April 17, 2025 ⢠63 mins
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Unlocking peak mental performance in the AI era requires understanding exactly how your brain functions throughout the day. In this enlightening episode, Dr. Jon Finn reveals the first critical step of the Success Cycleâmeasuring your brain statesâand explains why this skill will become humanity's most valuable asset.
Your brain operates like a solar-powered lighthouse, cycling through three distinct states: Recharge (recovery mode), Medium Charge (routine task mode), and High Charge (premium performance mode). Most professionals achieve only 1-2 hours of high-impact work daily, with the rest consumed by routine tasks. But by understanding your brain's natural rhythms and optimizing them, you can consistently achieve 5-6+ hours of high-impact work while actually working less overall.
Dr. Finn introduces the Human AI Readiness Brain State Assessment, a proven tool measuring fifteen key dimensions of your cognitive performance. Your score reveals your current profile: Cross-to-Bear (losing 4-5 hours of premium thinking daily), Jagged Jewel (losing 2-4 hours), or Arrowhead (losing 1-3 hours). This measurement forms the foundation upon which the entire Success Cycle builds.
Traditional approaches to improving performance fall dramatically short in the AI era. A comprehensive study of over 52,000 people showed that Cognitive Behavioral Therapyâconsidered the gold standardâfails to produce meaningful improvement for 58% of participants. The fundamental problem? These approaches focus on providing knowledge rather than building habits, when research shows 98-100% of human behavior comes from habits, not from knowing what we should do.
The Success Cycle offers something fundamentally differentâa systematic approach based on a proprietary nine-factor habit mechanic system. Just as sports science revolutionized athletics by revealing the science behind peak physical performance, understanding brain states will transform how we work with AI. Ready to measure your brain states and begin optimizing your performance? This episode gives you everything you need to take that crucial first step.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello Habit Mechanics .
It's Dr John Finn here.
I hope you are having afantastic week so far.
I want to begin by saying thankyou so much for supporting the
launch of Train your Brain forthe AI revolution, the proven
four-step system to becomeirreplaceable.
No tech skills required,because we just hit number one
(00:24):
in the UK and the US Amazoncharts this weekend, which is a
big achievement, for we are aboutique company highly
specialised, and when you're onAmazon, you are fighting against
some absolute publishing giants.
So the traction for the book hasbeen beyond belief.
(00:44):
Actually, the traction for thebook has been, um, beyond belief
.
Actually, people are clearlylooking for this type of, these
types of insights and this typeof help.
So I know there'll be many ofyou listening that um got the
book, uh, left reviews, and wereally appreciate that.
And if you haven't done thatalready, please, uh, please do.
Especially if you've got thebook, do leave a review.
(01:07):
That's really, really helpful.
So this is the second in asix-part series about train your
brain for the ai revolution andright in front of me now I'm
pleased to say I've got my handson the hardback copy of the
book and it is beautiful.
It's a beautiful product and inthe book.
(01:29):
In fact, on the back of thehardback cover, but also just at
the start of the introductionin this book and the paperback,
there is a map.
There's a really nice map ofthe book to show you the journey
and, in a way, this is thejourney that we're going on in
(01:54):
this podcast series.
So in the first episode of theseries, we introduced the big
ideas behind train your brainfor the ai revolution.
We talked about brain states,the lighthouse brain, the
different assistants that we'veintroduced to to help out,
(02:15):
willpower, um and we.
We unpacked the success cycleand actually talked about how
this all fits into you beinghappy.
For me, happiness is massivelymisunderstood in the world that
we live in, and Chapter 7 is thehappiness equation, something
(02:35):
I've talked about a lot, butI've never put it into a
distinct chapter like thatbefore.
So I hope that was instructiveand insightful and it's given
you more confidence about whatyou need to do to feel good more
often and also to perform atyour best more often, because
those two things are intertwined.
(02:56):
So as we look ahead to thisepisode and the following four,
we're going to talk about inthis episode how to measure your
brain states, so brain statemeasurement.
That's step one of the successcycle.
Step two will be the nextepisode, where we're going to
talk about planning with thetask director, just showing you
(03:20):
how to use the task directorsystem, and then the episode
after that will be step threeoptimization, with the day
designer.
The episode after that will bestep four automation with the
routine engineer, and then thefinal episode will be sort of a
it's like a bonus step, stepfive, which is about how you can
(03:41):
use the success cycle to changeother people's lives, whether
as a certified ai edge coach ora certified ai leader, or just
using it in your life generallyto help other people.
I think that is the successcycle is the most powerful
(04:01):
system we've created because ofits simplicity and it pulls
together so many of the othertools that we've created over a
long period of time.
So and we know that this cannot only help you, but it can
help the people that you want tohelp as well whether you want
to do that formally and set up abusiness doing that, whether
you want to use this tosupercharge the business that
(04:22):
you work in or the teams thatyou're helping, and whether or
whether you just want to use itin a more informal basis.
So let's zoom into step one,brain state management.
So what we're going to cover inthis and you can hear, yeah,
I'm looking at the book here,you can hear, hear the page
(04:42):
there we're going to cover.
So there are.
We're going to go from chapter8 through to chapter 13.
That's what's going to followme and at a high level, you're
going to learn how to measureyour brain state, or brain
(05:05):
states, so you can actually geta tangible score.
Some of you may have done thatbefore, but then, following that
, in chapter nine, we really godeep into.
What do those scores actuallymean?
No-transcript.
(05:47):
Optimising them is beneficialfor our health, our happiness,
our performance, and I believegenuinely that getting good at
doing that is going to be, if itisn't already, humanity's
number one skill.
There's so much noise out therein the coaching space, in the
self-help space, and it's allvery well intended, but it's
(06:12):
often so wide of the mark.
It's just a set of dispersedtactics and it's never, ever
talking about the root cause ofall the problems that we've got,
which is our brains.
And if our brains are notworking well, life is difficult.
So if we want to do better.
We've got to recognize that ourbrain is a physiologically
adaptive system and that there'sa big difference between
(06:36):
knowing what we need to do to beat our best and actually
habitualizing it, and there is abehavioral bridge, essentially,
which has nine core pieces,which is the nine action factor
model, and then, also in thissection, we talk about why in
more, in more detail, why thesetraditional things that we're
(06:57):
doing don't work, and I sharesome data, actually in chapter
11 from a study that includedover 52,000 people.
It's about cognitive behavioraltherapy, and it's frightening
how limited it is in terms ofactually helping people.
(07:19):
Yet we have rammed down ourthroat almost every day that
that is the number one thing weneed.
Well, it isn't the data is veryclear on that.
Yet we have rammed down ourthroat almost every day that
that is the number one thing weneed.
Well, it isn't.
The data is very clear on that.
Cbt is maybe one part of anine-part solution, or talking,
which essentially gets ourbrains working a little bit
better.
(07:40):
So, yeah, and then what I reallylike is chapter 12 is called
like sports science for yourbrain, and this is what is so
exciting for me having you knowI've come from an elite sports
background and in fact I can'tgo into any details, but we have
(08:04):
been speaking recently to someof the biggest sports teams in
the world.
They are really interested inwhat we're doing.
So we're almost we still workin sport, even though we don't
really publicise that too much,because they recognise that of
all the development they've hadand of all the physiological
(08:27):
development that's been broughtin by sports science into their
organisations.
And if we just take one of thehighest profile sports football
or soccer we've seen thephysical development of players.
It's night and day todaycompared to what it used to be
(08:47):
20 years ago.
But they also recognize thepsychological development hasn't
caught up and they know psych'simportant but they don't feel
like they've ever been able tounlock it properly and they see
this as a as the solution forthat.
So for me, what AI tools canactually do, just coming outside
(09:08):
of the sports context to forour physical development?
So I get into the details ofthat in chapter 12 and there's
(09:36):
chapter 13 as well, bringing usback into the success cycle.
So that's what you're going tohear.
So that's what you're going tohear.
I know many people are realchampions of this work.
They have a mechanic approachand they're really enjoying.
(09:57):
And you know Tougher Minds moregenerally.
I've been doing this for over25 years now.
Tougher Minds has existed for Ithink, 14 years as a brand.
We've worked with tens ofthousands of people and that's
increasing every single day.
So just in the last few weeks,we've got about another thousand
(10:21):
people using our approach.
But it's often not that obviousbecause the world is so crowded.
But you should be really proudof yourself for using these
approaches and actually youshould be trumpeting what you
(10:42):
know, because this is like theDyson for coaching.
We've completely reinvented howto help ourselves and others
change their behaviour, and thatshould be at the heart of all
coaching and change programmes.
It's about changing behaviours,which means changing brains
right, and just by reading thesebooks, you know more about this
(11:05):
stuff than 99.9% of people onthe planet.
Honestly you do, because Iconsume this things in this
space all the time and they'rejust not on the mark.
So you know, don'tunderestimate, if you're using
these approaches, what youactually know, because it is
(11:25):
different to everything elsethat's out there.
But again, the key is is to putit into practice so you can
actually get the benefits.
So I really like that idea isthis is this is.
It's different.
No one taught us how to do this.
We've created it ourselves um,on the shoulders of giants, for
(11:45):
sure but we've had to put ittogether piece by piece,
including with people that arelistening to this podcast.
So we really appreciateeveryone's support in doing that
.
But I just want to give you abit of a shot in the arm that
you know a lot more, lot morethan the most people do, um, so
(12:08):
talk about it, put it intopractice, use it to help other
people, because people need this.
They need to get away fromthose tips, tricks and hacks,
because that all that stuff'sjust stuck in the stuck in the
knowing phase.
We've got to help people to usethe success cycle.
So if you're getting throughthe book and you're starting to
(12:33):
get your head around the foursteps and share it with other
people, so yeah, that's enoughfrom me.
Again, thank you so much forlistening.
If you're listening to this overthe Easter break, hope you're
having a relaxing time and thenwe will be back with all the
(12:54):
other episodes in due course,but right now I'm going to show
you, or talk you through, howyou can measure your own brain
steps.
Success cycle, step onemeasurement.
A journey of a thousand milesbegins with a single step.
Loud zoo, chapter eightmeasuring your starting point.
(13:20):
Sarah focused on her phone'sbattery indicator 15% and
dropping fast.
It's amazing, she told me.
When I started working with thesuccess cycle, I realised
something ironic as an AI eraprofessional, I had
sophisticated tools monitoringeverything from my step count to
(13:43):
my sleep quality.
Monitoring everything from mystep count to my sleep quality.
