Limitless

by Jim Kwik

If you really knew how to learn smarter, faster, and better, then you could apply that to everything. (Location 272)

Belief that you are limited might be holding you back from your biggest dreams as well—at least up until now. (Location 284)

all have vast potential inside of us, untapped levels of strength, intelligence, and focus, and the key to activating these superpowers is unlimiting yourself. (Location 286)

The hero then hears the call to adventure. They have a choice—to ignore and stay in the ordinary world, where nothing will change, or heed the call and enter the new world of the unknown. (Location 296)

One of my core beliefs is that human potential is one of the only infinite resources we have in the world. (Location 304)

superpower—there is no limit to our creativity, imagination, determination, or ability to think, reason, or learn. (Location 305)

one person could overcome impossible odds. (Location 348)

Adults have to be very careful with their external words because these quickly become a child’s internal words. (Location 365)

I was to write a report comparing the lives and accomplishments of two geniuses: Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein. (Location 373)

“Don’t let school interfere with your education.” (Location 427)

Hearing this read out loud moved me in ways I didn’t think possible. It deeply tapped me into my drive and purpose. (Location 432)

“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” (Location 446)

But what if I could teach myself a better method to learn? What if I could learn in a way that was more efficient, effective, and even enjoyable? What if I could learn how to learn faster? (Location 449)

How does my brain work, so I (Location 458)

if knowledge is power, then learning is our superpower. (Location 473)

to teach the mindset, motivation, and methods to upgrade your brain and learn anything faster so you can unlock your exceptional life. (Location 475)

mission—to build better brighter brains. (Location 481)

What’s one of your dreams? One that is ever present, like a splinter in your brain? Imagine it in vivid detail. Visualize it. Feel it. Believe it. And work daily for it. (Location 506)

But being limitless is not about being perfect. It’s about progressing beyond what you currently believe is possible. (Location 521)

When you do what others won’t, you can live how others can’t. (Location 526)

Remember, one step in a better direction can completely change your destination. (Location 527)

belief in yourself, your capabilities, what you deserve, or what is possible. (Location 535)

drive, purpose, or energy to take (Location 536)

create the results you desire. (Location 537)

You’re not alone. (Location 539)

Mindset (the WHAT): deeply held beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions we create about who we are, how the world works, what we are capable of and deserve, and what is possible. Motivation (the WHY): the purpose one has for taking action. The energy required for someone to behave in a particular way. Method (the HOW): a specific process for accomplishing something, especially an orderly, logical, or systematic way of instruction. (Location 541)

real-life practical abilities like flying through books, iron-clad memory, laser focus, boundless creativity, clear thinking, mindfulness, superior mental attitude, and more. (Location 568)

To be clear, technology is a vital part of progress and being limitless. It allows us to do everything from connecting to learning, making our lives that much more convenient. But it is possible that we consume digital technology at a rate that even its creators would find extreme. (Location 580)

Our community has expressed a growing concern about their overreliance on technology and they come to us to upgrade their brains to find relief from these “four horsemen” of our age: digital deluge, digital distraction, digital dementia, and digital deduction. (Location 584)

Now we have so much access to information that it’s taking a toll on our time and our quality of life. (Location 592)

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that if we never let our mind wander or be bored for a moment, we pay a price—poor memory, mental fog, and fatigue. (Location 603)

“Faced with an onslaught of information and information channels, they have become unable to develop simple routines for managing information.” (Location 609)

Take a moment and schedule 30 minutes of white space in your calendar for this week. (Location 620)

This is time to be spent away from technology, time dedicated to clear your mind, relax, and be creative. (Location 621)

Each successive hit of dopamine we get from the likes we receive on social media, or from the texts we get from loved ones or friends, only reinforces our behavior. (Location 627)

“Modern technology may be wonderful, but it can easily sidetrack us and take away from the special moments we have with friends and family in person,” (Location 637)

Just as few of us have learned how to learn, not many know how to process and filter the massive amount of information we are constantly seeing. (Location 639)

“Asking the brain to shift attention from one activity to another causes the prefrontal cortex and striatum to burn up oxygenated glucose, the same fuel they need to stay on task,” notes neuroscientist Daniel J. (Location 641)

The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload. (Location 642)

Go to the notification settings of your phone and turn off all unnecessary and distracting pings and dings. Do this now. (Location 650)

Can you still remember some of your best friends’ numbers from childhood? (Location 653)

we’ve all but lost the ability to remember a new one, or a conversation we just had, the name of a new potential client, or something important we need to do. (Location 655)

Spitzer uses the term digital dementia to describe how overuse of digital technology results in the breakdown of cognitive abilities. (Location 656)

With tools like GPS, we don’t give our minds the chance to work. We rely on technology to do the memorization for us. (Location 660)

“Our brain appears to strengthen a memory each time we recall it, and at the same time forget irrelevant memories that are distracting us,” (Location 666)

Forcing yourself to recall information instead of relying on an outside source to supply it for you is a way of creating and strengthening a permanent memory. (Location 668)

The argument goes that by outsourcing some menial tasks like memorizing phone numbers or doing basic math or getting directions to a restaurant we’ve visited before, we’re saving brain space for something that matters more to us. (Location 671)

The question is: Are we making those choices consciously, or are we acting out of unconscious habit? (Location 674)

we often forget to give it the exercise it needs. (Location 676)

Take a minute to exercise your memory: Memorize the phone number of someone you communicate with regularly. (Location 680)

The ubiquity of information about everything also means that there’s a ubiquity of opinion about everything. (Location 685)

The upshot is that deduction—an amalgam of critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity that is an essential skill for being limitless—is becoming automated. (Location 687)

