On Becoming Superhuman
On Becoming Superhuman
On Becoming Superhuman
com
On Becoming Superhuman
An Uncommon Guide to Unleashing Your Superpowers &
Achieving Extraordinary Performance
The last 12 months of my life have been a wild ride.
Exhilarating, surprising, sometimes mind-blowing, at times confusing, and always
entertaining.
From Australia to Canada, to California and Colorado, Ive been on a journey to
learn about myself, about the world, and about this great adventure called life.
This exploration has taken me down many paths, and perhaps the most exciting
one has been my quest to become superhuman.
My friend, what Ive realized is that we all have immense untapped potential
inside of us. We are all capable of so much more than we think.
The human mind is the most extraordinary tool on the planet, and by mastering it
we can accomplish unbelievable feats.
Over the last year, Ive spent more than 1000 hours learning, experimenting, and
compiling strategies with the aim of taking my own performance in different areas
of life to a whole new level.
What Ive been able to accomplish in less than a year thanks to these strategies
blows me away and I feel incredibly grateful for it.
Today, I want to offer you these strategies, so you too can take your life to a whole
new level.
In this eBook, youll read the best of what Ive discovered over the last 12 months
about becoming superhuman.
I hope youre ready. Youre in for a ride and this is only just the beginning.
To Your Greatness,
Phil Drolet
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1.4
How to Read Faster, Finish a Book in 4
Hours & Make Warren Buffett Jealous
Chapter 2.8
Using Jedi Mind Tricks to Increase
Performance
Chapter 3.15
Fasting for Fast Weight Loss, Better
Health, and Supreme Fitness
Chapter 4.24
How to Get Smarter, Increase Your IQ
& Become Limitless
Chapter 5.44
How to Get Wiser, Increase your EQ,
and Become Unstoppable
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Affiliate Disclosure
Please note that some of the links in the following pages are affiliate links and I
will earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to
you).
These are all products I have experience with that I am recommending because
they are helpful and are companies that I trust, not because of the commissions
that I may earn from you using these products.
Please do not spend money unless you feel its for something you really need and
will help you reach your
goals.
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Chapter 1
How to Read Faster, Finish a Book in 4
Hours & Make Warren Buffett Jealous
A few years ago, I read somewhere that when Warren Buffet was asked which
superpower he most wished he had, he responded: Speed-reading.
Not flying, not superhuman strength or even mind-reading, just the ability to read
faster.
Interesting.
Why do you think that is?
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Its because Buffett, like many luminaries, believes that the key to success in any
field is learning all you can about it.
But theres one problem: learning enormous amounts on a topic takes a long
time. Most of us can only read about 200-300 words/minute, so reading several
books on a subject is an arduous task.
When I was younger, I used to think that speed-reading was a complex skill
reserved to only a lucky few gifted individuals. But a few months ago, I came
across this great article by Scott H Young and I realized that speed-reading is
simply a set of techniques and that its possible for anyone to master them.
Since then, Ive been able to triple my reading speed (from 250 words/minute to
a top speed of 750) & its been a thrill to feel my powers increasing.
Today, Im here to tell you that speed-reading is totally within your reach, and that
its a much easier skill to acquire than you think.
With 3 simple techniques Im going to share with you and a little bit of practice, I
absolutely believe that you can double your reading speed within 1-2 weeks, triple
it within a few months, and acquire this Superpower that even Warren Buffet
wishes he had.
Reading with a finger or pen can seem awkward at first, but youll get used to it
very quickly and soon realize how beneficial it is.
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An Important Distinction
When I talk about speed-reading with people, the same question always comes
up: do you still absorb/retain as much information while speed-reading? The
answer is yes.
But the key to doing so is being able to recognize when youre reading something
important and slowing down at appropriate times.
For instance, on one page, there might be 300 words that are moderately
important, and 50 that are critical. Read the 300 words at blazing-speed and slow
down to normal speed for the 50 to make sure you fully grasp the concepts.
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How powerful do
YOU want to be?
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Chapter 2
Using Jedi Mind Tricks to Increase
Performance
September 20, 2pm- University of Western Australia, Perth.
Im walking into the Universitys Sports Science Lab. This is my first time in a
sports lab, and I feel like Im entering the scene of a Gatorade commercial.
Im here to take a VO2Max test, which will measure my maximum aerobic
capacity- an endurance athletes lifeblood. This test is known to be unforgiving:
its going to show without a doubt how fit I really am.
