#382: Safi Bahcall — On Hypnosis, Conquering Insomnia, Incentives, and More

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Aug 16, 2019

Safi Bahcall, the author of "Loonshots" and a former biotechnology CEO, dives deep into the fascinating connections between hypnosis, mental health, and innovation. He shares self-hypnosis techniques to combat insomnia and enhance focus. The discussion also explores how reframing emotions like anger can fuel success, alongside innovative insights into incentives in organizations. Safi emphasizes the importance of personal growth through mindfulness and understanding emotional triggers while considering novel therapies for depression like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. It's a blend of science, psychology, and real-world application!

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ANECDOTE

Hypnosis and Football Players

Safi Bahcall's interest in hypnosis began with observing Stanford football players attending a hypnosis class near a Thai food truck.
He became curious about its potential applications, especially for improving focus and sleep.

ADVICE

Visualizing for Sleep

To fall asleep quickly, get curious about the visuals you see when you close your eyes.
Focus on their details, like texture, movement, and how they change.

ADVICE

Mental Tasks for Sleep

If racing thoughts keep you awake, assign mental tasks to your "audio engineer", like generating random double-digit numbers.
Visualize these numbers to further occupy your mind and quiet the internal dialogue.

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Dale Carnegie

In 'How to Stop Worrying and Start Living', Dale Carnegie provides a set of practical formulas and techniques to help readers overcome their worry habits. The book, first published in 1948, has been updated and remains highly relevant today. It offers advice on how to eliminate business and financial worries, avoid fatigue, improve sleep, and cultivate a mental attitude that brings peace and happiness. Carnegie's approach includes rules such as living in 'day-tight compartments', accepting the worst-case scenario, and keeping busy to crowd out worry. The book is filled with inspiring examples and stories of people who have successfully applied these principles to achieve a more enjoyable and fulfilling life.

The Hot Zone

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Spark

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Awareness

a de Mello spirituality conference in his own words

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