In an ideal world, being able to get as many perspectives on a topic as possible would be enormously valuable in helping us to form our own opinions. (Location 690)

we tend to identify a handful of sources with which we align and then give those sources extreme influence over our thinking and decision-making. (Location 691)

thinking as, “The capacity to reflect, reason, and draw conclusions based on our experiences, knowledge, and insights. It’s what makes us human and has enabled us to communicate, create, build, advance, and become civilized.” (Location 695)

Students in the closed laptop condition recalled significantly more material in a surprise quiz after class than did students in the open laptop condition.” (Location 703)

Because they were engaging their minds in the lecture rather than looking for what the Internet already thought about the subject, they were much more responsive when it was time to reason for themselves. (Location 704)

How do you feel when someone tries to impose their thinking on you? (Location 717)

But I only recommend using it consciously, not mindlessly out of habit, and in a harmonious way so it doesn’t highjack your productivity and peace of mind. (Location 726)

The power and strength of the villain determines the necessary power and strength of the hero. (Location 733)

If the villain was weak, there would be nothing to vanquish—and no need for the hero to rise to greatness. (Location 734)

“worthy rivals,” those who help point out the personal weaknesses we need to address. That is where your opportunity lies. (Location 735)

Which of the four digital villains do you believe are currently most disrupting your performance, productivity, and peace of mind? Take a moment and write the name of this villain down. Conscious awareness is the first part to solving a problem. (Location 742)

It processes dramatically faster than any existing computer, and it has virtually infinite storage capacity. (Location 750)

Our brains are what separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Think about it. (Location 761)

But because of the power of our brains, we are overwhelmingly Earth’s most dominant species. By harnessing that incredible mental power, we have created ways to explore the ocean depths like a fish, move tons of weight like an elephant, and even fly like a bird. Yes, the brain is quite a gift. (Location 763)

The brain has three major areas: the brain stem, the cerebellum, and the cerebral cortex (both the cerebellum and cerebral cortex start with cere, Latin for “wax,” because of its waxy appearance). (Location 771)

The brain stem moderates the basic functions we need to live, such as breathing, maintaining a regular heart rate, impulses to eat or have sex, and our fight-or-flight responses. (Location 774)

At the back of the brain, the cerebellum is responsible for moderating movement and coordination. There’s also increasing evidence that it plays a role in our decision-making. (Location 776)

The cerebral cortex is the largest part of our brain, where the majority of our complex thinking, short-term memory, and sensory stimulation take place. (Location 778)

Our frontal lobes are where most of our thinking takes place: where logic and creativity derive. (Location 779)

Our brains have the capacity for neuroplasticity, which means that it can be changed and shaped by our actions and by our environments. Your brain is always changing and molding itself to your surroundings and to the demands you place on it. (Location 786)

the brain is capable of being molded and shaped, meaning that at any point anyone can decide to change the way their brain functions. (Location 793)

While it’s easy to assume that the individual who grew up in a more stressful, unsupportive environment may not wind up reaching their full potential due to their brain’s development under those circumstances, growing evidence suggests those people are able to thrive and reach new levels of success due to the mindset they are forced to develop in such a situation. (Location 794)

In other words, taxi drivers had plumper memory centers than their peers. (Location 806)

Neuroplasticity, also referred to as brain plasticity, means that every time you learn something new, your brain makes a new synaptic connection. And each time this happens, your brain physically changes–it upgrades its hardware to reflect a new level of the mind. (Location 811)

Our brain is malleable. We have the incredible ability to change its structure and organization over time by forming new neural pathways as we experience, learn something new, and adapt. (Location 816)

if you feel that something you’ve learned is valuable in the moment, but that you’ll never use it again, you are unlikely to create a memory of it. (Location 824)

if you learn something but have no higher reasoning as to why it’s important to you or how it applies to your life or work, then it’s likely that your brain will not retain the information. (Location 825)

the belief we might develop in response to forgetting does far more damage than the lapse in memory. (Location 829)

That something like your memory is trainable—when you know how to help your brain receive, encode, process, and consolidate information. (Location 831)

It means that with a few simple changes to something like your environment, your food, or your exercise, you can dramatically change the way your brain functions. (Location 832)

Plasticity means that your learning, and indeed your life, is not fixed. You can be, do, have, and share anything when you optimize and rewire your brain. (Location 834)

You are not limited to just one brain, you have a second—your gut. Have (Location 838)

Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this “brain in your gut” is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health, and even the way you think. (Location 840)

Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). And it’s not so little. The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. (Location 842)

“brain-gut connection.” (Location 844)

While our brains take up very little of our total body weight, they use 20 percent of the energy we take in, so nutrients make a huge difference in the way our brains function on a day-to-day basis. (Location 849)

The gut is made up of these neurons as well as a network of bacteria that form the microbiome, and as with the brain, each of us has our own unique microbiome. (Location 856)

The connection between the brain and the gut is still being explored, but it seems that they function in very similar ways and that they function in tandem. (Location 863)

When you have a gut feeling that something isn’t right, or conversely that you should follow a hunch, it’s not just superstition—your gut has its own way of interpreting events and giving your brain signals. (Location 865)

Furthermore, when you feed your gut with subpar food, you’re also feeding your brain with subpar fuel. (Location 866)

You also have the ability to hone that superpower and make it greater—or to let it falter and decay. (Location 873)

Give a person an idea, and you enrich their day. Teach a person how to learn, and they can enrich their entire life. (Location 880)

But there are few if any classes on how to learn, how to think, and how to remember. (Location 881)

Creative Schools, Sir Ken Robinson (Location 883)

very few schools anywhere in the world have incorporated learning how to learn into their curriculums. (Location 889)

But they won’t get underneath all of this to teach us how to teach ourselves, to make enriching our minds, discovering new concepts, and truly absorbing what we learn fundamental to our everyday lives. (Location 892)