I tracked my project deadlines,my team's performance, even my
stock portfolio, but I had noway to measure the one thing
that mattered most my brain'scapacity to work effectively
with all these tools.
Think about your own typicalworkday.
(14:03):
Do you start with goodintentions but get derailed by
constant interruptions?
Find yourself handling endlesssmall tasks instead of doing
your most important work, endeach day feeling you've been
busy but unsure if you'veaccomplished anything meaningful
.
These aren't just productivitychallenges.
(14:25):
They are signs that your brainstates need attention.
Your brain operates in threedifferent states throughout the
day.
Sometimes it needs to shine atfull power for premium thinking
work.
Other times it needs to operateat medium power for routine
tasks.
(14:45):
And, crucially, it needs properrecharge states to maintain its
capacity.
Without understanding thesebrain states.
You might be trying to dostrategic work when your brain
is in a recharge state orwasting your peak thinking hours
on routine tasks that AI couldhandle.
(15:07):
Even worse, you might beunknowingly doing things that
deplete your brain's power justwhen you need it most.
That's why the first step inthe success cycle is measuring
your brain states using a provenhabit mechanic tool called the
Human AI Readiness Brain StateAssessment.
(15:29):
Through our work with thousandsof professionals, we've refined
this assessment to revealexactly how well your brain is
operating in our AI augmentedworld.
The Human AI Readiness BrainState Assessment.
Take a moment to rate yourselfhonestly on each statement below
(15:52):
.
You'll score from one to 10,where one means never and 10
means always.
Think of this like checkingyour lighthouses various systems
.
Each statement revealssomething important about your
brain's current functioning.
Statement 1.
I find myself responding tourgent issues instead of having
(16:16):
a plan or sticking to my plan.
Remember 1 means never and 10means always.
You're probably somewhere inbetween.
Write down your score.
Statement 2.
I get interrupted by othersemails, phone and my own
self-doubt or negative self-talkand it takes me longer to
(16:37):
complete my work.
Again, remember One means neverand ten means always.
You're probably somewhere inbetween.
Write down your score.
Statement 3.
I sleep poorly and it takeslonger to complete my work to a
high standard.
Statement 4.
I waste time doubting mydecisions, second-guessing
(17:01):
myself and beating myself up.
Statement 5.
My mind feels foggy and itslows down my work.
Statement six I put offimportant tasks even though I
know they need doing.
Statement seven I feeloverwhelmed and I make mistakes
that take time to fix.
(17:22):
Statement 8.
Statement 9.
Statement 10.
Statement 10.
My mind jumps between tasksinstead of focusing on one thing
(17:45):
.
Statement 11.
I get distracted, including bymy own self-doubt and negative
self-talk.
Statement 12.
I feel like I could achievemore if I felt more confident
and focused.
Statement 13.
I waste time because I'm notthinking clearly.
Statement 14.
(18:06):
My diet choices leave mefeeling sluggish and it takes me
longer to complete my work.
Statement 15.
Lack of regular exercise, forexample, 10,000 plus steps, and
elevated heart rate reduces mymental energy and focus.
Now write down your total score.
(18:27):
Please note you can access adigital version of this
self-assessment, whichauto-calculates your score at.
Your score isn't just anothermetric.
It's the foundation for yourentire transformation through
the success cycle.
Your score isn't just anothermetric.
It's the foundation for yourentire transformation through
(18:48):
the success cycle.
Think of it like running adiagnostic scan on your most
valuable professional asset.
Your score reveals exactly whatyour task director, day
designer and routine engineerneed to know to help you
optimise your performance.
Getting that initial score waseye-opening.
(19:09):
Sarah remembered it wasn'tabout judgement.
It was about finallyunderstanding what I was dealing
with.
Once I had that measurement, myspecialist team could help me
create real change.
Even better, when colleaguessaw my transformation, they
asked for help.
Walking them through the brainstate assessment helped me
(19:33):
realise how clearly I could nowexplain these concepts to others
.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover exactly what your score
means and how it maps tospecific opportunities for
transformation.
You'll learn how to create thekind of results you've seen in
Sarah's story consistentlyfinishing important work by
(19:56):
early afternoon, having energyfor family and personal growth
and thriving in our AI augmentedworld.
Your Brain State Score isn'tjust a number.
It reveals specific patternsthat will show you exactly where
to focus your transformationeffort.
Chapter 9 Understanding yourScore.
(20:17):
Success Cycle Location Step 1Progress 40% complete.
Sarah sat in front of herlaptop staring at her score of
95.
I felt two thingssimultaneously, she told me
later.
First relief, finallyunderstanding why I was
struggling wasn't just aboutwillpower or better time
(20:41):
management.
But then came the crucialquestion what could I actually
do about it?
Your brain state profile scorereveals something fundamental
about how your brain iscurrently performing.
Through our work with thousandsof professionals, we've
discovered that scores typicallycluster into three distinct
(21:05):
profiles.
Let me walk you through eachprofile.
Through each profile.
First, if your score is between91 and 150, you have what we
call a cross-to-bear profile.
Like Sarah, you're probablylosing four to five hours of
premium thinking time each day.
This isn't just about feelingtired or unfocused.
(21:29):
It's about your brain operatingfar below its natural capacity
for extended periods.
If you have this profile,you're likely experiencing
significant mental fatigue thatmakes complex thinking difficult
.
You may feel a constant senseof being overwhelmed, even by
(21:51):
routine tasks.
You might have difficultyprioritising and making clear
decisions.
Poor quality sleep leaves youstarting each day already
depleted and you may bestruggling to create more value
in your work than AI couldbecause your brain is operating
far below its capacity.
(22:12):
Second, if your score isbetween 61 and 90, you have what
we call a jagged jewel profile.
Think of this as operating atpartial capacity.
You're likely losing two tofour hours of premium thinking
time each day.
(22:35):
Your brain shows moments ofbrilliance, but maintaining
consistent high performanceremains challenging.
With this profile, youtypically experience periods of
clear thinking mixed withunexpected mental fatigue.
You might have good performanceon some days, but difficulty
maintaining it consistently.
Your sleep patterns likely varyin quality, affecting your next
(22:58):
day capacity.
While you're successfullyhandling routine work, you may
struggle with more complexchallenges.
You're creating solid value inyour work, but not yet reaching
your full potential.
Third, if your score is between15 and 60, you have what we call
(23:19):
an arrowhead profile.
This profile indicates you'veestablished good foundations but
still have untapped potential.
You're probably losing 1-3hours of premium thinking time
daily.
More importantly, you haveopportunities to enhance your
performance further.
This profile typically showsgenerally good mental clarity,
(23:44):
with room for improvement.
You have the ability to handlecomplex work, but not always at
peak efficiency.
Your sleep patterns are mostlyreliable, with occasional
disruptions.
You're creating good value inyour work, with potential to
achieve even more, and whileyou're having success with some
(24:05):
premium thinking tasks, you'reprobably not yet maximising your
capabilities.
Understanding your profile iscrucial because it reveals
exactly where to focus yourefforts.
Sarah discovered this firsthandOnce I understood what my score
meant.
I could start making specificchanges that actually worked,
(24:30):
instead of just trying randomproductivity tricks.
I could focus on a systematicapproach to improving my
performance.
But what really fascinated me,sarah added, was discovering
that these patterns weren'trandom at all.
They were signs of how my brainwas actually functioning
throughout the day, sometimesoperating at full power,
(24:53):
sometimes running on reserveenergy and sometimes desperately
needing recharge time.
This was the key that unlockedeverything else.
Understanding these profilestransforms your own performance
and, if you choose, offers apowerful framework for helping
others thrive in the AI era.
(25:15):
Whether you're interested informal coaching, already seen as
a mentor in your organisation,or simply want to help your team
adapt to AI, these insightsgive you the foundations for
guiding others towards success.
Insights give you thefoundations for guiding others
towards success.
To help you improve your ownscore, let's explore the
(25:36):
brainpower modes that underpinit in more detail.
Chapter 10.
Optimising your brain statesfor the AI era.
Success cycle location Step 1.
Progress 75% complete.
Sarah reflected on what she'dlearned about her lighthouse
(25:57):
brain.
She understood how hue andwillpower work together and how
her brain's battery systemneeded proper charging, but
something still wasn't clickingin her daily performance.
I understand that my batteryneeds charging.
She told me during one of oursessions.
But how do I know what kind ofwork to do at what time of day
(26:22):
and how do I make the most of myenergy once I have it?
Earlier, we explored how yourbrain, like a solar-powered
lighthouse, operates on threedistinct power modes.
Now let's dive deeper into howunderstanding and optimising
these modes transforms yourability to create value in the
(26:43):
AI era.
Remember, your brain cyclesthrough three states.
First, your recharge brainstate.
This is when your brain needsessential recovery and
maintenance.
Second, your medium chargebrain state.
This is when your brain handlesroutine tasks efficiently.
(27:04):
Third, your high charge brainstate.
This is when your brainperforms its most sophisticated
thinking.
Understanding how these stateswork and how to optimise them
using the success cycletransforms your ability to
create value in the AI era.
Let's explore each state indetail.
(27:26):
Recharge brain state therecovery mode.
This is your brain's essentialmaintenance mode, like powering
down the lighthouse in thedaytime, just as the lighthouse
uses this time to recharge itssolar batteries.
Your brain needs dedicatedrecovery periods and these work
(27:47):
in two distinct ways.
First, there's deep rechargethrough quality sleep, your
brain's fundamental restorationperiod, like a lighthouse
running on minimal power duringdaylight hours.
Your brain needs high qualitysleep to fully restore its
systems.
When Sarah first startedtracking her sleep, she
(28:07):
discovered she was only gettingsix fragmented hours.
No wonder her battery keptrunning low.
Second, there's light rechargethrough strategic recovery
periods throughout the day.
These moments allow your brainto reset and prepare for peak
performance.
Sarah learned to take shortwalks between intensive tasks
(28:31):
and practice focused reflectionin the evening to process the
day's stress before bed.
Medium Charge Brain State theRoutine Task Mode.
This is your steady stateoperating mode, perfect for
routine tasks that needconsistent but not maximum power
.
Think regular meetings, basiccommunications and standard
(28:56):
administrative work.
Sarah discovered somethingcrucial about this mode.
The success cycle helped meidentify exactly which tasks
belong here.
More importantly, it showed mehow to use AI tools
strategically during mediumcharge periods, freeing up my
limited high charge time fortruly valuable work.