Im excited about the whole thing, but also kinda scared. According to my Dad, an
accomplished endurance athlete in his own right (and one of the toughest guys I
know) VO2Max tests are horrible, and they make you feel like a quitter.
Uuuh. Good thing Ive been working out my Fear Muscle lately to help me keep
my nerves under control.
On the bright side, the lab has a nice view on the campus outdoor pool, and the
labs speakers are blaring good tunes. Im digging this Feel Good set-up.
The official reason Im taking this test is because Im volunteering to provide data
for a research project on muscle fatigue.
The unofficial reason? I want to get some free data to help me evaluate some of
the experiments Ive been running in my own training.
Heres the deal. Ive been training for endurance sports my whole life. I was a
high-level swimmer, reaching the National Junior Team for Canada in 2005.
Lately, Ive been training for the Anaconda Adventure Race (13km trail run, 2km
ocean swim, 13km ocean kayak, 32km mountain bike, 2.5km beach run).
Because this race is more challenging than anything else Ive ever done before,
Ive decided to step up my training a notch.
But not the traditional way, by training more or taking some crazy supplements.
No. Instead, Ive started complementing my physical training with Eastern
mindfulness techniques to strengthen my mind in addition to my body.
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Endurance sports & spirituality Unlikely combination? Definitely. Effective? Well,
were about to find out!
And the only way to really find out is to push myself to the limit, and CRUSH this
test.
Heres how the test works: Using a stationary bicycle, I have to pedal at a set
intensity for 3 minutes, then increase by 25 watts to reach the next level. I
change levels every 3 minutes, until eventually I cant generate the power
required (or collapse). Nice & simple.
I ask the researcher how long the test should take. She tells me, about 15
minutes. Short & sweet. Perfect.
I get settled with the astronaut-like breathing tube, which will track my oxygen
intake as the intensity increases. I put on the nose-pincher to make sure that
the data will be as accurate as possible.
Now I really feel like Im in a Gatorade commercial! Lets do this!
All geared up and ready to go, I start at 125 Watts for 3 minutes. From there, I
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work my way up to 150, 175, 200 Watts over the next 9 minutes. So far so good.
Im staying relaxed by listening to the 2 researchers share stories from their
weekend.
At the 12-minute mark, things start getting interesting. Im generating 225W of
power and pushing the pace a bit. I start sweating, and thats when I know its
time to deploy my Jedi Mind Tricks: a set of mental techniques Ive gathered over
the last few months through my daily practice of meditation and yoga, and which
Ive adapted to the context of high-intensity effort.
#1
The first Jedi Mind Trick is something I call active-relaxing meditation. The idea is
to relax all the parts of my body that are not involved in the effort. In this case,
while my legs are pedaling hard, the rest of my body is absolutely relaxed and
tensionless. I achieve this by focusing on exhaling deeply while visualizing my
body totally limber and loose. This trick ensures that no energy goes to waste.
#2
I then unleash the Second Jedi Trick: the Breaths of Giants. On each breath, after
I exhale, I inhale deeply, from my belly all the way to my upper chest, to maximize
my air intake. As we learn in yoga and meditation, most humans naturally use
poor breathing patterns (chances are you are breathing sub-optimally as you read
this). This means that its our responsibility to learn how to breathe better. This is
important for everyday life (to more relaxed and focused), and when doing an
aerobic sport such as cycling and running.
To get a glimpse of the power of optimal breathing, try this little experiment right
now. Exhale out all the way, and then breathe all the way in. Alllll the way in. A bit
more, come on. All right, now, hold your breath for 10 seconds. Done? Now,
breathe all the way out. Do this cycle 2 more times, and I guarantee youll
already feel differently than you did a minute ago
#3
Third Jedi Mind trick--perhaps the most powerful one--is a technique called stillpoint meditation. I fix my eyes and my mind on one point, focus all my attention
on it, and forget everything else. This is how I use Zen power to get in the Zone! It
allows me to turn off my mental chatter, and block off all distractions.
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Some people relate this technique to going to their happy place, but for me its
more like going to my comfy place. Theres no party or beautiful beach in my
head, but it does shield me against pain, fatigue, and negative thoughts.
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These 3 Jedi Mind tricks really helped me crush the 30-Day Cold Shower
Challenge, and now its time to put them to the test once more.
Back to the 12th minute. Jedi Mind Tricks loaded and ready to go. Even though
the intensity of the effort is increasing, Im increasingly chilled out as I get into the
mental groove.
