Ultimate Guide to Brains-Maxxing Series - Part 1: The Brain

Happy Sunday!

Welcome to the 6th edition of The Elevated Mindset.

Before we start...

I wanted to express my gratitude for your readership and commitment to personal growth. I admire each & every one of you!🫡

Today, I will be sharing my 6 part series to Brains-Maxxing - unlock your brain's full potential.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes.

Brains-Maxxing

Brains-Maxxing refers to unlocking your brain's full potential.

In this 6 part series we'll go on a journey through the fascinating science of the brain, equipping you with the tools and knowledge you need to optimize your cognitive function.

Why listen to what I have to say?

I am an engineering student with a diverse set of experiences through which I have been able to apply engineer thinking & problem solving techniques in different situations.

By learning to think systematically like an engineer, you'll be able to solve problems and achieve personal growth effectively.

Today, we'll kick off with Part 1: The Brain 🧠 - delve into the fascinating world of cognitive science and explore how you can optimize your brain's performance.

Cloud Watching

Have you ever gazed up at the sky, seeing familiar shapes and objects in the clouds?

I certainly have.

Our brains are wired to recognize patterns and create mental models that help us understand the world around us.

These mental models act as templates, organizing the chaos of the world and shaping our perception of reality.

Our mental models determine our mindset - whether we have a positive or negative outlook on life.

The Human Brain

The human brain is by far one of mother natures greatest creations.

Watching Dr. Huberman's podcasts & Ted Talks from incredible scientists in the field has allowed me to better understand it capabilities.

I hope to simplify what I have learned at a high level for simplicity sake, although I highly recommend you go watch Dr. Huberman's podcasts

Brain Functions

The brain is the body's central control organ, responsible for regulating and coordinating all of our bodily functions and behaviors.

It is composed of billions of nerve cells called neurons, which communicate with one another through electrical and chemical signals.

Different regions of the brain are specialized for different functions, such as movement, sensation, emotion, language, and cognition.

Neuroplasticity

Our brains possess remarkable flexibility, with a vast potential for growth and development throughout our lifetime.

This ability, known as neuroplasticity, allows the brain to adapt and change in response to new experiences and learning.

Dr. Huberman delves into the topic in detail in his article "Teach & Learn Better With A 'Neuroplasticity Super Protocol'", which outlines how we can use this ability to improve our teaching and learning.

Each challenge, activity, and experience we encounter prompts the brain to create new connections between neurons, shaping our thoughts, emotions, decisions, and memories.

Through conscious effort and mental exercises, we can sculpt our brains to cultivate positive emotions, achieve success, and optimize our overall wellbeing, much like an artist creates a masterpiece.

Read more about Dr. Huberman's work here:

Ability To Learn Something New

Learning something new can be a bit like dealing with leaky pipes in the walls of your house - neurons "leak" signals to adjacent neurons around it, causing a bit of awkwardness.

However, as we keep practicing and repeating, an epoxy putty starts to form around the pipelines.

This putty, known as myelin, is like our brain's "programmer" and acts as an insulator to fortify our pipes.

Myelination results in better, faster, and more targeted neuron firing sequences, allowing us to master a skill.

So if we keep repeating something long enough, myelination will lead to fortifying our habits and mental models.

Our 3 Brains

Our brain can be divided into 3 modules: The reptilian aka "old", middle, & new brain.

Old Brain - This is where our basic instincts are hardwired.

Middle Brain - This is where our emotions are processed and managed.

New Brain - This is the logical, analytical part of our brain that handles mathematical and linguistic tasks.

Together, these three modules create a complex and highly adaptable system that governs our behavior and decision-making processes.

Wrap-Up

It is essential to understand the science of how we learn & our brains.

This way we can understand how to unlock powerful thinking skills that lead to improved performance, success, and fulfillment in all aspects of life.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2: Crafting A Growth mindset

Payal's Pick Of The Week

TL;DR

• Cloud Watching - How our brain can identify patters & relate them to something else

• The Human Brain - Flexibility, Learning Something New, Myelination, Our 3 Brains

Stay tuned next week - Part 2: Crafting A Growth mindset

That's a wrap! Thanks for reading! 

Want to read more? Check out my past editions here!

Till next time! 👋

-Payal