(29:19):
High charge state theperformance mode.
This is your brain's premiumpower setting and it's what
makes humans irreplaceable inthe AI era.
Irreplaceable in the AI era Likethe lighthouse beam at its
brightest.
This state enables the kind ofsophisticated thinking that AI
(29:40):
tools struggle to replicateSolving novel problems, making
nuanced strategic decisions andcreating innovative solutions
that go beyond existing patternsinnovative solutions that go
beyond existing patterns.
But just as a solar-poweredlighthouse can't maintain its
brightest beam continuously, youcan only sustain this state for
(30:02):
limited periods, typically 4-5hours per day when you are
optimising your recharge time.
Here's what makes this capacityeven more powerful in the AI
era.
While AI tools can't replaceyour premium cognitive abilities
, they can significantly enhancethem in two ways.
(30:22):
First, ai tools can handlesupporting tasks that would
normally drain your mentalenergy, allowing you to focus
your high-charge state purely onthe kind of thinking that
creates unique value.
Consider how Sarah used this inher strategic planning work.
(30:43):
Instead of spending herprecious high-charge hours
gathering data, formattingreports and organising meeting
notes, she let AI tools handlethese medium-charge tasks.
This meant she could dedicateher full premium thinking
capacity to what truly matteredidentifying emerging patterns in
(31:06):
customer behaviour, developinginnovative service approaches
and making nuanced strategicdecisions that AI couldn't
replicate.
Second, ai tools can help youachieve aspects of premium
cognitive work even when you'renot quite at peak charge levels.
When Sarah needed to develop acomplex proposal for a new
(31:30):
project but wasn't quite in highcharge mode, she used AI to
help structure her thinking,generating initial outlines,
finding relevant research andhandling basic writing tasks.
This allowed her to focus herremaining mental energy on the
sophisticated aspects of thework developing unique insights,
(31:54):
crafting innovative solutionsand making strategic decisions.
Through this partnership withAI, she could effectively extend
her capacity for sophisticatedthinking from four to five hours
to five to six plus hours perday.
This insight transformed myentire approach to work.
(32:16):
Sarah explained Instead oftrying to do deep strategic work
when my brain was in mediumcharge mode or wasting high
charge time on routine tasks, Istarted matching my activities
to my energy levels.
I began using AI to handle moremedium-charge tasks, which
(32:38):
freed up my premium thinkingtime for truly high-value work.
This awareness becomes crucialbecause most people make a
fundamental mistake.
They attempt to performhigh-charge work while their
brain is in medium charge modeor, worse, desperately needing
(32:59):
recharge.
It's like trying to run alighthouse's brightest beam
setting when the power supply islow.
You'll either fail or damagethe system by trying.
The difference betweenstruggling and thriving in the
AI era comes down to how wellyou manage these power modes.
Those who ignore their brainstates, force themselves to work
(33:22):
against natural energy patternsand try to do everything at
once will eventually burn out.
Meanwhile, those who understandand respect their brain states,
match their tasks toappropriate energy levels and
use AI tools strategically, willthrive.
But here's what makes thistruly exciting Once you
(33:45):
understand these states, you cancreate extraordinary value
while actually working fewerhours.
The key is learning threethings First, how to protect and
maximise your high-charge hours, which can include using AI to
augment your high-chargethinking.
Second, use AI efficientlyduring medium-charge periods.
(34:09):
And third, ensure properrecharge time.
If you're curious about thedeeper science behind these
brain states, you'll find moredetails in Appendix B, where I
unpack the central role ofactivation levels and how they
underpin your physical andmental energy levels.
Congratulations You've nowcompleted step one of the
(34:35):
success cycle.
Whether you're working toimprove a cross to bear, refine
a jagged jewel or enhance anarrowhead profile, you now have
a clear understanding of yourstarting point.
But before we move forward, weneed to understand something
crucial why traditionalapproaches to helping people to
(35:07):
be their best, or what we callimproving brain state
performance, are failing in theAI era.
The traditional methods simplyaren't equipped to help people
optimise their brain state,regardless of their current
profile.
More importantly, you'lldiscover how the success cycle
offers a fundamentally differentsolution Chapter 11.
Why traditional solutions fail.
In the AI era.
(35:28):
Brain state optimisation isn't anew challenge.
Even before AI entered ourworkplaces, professionals
struggled to perform at theirbest.
Traditional approaches toimproving human performance,
from cognitive behaviouraltherapy to wellness programmes,
have consistently fallen shortof delivering lasting results.
(35:51):
These traditional approachesare even less suitable for our
AI augmented world, whereoptimising brain states becomes
more crucial, yet more complex.
Sarah's experience illustratesthis perfectly.
Not only was she dealing withthe usual challenges of
(36:11):
maintaining peak performance,but three new AI systems were
placing extra demands on herlighthouse brain.
Her brain states wereconstantly disrupted by
switching between tools.
Despite working longer hours,she felt less productive.
Despite having AI assistance,she felt more overwhelmed.
(36:34):
This reveals an impendingcrisis that most organisations
haven't recognised yet.
While billions are now beinginvested in AI tools and
training, three crucialchallenges are being overlooked.
One how to optimise our basicbasic brain states something we
(36:54):
struggled with even before AI tohow to prevent AI tools from
making this optimization evenmore difficult.
Three how to help people usethese tools to make optimization
easier.
The traditional approachproblem.
(37:15):
Those who do recognise thischallenge often assume we must
have proven solutions.
After all, modern medicine canfix most ailments with reliable
treatments and predictableoutcomes.
Break your arm, medical expertscan repair it with proven
protocols, but when it comes togetting your lighthouse brain
(37:38):
operating at full power,improving focus, managing stress
, enhancing overall mentalperformance, the standard
approaches are fallingsignificantly short.
Let's examine why by looking atwhat's considered the gold
standard evidence-based approachCognitive Behavioural Therapy,
(38:00):
cbt.
Most modern coaching, trainingand therapy approaches mirror
CBT's principles and CBT hasbeen extensively researched.
What these studies reveal isconcerning.
The largest and mostcomprehensive peer-reviewed
analysis ever conducted on CBTwas published by Professor Pim
(38:23):
Quijpers and colleagues in 2023.
It looked at over 50,000 peopleacross 409 studies, who were
struggling with their mentalwellbeing.
The results are stark 58% ofpeople who received CBT showed
no meaningful improvement.
Of the 42% who did improve, theresearch revealed that 19%
(38:50):
would likely have gotten betterwithout any treatment.
In simple terms.
In simple terms, only about onein five people benefit from CBT
.
Specifically.
Remember, this is consideredthe gold standard treatment.
Even more concerning, whenresearchers followed up a year
(39:12):
or two later, they found no realdifference between people who
had received CBT and those whohadn't.
This reveals somethingfundamental about how our brains
work, even when peopleunderstand exactly what they
need to change and are givenspecific techniques to make
those changes.
Lasting transformation remainselusive.
(39:33):
If traditional approachesstruggle to create lasting
change in relativelystraightforward behaviours, how
can they possibly help us masterthe complex demands of our
AI-augmented workplaces?
We're not just trying to changea few specific thoughts or
behaviours.
We're aiming to fundamentallytransform how our brain operates
(40:00):
throughout the day.
Let's look at three commonapproaches organisations are
currently using to helpemployees adapt to AI tools.
Each of these approachesillustrates why we need
something fundamentallydifferent.
Illustrates why we needsomething fundamentally
different, an approach thataligns with how our brain
(40:20):
actually works, not just what wethink should work.
Technical training Companiesinvest heavily in teaching
employees how to use AI tools,but knowing how to operate a
tool doesn't mean yourlighthouse brain is optimised to
(40:41):
work with it.
It's like having asophisticated new lens for your
lighthouse but never learninghow to keep your beam steady.
Traditional Performance Coachingand Training Programmes.
These programmes focus on timemanagement, goal setting,
productivity techniques,leadership development and team
performance.
They provide valuable knowledgeabout what to do differently,
(41:06):
but here's the crucial gapKnowing what to do isn't the
same as doing it consistently.
Just like most people know theyshould plan their day,
prioritise important work,delegate effectively or build
trust with their team, theystill fall into old patterns.
It's like knowing exactly how alighthouse should work, but
(41:28):
never mastering the day-to-daypractices to maintain peak
performance.
Wellness programs Whilewell-intentioned, these
typically focus on stressmanagement, better sleep or
positive thinking.
Again, they provide knowledge,but not the system for turning
(41:48):
that knowledge into lastinghabits.
Most people already know theyshould manage stress better or
get more sleep, but they don'tconsistently do what they know
they should.
It's like knowing yourlighthouse needs a steady power
supply, but never establishingthe routines to keep the
batteries charged the root ofthe problem.
(42:09):
All these approaches share thesame fundamental limitation they
focus on providing knowledgerather than building habits.
This misses a crucial insightfrom neuroscience 98 to 100
percent of human behavior, whatwe think and do, comes from our
(42:30):
habits, not from knowing what weshould do.
Your brain contains over 1trillion microscopic biological
moving parts, including neurons,synapses and neural pathways,
all working together to driveyour automatic behaviours
(43:01):
willpower.
Instead, it operates throughdeeply embedded patterns, which
is why simply knowing what youshould do differently rarely
leads to lasting change.
To transform how you work andthink, you need an approach that
can rewire these neuralpathways, not just fill your
head with more information.
Think about something simplelike maintaining a healthy
lifestyle, that is, sleep well,eat well, exercise regularly.
(43:24):
Most people know what theyshould do and have the skills to
do it, yet knowledge alonerarely creates lasting change.
We don't do what we know weshould do.
Instead, we do what we're inthe habit of doing.
Current approaches are liketrying to learn to drive by
(43:45):
reading the driver's manual,without ever getting behind the
wheel.
Sure, you get detailedexplanations of proper steering
technique, understand whichpedal is the brake versus the
gas, and know exactly when youshould check your mirrors, but
without actually developing themuscle memory and creating
(44:07):
lasting habits through practice,that knowledge is fairly
useless.
The same applies to changinghow your brain works.
Understanding what you shoulddo differently isn't enough.
You need to rewire your brain'sautomated patterns.
What we need is an approachthat goes beyond just providing
(44:29):
information, one that helps usactually build new habits and
optimise our brain states forthe AI era.
Only then will realbreakthroughs happen.
These breakthroughs aren'ttheoretical.
We're already seeing thememerge among professionals
who've discovered how to workwith their brain's natural
(44:51):
patterns rather than againstthem.