In my opinion, teachers are some of the most caring, compassionate, and capable human beings in our society. (Location 895)

If Rip Van Winkle woke up from decades of slumber, the only thing he would recognize today are classrooms, because they have evolved so little. (Location 897)

jobs that few of us might have imagined even five years ago have gained traction, while others are emerging this very moment that will affect the workplace in the coming years. (Location 902)

If schools tell us what to learn, but not how to learn, then we need to do the rest of the work ourselves. (Location 905)

If digital overload threatens to hijack our brains, then we need to use what we know about learning to reset the ground rules. If the workplace is evolving with so much rapidity that we can never be sure of what work will mean to us tomorrow, then only by taking complete control of our learning can we truly be prepared for an unknowable future. (Location 906)

“Turning screw: $1. Knowing which screw to turn: $9,999.” (Location 918)

Where what you have between your ears is your greatest wealth-creating asset. (Location 921)

Your ability to think, solve problems, make the right decisions, create, innovate, and imagine is how we add value. The faster you can learn, the faster you can earn. (Location 922)

One of those patterns is that elite mental performers filter and focus for those handful of “screws” that make all the difference and turn everything else on. (Location 925)

You may not be able to shoot webs from your hands, but you have something far better, the neural webs in your head. (Location 931)

How do you install new software into your brain? One of my favorite ways is what you’re doing right now. It’s called reading. (Location 933)

Your time is one of your greatest assets. It’s the one thing you can’t get back. (Location 937)

Research suggests humans forget approximately 50 percent of what they learn within an hour, and an average of 70 percent within 24 hours. (Location 942)

Research suggests that our natural ability to concentrate wanes between 10 to 40 minutes. (Location 946)

use the Pomodoro technique, (Location 948)

optimal time for a task is 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. (Location 949)

The effect of primacy is that you’re more likely to remember what you learn in the beginning of a learning session, a class, a presentation, or even a social interaction. (Location 952)

The effect of recency is that you’re also likely to remember the last thing you learned (more recent). (Location 955)

you’ll remember the names of the last few people you met. (Location 956)

Primacy and recency are just two of the (many) reasons cram sessions don’t work. (Location 958)

with no breaks for assimilation or thinking through what you just read, results in a dead space for learning. (Location 962)

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Every now and then a man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.” (Location 969)

When you read any book, you have the opportunity to stretch the range of your mind, and it will never be the same. (Location 970)

Set a timer for 25 minutes right now and concentrate on what you’re reading in this book for that amount of time. When your alarm goes off, bookmark this (Location 972)

book and close it. Then write down what you learned within that 25-minute period. (Location 973)

Forget, Act, State, Teach, Enter, Review. (Location 976)

When learning something new, we tend to assume we understand more than we do about that subject. (Location 979)

Some people who claim to have twenty years of experience have one year of experience that they’ve repeated twenty times. (Location 981)

Remember that your mind is like a parachute—it only works when it’s open. (Location 983)

difficult for you to learn when your focus is split. (Location 985)

What you resist persists. (Location 987)

Instead, keep a notebook close by to capture that thought or idea by writing it down. You can thus release it temporarily, to be addressed after the task at hand is complete. (Location 988)

If you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them. Your capabilities aren’t fixed, and it’s possible to learn anything. (Location 993)

The human brain does not learn as much by consumption as it does by creation. (Location 996)

Do all the Kwik Start exercises. Download the Kwik Brain app to test and train your limitless abilities. Go to the resource page at www.LimitlessBook.com/resources for additional free tools. (Location 997)

What is one thing you will do to make reading this book a more active experience? Write it down. (Location 1001)

when you tie a feeling to information, the information becomes more memorable. (Location 1005)

Information times emotion helps create long-term memories. (Location 1006)

But, when you take control of your state of mind and body, you can shift your experience of learning from boredom to excitement, curiosity, and even fun. (Location 1009)

Change your posture or the depth of your breathing. Sit or stand the way you would if you were totally energized and excited for what was coming. (Location 1011)

all learning is state-dependent. (Location 1013)

How motivated, energized, and focused are you at this moment? Rate your current state on a scale of 1 to 10. What is one thing you will do right now to increase that number? (Location 1014)

If you want to cut your learning curve dramatically, learn with the intention of teaching the information to someone else. (Location 1017)

When you teach something, you get to learn it twice: once on your own, and then again through educating another person. (Location 1019)

Buy a copy for a friend, or, even better, start a Limitless Book Club that meets weekly so you can discuss the ideas and concepts in (Location 1021)

You’ll enjoy learning more when you’re making memories with a friend or group of friends. (Location 1022)

Find a learning buddy to read this book with and hold each other accountable. Write down the name of that person (or persons). (Location 1025)

If it’s not on your calendar, there’s a good chance it’s not getting done. (Location 1028)

One of the best ways to reduce the effects of the forgetting curve is to actively recall what you learned with spaced repetition. (Location 1033)

Going over the material at intervals increases our brain’s ability to remember it. To (Location 1035)

Your brain will give greater value to the reviewed material and prime your mind for what’s to come. (Location 1036)

Before each reading, take a few minutes to talk about or write what you remember from the previous reading. (Location 1038)

Being limitless is a choice, and that choice is entirely yours, regardless of your circumstances. (Location 1042)

Most people are sincerely interested in doing something that they know they should do. But they don’t do it, because they consider it a preference not a promise. (Location 1045)

When we write something down, we’re more likely to do what we promise. (Location 1047)

Below, I’ve included a commitment page for you. See eBook Supplemental Resources for a PDF download. (Location 1048)

