promiseproductivity but create new
pressures.
Third, ai tools promiseproductivity but create new
pressures.
Fourth, notifications fromdevices fragment our attention.
But understanding thesechallenges is just the first
step.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover something remarkable

(44:46):
about how these pressures affectyour brain's energy system and,
more importantly, how toprotect and optimize it in our
AI-augmented world.
If you're curious about thedeeper neuroscience behind how
your brain processes thesechallenges, you'll find detailed
explanations in Appendix A.

(45:07):
But for now, let's focus onsomething more urgent
understanding and managing yourbrain's energy system in ways
that transform how you work andlive.
Chapter four your brain's powermodes.
Your lighthouse brain facesmodern challenges that go beyond

(45:27):
just disrupting hue, yourhorribly unhelpful emotions and
willpower's relationship.
In fact, they drain the veryenergy source that powers your
entire system.
Let me explain how this works.
To understand how this systemworks, we need to understand
something fascinating.
Your brain is like arechargeable battery that has

(45:50):
three distinct power modes.
A solar-powered lighthouse andyes, they are a thing powered by
a rechargeable battery providesa perfect metaphor for
understanding how these brainpower modes work throughout your
24-hour cycle.
During daylight hours, asolar-powered lighthouse runs on

(46:12):
low power just enough to keepessential systems running while
it recharges its batteriesthrough solar panels.
As dusk approaches, itincreases to medium power,
running low-level lights thathelp ships see the lighthouse
structure itself.
Then, in darkness, when shipsneed it most, it operates at

(46:36):
full power, sending its brightbeam far across the waters.
Your brain works in remarkablysimilar ways.
Just as the lighthouse cyclesthrough three different power
modes, each perfectly matched tothe demands in any given day,
your brain also cycles throughthree distinct power modes to

(46:58):
function effectively.
First, there is the rechargedbrain state, when your brain
needs essential recovery andmaintenance.
Second, the medium-chargedbrain state, when your brain
handles routine tasksefficiently.
And third, the high-chargedbrain state, when your brain
handles routine tasksefficiently.
And third, the high-chargebrain state, when your brain

(47:19):
performs its most sophisticatedthinking and allows you to
tackle demanding tasks.
Understanding these three modesgives you a unique advantage in
today's workplace, while othersstruggle to adapt to AI tools,
you'll know exactly how to matchyour brain's natural rhythms to

(47:41):
different types of work andalso reset your brain's rhythms
to work better for you.
This knowledge is becomingincreasingly valuable as
organisations seek ways tooptimise human AI collaboration.
Now that you understand yourbrain's three power modes, let's

(48:03):
look at what affects them.
Just as a lighthouse needsproper maintenance of its power
system, your brain relies onfour key energy sources In your
day-to-day life.
Four key sources either chargeor drain your brain battery.
First, there is sleep theequivalent of direct sunlight

(48:25):
for your brain's battery.
Quality sleep recharges yoursystem, allowing willpower to
guide hue effectively.
Second is brain-friendlynutrition, the special fuel that
keeps your brain's batteryrunning throughout the day.
When stressed, many peoplereach for brain-unfriendly

(48:45):
energy fixes like sugary snacks,excess caffeine and highly
processed foods.
These give brief energy spikesbut lead to deeper crashes,
making it even harder forwillpower to mentor Hugh.
Third comes movement,particularly walking, which acts
like a supercharger for yourbrain's battery.

(49:07):
Being stuck at a desk jugglingmultiple tasks drains your
battery further and also makesit more difficult to get quality
sleep each night.
Finally, there arerelationships the social
connections that can eitherenergize your battery or deplete
it.
Constant comparison on socialmedia, lack of time to socialize

(49:32):
and strained relationships turnpotential energy sources into
energy drains.
When your battery is low,several things happen.
First, hugh's threat scanningbeam becomes erratic and goes
into overdrive, seeing dangerseverywhere.
Second, Willpower lacks energyand struggles to maintain its

(49:54):
mentoring role.
Third, their relationshipbecomes Second willpower lacks
energy and struggles to maintainits mentoring role.
Third, their relationshipbecomes strained instead of
supportive.
And fourth, the whole systemstarts operating in survival
mode.
This creates a downward spiral.
The lower your battery gets,the harder it becomes to make