But the path to thesebreakthroughs often begins with
struggle.
Sarah's experience illustratesthis journey perfectly.
Despite having access to thelatest AI tools.
Despite understanding goodproductivity principles and
(45:12):
despite trying various wellnesstechniques, she kept struggling.
But her story doesn't end there.
Like many breakthrough momentsin human performance, her
transformation began withunderstanding how things
actually work, not just what todo.
Think of how sports sciencechanged athletics forever by
(45:35):
revealing the science behindpeak physical performance.
Now we stand at a similarturning point with artificial
intelligence.
The emergence of AI gives usunprecedented opportunities to
enhance our cognitivecapabilities, but to seize these
opportunities, we need asystematic approach that works
(45:58):
with how our brain actuallyfunctions, not against it.
This is where the success cyclecomes in.
The habit-building principlesthat underpin it are based on
our proprietary nine-factorhabit mechanic system, which is,
as far as we know, the world'sonly integrated brain-based
(46:21):
behaviour change solution andmost advanced habit change
system.
It stands apart in several keyways.
For example, our trait habitloop reveals what truly drives
human behaviour by recognisingthe deep evolutionary patterns
that shape our actions, whileother habit models stay on the
(46:43):
surface.
Trait helps you work with yourbrain's natural patterns rather
than against them.
Then our nine action factormodel provides a complete
framework for creating lastingchange, rather than focusing on
just one or two aspects of habitformation.
(47:03):
Like most approaches, it bringstogether all nine of the
essential elements that researchshows matter most but are
actually never considered in onesystematic behaviour change
blueprint.
You'll find detailedexplanations of these scientific
foundations in the appendices,but right now let's focus on the
(47:27):
positive impact the successcycle can have on your life.
Chapter 12.
Like sports science for yourbrain, like sports science for
your brain, to understand what'spossible when we learn to
optimise our lighthouse brain'sperformance and get it working
with AI, let's recall thedramatic examples we explored
(47:50):
earlier.
First, there was the brainstate optimised and AI-enhanced
audiobook production that gotthe work finished 233% faster
and 90% cheaper.
Second, there was winning bydesign's prediction that AI will
enable companies to operatecore sales and marketing
(48:12):
functions at just 2% of currentcosts while achieving better
results.
2% of current costs whileachieving better results.
These aren't isolated cases.
Among our clients who arelearning to combine AI tools
with optimized brain states,we're seeing similarly
remarkable transformationsacross many fields.
(48:32):
This combination mirrors therevolution that happened in
sports performance throughsports science.
For example, sarah, who we metearlier struggling with
traditional approaches,experienced this shift
first-hand.
Just as athletes move beyondsimple, try-harder advice, when
(48:54):
sports science revealed how thebody actually works.
Sarah discovered thatunderstanding her brain states
made all the difference.
Before sports science, athletesrelied solely on willpower and
general training principles Workharder, train longer, push
through the pain.
(49:14):
Similarly, before understandingbrain states, professionals
like Sarah relied on workinglonger hours, forcing focus
through willpower and pushingthrough mental fatigue.
But once scientists beganunderstanding how the body works
and the science behind peakphysical performance measuring
(49:35):
oxygen consumption, trackingmuscle recovery, performance
measuring oxygen consumption,tracking muscle recovery,
monitoring heart rates thetransformation was unprecedented
.
Athletes could now trainsmarter, not just harder,
achieving levels of performancepreviously thought impossible.
We are at a similar turningpoint with cognitive performance
(49:55):
.
Just as sports scientiststransform physical achievement
by understanding the body'sinner workings, we can now
transform mental performance byunderstanding how our brain
works.
With AI, this creates a powerfulthree-part transformation that
(50:15):
can help you achieve your biggoals faster than you ever
dreamt possible.
First, by optimising your brainstates, you enhance your
lighthouse brain's naturalcapacity.
Just as athletes learn tomonitor their heart rates and
hydration levels, you'll learnto understand and optimise your
(50:37):
brain's energy patterns.
Like maintaining a lighthouse'spower system, this optimization
makes it easier to achieve andsustain periods of premium
cognitive performance.
Your lighthouse beam becomesnaturally stronger and more
consistent, naturally strongerand more consistent.
Second, with this foundation inplace, ai tools then transform
(51:02):
how you handle routine work.
Think about all the tasks thattypically slow your progress
Writing emails, organisinginformation, handling basic
communications.
Modern AI tools can automatemany of these tasks,
significantly reducing the drainon your system.
It's like upgrading yourlighthouse's basic operations to
(51:25):
run more efficiently,preserving power for when you
need that bright beam the most.
Finally, building on optimisedbrain states and automated
routine work, ai toolsaccelerate your progress toward
big, challenging goals.
When you're operating in ahigh-charge state, doing your
(51:46):
most valuable thinking work, aitools can work alongside you,
extending what's possible.
Just as modern sports equipmentenhances an athlete's natural
abilities, ai enhances yourcognitive capabilities.
Your lighthouse beam not onlybecomes stronger, but can now
reach further than ever before,illuminating new possibilities
(52:10):
while you focus on spotting keyinsights, developing strategies
and making crucial decisions.
Let me show you what this meansin practical terms.
Just as athletes, using sportsscience, exponentially improved
their training performance andrecovery, optimising your brain
(52:35):
states with AI creates similarbreakthroughs in cognitive
performance.
Most professionals today canonly sustain one-2 hours of
high-charge, high-impact workdaily, with the rest of their
time consumed by routine tasks.
Through understanding how yourlighthouse brain works.
With AI, you can consistentlyachieve 5-6 plus hours of
(52:57):
high-impact work while actuallyworking less overall.
Imagine what this could meanfor you.
Perhaps you're working on abook you've wanted to write for
years.
You could complete it in sixmonths instead of 12, while
still excelling in your career.
Or maybe you're leadingimportant projects at work.
You could bring them tocompletion in half the time
(53:20):
while maintaining betterwork-life balance.
The audiobook example showsthis isn't just theory.
When you combine optimisedbrain states with AI tools, you
can achieve significantly morewhile working less.
Picture completing your mostvaluable work by early afternoon
(53:42):
, having real energy left forfamily and personal goals.
Imagine building your businessor advancing your career without
sacrificing the other parts ofyour life that matter.
These aren't just dreams.
They're the kind oftransformations we're seeing
when people understand how toget their lighthouse brain
(54:05):
working optimally with AI.
Sarah experienced thistransformation firsthand.
Before understanding my brainstates, she shared I would spend
entire days feeling busy butachieving little.
Now I complete my mostimportant work by early
afternoon.
Letting AI handle routine tasksduring lower energy periods, I
(54:30):
have more impact at work andmore energy for my family.
This transformation extendsbeyond individual performance.
This transformation extendsbeyond individual performance.
Just as sports sciencerevolutionised entire teams and
organisations, understanding howour brains work helps everyone
(54:51):
perform better together.
Teams solve problems fasterbecause people are at their best
during important meetings.
Work becomes more enjoyablebecause people tackle
challenging tasks when they havethe most energy, while letting
AI handle the routine jobs.
Most importantly, people feelbetter at work because they're
(55:12):
working with their naturalenergy patterns instead of
fighting against them.
This brings us to a crucialmoment.
You've seen why traditionalapproaches fall short in the AI
era.
You've discovered howoptimising your brain states can
transform your performance.
(55:32):
But just as reading aboutsports science doesn't make you
a better athlete, understandingthese principles isn't enough.
You need a practical system toput them into action.
So, that said, let's get backto the success cycle.
You've already completed stepone, but let's recap the
four-step system again so youcan consolidate what you have
(55:56):
learned and confidently move onto step two and continue your
journey to making positive andlasting changes in your own work
and life.
Chapter 13 your next steps inthe success cycle, you've seen
how combining optimized brainstates with AI can transform
(56:18):
your performance, just as sportsscience revolutionised athletic
achievement.
Now it's time to discoverexactly how to create this
transformation in your own lifethrough the success cycle, your
step-by-step path to masteringcognitive performance in the AI
era.
Sarah gazed at her brain stateprofile score feeling a mix of
(56:47):
concern and hope.
After struggling withtraditional approaches and
discovering the potential ofcombining brain states with AI,
she was ready for specificguidance.
Understanding my score washelpful, she said, but I needed
to know exactly how to use thisinformation to create real
change.
This is where your successcycle journey becomes truly
(57:10):
transformative.
Just as sports scientists useprecise measurements to
understand an athlete's currentcapabilities before designing
training programs, your brainstate profile provides crucial
baseline data about yourcognitive performance.
Like Sarah discovered, yourscore isn't just a number.
(57:34):
It's a window into your brain'scurrent performance patterns
and, more importantly, itspotential for optimization.
Remember, the four steps of thesuccess cycle are designed to
create lasting transformation.
Unlike traditional approachesthat focus only on providing
(57:56):
knowledge, each step is designedto help you build the lasting
habits that drive realperformance improvements.
Just as sports science helpedathletes move beyond try-harder
advice to systematic scientifictraining methods.
First comes measurement throughyour brain state profile, this
(58:19):
crucial baseline reveals exactlywhere you're starting from and
what's possible.
Just as athletes need accuratedata about their current speed,
strength and endurance.
Before creating effectivetraining programmes, you need
robust insights into yourcurrent brain state patterns.
(58:40):
Other performance improvementprograms skip this essential
step, which is part of thereason why they struggle to
deliver consistent results.
Second is planning with the taskdirector, your strategic
advisor for matching tasks tobrain states.
This specialist helps youdevelop a success blueprint that
(59:04):
goes beyond simple timemanagement to true energy
optimization.
You'll learn to identify whichactivities need your premium
thinking power, which activitiescan be enhanced by AI tools and
which can be fully automated.
This isn't just about managingtime.
It's about optimising yourbrain's energy for maximum
(59:27):
impact.
Third is optimisation with theday designer, who helps you
craft schedules that respectyour brain's natural rhythms and
, if helpful, reset theserhythms.
Instead of forcing yourself towork against your energy
patterns, you'll learn to alignyour most important work with
(59:49):
your peak performance periods.
This is similar to how eliteathletes structure their
training around their body'snatural recovery and performance
cycles, using science tomaximize results while
minimizing burnout.
Fourth is automation with theroutine engineer, who helps you
(01:00:10):
create systems and triggers thatmake optimal performance
natural rather than forced.
This is where realtransformation happens, when
better brain state managementbecomes automatic, just as
athletes develop muscle memorythat makes peak performance
automatic, you'll develop neuralpatterns that naturally
(01:00:34):
optimise your brain'sperformance with AI tools.