I, _________________________________, commit to reading this book in 10- to 25-minute increments until it is finished. I commit to focusing by forgetting my prior understanding, distractions, and limiting beliefs of what is possible. I commit to being active in the process. I will do all the Kwik Start exercises, take notes, highlight, and practice asking myself relevant questions as I read. I commit to manage my state of being as I read, checking in regularly with my energy levels and being proactive in adjusting my motivation as needed. I commit to teaching what I learn to others, so we may all benefit. I commit to entering my reading time in my calendar, because if it’s in my schedule I will do it. I commit to review what I have already learned so I can remember it better before moving on to something new. And finally, I commit that even if I “mess up” with any of the above, I won’t beat myself up. (Location 1050)

I’ll get back at it and do my best. Yes! I am ready to be LIMITLESS! Signed, ___________________________Date: __________ (Location 1060)

What makes it through the filter is determined by the part of the brain called the reticular activating system, or RAS for short. (Location 1068)

The RAS is responsible for a number of functions, including sleep and behavior modification. (Location 1069)

One of the ways to guide the RAS are the questions we ask ourselves. These tell that part of our brain what is important to us. (Location 1071)

Maybe it was a specific kind of car or outfit that “magically” began appearing everywhere. (Location 1081)

Your RAS is like that site’s algorithm. It shows you more of what you express interest in, and it hides the things you don’t engage in. (Location 1084)

So often the answers we want are there, but we’re not asking the right questions to shine a spotlight on them. (Location 1085)

Why am I not smart enough? Why am I not good enough? Why can’t I lose weight? Why can’t I find the person I’m meant to be with? We ask such negative questions, and then those questions give us evidence—or pugs—as answers. (Location 1087)

The human mind is always generalizing in order to make sense of the world. Here, there, and everywhere, we can find evidence to confirm our beliefs. (Location 1088)

Someone who is constantly asking themselves how to get people to like them can never truly be their true self because they will always be molding themselves to the preferences of the people around them, even if they’re not aware of it. (Location 1095)

What do you think is your dominant question? (Location 1098)

Instead of being seen, I was always watching everyone else, wondering what everyone’s life was like. I wondered why this person was so popular, and that person was so happy, or what made another person so smart. (Location 1101)

What is one dominant question you ask yourself? Write it down. (Location 1117)

If you prep your mind with the right kinds of questions before you read, you’ll see answers (pug dogs) everywhere. (Location 1120)

Study the questions before you read each chapter, and you’ll be better prepared to understand and remember what you learn. (Location 1130)

Remember the power of neuroplasticity: Every time you answer a question and do a new activity, you rewire your brain. (Location 1132)

All behavior is driven by belief, (Location 1143)

At some point, we had an experience that gave us an impression of what we’re capable of, and our belief about our potential has (Location 1149)

How many of my perceived constraints are nothing more than LIEs and BS? (Location 1156)

When we take responsibility for something, we are imbued with great power to make things better. (Location 1169)

It’s about understanding that we are responsible for our assumptions and attitudes. (Location 1171)

quick side trip to the movies. (Location 1178)

It was impossible for me to buy into the notion that I could expect to accomplish only a modest amount with my brain when I knew that others could achieve so much more. I just needed to find a method. (Location 1224)

The key to making yourself limitless is unlearning false assumptions. (Location 1226)

“We come into this world not knowing if life is hard or easy, if money is scarce or abundant, if we’re important or unimportant. We look at two people who know everything: our parents,”1 (Location 1236)

Parents are our first teachers, and although they probably meant us no harm, we still come away from our childhoods with the limiting beliefs they unconsciously instilled in us. (Location 1238)

She wanted to know if it was sheer luck and genius, or if there was a method behind (Location 1268)

“Iceberg beliefs are deeply rooted and powerful, and they fuel our emotions,” they say in the book. (Location 1284)

“If we get a handle on our icebergs, we gain an enormous amount of control over our feelings and our lives. Melt an iceberg and all the downstream events it causes get washed away as well.” (Location 1287)

“the voice in your head that judges you, doubts you, belittles you, and constantly tells you that you are not good enough. It says negative hurtful things to you—things (Location 1291)

would never even dream of saying to anyone else. I am such an idiot; I am a phony; I never do anything right; I will never succeed.” (Location 1293)

“The inner critic isn’t harmless. It inhibits you, limits you, and stops you from pursuing the life you truly want to live. It robs you of peace of mind and emotional well-being and, if left unchecked long enough, it can even lead to serious mental health problems like depression or anxiety.” (Location 1294)

our superhero had everything inside of her to succeed. If only she’d been able to prevail over the beliefs that were holding her back, her extraordinary talents would have shone through. (Location 1301)

What would you say is your genius? Write it down. (Location 1330)

Making yourself limitless is all about unleashing your innate genius. (Location 1334)

There are clear connections between positive thinking and physical health. (Location 1338)

And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits.” (Location 1342)

difference between limiting beliefs and a limitless mindset is like the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat. (Location 1350)

thermostat gauges the environment and makes the environment react to it. (Location 1353)

But you might also be telling yourself that you don’t think you’re entertaining, or good company, or an enjoyable companion; and that kind of self-talk can ultimately cause you to double-clutch when you’re in an important social situation or when you need to speak in front of a group. (Location 1363)

So, listen carefully every time you find yourself using phrases like “I can’t,” “I’m not,” or “I don’t.” You’re sending messages to yourself that are affecting how you think about your life in general, even if what you’re beating yourself up over is something specific and seemingly not important to how you define yourself. (Location 1365)

try also to identify the origin of this sort of self-talk. (Location 1368)

Being aware of how you’re holding yourself back with your self-talk and spending some time to get to the source of these beliefs is extremely liberating, because once you’re aware, you can begin to realize that these aren’t facts about you, but rather opinions. (Location 1371)

“I always screw up this sort of thing,” counter with, “Just because I haven’t always been good at this in the past doesn’t mean that I can’t be great at it now. (Location 1374)