15 minutes. Im zoning in & out, just keeping an eye on the computer screen to
ensure my wattage is in the right range. But Im super relaxed otherwise. This
feels kinda cool.
20 minutes. Things are going well and Im breathing at the same rate as when Im
walking. Damnnn, this is totally working!
25 minutes. Im working hard, but in my mind Im chilling. The song Party Rock by
LMFAO comes on, and I allow myself to throw a few fist pumps.
30th minute rolls around. Im still going strong. But something strange happens:
the machine stops. Uh oh. Confusion sets in, and it takes us a second to
understand what going on Ive just beaten level 10, which is the softwares builtin limit.
I cant help it but giggle a bit and give myself a mental high five as I realize that
Ive beaten the Machine!
The celebrations are short-lived as a few seconds later the researchers hit some
buttons, and the machine comes back roaring. This battle aint over yet.
And it seems like the machine came back with a vengeance. Im fighting to keep
my breathing under control, and a few little negative thoughts are trying to creep
in. Luckily, Ive got my mental light-saber and I destroy them as soon as they enter
my consciousness.
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36 minutes. We just cranked up the intensity to 400W. Things are hectic and Im
pedaling like a madman. The tube in my mouth makes it impossible to drink (or
salivate) and my mouth is as dry as the Sahara.
Time to focus even harder on the Jedi Mind Tricks. Its during the biggest
challenges that keeping our mind under control is the most critical.
38 minutes. My vision gets blurry. Not sure if its from the effort or from having
sweat in my eyes. Probably both. This is getting ridiculous. Part of me wants to
quit, but hell no, Im at least going to finish Level 13.
Focused Phil
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39 minutes. Ive made it through Level 13, and as a reward, the machine
increases its roar. It wants to finish me.
My legs feel like there going to explode, and Im considering calling it quits any
second now. But then, something magical happens.
The researcher looks over at my performance data on the screen. She stops,
incredulous, and tells her colleague in a slightly dramatic tone: Ive never seen
anything like that before
Hearing these words gives me a dose of rocket fuel.
F*ck this, Im going to smash this level too. Time to show science whats up!
The last 3 minutes are a blur. Halfway through the researchers ask if I want to
stop. I grunt and shake my head. No way.
Last minute. I throw the Jedi Mind Tricks out the window. At that point, its pure
balls & French Canadian toughness.
10 seconds left. Final push!!! I crank it all the way up to 510 watts, which Im told
is the highest ever recorded at UWA.
I cross my mental finish line and stop after 42 minutes of excruciating effort.
Woaaahhhh. So much for the short & sweet 15 minutes test!
I get off the bike, and feel like a guy who just got up after drinking 12 beers. My
legs are not cooperating anymore and Im stumbling all over the place.
But suddenly, I get a massive rush of endorphins. Aaahhhh. Feels goooooood! I
collapse on a couch and chill there for a while, with a big ol smile beaming on my
face.
Meanwhile, the researcher is printing out the results. She walks over and
congratulates me for scoring 61.4 (ml/kg/min), which ranks me in the upper
echelon of the 99th percentile. To give you a point of reference, its higher than
any Australian Football Player ever recorded, and almost any Hockey player.
The crazy thing is, Im not a full-time athlete by any stretch of the imagination. I
only work out 1 to 2.5 hours/day, like tons of other people do. I dont have a
coach, training partners, or even an organized training program for that matter.
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Yet Ive just achieved high-level performance on a grueling physical test. Hows
that even possible? 3 main reasons: Superior nutrition, more effective training
methods, and most importantly, Jedi Mind Tricks.
Its simple. By practicing meditation, mindfulness, and developing optimal
breathing, I can achieve greater performance with less effort. I have a stronger
focus on the task at hand, I stay more relaxed, and I can step up my game when it
counts.
While its the field of biogenetics that captures most of the attention with regards
to human performance enhancement, I believe that Eastern mindfulness
techniques represent an untapped gateway into superhuman performance.
And the best news in all this? It can help you even if youre not an elite athlete,
but simply someone looking to get fitter, look better, and have more energy.
So why wait? If you want to get started on meditation, all you have to do is begin
with 5 minutes/day. It can be first thing in the morning (which I do), during the
day, or at night. But commit to doing it everyday, for at least 30 days. By the end
of the month, itll have become a part of your daily routine, and youll already be
feeling some of the benefits.