Getting my score was eye-opening, sarah shared.
But when I started working withthe task director, I
immediately felt like I wasgaining more control over my
life, instead of just usingrandom hacks.
For the first time ever, I feltlike I was using a systematic
(01:00:57):
approach to being my best.
Now let's return to yourjourney.
Having completed step one,you're ready to begin step two
with the task director.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover one of their most
powerful tools your future,ambitious, meaningful story.
This process will help youconnect your current reality
(01:01:22):
with your greatest potential,creating a clear path forward,
just as it did for Sarah.
But first take a moment toappreciate how far you've come.
By measuring your brain states,you've taken the essential
first step toward mastering yourperformance in the AI era.
(01:01:42):
More importantly, you've beguna journey that can transform not
only your work but your entirelife.
Hello Habit Mechanics .
It's Dr John Finn here.
I hope you are having afantastic week so far.
I want to begin by saying thankyou so much for supporting the
launch of Train your Brain forthe AI revolution, the proven
four-step system to becomeirreplaceable.
No tech skills required,because we just hit number one
(00:24):
in the UK and the US Amazoncharts this weekend, which is a
big achievement, for we are aboutique company highly
specialised, and when you're onAmazon, you are fighting against
some absolute publishing giants.
So the traction for the book hasbeen beyond belief.
(00:44):
Actually, the traction for thebook has been, um, beyond belief
.
Actually, people are clearlylooking for this type of, these
types of insights and this typeof help.
So I know there'll be many ofyou listening that um got the
book, uh, left reviews, and wereally appreciate that.
And if you haven't done thatalready, please, uh, please do.
Especially if you've got thebook, do leave a review.
(01:07):
That's really, really helpful.
So this is the second in asix-part series about train your
brain for the ai revolution andright in front of me now I'm
pleased to say I've got my handson the hardback copy of the
book and it is beautiful.
It's a beautiful product and inthe book.
(01:29):
In fact, on the back of thehardback cover, but also just at
the start of the introductionin this book and the paperback,
there is a map.
There's a really nice map ofthe book to show you the journey
and, in a way, this is thejourney that we're going on in
(01:54):
this podcast series.
So in the first episode of theseries, we introduced the big
ideas behind train your brainfor the ai revolution.
We talked about brain states,the lighthouse brain, the
different assistants that we'veintroduced to to help out,
(02:15):
willpower, um and we.
We unpacked the success cycleand actually talked about how
this all fits into you beinghappy.
For me, happiness is massivelymisunderstood in the world that
we live in, and Chapter 7 is thehappiness equation, something
(02:35):
I've talked about a lot, butI've never put it into a
distinct chapter like thatbefore.
So I hope that was instructiveand insightful and it's given
you more confidence about whatyou need to do to feel good more
often and also to perform atyour best more often, because
those two things are intertwined.
(02:56):
So as we look ahead to thisepisode and the following four,
we're going to talk about inthis episode how to measure your
brain states, so brain statemeasurement.
That's step one of the successcycle.
Step two will be the nextepisode, where we're going to
talk about planning with thetask director, just showing you
(03:20):
how to use the task directorsystem, and then the episode
after that will be step threeoptimization, with the day
designer.
The episode after that will bestep four automation with the
routine engineer, and then thefinal episode will be sort of a
it's like a bonus step, stepfive, which is about how you can
(03:41):
use the success cycle to changeother people's lives, whether
as a certified ai edge coach ora certified ai leader, or just
using it in your life generallyto help other people.
I think that is the successcycle is the most powerful
(04:01):
system we've created because ofits simplicity and it pulls
together so many of the othertools that we've created over a
long period of time.
So and we know that this cannot only help you, but it can
help the people that you want tohelp as well whether you want
to do that formally and set up abusiness doing that, whether
you want to use this tosupercharge the business that
(04:22):
you work in or the teams thatyou're helping, and whether or
whether you just want to use itin a more informal basis.
So let's zoom into step one,brain state management.
So what we're going to cover inthis and you can hear, yeah,
I'm looking at the book here,you can hear, hear the page
(04:42):
there we're going to cover.
So there are.
We're going to go from chapter8 through to chapter 13.
That's what's going to followme and at a high level, you're
going to learn how to measureyour brain state, or brain
(05:05):
states, so you can actually geta tangible score.
Some of you may have done thatbefore, but then, following that
, in chapter nine, we really godeep into.
What do those scores actuallymean?
No-transcript.
(05:47):
Optimising them is beneficialfor our health, our happiness,
our performance, and I believegenuinely that getting good at
doing that is going to be, if itisn't already, humanity's
number one skill.
There's so much noise out therein the coaching space, in the
self-help space, and it's allvery well intended, but it's
(06:12):
often so wide of the mark.
It's just a set of dispersedtactics and it's never, ever
talking about the root cause ofall the problems that we've got,
which is our brains.
And if our brains are notworking well, life is difficult.
So if we want to do better.
We've got to recognize that ourbrain is a physiologically
adaptive system and that there'sa big difference between
(06:36):
knowing what we need to do to beat our best and actually
habitualizing it, and there is abehavioral bridge, essentially,
which has nine core pieces,which is the nine action factor
model, and then, also in thissection, we talk about why in
more, in more detail, why thesetraditional things that we're
(06:57):
doing don't work, and I sharesome data, actually in chapter
11 from a study that includedover 52,000 people.
It's about cognitive behavioraltherapy, and it's frightening
how limited it is in terms ofactually helping people.
(07:19):
Yet we have rammed down ourthroat almost every day that
that is the number one thing weneed.
Well, it isn't the data is veryclear on that.
Yet we have rammed down ourthroat almost every day that
that is the number one thing weneed.
Well, it isn't.
The data is very clear on that.
Cbt is maybe one part of anine-part solution, or talking,
which essentially gets ourbrains working a little bit
better.
(07:40):
So, yeah, and then what I reallylike is chapter 12 is called
like sports science for yourbrain, and this is what is so
exciting for me having you knowI've come from an elite sports
background and in fact I can'tgo into any details, but we have
(08:04):
been speaking recently to someof the biggest sports teams in
the world.
They are really interested inwhat we're doing.
So we're almost we still workin sport, even though we don't
really publicise that too much,because they recognise that of
all the development they've hadand of all the physiological
(08:27):
development that's been broughtin by sports science into their
organisations.
And if we just take one of thehighest profile sports football
or soccer we've seen thephysical development of players.
It's night and day todaycompared to what it used to be
(08:47):
20 years ago.
But they also recognize thepsychological development hasn't
caught up and they know psych'simportant but they don't feel
like they've ever been able tounlock it properly and they see
this as a as the solution forthat.
So for me, what AI tools canactually do, just coming outside
(09:08):
of the sports context to forour physical development?
So I get into the details ofthat in chapter 12 and there's
(09:36):
chapter 13 as well, bringing usback into the success cycle.
So that's what you're going tohear.
So that's what you're going tohear.
I know many people are realchampions of this work.
They have a mechanic approachand they're really enjoying.
(09:57):
And you know Tougher Minds moregenerally.
I've been doing this for over25 years now.
Tougher Minds has existed for Ithink, 14 years as a brand.
We've worked with tens ofthousands of people and that's
increasing every single day.
So just in the last few weeks,we've got about another thousand
(10:21):
people using our approach.
But it's often not that obviousbecause the world is so crowded.
But you should be really proudof yourself for using these
approaches and actually youshould be trumpeting what you
(10:42):
know, because this is like theDyson for coaching.
We've completely reinvented howto help ourselves and others
change their behaviour, and thatshould be at the heart of all
coaching and change programmes.
It's about changing behaviours,which means changing brains
right, and just by reading thesebooks, you know more about this
(11:05):
stuff than 99.9% of people onthe planet.
Honestly you do, because Iconsume this things in this
space all the time and they'rejust not on the mark.
So you know, don'tunderestimate, if you're using
these approaches, what youactually know, because it is
(11:25):
different to everything elsethat's out there.
But again, the key is is to putit into practice so you can
actually get the benefits.
So I really like that idea isthis is this is.
It's different.
No one taught us how to do this.
We've created it ourselves um,on the shoulders of giants, for
(11:45):
sure but we've had to put ittogether piece by piece,
including with people that arelistening to this podcast.
So we really appreciateeveryone's support in doing that
.
But I just want to give you abit of a shot in the arm that
you know a lot more, lot morethan the most people do, um, so
(12:08):
talk about it, put it intopractice, use it to help other
people, because people need this.
They need to get away fromthose tips, tricks and hacks,
because that all that stuff'sjust stuck in the stuck in the
knowing phase.
We've got to help people to usethe success cycle.
So if you're getting throughthe book and you're starting to
(12:33):
get your head around the foursteps and share it with other
people, so yeah, that's enoughfrom me.
Again, thank you so much forlistening.
If you're listening to this overthe Easter break, hope you're
having a relaxing time and thenwe will be back with all the
(12:54):
other episodes in due course,but right now I'm going to show
you, or talk you through, howyou can measure your own brain
steps.
Success cycle, step onemeasurement.
A journey of a thousand milesbegins with a single step.
Loud zoo, chapter eightmeasuring your starting point.
(13:20):
Sarah focused on her phone'sbattery indicator 15% and
dropping fast.
It's amazing, she told me.
When I started working with thesuccess cycle, I realised
something ironic as an AI eraprofessional, I had
sophisticated tools monitoringeverything from my step count to
(13:43):
my sleep quality.
Monitoring everything from mystep count to my sleep quality.
I tracked my project deadlines,my team's performance, even my
stock portfolio, but I had noway to measure the one thing
that mattered most my brain'scapacity to work effectively
with all these tools.
Think about your own typicalworkday.
(14:03):
Do you start with goodintentions but get derailed by
constant interruptions?
Find yourself handling endlesssmall tasks instead of doing
your most important work, endeach day feeling you've been
busy but unsure if you'veaccomplished anything meaningful
.
These aren't just productivitychallenges.
(14:25):
They are signs that your brainstates need attention.
Your brain operates in threedifferent states throughout the
day.
Sometimes it needs to shine atfull power for premium thinking
work.
Other times it needs to operateat medium power for routine
tasks.
(14:45):
And, crucially, it needs properrecharge states to maintain its
capacity.
Without understanding thesebrain states.
You might be trying to dostrategic work when your brain
is in a recharge state orwasting your peak thinking hours
on routine tasks that AI couldhandle.