When you come up against a limiting belief, you’re likely to find those beliefs warring—and usually winning—against your rational self. (Location 1381)

They’ll be in the middle of doing something in which they lack confidence, and the inner critic will become so distracting that they can’t focus on what they are doing . . . and therefore don’t do it very well. (Location 1390)

This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to learn to face down and quiet your limiting beliefs. The better you are at this, the better you’ll be at keeping down distractions during your biggest growth challenges. (Location 1392)

whether there is in reality any evidence to prove that you are truly hampered in this area and whether even that evidence was tainted by the noise in your head. (Location 1394)

highest. (Location 1405)

But if you can create a separate persona for your inner critic—one that is different from the true you—you’ll be considerably more successful at quieting (Location 1410)

book, (Location 1418)

negative emotions drive us to narrow the range of what we are capable of doing. (Location 1422)

“when you are experiencing positive emotions like joy, contentment, and love, you will see more possibilities in your life.” (Location 1431)

Fredrickson refers to this as the “broaden and build” theory because positive emotions broaden (Location 1439)

your sense of possibilities and open your mind, which in turn allows you to build new skills and resources that can provide value in other areas of your life. (Location 1440)

People should cultivate positive emotions in their own lives and in the lives of those around them, not just because doing so makes them feel good in the moment, but also because doing so transforms people for the better and sets them on paths toward flourishing and healthy longevity.9 The new mindset that comes from silencing your inner critic presents you with a world of possibility. (Location 1444)

When you’re surging with positive emotions, you’re seeing—and seizing on—opportunities you might never have noticed before. (Location 1447)

Everything else falls into place once you snap out of the trance of these so-called “limitations.” (Location 1454)

Think of a time when you saw someone accomplish something that truly impressed you. Now think about what personal inspiration you can draw from that. Reimagine your inner critic. Change the attributes of this voice in your head so you begin to give it less credence. Face down one limiting belief right now. What do you regularly tell yourself you can’t do? Find the evidence that shows you that this belief isn’t true. (Location 1457)

These limited ideas entertained (LIEs) in our mind can stall us or steer us in a direction we don’t want. (Location 1467)

In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. (Location 1487)

The genesis of this limiting belief is likely one that you either don’t remember or that came from your early years. (Location 1498)

The IQ test actually measures current academic capabilities, not innate intelligence. (Location 1508)

To this day, IQ tests still don’t measure creativity or practical intelligence (which you can think of as “street smarts”), and they certainly don’t measure emotional intelligence6—all three of which are increasingly more important in the workplace and in life. (Location 1509)

Genius in All of Us. (Location 1515)

Thinking of talent as innate makes our world more manageable, more comfortable. It relieves a person of the burden of expectation.” (Location 1519)

Your intelligence is not only malleable but dependent on your ability to cultivate a growth mindset. (Location 1520)

“This is something I’m not good at yet.” (Location 1523)

Test scores do not determine your future. They don’t determine what you’re capable of learning and accomplishing. Take your education into your own hands. (Location 1524)

It’s not how smart you are; it’s how you are smart. (Location 1526)

intelligence is a combination of attitudes and actions, and is dependent on context. (Location 1527)

New belief: Intelligence is fluid. (Location 1528)

If only we could access the rest of our brains, what could we accomplish? (Location 1531)

Needless to say, this myth is pervasive, and yet it’s not true. (Location 1547)

Our brains are energy-hogs. The brain takes up only 2 percent of space by weight, and yet accounts for 20 percent of energy consumption, more than any other organ. (Location 1557)

we’ve learned, the brain uses a process called synaptic pruning. If we didn’t use a large portion of our brains, we would expect to see large areas of degeneration (Location 1561)

you have all the power of your brain available to you now. (Location 1567)

Just as most people use 100 percent of their body, there are some bodies that are faster, stronger, more flexible, and more energized than others. (Location 1568)

The key is to learn how to use your brain as efficiently and effectively as you possibly can—and by the end of this book, you’ll have the tools to do so. (Location 1569)

I am learning to use my whole brain in the best way possible. (Location 1571)

What’s more, no one remembers him for his mistakes—we only remember him for his contributions. (Location 1585)

mistakes are not often used as a tool for learning; they are used as a way of measuring one’s capabilities. (Location 1588)

Instead of looking at mistakes as proof of failure, take them as proof that you are trying. (Location 1590)

When you learn from your mistakes, they have the power to turn you into something better than you were before. (Location 1599)

remember that you are not your mistakes. (Location 1600)

It’s not how we make mistakes, but how we deal with them that defines us. (Location 1602)

knowledge is important, but it is “the performing of some action” that is required to make it powerful. (Location 1612)

me—it was how I used my knowledge that would. (Location 1617)

Knowledge is not power. It only has the potential to be power. You can read this book and learn everything in it, but if you don’t take it and apply the knowledge, it will be useless. (Location 1618)

All the books, podcasts, seminars, online programs, and inspiring social media posts in the world won’t work until you put your knowledge into action. (Location 1619)

It’s easy to talk about what we learn, but I want to challenge you not to talk about it, but to show what you learned. (Location 1620)

New belief: Knowledge × Action = Power (Location 1622)

Even though school was hard at first, she found other ways to make up for her disability, and because of her ability to adapt, she became the kind of problem-solver who could not only learn but could contribute to research that changed the way we view cancer. (Location 1642)

learning won’t always be easy, but the effort pays dividends. (Location 1646)

learning should be at least a little uncomfortable; otherwise you’re mostly reinforcing what you already know. (Location 1647)

The key is taking small, simple steps. (Location 1650)

Think about a stonecutter. The stonecutter may sit there and hammer away at his block of stone for what feels like an eternity, making only small chips and dents here and there. But in one moment, the stone will crack open. Was it the one time that did it? No—it was all the sustained effort that prepared the stone to split. (Location 1651)