Im coming on the first anniversary of my commitment to everyday meditation,
and I can tell you in all honesty thats its one of the best decisions Ive ever
made.
I know that for many Westerners, meditation is still this weird mystical concept.
Something about sitting around with eyes closed while trying to relax. A funny
scene with Buddhist monks in the Hangover 2.
But its not a bizarre or woo-woo activity, but rather an effective and pleasant
way to feel good, greatly improve our life
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Chapter 3
Fasting for Fast Weight Loss, Better
Health, and Supreme Fitness
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Now these guys, the hunter-gathered, they didnt eat 3 meals at day at regular
intervals like most do now. No, instead they went hunting & gathering, sometimes
for days, before finding something good.
As leading neuroscience & ageing expert Mark P. Mattson tells us, our ancestors
consumed food much less frequently and often had to subsist on one large meal
per day, and thus from an evolutionary perspective, human beings were adapted
to intermittent feeding rather than to grazing.
Hmm interesting. Could it be that modern society has put the human specie zoolike environment, and our eating patterns have become progressively less
optimal?
And more importantly, what happens if we start eating the way were evolutionary
programmed to?
The answer, it turns out, is amazing things.
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Not bad eh! And you havent heard the craziest part yet: most people start
experiencing these benefits within 2 weeks of starting to fast!
Oh, and if it werent enough, heres a study that simply blows my mind: In
the1930s scientists studied worms on an intermittent fasting cycle, and
compared them with a control couple group of worms of similar genetic make up
eating normally. On average, the worms on the IF cycle outlasted their
counterparts on a regular diet by 19 generations (!) , while still maintaining their
youthful physiological traits. The life-span extension of these worms was the
equivalent of keeping a man alive for 600 to 700 years. I know these are only
worms, but still make you wonder whats possible for humans and
superhumans!
For more information on the health benefits or the scientific evidence behind it,
check out this research from the National Institute on Agings Laboratory of
Neurosciences, this joint study between Stanford, LSU, and UNO, this article from
the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this article from the LA Times, or this
blogpost from Michael R. Eades, MD.
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Later that night, something strange happened.
I grabbed the Mens Health magazine issue next to my bed for a little pre-sleep
reading. I opened the magazine randomly in the middle. The article that was in
front of me? A piece on Intermittent Fasting titled The Worlds Most Effective
Diet.
Wow.
Im a big believer in the flow of the universe, and that signs are the universes way
of hinting us the right direction. As I read the MH article, I was moved by the great
insight the author provided as he related the day-to-day lifestyle of an
intermittent-faster, and describe all eloquently all the ways it had improved his
life.
I couldnt help but think the universe was telling me something. This article was
no coincidence, it was a sign.
I pondered on Ralph Waldo Emersons wisdom that all life is one big experiment.
The more experiments you do, the better. and right there and then, I made a
decision: Intermittent Fasting for 16 hours, starting right now. Lets do it.
Boom!
I turned off the lights and closed my eyes, hoping to sleep for as long as possible.
I didnt know it then, but it was the beginning my craziest experiment so far
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I headed over to my computer, knowing full well that the key to this whole
operation was to keep myself busy all day. I started working on my upcoming
eBook. I immersed myself in it, and before long I had an hour of good writing
under my belt, and it was time to make more tea.
Over the next few hours, I had little waves of hunger come in and out, but overall I
felt focused and achieved a great state of flow.
After 3 hours of solid creative work, I decided to step outside and enjoy the
afternoon sunshine. I got on my bike, and went cruising around Perth, enjoying
life. I had this Zen energy and actually felt really good. I couldnt believe how
well this experiment was going.
When I got back from my bike ride, I remembered I had to do something. It was
Sunday 4pm, the weekend market was about to close, and I didnt have my
groceries for the week. Thats right, I had to go grocery shopping. I had to go
buying large amounts of delicious food after 15 hours of fasting, without eating
any of it. The stakes had just been raised.
I walked into the market, and my nostrils were immediately flooded with the
wonderful aromas of fresh baked bread and croissants. I felt this sharp pain in my
stomach, and thought about turning around. But no, this was a challenge, and
pushing myself through this could only make me stronger.
I got everything I needed, paid for my stuff, and even managed to remain
courteous to the cashier despite my advance state of hunger. As I walked out, I
looked down at my watch. 5:00. 30 minutes to go. I just had to go home, put the
groceries away, then I would cook one hell of a feast.