(50:18):
good decisions about sleep.
The more you crave unhealthyfoods, the less you feel like
moving and the less energy youhave to build and maintain
nurturing relationships.
But here's the good news youdon't need to fix everything at
once.
You just need to understand howyour lighthouse brain works and
start making small changes toprotect and optimise your brain

(50:39):
battery.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover a remarkable system for
getting your lighthouse brainworking at its best.
Let's keep moving on yourjourney to thriving in the AI
era.
Chapter 5.
The Success Cycle.
Now that you understand yourlighthouse brain and how

(51:01):
willpower helps guide you, yourhorribly unhelpful emotions,
let's discover the remarkablesystem you can use to optimize
your brain states and createlasting transformation.
This system is called theSuccess Cycle.
It helps Willpower and itsthree specialist assistants
manage your brain stateseffectively.

(51:22):
I'll use Sarah's story to helpyou understand how to use it in
your own life.
Six months ago, sarah wasstruggling to maintain optimal
brain states.
Three new AI systems competedfor her attention.
Notifications constantlyinterrupted her focus.

(51:43):
Despite working longer hours,she felt less productive than
ever.
Most concerning, she had noenergy left for family or
personal time.
By day's end, her hue wasconstantly scanning for threats
and seeking quick gratification,draining her battery brain and
making it impossible to maintainthe high charge state she

(52:06):
needed for important work.
Then she discovered the successcycle, a four-step system that
helps willpower optimize yourbrain states throughout each day
.
Willpower uses three specialistassistants to implement this
system.
Let me introduce them to you.
First, there is the taskdirector, who helps identify

(52:31):
which brain state each taskrequires, which brain state each
task requires.
Second, we have the daydesigner, who creates schedules
that recognise and take accountof these different states.
And third, there is the routineengineer, who makes maintaining
optimal brain states automatic.
The success cycle works throughfour powerful steps.

(52:54):
Let me walk you through eachone.
First comes measurement.
Just as a doctor needs tounderstand your vital signs
before creating a treatment plan, we begin by measuring your
brain's current performancepatterns.
This reveals exactly whereyou're starting from and what
needs to change.

(53:15):
Next is planning, where thetask director creates your
success blueprint.
This step identifies whichactivities need your premium
thinking power and which can beenhanced by AI tools, ensuring
every task gets the right typeof energy.
Third comes optimisation, wherethe day designer crafts your

(53:40):
perfect 24-hour rhythm.
This isn't just about workhours.
It's about aligning every partof your day to build and protect
your brain's energy for peakperformance.
Finally, there's automation,where the routine engineer makes
excellence an automatic processInstead of relying on willpower

(54:03):
.
You develop triggers andsystems that naturally guide you
toward optimal performance,including strategic use of AI
tools.
Then you repeat the process.
The rest of this book will showyou how to achieve this, step
by step.
As you master these steps,you'll naturally begin seeing

(54:25):
opportunities to help othersoptimise their own brain states,
just as Sarah discovered whenher colleagues noticed her
transformation.
Each time you move throughthese steps, your performance
improves.
Measurement reveals newopportunities, planning refines
your approach, optimizationenhances your rhythms and

(54:49):
automation makes improvementspermanent.
This creates a continuous cycleof transformation that helps
you thrive in the AI era.
Chapter six the success cycle inaction.
Now that you understand thefour steps of the success cycle,
let's see exactly how Sarahuses this system to optimize her

(55:11):
brain state.
Her journey shows how each stepbuilds on the one before to
create lasting transformation.
Step one measurement.
Getting that initial score waseye-opening, sarah remembered.
It wasn't about judgment.
It was about finallyunderstanding what I was dealing

(55:32):
with.
Once I had that measurement, Icould use willpower and the
specialist team to beginoptimising my brain state.
Step two planning with the taskdirector.
Sarah knew she needed a newapproach to managing her work
with AI tools.
By engaging the task director'sunique perspective, she began

(55:56):
creating a complete inventory ofeverything requiring her energy
.
This process led to asurprising breakthrough.
I had this moment that changedeverything Sarah shared.
I was listing my tasks,expecting to focus on managing
AI tools and work projects, butby working with the task