(15:07):
Even worse, you might beunknowingly doing things that
deplete your brain's power justwhen you need it most.
That's why the first step inthe success cycle is measuring
your brain states using a provenhabit mechanic tool called the
Human AI Readiness Brain StateAssessment.
(15:29):
Through our work with thousandsof professionals, we've refined
this assessment to revealexactly how well your brain is
operating in our AI augmentedworld.
The Human AI Readiness BrainState Assessment.
Take a moment to rate yourselfhonestly on each statement below
(15:52):
.
You'll score from one to 10,where one means never and 10
means always.
Think of this like checkingyour lighthouses various systems
.
Each statement revealssomething important about your
brain's current functioning.
Statement 1.
I find myself responding tourgent issues instead of having
(16:16):
a plan or sticking to my plan.
Remember 1 means never and 10means always.
You're probably somewhere inbetween.
Write down your score.
Statement 2.
I get interrupted by othersemails, phone and my own
self-doubt or negative self-talkand it takes me longer to
(16:37):
complete my work.
Again, remember One means neverand ten means always.
You're probably somewhere inbetween.
Write down your score.
Statement 3.
I sleep poorly and it takeslonger to complete my work to a
high standard.
Statement 4.
I waste time doubting mydecisions, second-guessing
(17:01):
myself and beating myself up.
Statement 5.
My mind feels foggy and itslows down my work.
Statement six I put offimportant tasks even though I
know they need doing.
Statement seven I feeloverwhelmed and I make mistakes
that take time to fix.
(17:22):
Statement 8.
Statement 9.
Statement 10.
Statement 10.
My mind jumps between tasksinstead of focusing on one thing
(17:45):
.
Statement 11.
I get distracted, including bymy own self-doubt and negative
self-talk.
Statement 12.
I feel like I could achievemore if I felt more confident
and focused.
Statement 13.
I waste time because I'm notthinking clearly.
Statement 14.
(18:06):
My diet choices leave mefeeling sluggish and it takes me
longer to complete my work.
Statement 15.
Lack of regular exercise, forexample, 10,000 plus steps, and
elevated heart rate reduces mymental energy and focus.
Now write down your total score.
(18:27):
Please note you can access adigital version of this
self-assessment, whichauto-calculates your score at.
Your score isn't just anothermetric.
It's the foundation for yourentire transformation through
the success cycle.
Your score isn't just anothermetric.
It's the foundation for yourentire transformation through
(18:48):
the success cycle.
Think of it like running adiagnostic scan on your most
valuable professional asset.
Your score reveals exactly whatyour task director, day
designer and routine engineerneed to know to help you
optimise your performance.
Getting that initial score waseye-opening.
(19:09):
Sarah remembered it wasn'tabout judgement.
It was about finallyunderstanding what I was dealing
with.
Once I had that measurement, myspecialist team could help me
create real change.
Even better, when colleaguessaw my transformation, they
asked for help.
Walking them through the brainstate assessment helped me
(19:33):
realise how clearly I could nowexplain these concepts to others
.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover exactly what your score
means and how it maps tospecific opportunities for
transformation.
You'll learn how to create thekind of results you've seen in
Sarah's story consistentlyfinishing important work by
(19:56):
early afternoon, having energyfor family and personal growth
and thriving in our AI augmentedworld.
Your Brain State Score isn'tjust a number.
It reveals specific patternsthat will show you exactly where
to focus your transformationeffort.
Chapter 9 Understanding yourScore.
(20:17):
Success Cycle Location Step 1Progress 40% complete.
Sarah sat in front of herlaptop staring at her score of
95.
I felt two thingssimultaneously, she told me
later.
First relief, finallyunderstanding why I was
struggling wasn't just aboutwillpower or better time
(20:41):
management.
But then came the crucialquestion what could I actually
do about it?
Your brain state profile scorereveals something fundamental
about how your brain iscurrently performing.
Through our work with thousandsof professionals, we've
discovered that scores typicallycluster into three distinct
(21:05):
profiles.
Let me walk you through eachprofile.
Through each profile.
First, if your score is between91 and 150, you have what we
call a cross-to-bear profile.
Like Sarah, you're probablylosing four to five hours of
premium thinking time each day.
This isn't just about feelingtired or unfocused.
(21:29):
It's about your brain operatingfar below its natural capacity
for extended periods.
If you have this profile,you're likely experiencing
significant mental fatigue thatmakes complex thinking difficult
.
You may feel a constant senseof being overwhelmed, even by
(21:51):
routine tasks.
You might have difficultyprioritising and making clear
decisions.
Poor quality sleep leaves youstarting each day already
depleted and you may bestruggling to create more value
in your work than AI couldbecause your brain is operating
far below its capacity.
(22:12):
Second, if your score isbetween 61 and 90, you have what
we call a jagged jewel profile.
Think of this as operating atpartial capacity.
You're likely losing two tofour hours of premium thinking
time each day.
(22:35):
Your brain shows moments ofbrilliance, but maintaining
consistent high performanceremains challenging.
With this profile, youtypically experience periods of
clear thinking mixed withunexpected mental fatigue.
You might have good performanceon some days, but difficulty
maintaining it consistently.
Your sleep patterns likely varyin quality, affecting your next
(22:58):
day capacity.
While you're successfullyhandling routine work, you may
struggle with more complexchallenges.
You're creating solid value inyour work, but not yet reaching
your full potential.
Third, if your score is between15 and 60, you have what we call
(23:19):
an arrowhead profile.
This profile indicates you'veestablished good foundations but
still have untapped potential.
You're probably losing 1-3hours of premium thinking time
daily.
More importantly, you haveopportunities to enhance your
performance further.
This profile typically showsgenerally good mental clarity,
(23:44):
with room for improvement.
You have the ability to handlecomplex work, but not always at
peak efficiency.
Your sleep patterns are mostlyreliable, with occasional
disruptions.
You're creating good value inyour work, with potential to
achieve even more, and whileyou're having success with some
(24:05):
premium thinking tasks, you'reprobably not yet maximising your
capabilities.
Understanding your profile iscrucial because it reveals
exactly where to focus yourefforts.
Sarah discovered this firsthandOnce I understood what my score
meant.
I could start making specificchanges that actually worked,
(24:30):
instead of just trying randomproductivity tricks.
I could focus on a systematicapproach to improving my
performance.
But what really fascinated me,sarah added, was discovering
that these patterns weren'trandom at all.
They were signs of how my brainwas actually functioning
throughout the day, sometimesoperating at full power,
(24:53):
sometimes running on reserveenergy and sometimes desperately
needing recharge time.
This was the key that unlockedeverything else.
Understanding these profilestransforms your own performance
and, if you choose, offers apowerful framework for helping
others thrive in the AI era.
(25:15):
Whether you're interested informal coaching, already seen as
a mentor in your organisation,or simply want to help your team
adapt to AI, these insightsgive you the foundations for
guiding others towards success.
Insights give you thefoundations for guiding others
towards success.
To help you improve your ownscore, let's explore the
(25:36):
brainpower modes that underpinit in more detail.
Chapter 10.
Optimising your brain statesfor the AI era.
Success cycle location Step 1.
Progress 75% complete.
Sarah reflected on what she'dlearned about her lighthouse
(25:57):
brain.
She understood how hue andwillpower work together and how
her brain's battery systemneeded proper charging, but
something still wasn't clickingin her daily performance.
I understand that my batteryneeds charging.
She told me during one of oursessions.
But how do I know what kind ofwork to do at what time of day
(26:22):
and how do I make the most of myenergy once I have it?
Earlier, we explored how yourbrain, like a solar-powered
lighthouse, operates on threedistinct power modes.
Now let's dive deeper into howunderstanding and optimising
these modes transforms yourability to create value in the
(26:43):
AI era.
Remember, your brain cyclesthrough three states.
First, your recharge brainstate.
This is when your brain needsessential recovery and
maintenance.
Second, your medium chargebrain state.
This is when your brain handlesroutine tasks efficiently.
(27:04):
Third, your high charge brainstate.
This is when your brainperforms its most sophisticated
thinking.
Understanding how these stateswork and how to optimise them
using the success cycletransforms your ability to
create value in the AI era.
Let's explore each state indetail.
(27:26):
Recharge brain state therecovery mode.
This is your brain's essentialmaintenance mode, like powering
down the lighthouse in thedaytime, just as the lighthouse
uses this time to recharge itssolar batteries.
Your brain needs dedicatedrecovery periods and these work
(27:47):
in two distinct ways.
First, there's deep rechargethrough quality sleep, your
brain's fundamental restorationperiod, like a lighthouse
running on minimal power duringdaylight hours.
Your brain needs high qualitysleep to fully restore its
systems.
When Sarah first startedtracking her sleep, she
(28:07):
discovered she was only gettingsix fragmented hours.
No wonder her battery keptrunning low.
Second, there's light rechargethrough strategic recovery
periods throughout the day.
These moments allow your brainto reset and prepare for peak
performance.
Sarah learned to take shortwalks between intensive tasks
(28:31):
and practice focused reflectionin the evening to process the
day's stress before bed.
Medium Charge Brain State theRoutine Task Mode.
This is your steady stateoperating mode, perfect for
routine tasks that needconsistent but not maximum power
.
Think regular meetings, basiccommunications and standard
(28:56):
administrative work.
Sarah discovered somethingcrucial about this mode.
The success cycle helped meidentify exactly which tasks
belong here.
More importantly, it showed mehow to use AI tools
strategically during mediumcharge periods, freeing up my
limited high charge time fortruly valuable work.
(29:19):
High charge state theperformance mode.
This is your brain's premiumpower setting and it's what
makes humans irreplaceable inthe AI era.
Irreplaceable in the AI era Likethe lighthouse beam at its
brightest.
This state enables the kind ofsophisticated thinking that AI
(29:40):
tools struggle to replicateSolving novel problems, making
nuanced strategic decisions andcreating innovative solutions
that go beyond existing patternsinnovative solutions that go
beyond existing patterns.
But just as a solar-poweredlighthouse can't maintain its
brightest beam continuously, youcan only sustain this state for
(30:02):
limited periods, typically 4-5hours per day when you are
optimising your recharge time.
Here's what makes this capacityeven more powerful in the AI
era.
While AI tools can't replaceyour premium cognitive abilities
, they can significantly enhancethem in two ways.
(30:22):
First, ai tools can handlesupporting tasks that would
normally drain your mentalenergy, allowing you to focus
your high-charge state purely onthe kind of thinking that
creates unique value.