I felt a bit woozy driving home, my mind was a bit foggy as I unpacked my
groceries, but before I knew it, my iPhone alarm went off. 5:30pm. A proud smile
beamed over my face. I had just crushed this fasting day, put myself out of my
comfort zone, and come out a bit stronger on the other side. Best feeling ever.
And then, it was time for some fooooood!!! :)
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While Im still fairly new to all this, Ive already learned from cool stuff from the
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experiment.
1. On fasting days, I appreciate my food SO MUCH more. That first bite of food
after 16 hours without it is blissful, and the subsequent ones are amazing.
2. I experience a high level of mental clarity, as more of my energy is being using
for cognitive activities instead of the digestion process.
3. Im more productive and get more stuff done, because I spend less time
preparing & eating food.
4. Its making me mentally tougher, its increasing my self-control. While cold
showers give me a lets do this-type mental toughness, fasting helps me remain
focused & persistent over a longer period of time. Both are equally important part
of getting my mind where I want it to be.
Stepping Things Up: Training in a Fasted State
On the 10th Day of Fasting, I celebrated by pushing the envelope a bit. Stepping
things up if you will.
I was chilling at the beach, and eventually got restless from too much reading &
journaling, so decided to get up and go for a run along the water. This would be
my first ever fasted training session and besides being fun, this run would serve
2 purposes:
1. Put my body under more stress, thus possibly supercharging the benefits of
the fast.
2. Allow me to enjoy the sights provided by the return of Australian summer &
bikini-season :)
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The workout was amazing, I felt light and fast. I didnt get tired, my mind felt clear,
and I even received a few smiles from the ladies.
Overall, great success.
That night, happy with my first fasted training, I found myself thinking how I could
take this Intermittent Fasting experiment to the next level
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growth hormone (HGH) were 20 times higher on the days the men fasted than
when they followed a regular day of eating.
20 times more HGH? WHAT??
For those who dont know what it is, HGH is pretty much the superhuman
hormone. Its a commonly used substance in illegal doping protocols by high-level
athletes.
I sat there, pondering the facts that Intermittent Fasting could make me fitter,
increase my energy reserves, and naturally enhance my HGH levels?
And then it hit me. The study described by Berkhan was based on a 28-day cycle,
and the big event on my athletic calendar, the Anaconda Race, was exactly 28
days away. Another sign.
I dont mess around when the universe gives me not one, but two signs about
something. It was time for radical action.
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Chapter 4
How to Get Smarter, Increase Your IQ
& Become Limitless
***
Today, the greatest single source of wealth is between your ears. Today, wealth
is contained in brainpower, not brutepower. -Brian Tracy
Do you ever wish you were just a bit smarter? That you could think a bit faster, be
wittier, and solve complex problems with ease?
Me too. In fact, it happens often.
Why? Because even though Ive always been fairly smart, I didnt hit the
intellectual genetic jackpot.
Getting good grades and holding my own in intellectual conversations was never
particularly hard, but theres always been a few people a step ahead of me.
And to be honest, I was a bit jealous. I wish I was born with their mental
superpowers. Deep down, I thought if I could somehow increase my brainpower,
then I could really achieve anything I want.
But Ive always figured there wasnt too much I could do about it. Some people
are super smart, some people arent quite so lucky thats just the way it is.
Today, Im going to share with you something extremely powerful, something Ive
discovered recently and havent shared with anyone yet:
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You know they say we can only access 20% of our brain? This lets you access all
of it. ~Limitless
As I watched that movie, something switched on inside me.
I couldnt stop thinking, Is it somehow possible to supercharge our mental
powers, become smarter, and start achieving more than weve ever dreamed?
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I decided right there & then that I had to find a way to make this happen in reallife.
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So I got busy. Over the ensuing months, I spent countless hours researching,
learning, and experimenting, with the goal of making myself smarter & putting my
own life in the fast-lane.
Discovering Neuroscience
Theres a revolution going on. There used to be two systems of knowledge: hard
science- chemistry, physics, biophysics- on the hand, and, on the other, a system
of knowledge that included ethology, psychology, and psychiatry. And now its as
if a lightning bolt had connected the two. Its all one system: neuroscience.
~Candace Pert, Neurochemist at the American National Institute of Mental Health
4 months ago, I had never studied, or even thought about, the field of
neuroscience. But as soon I started learning about neuroplasticity,
neurotransmitters & synaptic connection, binaural beats & brainwave
frequencies, and brain-derived neurotropic factors, I was absolutely enthralled. I
knew I had stumbled into something that would forever change my life.