(56:17):
director, I discovered a deepertruth.
Every activity requiring myenergy from strategic planning
to quality sleep, from learningnew technologies to maintaining
relationships was actually atask needing a specific type of
brainpower.
This wasn't just about timemanagement anymore was actually

(56:39):
a task needing a specific typeof brain power.
This wasn't just about timemanagement anymore.
I could now see how to optimisemy energy for each task.
Step 3.
Optimisation with the daydesigner.
Armed with this newunderstanding of her tasks,
sarah turned to the day designerto craft schedules that would
respect her brain's naturalrhythms.
She discovered somethingprofound about energy management

(57:03):
that most productivity systemsmiss.
Every hour of her 24-hour cycleeither built or depleted her
brain energy.
What she did at 9pm directlyaffected her performance at 9am.
Her Sunday choices shaped herMonday capacity.
This changed everything abouthow I approached my schedule.

(57:26):
Sarah explained I could see howmy evening Netflix binges were
disrupting my sleep, leaving mybrain foggy for strategic work
the next morning.
My habit of catching up onemails before bed was activating
stress responses that madequality rest impossible.
Even my weekend pattern ofsleeping late was throwing off

(57:49):
my brain's natural energy cycle.
By treating her entire 24-hourday as an integrated energy
system, sarah completelyreshaped her approach.
She designed evening routinesto build energy for the next
morning.
She scheduled AI toolsstrategically, not just to

(58:11):
handle routine tasks but toreduce cognitive load when her
brain needed to recharge.
She even positioned family timeto enhance rather than drain
her energy, creating naturaltransitions between work and
rest.
Step four automation with theroutine engineer.

(58:33):
With clear understanding of hertasks and optimal scheduling,
sarah worked with the routineengineer to make these
improvements automatic.
This step was crucial.
She shared Understanding taskenergy, and ideal scheduling
wasn't enough.
I needed to create systems thatwould make optimal performance

(58:54):
automatic.
I used the routine engineer todevelop triggers and routines
that protected my brain powerthroughout the day.
My phone automatically goesinto focus mode during important
work.
Ai tools activate duringspecific periods to handle
routine tasks.
Even my evening routine nownaturally guides me toward

(59:19):
quality sleep.
The results by actively usingthe success cycle, sarah
transformed every aspect of herlife.
She now consistently completesher most valuable work by early
afternoon.
She has energy for eveningwalks with her husband and
helping her kids with homework.
She's even started writing thenovel she'd been dreaming about

(59:43):
for years.
But something unexpectedhappened.
As she mastered the system,sarah discovered she had become
her own human AI optimisationcoach.
She wasn't just using AI tools,she was strategically
integrating them into herbrain's natural rhythms.

(01:00:04):
Her team noticed the differenceand soon she was helping them
apply the same principles Evenat home.
She found herself coaching herteenage son to use these ideas
for his studying.
What surprised me most, sarahadded, was discovering how many
people needed this kind ofguidance.

(01:00:26):
As AI transforms more workplaces, the ability to optimise human
performance alongside technologybecomes increasingly valuable,
both for your own success and asa way to help others thrive.
This isn't just one person'ssuccess story.
Through our work with thousandsof professionals, we've proven

(01:00:50):
these brain optimisationprinciples create remarkable
performance improvements.
Now, as professionals combinethese proven principles with new
AI tools, we're seeing evenmore extraordinary results.
It's not about becoming atechnology expert.
It's about understanding howyour brain actually works and

(01:01:13):
aligning that knowledge with AItools in ways that make
unprecedented performance levelspossible.
But before we begin measuringyour brain states, let's
understand something crucialabout why this transformation
matters so much.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover how optimising your

(01:01:37):
brain states doesn't just makeyou more productive.
It's actually the key tolasting happiness in the AI era.
Then you'll learn about thesame measurement tool that
launched Sarah's transformation,helping you begin your own
journey to sustained success.
Chapter 7.

