An acclaimed science writer on how to upgrade your mind by using more than your head.
Annie Murphy Paul is a science writer and TED speaker. Her latest book is The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain.
In this episode we talk about:
- Why upgrading your mind involves more than just using your head.
- How our bodies, surroundings, and relationships all have the power to enhance our thinking.
- Practical strategies for “thinking with the body,” including interoception, the role of intuition, movement breaks, and even fidgeting.
- The importance of gesture and movement—why sitting perfectly still actually makes thinking harder for many of us.
- Tips for “thinking with your surroundings”—from stepping outdoors to using evocative objects and whiteboards to organize your ideas.
- The social side of thinking: how to learn from experts, think with peers, and harness the intelligence of groups.
- The challenges—and potential—of group collaboration, avoiding the pitfalls of groupthink, and fostering what psychologists call “groupiness.”
- The concept of “extension inequality”: why access to the resources that enhance thinking—like nature, movement, and mentorship—is not distributed equally, and why that matters.
- And finally, why returning to the way kids learn—using hands, bodies, play, and connection—might actually be good for all of us.
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Get ready for another Meditation Party at Omega Institute! This in-person workshop brings together Dan with his friends and meditation teachers, Sebene Selassie, Jeff Warren, and for the first time, Ofosu Jones-Quartey. The event runs October 24th-26th. Sign up and learn more here!
Tickets are now on sale for a special live taping of the 10% Happier Podcast with guest Pete Holmes! Join us on November 18th in NYC for this benefit show, with all proceeds supporting the New York Insight Meditation Center. Grab your tickets here!
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