I knew things were about to get real interesting.
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Now Im about to take you on a journey through the 10 best strategies Ive
discovered so far to enhance mental performance (in no particular order).
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I started training with Lumosity 5 months ago (before this blog was even born),
but I didnt really take it seriously at first. But when I saw Limitless, I got pumped
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& motivated so I stared training everyday, for 15 minutes (its all it takes).
Lumosity is a series of games was designed by leading neuroscientists to
challenge certain parts of the brain, and its backed by science from Stanford, CalBerkeley, and the University of Michigan. But the best part? The games are
enjoyable, and its super motivating to beat our best scores as our brain gets
more in shape.
After training for a couple months, I listened to audio version of the book The
Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge MD, and I was astonished by his
description of near-miracles achieved through brain training, mostly amongst
people who had had cerebral accidents, or suffered from certain cognitive
disabilities.
Thats when I realized just how powerful brain training could be. And it got me
thinking if people with cognitive impairments can get these kinds of results,
what would happen a healthy person brain-trained properly?
So I amped up my training, to 30-60 minutes 4-5x a week. I got serious about it.
And then things really picked up.
Lumositys website is well-designed and lets us compare our performance with
the other members our age group within the 14 million users. It uses a measure
called Brain Performance Index (BPI)which is Lumositys equivalent of the
Intelligence Quotient (IQ). A BPI of 1000 represents the average of all Lumosity
brain athletes amongst our age group.
When I first started training, I set myself the ambitious goal of reaching the 99th
percentile (shoot for the stars, and even if you miss youll land on the moon).
Im not there yet, but lo & behold, Im getting close!!!
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Lumosity also tracks our progress over time, which helps show to show how
trainable the brain is over time. (Each dot represents 1 week)
These results are a testament to my training, but also to the effectiveness of the
following 9 strategies, which Ive been implementing along the way.
2. Intermittent Fasting
You know from the previous chapter that I went 25 days in a row of IF, fasting for
16 hours daily and eating generously during the other 8 hours.
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I did it with the goal of achieving fast weight loss, better health, and supreme
fitness, and I believe those have all been accomplished. But something even
crazier happened. Something I did not anticipate at all.
Intermittent Fasting made me smarter.
At first, I wasnt too sure. I could feel exceptional levels of mental clarity during my
fasts, and then when I started smashing my best scores on Lumosity I knew
something was happening.
So I decided to look into it more deeply. And I found the answer.
Fasting has been shown scientifically to increase production of something called
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein in the brain that is
instrumental to neurogenesis (development of new neurons) and the creation of
synapses (connections between neurons).
According to Micheal Eades, MD, BDNF is also neuroprotective against stress
and toxic insults to the brain and, as bonus, humans with greater levels of
BDNF have lower levels of depression. You can check out the full article Dr.
Eades wrote for Tim Ferriss blog here.
Basically what happens is that Intermittent Fasting creates a mild stress to the
brain, which overcompensates by releasing more BDNF. As I said earlier, the
human brain is highly reactive to the kind of stimuli we give it.
What this translates in is that as soon as I started fasting, my mental
performance really jumped up. Shit got real.
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To increase your production of BDNF through IF, I believe that even once a week
would be beneficial. As leading neuroscientist Mark P. Mattson tells, in normal
health subjects, moderate fasting maybe one day a week or cutting back on
calories a couple of days a week will have health benefits for most anybody.
If you were tempted to give IF a shot after reading the third chapter but werent so
sure, maybe now is a good time to start? Believe me; its not nearly as challenging
as you think.
3. Exercise
I want to cement the idea that exercise has a profound impact on cognitive
abilities and mental health. John Ratey MD, Harvard Psychiastrist
Now that youre familiar with BDNF, heres another way to increase your brains
production of this awesome protein: good ol exercise!
Indeed, in studies on both humans, and mice, BDNF levels have been shown to
increase significantly in people who exercise.
And it gets even better. As you know, exercise increases the secretions of feelgood hormone endorphins (which literally means endogenous morphinemorphine produced from within), and an increase in endorphins has been shown
by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Andrew Schally to improve rats ability to take on
challenging tasks such as maze-running.