(01:01:58):
The Happiness Equation.
Sarah studied her phone,scrolling through another batch
of notifications.
I felt busy all the time, sherecalled later, but somehow I
never felt like I was actuallymoving forward.
Something was missing.
What Sarah discovered and whatyou'll learn in this chapter is

(01:02:21):
that true happiness comes from adelicate balance.
While part of happiness comesfrom pleasure and feeling good
in the moment, the deeper andmore lasting part comes from
making meaningful progress inyour life, from growing,
learning and developing yourself.
But here's the challenge of ourmodern world, hugh your horribly

(01:02:45):
unhelpful emotions.
That's the part of yourlighthouse brain, constantly
scanning for threats and seekingquick gratification, can become
addicted to busyness.
The constant notifications,endless emails and stream of
digital distractions keep youoccupied but prevent you from

(01:03:05):
entering the high-charge brainstates where real growth happens
.
This creates a troubling cycle.
Remember how your brain, like alighthouse, operates in three
distinct states High chargeperiods for your most
sophisticated thinking work,medium charge periods for
routine tasks and essentialrecharge periods for recovery.

(01:03:29):
The more time we spendresponding to immediate demands
and seeking quick pleasures, theless time we spend in those
crucial high-charge states wherewe do the kind of work that
creates real progress thestrategic thinking, creative
development and focused learningthat make us feel truly

(01:03:50):
satisfied.
Even worse, this constant stateof busyness prevents us from
getting the deep recharge ourbrains desperately need.
Poor sleep, rushed breaks andfragmented downtime mean we're
not just missing opportunitiesfor high-charge work, we're

(01:04:10):
actually making it harder toaccess those states at all.
Making it harder to accessthose states at all, we end up
trapped in medium charge,handling endless routine tasks,
without the energy for eitherproper recovery or meaningful
progress.
The promise of the AI era isthat we can break this cycle.
By using AI tools strategicallyto handle routine tasks and

(01:04:34):
reduce cognitive load, we cancreate a better balance across
all three brain states.
Ai doesn't just help withmedium charge work.
It creates space for bothproper recharge and high impact
thinking.
This three-part balance isactually the key to lasting
happiness.
First, we need strongfoundations quality sleep, good

(01:04:58):
nutrition, regular exercise andpositive relationships.
By helping us complete our workmore efficiently and
effectively, ai tools protectthese foundations in several
ways.
They reduce the need forlate-night work sessions that
disrupt sleep, help us finishimportant tasks during normal

(01:05:19):
working hours and create clearerboundaries between professional
and personal time.
This means we can maintainconsistent sleep and exercise
routines, spend quality timenurturing our relationships and
properly switch off at the endof each day.
Second, we need somemedium-charge activities that

(01:05:43):
satisfy what psychologists callour hedonic needs, our natural
desire for pleasure andimmediate gratification.
These include both necessaryroutine tasks and simple
enjoyments that help us feelgood in the moment.
The challenge is that Hugh canbecome addicted to these quick

(01:06:03):
rewards, leading us to spend toomuch time scrolling social
media or handling minor tasks,at the expense of both recharge
and high-charge activities.
This is where AI becomestransformative.
By efficiently handling routinework like email management and

(01:06:24):
basic research, ai tools free usfrom Hugh's addiction to
busyness.
We can then consciously choosewhen to enjoy pleasurable
activities rather than beingdriven by them, creating space
for both productive work andgenuine relaxation.
It's not about eliminatinghedonic pleasure.

(01:06:46):
It's about putting it in itsproper place.
Finally, we need regular accessto high-charge states where we
do what psychologists calleudaimonic work, the kind of
meaningful activity that makesus feel we're growing and moving
forward.
This includes strategicthinking, creative development

(01:07:09):
and focused learning.
Ai not only creates more timefor this work, but can enhance
our capabilities during thesepremium thinking periods.
Looking back now, sarahreflected, I can see how
understanding this balancefundamentally changed my
relationship with technology.

(01:07:30):
Instead of letting AI tools addto my stress, I learned to use
them intentionally to protect myenergy.
I had better focus for deepwork, real presence with my
family and proper rest.
I wasn't just busy anymore.
I was growing and actuallyenjoying my life.
Understanding this balance iscrucial because it reveals

(01:07:55):
something profound abouthappiness in the AI era.
It's not just about usingtechnology to get more done.
It's about using itstrategically to create the
right mix of recharge, routinework and meaningful progress
that leads to lastingsatisfaction a meaningful

(01:08:15):
progress that leads to lastingsatisfaction.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover exactly where you are
in this balance through thebrain state assessment.
This isn't about judgment.
It's about understanding yourstarting point so you can begin
optimizing your own path tosustained happiness and success
in the AI era.