Approach your learning like a stonecutter. It will require you to cultivate patience, to have a positive attitude, and to be adaptive to your own needs. (Location 1653)

New belief: When you learn new ways how to learn, the challenge of learning new things can be fun, easier, and more enjoyable. (Location 1660)

guacamole (one of my favorite brain foods) (Location 1667)

The biggest travesty in the world is people preventing and limiting themselves from expressing who they really are because they’re afraid of what other people think.” (Location 1669)

“freeing people from concern.” (Location 1670)

Everything you gain in life will rot and fall apart, and all that will be left of you is what was in your heart. (Location 1673)

The fastest learners on the planet are children, and that’s partly because they don’t care what others think of them. (Location 1675)

Most of us fear the opinions of other people when we simply think about trying something new. What the Wright’s story shows is that public imagination is woefully underwhelming, and people have a hard time reconciling what they believe is possible with what is actually happening. (Location 1691)

Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from. (Location 1695)

New belief: It’s not your job to like, love, or respect me. It’s mine. (Location 1697)

Lee wasn’t just talented—he was also willing to teach other people, and he accepted everyone who came to him as a student, regardless of their race or background. (Location 1716)

“When people come to me to learn, they’re not coming to me to learn to defend themselves. They want to learn to express themselves through movement, anger, or determination.” He believed that the individual is more important than any style or system. (Location 1733)

Lee is remembered for his tenacity, his ability to defeat his opponents, his philosophy, and for the way he managed to break out of the box of orthodox thinking and bring different styles of fighting together to create an entirely new philosophy. (Location 1736)

Through deep practice, ignition, and master coaching, anyone can develop a talent so deep that it looks like genius. (Location 1740)

Ignition is the motivation, the fuel to do what you do. (Location 1745)

Lee’s talent was born of a confluence of experiences and circumstances that served him well, although they may have defeated someone else. (Location 1748)

Genius leaves clues. There is always a method behind what looks like magic. New belief: Genius is not born; it’s made through deep practice. (Location 1751)

Take a good look at some of the mistakes you’ve made. Have you let these define you? How have your feelings about these mistakes changed after reading this chapter? Find a way to put something you’ve recently learned (even today) into action. Notice the difference it makes when you turn knowledge into power. Think about a situation where you allowed the opinions of others to sway your actions. How would you approach that same situation differently if the only opinion that mattered was yours? Get my 4Gs to a limitless mindset, including more strategies for replacing limited beliefs, at LimitlessBook.com/resources. (Location 1761)

The purpose one has for taking action. The energy required for someone to behave in a particular way. (Location 1772)

Motivation is not something you have; it’s something you do. (Location 1781)

it’s not something that you experience for a moment and then lose unless you heat it up again. (Location 1782)

Here’s the formula: Motivation = Purpose × Energy × S3 (Location 1784)

A clear purpose or reason gives you energy. Practices you employ will cultivate energy for your brain and the rest of your body, and small simple steps require little energy. (Location 1787)

Purpose drives us to act, and our purpose must be clear enough that we know why we’re acting and what we’re hoping to gain. (Location 1791)

Generating sufficient energy is vital—if you’re tired or sleepy, or if your brain is foggy, then you won’t have the fuel to take action. (Location 1792)

And finally, finding flow is the ultimate boon to motivation. (Location 1794)

The longer you go without sleep, the harder it becomes to maintain a sense of reality—or motivation, for that matter. (Location 1803)

Lack of sleep compromises all of your cognitive skills, your focus, your memory, and your overall brain health. (Location 1804)

A common contributing factor for depression and many mood disorders is lack of sleep. (Location 1805)

Often our greatest struggles lead to our greatest strengths. (Location 1819)

When you don’t sleep, and you have a very limited amount of energy and focus, you don’t waste (Location 1826)

you can articulate the belief that is driving you (your why), people will want what you are offering. (Location 1831)

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it, so it follows that if you don’t know why you do what you do, how will anyone else?” (Location 1832)

A goal is the point one wishes to achieve. A purpose is the reason one aims at to achieve a goal. (Location 1836)

H is for Healthy: (Location 1849)

Your goals should contribute to your mental, physical, and emotional health. (Location 1850)

E is for Enduring: Your goals should inspire and sustain you during the difficult times when you want to quit. (Location 1851)

A is for Alluring: You shouldn’t always have to push yourself to work on your goals. They should be so exciting, enticing, and engaging that you’re pulled toward them. (Location 1852)

R is for Relevant: Don’t set a goal without knowing why you’re setting (Location 1854)

T is for Truth: Don’t set a goal just because your neighbor is doing it or your parents expect it of (Location 1855)

Your life purpose consists of the central motivating aims of your life—the reasons you get up in the morning. (Location 1860)

Purpose can guide life decisions, influence behavior, shape goals, offer a sense of direction, and create meaning. (Location 1861)

Finding your passion is not about choosing the right path or finding the perfect professional destiny. It’s about experimenting to see what ignites your (Location 1871)

different passions can be cultivated simultaneously. You don’t have to choose one over the other when you’re exploring. Finding your passion is like finding true love, in that you have to go out on many dates to get to the perfect match. (Location 1876)

Once you find that special person, it doesn’t just magically “work,” because it takes effort to build a relationship. (Location 1877)

What are your current passions? List three. (Location 1881)

Purpose, however, is about how you relate to other people. Purpose is what you’re here to share with the world. (Location 1882)

we all have the same purpose: to help other people through our passion. (Location 1883)

Do you know your life’s purpose? Even if you don’t yet, write down a little bit about what it could (Location 1892)

What often isn’t discussed in the quest for motivation is identity —who you are . . . and who you think you are at your (Location 1894)