Consider how Sarah used this inher strategic planning work.
(30:43):
Instead of spending herprecious high-charge hours
gathering data, formattingreports and organising meeting
notes, she let AI tools handlethese medium-charge tasks.
This meant she could dedicateher full premium thinking
capacity to what truly matteredidentifying emerging patterns in
(31:06):
customer behaviour, developinginnovative service approaches
and making nuanced strategicdecisions that AI couldn't
replicate.
Second, ai tools can help youachieve aspects of premium
cognitive work even when you'renot quite at peak charge levels.
When Sarah needed to develop acomplex proposal for a new
(31:30):
project but wasn't quite in highcharge mode, she used AI to
help structure her thinking,generating initial outlines,
finding relevant research andhandling basic writing tasks.
This allowed her to focus herremaining mental energy on the
sophisticated aspects of thework developing unique insights,
(31:54):
crafting innovative solutionsand making strategic decisions.
Through this partnership withAI, she could effectively extend
her capacity for sophisticatedthinking from four to five hours
to five to six plus hours perday.
This insight transformed myentire approach to work.
(32:16):
Sarah explained Instead oftrying to do deep strategic work
when my brain was in mediumcharge mode or wasting high
charge time on routine tasks, Istarted matching my activities
to my energy levels.
I began using AI to handle moremedium-charge tasks, which
(32:38):
freed up my premium thinkingtime for truly high-value work.
This awareness becomes crucialbecause most people make a
fundamental mistake.
They attempt to performhigh-charge work while their
brain is in medium charge modeor, worse, desperately needing
(32:59):
recharge.
It's like trying to run alighthouse's brightest beam
setting when the power supply islow.
You'll either fail or damagethe system by trying.
The difference betweenstruggling and thriving in the
AI era comes down to how wellyou manage these power modes.
Those who ignore their brainstates, force themselves to work
(33:22):
against natural energy patternsand try to do everything at
once will eventually burn out.
Meanwhile, those who understandand respect their brain states,
match their tasks toappropriate energy levels and
use AI tools strategically, willthrive.
But here's what makes thistruly exciting Once you
(33:45):
understand these states, you cancreate extraordinary value
while actually working fewerhours.
The key is learning threethings First, how to protect and
maximise your high-charge hours, which can include using AI to
augment your high-chargethinking.
Second, use AI efficientlyduring medium-charge periods.
(34:09):
And third, ensure properrecharge time.
If you're curious about thedeeper science behind these
brain states, you'll find moredetails in Appendix B, where I
unpack the central role ofactivation levels and how they
underpin your physical andmental energy levels.
Congratulations You've nowcompleted step one of the
(34:35):
success cycle.
Whether you're working toimprove a cross to bear, refine
a jagged jewel or enhance anarrowhead profile, you now have
a clear understanding of yourstarting point.
But before we move forward, weneed to understand something
crucial why traditionalapproaches to helping people to
(35:07):
be their best, or what we callimproving brain state
performance, are failing in theAI era.
The traditional methods simplyaren't equipped to help people
optimise their brain state,regardless of their current
profile.
More importantly, you'lldiscover how the success cycle
offers a fundamentally differentsolution Chapter 11.
Why traditional solutions fail.
In the AI era.
(35:28):
Brain state optimisation isn't anew challenge.
Even before AI entered ourworkplaces, professionals
struggled to perform at theirbest.
Traditional approaches toimproving human performance,
from cognitive behaviouraltherapy to wellness programmes,
have consistently fallen shortof delivering lasting results.
(35:51):
These traditional approachesare even less suitable for our
AI augmented world, whereoptimising brain states becomes
more crucial, yet more complex.
Sarah's experience illustratesthis perfectly.
Not only was she dealing withthe usual challenges of
(36:11):
maintaining peak performance,but three new AI systems were
placing extra demands on herlighthouse brain.
Her brain states wereconstantly disrupted by
switching between tools.
Despite working longer hours,she felt less productive.
Despite having AI assistance,she felt more overwhelmed.
(36:34):
This reveals an impendingcrisis that most organisations
haven't recognised yet.
While billions are now beinginvested in AI tools and
training, three crucialchallenges are being overlooked.
One how to optimise our basicbasic brain states something we
(36:54):
struggled with even before AI tohow to prevent AI tools from
making this optimization evenmore difficult.
Three how to help people usethese tools to make optimization
easier.
The traditional approachproblem.
(37:15):
Those who do recognise thischallenge often assume we must
have proven solutions.
After all, modern medicine canfix most ailments with reliable
treatments and predictableoutcomes.
Break your arm, medical expertscan repair it with proven
protocols, but when it comes togetting your lighthouse brain
(37:38):
operating at full power,improving focus, managing stress
, enhancing overall mentalperformance, the standard
approaches are fallingsignificantly short.
Let's examine why by looking atwhat's considered the gold
standard evidence-based approachCognitive Behavioural Therapy,
(38:00):
cbt.
Most modern coaching, trainingand therapy approaches mirror
CBT's principles and CBT hasbeen extensively researched.
What these studies reveal isconcerning.
The largest and mostcomprehensive peer-reviewed
analysis ever conducted on CBTwas published by Professor Pim
(38:23):
Quijpers and colleagues in 2023.
It looked at over 50,000 peopleacross 409 studies, who were
struggling with their mentalwellbeing.
The results are stark 58% ofpeople who received CBT showed
no meaningful improvement.
Of the 42% who did improve, theresearch revealed that 19%
(38:50):
would likely have gotten betterwithout any treatment.
In simple terms.
In simple terms, only about onein five people benefit from CBT
.
Specifically.
Remember, this is consideredthe gold standard treatment.
Even more concerning, whenresearchers followed up a year
(39:12):
or two later, they found no realdifference between people who
had received CBT and those whohadn't.
This reveals somethingfundamental about how our brains
work, even when peopleunderstand exactly what they
need to change and are givenspecific techniques to make
those changes.
Lasting transformation remainselusive.
(39:33):
If traditional approachesstruggle to create lasting
change in relativelystraightforward behaviours, how
can they possibly help us masterthe complex demands of our
AI-augmented workplaces?
We're not just trying to changea few specific thoughts or
behaviours.
We're aiming to fundamentallytransform how our brain operates
(40:00):
throughout the day.
Let's look at three commonapproaches organisations are
currently using to helpemployees adapt to AI tools.
Each of these approachesillustrates why we need
something fundamentallydifferent.
Illustrates why we needsomething fundamentally
different, an approach thataligns with how our brain
(40:20):
actually works, not just what wethink should work.
Technical training Companiesinvest heavily in teaching
employees how to use AI tools,but knowing how to operate a
tool doesn't mean yourlighthouse brain is optimised to
(40:41):
work with it.
It's like having asophisticated new lens for your
lighthouse but never learninghow to keep your beam steady.
Traditional Performance Coachingand Training Programmes.
These programmes focus on timemanagement, goal setting,
productivity techniques,leadership development and team
performance.
They provide valuable knowledgeabout what to do differently,
(41:06):
but here's the crucial gapKnowing what to do isn't the
same as doing it consistently.
Just like most people know theyshould plan their day,
prioritise important work,delegate effectively or build
trust with their team, theystill fall into old patterns.
It's like knowing exactly how alighthouse should work, but
(41:28):
never mastering the day-to-daypractices to maintain peak
performance.
Wellness programs Whilewell-intentioned, these
typically focus on stressmanagement, better sleep or
positive thinking.
Again, they provide knowledge,but not the system for turning
(41:48):
that knowledge into lastinghabits.
Most people already know theyshould manage stress better or
get more sleep, but they don'tconsistently do what they know
they should.
It's like knowing yourlighthouse needs a steady power
supply, but never establishingthe routines to keep the
batteries charged the root ofthe problem.
(42:09):
All these approaches share thesame fundamental limitation they
focus on providing knowledgerather than building habits.
This misses a crucial insightfrom neuroscience 98 to 100
percent of human behavior, whatwe think and do, comes from our
(42:30):
habits, not from knowing what weshould do.
Your brain contains over 1trillion microscopic biological
moving parts, including neurons,synapses and neural pathways,
all working together to driveyour automatic behaviours
(43:01):
willpower.
Instead, it operates throughdeeply embedded patterns, which
is why simply knowing what youshould do differently rarely
leads to lasting change.
To transform how you work andthink, you need an approach that
can rewire these neuralpathways, not just fill your
head with more information.
Think about something simplelike maintaining a healthy
lifestyle, that is, sleep well,eat well, exercise regularly.
(43:24):
Most people know what theyshould do and have the skills to
do it, yet knowledge alonerarely creates lasting change.
We don't do what we know weshould do.
Instead, we do what we're inthe habit of doing.
Current approaches are liketrying to learn to drive by
(43:45):
reading the driver's manual,without ever getting behind the
wheel.
Sure, you get detailedexplanations of proper steering
technique, understand whichpedal is the brake versus the
gas, and know exactly when youshould check your mirrors, but
without actually developing themuscle memory and creating
(44:07):
lasting habits through practice,that knowledge is fairly
useless.
The same applies to changinghow your brain works.
Understanding what you shoulddo differently isn't enough.
You need to rewire your brain'sautomated patterns.
What we need is an approachthat goes beyond just providing
(44:29):
information, one that helps usactually build new habits and
optimise our brain states forthe AI era.
Only then will realbreakthroughs happen.
These breakthroughs aren'ttheoretical.
We're already seeing thememerge among professionals
who've discovered how to workwith their brain's natural
(44:51):
patterns rather than againstthem.
But the path to thesebreakthroughs often begins with
struggle.
Sarah's experience illustratesthis journey perfectly.
Despite having access to thelatest AI tools.
Despite understanding goodproductivity principles and
(45:12):
despite trying various wellnesstechniques, she kept struggling.
But her story doesn't end there.
Like many breakthrough momentsin human performance, her
transformation began withunderstanding how things
actually work, not just what todo.
Think of how sports sciencechanged athletics forever by
(45:35):
revealing the science behindpeak physical performance.
Now we stand at a similarturning point with artificial
intelligence.
The emergence of AI gives usunprecedented opportunities to
enhance our cognitivecapabilities, but to seize these
opportunities, we need asystematic approach that works
(45:58):
with how our brain actuallyfunctions, not against it.
This is where the success cyclecomes in.
The habit-building principlesthat underpin it are based on
our proprietary nine-factorhabit mechanic system, which is,
as far as we know, the world'sonly integrated brain-based
(46:21):
behaviour change solution andmost advanced habit change
system.
