Six Inspiring Lessons I Learned from Jim Kwik, the Brain Coach—in Six Quotes
10 Dec 2024 #miscJim Kwik is “the world’s #1 brain performance coach.” But he wasn’t always someone we would consider smart.
In school, he was called “broken” because of his learning issues. He wasn’t as fast as his classmates and couldn’t read. An accident caused him brain injuries that put him behind his class.
Believe it or not, he now teaches the very same subjects he struggled with: learning, reading, and memory. He’s the author of Limitless and the host of the Kwik Brain podcast.
Here are 6 lessons I learned from Jim Kwik’s videos and podcast episodes:
1. “Little by little, a little becomes a lot”
That shows the compounding power of consistency.
Want to change your life? Learn a new skill and practice it daily for a year. Read a book, learn a new language, or write online. Start with small, simple steps.
2. “First you build your habits, then your habits build you”
Wake up at 5:00 AM, take cold showers, drink water, go to the gym, meditate, journal…and on and on. It doesn’t have to be that complicated.
You can choose a simple routine: create something in the mornings, consume in the afternoons, and disconnect in the evenings.
3. “Reading is downloading decades of information to your brain in a few hours”
Books condense decades of an author’s experiences into thousands of pages.
Reading is the closest we can get to plugging ourselves into a computer and downloading new programs to our brains in seconds, like in the Matrix. “I know Kung Fu. Show me.”
Reading is the best exercise for your brain.
The problem is most of us haven’t taken a reading class since school.
If you haven’t, start by using your finger to guide your eyes as you read. It will increase your reading speed and comprehension.
If knowledge is power, then reading is your superpower.
4. “Yet opens up new possibilities”
We are our first haters with our negative self-talk:
- “I can’t”
- “I don’t know”
- “I don’t have”
Reframe those ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) with a simple word: “yet.”
“Yet” brings new possibilities and room for growth:
- “I can’t yet”
- “I don’t know yet”
- “I don’t have yet”
A simple word can change it all.
5. “You don’t get burned out by doing too much, but by doing too little of the things you care about”
Been there, done that. I got burned out when I tried to convince myself to do something I didn’t like that much just for money.
It took me months to get back my physical and mental health. Doing something just for money was a painful decision.
6. “Use AI to extend your HI, not to replace it”
AI is a powerful tool, but don’t use it to replace your HI (Human Intelligence). Don’t outsource your learning and thinking to AI.
Use AI as your copilot, not as the pilot.
Jim Kwik’s story is a story of change, possibility, and determination. From the kid with the “broken” brain to a world-renowned brain and learning expert.
It’s what you have between your ears that separates you from what you want.