When you say you are defined by a particular action, you are essentially priming yourself to identify with and justify a certain behavior. (Location 1898)

When you consciously decide to identify with the habit or goal you want to create or achieve, or consciously un-identify with a habit you no longer want, you will experience enormous power. If you’ve been telling yourself all of your life that you are a slow learner, or that you can’t learn, you might start telling yourself “I am a fast and efficient learner” instead. The highest drive we have is to act consistently with how we perceive ourselves—it is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Use it to your benefit. KWIK START Take 60 seconds and, stream of consciousness, write down some “I am” statements. A HIERARCHY OF VALUES Next, we need to consider our values. You can set up the most well-thought-out habits, but if your values are not in alignment with the ultimate goal, you’re not going to do it. For example, someone who wants to remember people’s names should value relationships and their connection to other people. (Location 1907)

Values need to be prioritized. My values are love, growth, contribution, and adventure, in that order. Each value builds on and contributes to the next. (Location 1920)

You could feel amazing and still get nothing done if your reasons for doing so are not strong enough. (Location 1930)

Reasons that are tied to your purpose, identity, and values will sufficiently motivate you to act, even in the face of all of the daily obstacles that life puts in your way. (Location 1931)

If you’re struggling to find motivation to learn, or to accomplish anything else in your life, there is a good chance you haven’t uncovered the why of the task. (Location 1940)

You already know that you’re much more likely to remember something when you’re motivated to remember it. (Location 1942)

Setting boundaries around your time, emotions, mental health, and space is incredibly vital at any time, but especially when you don’t sleep. (Location 1950)

If I don’t feel completely aligned with something, I don’t do it, because I don’t have the energy to spare. (Location 1953)

JOMO—the joy of missing out. (Location 1956)

While it’s great to be open-minded and consider options, when you say yes to something, you need to be careful that you’re not inadvertently saying no to yourself and your own needs. (Location 1958)

Motivation comes from purpose, fully feeling and associating with the consequences of our actions (or inactions). (Location 1961)

Write down all the disadvantages you have to face if you do not learn to use the material in this book. (Location 1962)

The key is to make sure you feel the emotions. Don’t make this an intellectual thing. We make decisions based on how we feel. (Location 1964)

“I will have to settle for a job I hate, make very little money, have no free time for myself or anyone else, and I will have to put up with it for the rest of my life, bored and frustrated.” (Location 1968)

Make a list of things that will really get you excited and motivated. (Location 1971)

I want you to consider where learning fits into your passion, identity, values, and reasons. (Location 1977)

Instead of saying “I am broken,” I had to say, “I am a learner.” (Location 1982)

Every single one of my reasons keeps me motivated so that I can help more people learn. (Location 1986)

If you’re trying to force motivation, but you haven’t addressed these invisible, limiting identities, you won’t get very far. (Location 1988)

motivation is a set of habits and routines, guided by your values and your identity, that you carry out every day. (Location 1992)

Finding your passion is about giving yourself novelty and putting yourself in a new environment to see what lights you up. (Location 1993)

It’s difficult to do that if you feel limited or if you’re self-conscious about looking bad, so let that go and enjoy the experience. (Location 1994)

Write down a list of your most common “I am” statements. How do you feel about the ways in which these statements define you? (Location 1997)

Create a list of the things you value the most. Now prioritize that list and think about how this aligns with your definition of yourself. Get into the habit of asking the question “why” before you do anything. (Location 1998)

motivation is all about energy management and optimization. (Location 2009)

“your brain functions best when it gets only premium fuel. Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress—the ‘waste’ (free radicals) produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells.”1 She goes on to note that when your brain is forced to run on inferior fuel, it can’t possibly do everything it was built to do. Refined sugar, for example, contributes to impaired brain function, leads to inflammation, and can even cause depression (something you might want to consider the next time you reach for a tub of ice cream to contend with a tough day). (Location 2013)

Dr. Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist, integrative nutritionist, and author of Brain Food and The XX Brain, (Location 2018)

dietary needs of the brain are different from those of other organs. (Location 2019)

nutrients to function best. While most of these nutrients are created by the brain itself, the rest are imported from our diet.” (Location 2020)

What are your favorite brain foods? How can you incorporate one more into your daily diet? (Location 2028)

Avocados: They provide monounsaturated fat, which helps to maintain healthy blood flow. (Location 2030)

There have also been studies that show they can help with memory. (Location 2032)

Broccoli: A great source of vitamin K, which is known to improve cognitive function and memory. (Location 2033)

Chocolate also has flavonoids, which have been shown to improve cognitive function. (Location 2034)

Eggs: They provide memory-improving and brain-boosting choline. (Location 2036)

Green leafy vegetables: These are good sources of vitamin E, which reduces the effects of brain aging, and folate, which has been shown to improve memory. (Location 2037)

Salmon, Sardines, Caviar: They’re rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which help reduce the effects of brain aging. (Location 2039)

There’s also some indication that turmeric helps reduce cognitive decay. (Location 2041)

Walnuts: These nuts provide high levels of antioxidants and vitamin E that protect your neurons and protect against brain aging. (Location 2042)

Studies show that well-hydrated people score better on brainpower tests. (Location 2045)

“the foods we eat can have a big impact on our energy, the quality of our health, and the function of our brains. Focusing on key ingredients like good quality omega-3 rich fats, vegetables loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients, and spices to enhance our digestion and focus, and can support both short- and long-term brain function.” (Location 2047)

MORNING BRAIN TONIC Serves 2 Ingredients: 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into slices 2-inch piece of turmeric, peeled and cut into slices (note: this will stain, so watch clothes and countertops) 4 cups filtered water organic green tea (loose or plastic-free tea bags for 2 servings) ½ organic lemon, juiced Dash of black pepper Raw honey (optional) (Location 2050)