It stands apart in several keyways.
For example, our trait habitloop reveals what truly drives
human behaviour by recognisingthe deep evolutionary patterns
that shape our actions, whileother habit models stay on the
(46:43):
surface.
Trait helps you work with yourbrain's natural patterns rather
than against them.
Then our nine action factormodel provides a complete
framework for creating lastingchange, rather than focusing on
just one or two aspects of habitformation.
(47:03):
Like most approaches, it bringstogether all nine of the
essential elements that researchshows matter most but are
actually never considered in onesystematic behaviour change
blueprint.
You'll find detailedexplanations of these scientific
foundations in the appendices,but right now let's focus on the
(47:27):
positive impact the successcycle can have on your life.
Chapter 12.
Like sports science for yourbrain, like sports science for
your brain, to understand what'spossible when we learn to
optimise our lighthouse brain'sperformance and get it working
with AI, let's recall thedramatic examples we explored
(47:50):
earlier.
First, there was the brainstate optimised and AI-enhanced
audiobook production that gotthe work finished 233% faster
and 90% cheaper.
Second, there was winning bydesign's prediction that AI will
enable companies to operatecore sales and marketing
(48:12):
functions at just 2% of currentcosts while achieving better
results.
2% of current costs whileachieving better results.
These aren't isolated cases.
Among our clients who arelearning to combine AI tools
with optimized brain states,we're seeing similarly
remarkable transformationsacross many fields.
(48:32):
This combination mirrors therevolution that happened in
sports performance throughsports science.
For example, sarah, who we metearlier struggling with
traditional approaches,experienced this shift
first-hand.
Just as athletes move beyondsimple, try-harder advice, when
(48:54):
sports science revealed how thebody actually works.
Sarah discovered thatunderstanding her brain states
made all the difference.
Before sports science, athletesrelied solely on willpower and
general training principles Workharder, train longer, push
through the pain.
(49:14):
Similarly, before understandingbrain states, professionals
like Sarah relied on workinglonger hours, forcing focus
through willpower and pushingthrough mental fatigue.
But once scientists beganunderstanding how the body works
and the science behind peakphysical performance measuring
(49:35):
oxygen consumption, trackingmuscle recovery, performance
measuring oxygen consumption,tracking muscle recovery,
monitoring heart rates thetransformation was unprecedented
.
Athletes could now trainsmarter, not just harder,
achieving levels of performancepreviously thought impossible.
We are at a similar turningpoint with cognitive performance
(49:55):
.
Just as sports scientiststransform physical achievement
by understanding the body'sinner workings, we can now
transform mental performance byunderstanding how our brain
works.
With AI, this creates a powerfulthree-part transformation that
(50:15):
can help you achieve your biggoals faster than you ever
dreamt possible.
First, by optimising your brainstates, you enhance your
lighthouse brain's naturalcapacity.
Just as athletes learn tomonitor their heart rates and
hydration levels, you'll learnto understand and optimise your
(50:37):
brain's energy patterns.
Like maintaining a lighthouse'spower system, this optimization
makes it easier to achieve andsustain periods of premium
cognitive performance.
Your lighthouse beam becomesnaturally stronger and more
consistent, naturally strongerand more consistent.
Second, with this foundation inplace, ai tools then transform
(51:02):
how you handle routine work.
Think about all the tasks thattypically slow your progress
Writing emails, organisinginformation, handling basic
communications.
Modern AI tools can automatemany of these tasks,
significantly reducing the drainon your system.
It's like upgrading yourlighthouse's basic operations to
(51:25):
run more efficiently,preserving power for when you
need that bright beam the most.
Finally, building on optimisedbrain states and automated
routine work, ai toolsaccelerate your progress toward
big, challenging goals.
When you're operating in ahigh-charge state, doing your
(51:46):
most valuable thinking work, aitools can work alongside you,
extending what's possible.
Just as modern sports equipmentenhances an athlete's natural
abilities, ai enhances yourcognitive capabilities.
Your lighthouse beam not onlybecomes stronger, but can now
reach further than ever before,illuminating new possibilities
(52:10):
while you focus on spotting keyinsights, developing strategies
and making crucial decisions.
Let me show you what this meansin practical terms.
Just as athletes, using sportsscience, exponentially improved
their training performance andrecovery, optimising your brain
(52:35):
states with AI creates similarbreakthroughs in cognitive
performance.
Most professionals today canonly sustain one-2 hours of
high-charge, high-impact workdaily, with the rest of their
time consumed by routine tasks.
Through understanding how yourlighthouse brain works.
With AI, you can consistentlyachieve 5-6 plus hours of
(52:57):
high-impact work while actuallyworking less overall.
Imagine what this could meanfor you.
Perhaps you're working on abook you've wanted to write for
years.
You could complete it in sixmonths instead of 12, while
still excelling in your career.
Or maybe you're leadingimportant projects at work.
You could bring them tocompletion in half the time
(53:20):
while maintaining betterwork-life balance.
The audiobook example showsthis isn't just theory.
When you combine optimisedbrain states with AI tools, you
can achieve significantly morewhile working less.
Picture completing your mostvaluable work by early afternoon
(53:42):
, having real energy left forfamily and personal goals.
Imagine building your businessor advancing your career without
sacrificing the other parts ofyour life that matter.
These aren't just dreams.
They're the kind oftransformations we're seeing
when people understand how toget their lighthouse brain
(54:05):
working optimally with AI.
Sarah experienced thistransformation firsthand.
Before understanding my brainstates, she shared I would spend
entire days feeling busy butachieving little.
Now I complete my mostimportant work by early
afternoon.
Letting AI handle routine tasksduring lower energy periods, I
(54:30):
have more impact at work andmore energy for my family.
This transformation extendsbeyond individual performance.
This transformation extendsbeyond individual performance.
Just as sports sciencerevolutionised entire teams and
organisations, understanding howour brains work helps everyone
(54:51):
perform better together.
Teams solve problems fasterbecause people are at their best
during important meetings.
Work becomes more enjoyablebecause people tackle
challenging tasks when they havethe most energy, while letting
AI handle the routine jobs.
Most importantly, people feelbetter at work because they're
(55:12):
working with their naturalenergy patterns instead of
fighting against them.
This brings us to a crucialmoment.
You've seen why traditionalapproaches fall short in the AI
era.
You've discovered howoptimising your brain states can
transform your performance.
(55:32):
But just as reading aboutsports science doesn't make you
a better athlete, understandingthese principles isn't enough.
You need a practical system toput them into action.
So, that said, let's get backto the success cycle.
You've already completed stepone, but let's recap the
four-step system again so youcan consolidate what you have
(55:56):
learned and confidently move onto step two and continue your
journey to making positive andlasting changes in your own work
and life.
Chapter 13 your next steps inthe success cycle, you've seen
how combining optimized brainstates with AI can transform
(56:18):
your performance, just as sportsscience revolutionised athletic
achievement.
Now it's time to discoverexactly how to create this
transformation in your own lifethrough the success cycle, your
step-by-step path to masteringcognitive performance in the AI
era.
Sarah gazed at her brain stateprofile score feeling a mix of
(56:47):
concern and hope.
After struggling withtraditional approaches and
discovering the potential ofcombining brain states with AI,
she was ready for specificguidance.
Understanding my score washelpful, she said, but I needed
to know exactly how to use thisinformation to create real
change.
This is where your successcycle journey becomes truly
(57:10):
transformative.
Just as sports scientists useprecise measurements to
understand an athlete's currentcapabilities before designing
training programs, your brainstate profile provides crucial
baseline data about yourcognitive performance.
Like Sarah discovered, yourscore isn't just a number.
(57:34):
It's a window into your brain'scurrent performance patterns
and, more importantly, itspotential for optimization.
Remember, the four steps of thesuccess cycle are designed to
create lasting transformation.
Unlike traditional approachesthat focus only on providing
(57:56):
knowledge, each step is designedto help you build the lasting
habits that drive realperformance improvements.
Just as sports science helpedathletes move beyond try-harder
advice to systematic scientifictraining methods.
First comes measurement throughyour brain state profile, this
(58:19):
crucial baseline reveals exactlywhere you're starting from and
what's possible.
Just as athletes need accuratedata about their current speed,
strength and endurance.
Before creating effectivetraining programmes, you need
robust insights into yourcurrent brain state patterns.
(58:40):
Other performance improvementprograms skip this essential
step, which is part of thereason why they struggle to
deliver consistent results.
Second is planning with the taskdirector, your strategic
advisor for matching tasks tobrain states.
This specialist helps youdevelop a success blueprint that
(59:04):
goes beyond simple timemanagement to true energy
optimization.
You'll learn to identify whichactivities need your premium
thinking power, which activitiescan be enhanced by AI tools and
which can be fully automated.
This isn't just about managingtime.
It's about optimising yourbrain's energy for maximum
(59:27):
impact.
Third is optimisation with theday designer, who helps you
craft schedules that respectyour brain's natural rhythms and
, if helpful, reset theserhythms.
Instead of forcing yourself towork against your energy
patterns, you'll learn to alignyour most important work with
(59:49):
your peak performance periods.
This is similar to how eliteathletes structure their
training around their body'snatural recovery and performance
cycles, using science tomaximize results while
minimizing burnout.
Fourth is automation with theroutine engineer, who helps you
(01:00:10):
create systems and triggers thatmake optimal performance
natural rather than forced.
This is where realtransformation happens, when
better brain state managementbecomes automatic, just as
athletes develop muscle memorythat makes peak performance
automatic, you'll develop neuralpatterns that naturally
(01:00:34):
optimise your brain'sperformance with AI tools.
Getting my score was eye-opening, sarah shared.
But when I started working withthe task director, I
immediately felt like I wasgaining more control over my
life, instead of just usingrandom hacks.
For the first time ever, I feltlike I was using a systematic
(01:00:57):
approach to being my best.
Now let's return to yourjourney.
Having completed step one,you're ready to begin step two
with the task director.
In the next chapter, you'lldiscover one of their most
powerful tools your future,ambitious, meaningful story.
This process will help youconnect your current reality
(01:01:22):
with your greatest potential,creating a clear path forward,
just as it did for Sarah.
But first take a moment toappreciate how far you've come.
By measuring your brain states,you've taken the essential
first step toward mastering yourperformance in the AI era.
(01:01:42):
More importantly, you've beguna journey that can transform not
only your work but your entirelife.
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