2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into slices (Location 2051)

Place the turmeric, ginger, and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer on medium-high heat. Add the green tea and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice, dash of black pepper, and honey (if using). Strain and serve hot. Avoid eating for 20 minutes after drinking this tonic. (Location 2058)

MORNING MAGIC SMOOTHIE Serves 1 Ingredients: ½ cup frozen wild blueberries ½ cup chopped jicama (peel removed) Big handful of organic spinach (you can add more, too!) 2 tablespoons hemp seeds 1 teaspoon MCT oil 1 teaspoon organic spirulina powder ½ cup unsweetened coconut water ½ cup unsweetened almond milk Ice (optional) Add all ingredients to a blender, blend, and start your day with brain and body fuel! (Location 2063)

BRAIN BOOST SALAD Serves 2 For the salad: 2 cups organic arugula 2 cups organic spinach ¼ cup pomegranate seeds ¼ cup raw walnuts, chopped 1 avocado, sliced 4 organic eggs, boiled then sliced when cool (if vegan, replace eggs with 2 tablespoons hemp seeds and 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds) For the dressing: 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ lemon squeezed 1 tablespoon raw honey ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt 2 tsp black sesame seeds (for garnish) Place all salad dressing ingredients (except sesame seeds) into a bowl or mixing container and blend/shake well. Set aside. Add the arugula, spinach, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts to a large salad bowl. Pour salad dressing on top of the salad and mix together. Transfer the mixed salad onto two plates. Top each salad with ½ sliced avocado and 2 sliced eggs. Garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy! (Location 2074)

benefits of supplementing with phospholipid DHA—your brain uses this to create healthy cell membranes.3 This is important because our cell membranes form all the receptors involved in mood, executive functioning, attention, and memory. (Location 2129)

Curcumin, the nutrient found in turmeric, can forestall cognitive decay. (Location 2131)

For a list and links to my favorite brain supplements, go to www.LimitlessBook.com/resources. (Location 2136)

“Exercise changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills,” (Location 2138)

regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.” (Location 2140)

Some of us even need to move around in order to get our brains operating at top efficiency. (Location 2144)

As your body moves, your brain grooves. Check out a few of my favorite exercise videos at www.LimitlessBook.com/resources. (Location 2147)

Set your phone alarm to remind yourself to move for a few minutes every hour. (Location 2149)

Dr. Daniel Amen, a clinical neuroscientist, author of the bestseller Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, (Location 2151)

ANTs are “automatic negative thoughts” and, if you’re like most people, you place limitations on yourself in the form of these thoughts (Location 2156)

Or perhaps you repeat on an endless loop how pushing yourself to accomplish something is only going to lead to disappointment. (Location 2158)

If you regularly tell yourself that you can’t do something, or that you’re too old to do something, or that you don’t have the smarts to do something, you won’t do that thing. (Location 2161)

What is your biggest ANT? What could you replace it with? (Location 2164)

“Given the strong association between stroke, vascular risk factors, and dementia, the suggested link between air pollution and dementia is to be expected.” (Location 2167)

A clean environment goes beyond air quality. Removing clutter and distractions from your surroundings will make you feel lighter and improve your ability to focus, so take time to Marie Kondo your mind and remove any unnecessary stuff. (Location 2173)

What is one thing you can do today to clean your environment? (Location 2177)

Who you spend time with is who you become. (Location 2179)

you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. (Location 2180)

brain system involved in reward processing is also involved in the processing of social information, explaining why peers can have such a pronounced effect on decision making.” (Location 2183)

But they can affect everything from what you eat to how much you exercise, to even how much sleep you get. (Location 2187)

just take a few minutes to think about who your peers are, how much influence they have on your life, and how this affects your desire to unlimit yourself. (Location 2189)

Who is someone you need to spend more time with? Reach out and make a date with that person now. (Location 2191)

Hard-contact or extreme sports are not ideal if you want to make the most of this precious asset. (Location 2195)

One of the most important things you can do for the health of your brain is to keep learning. (Location 2198)

What this means is that, as long as we keep learning, we continue to create new pathways in our brains. (Location 2200)

By increasing the ways you use your brain, you increase the capabilities of your brain. (Location 2204)

Create an ongoing “To Learn” list. What are some things on that list? Write two down. (Location 2205)

Whenever we experience stress, a hormone known as cortisol is released to alleviate the physical rigors of stress on our bodies. (Location 2207)

“There is evidence that chronic (persistent) stress may actually rewire your brain,” (Location 2210)

“Scientists have learned that animals that experience prolonged stress have less activity in the parts of their brain that handle higher-order tasks—for example, the prefrontal cortex—and more activity in the primitive parts of their brain that are focused on survival, such as the amygdala. It’s much like (Location 2211)

The part that was activated more often would become stronger, and the part that got less attention would get weaker. (Location 2213)

What is your favorite thing to do to cope with stress? When was the last time you did it? (Location 2219)

If you want better focus, you need to get good sleep. If you want to be a clearer thinker, you need to get good sleep. If you want to make better decisions or have a better memory, you need to get good sleep. (Location 2220)

Quality sleep—and getting enough of it at the right times—is as essential to survival as food and water. (Location 2223)

Without sleep you can’t form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories, and it’s harder to concentrate and respond quickly. (Location 2224)

sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake. (Location 2226)

getting enough sleep—and getting enough quality sleep—is essential if you’re going to make the most of your brain. (Location 2228)

“Sleep is crucial to overall health and daily functioning,” (Location 2232)

“Increasing evidence has tied lack of sleep to a host of mental and physical disorders, including increased depression, irritability, impulsivity, cardiovascular disease, and more. (Location 2234)