In his book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John
Ratey MD tells the fascinating story Naperville Central High School in Chicago,
where everyday, the first class of the day is Physical Education. This was started
as an experiment in the 1990s, and the results have been nothing short of
spectacular.
In 1999, the 8th grade-students were not only among the healthiest in the nation
(3% obesity rate vs. 30% national average), but they are also some of the
smartest in the world. These students were among 230,000 worldwide to take
the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematic and Science Study) test, and the
Napierville ranked #6 in the world in math and #1 in Science, in front of a hoist of
top schools from China, Japan, and Singapore, and far ahead of any other US
school.
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In 2010, Naperville Centrals junior class had a record 14 perfect ACT scores.
Now why more schools dont implement daily Physical Education is beyond me,
but thats another discussion for another day.
But what this means for us is simple: we already know exercise is beneficial in
countless ways, and now we know it makes us smarter. So time to get off our ass
and start exercising everyday.
Generally, I do a 10 minute wake-up run & 10 minutes of yoga in morning to get
a sweat going and myself in optimal state for the day ahead, and then I do
another more intense 1 hour workout in the afternoon.
At the very least, you should follow the advice Matthew Mcconaughey offered
shortly after being named Worlds Sexiest Man in 2005: Whether its going for a
run, dancing or loving, my rule is break one sweat a day.
Make it fun. Explore nature. Break a sweat. Feel good, get fit, and get smart.
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4. Challenging Skills-Acquisition
Whenever we learn a new challenging skill, we force our brain to evolve and
create new neural pathways.
There are 2 main-types of Challenging skills that help make us smarter:
1) Motor skills
At Napierville Central High School, their Physical Education classes dont simply
consist of going jogging. They purposely take on challenging activities such as line
dancing, to stimulate the students brain while giving their body a workout.
Tim Ferriss is a notorious adept of learning new motor skills, like tango dancing,
surfing, and Yabasume, a crazy Japanese sport consisting of horseback archery.
I train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a highly technical martial art that uses leverage to allow
weaker individual to defeat stronger foes. Its a ton of fun and an amazing
workout, but theres honestly times when my brain hurts from trying to grasp the
complex techniques. I still forget the steps to new moves all the time, but I try to
console myself thinking that at least Im getting good brain workout.
Ive been using some of Ferriss techniques from the above video to improve my
learning & retention rate (such as mental rehearsal/visualization right before bed)
but it is one the most challenging activities I do on a regular basis.
2) Language Acquisition
In a recent blog post, Ferriss wrote, language learning deserves special mention
here. It is, bar none, the best thing you can do to hone clear thinking. While I
disagree with his assertion that its the best thing for clear thinking (see strategy
#5), there is no doubt that its highly beneficial.
While Ive only acquired 1 new language so far, English (French is my mother
tongue), this is something I cant wait to get more into now that Im finally done
with my Masters Degree & formal education. Spanish & Portuguese are the first
2 on my list.
Languages acquisition offers a two-fold advantage- the increase in brainpower
from learning, and the opportunity to travel and discover the world in whole new
way.
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Endorphins
Not only has an increase in endorphins been shown to increase mices
performance in maze-running, but in the book Megabrain, author Michael
Hutchison explain that scientists now believe that the moment learning takes
place- the aha moment- is when a particular reality has been selected and
filtered by our endorphins and is suddenly apprehended by our brain.
If that wasnt enough, The Brain Evolution System, the Binaural Beats system I
use to meditate everyday for 1 hour has been shown to significantly increase the
production of DHEA (the master hormone, precursor to most neurotransmitters)
and melatonin (the restful sleep hormone), while also greatly reducing the
production of cortisol (the stress hormone).
In study by Dr. Vincent Giampapa, MD, former president of the American Board of
Anti-Aging Medicine, a group of 19 people did 4 hours of Brain Evolution
meditation for 3 days in a row. In this short timespan, subjects showed an
average increase in DHEA of 43.77%, an increase in melatonin of 97.77%, and a
reduction in cortisol levels of 46.67%.
Considering that high neurotransmitters count, restful sleep, and low stress levels
are all beneficial to mental performance, this is all very good news.
***
Finally heres the kicker: binaural beats create brain synchronicity, described by
Leester Fehri from Princeton University as the maximum efficiency of information
through the whole brain. As the sound waves force both hemispheres to operate
on the same frequency, the brain needs to build new pathways to bridge the 2.
Over time, this allows for whole-brain thinking, which Michael Gelb describes as
a common trait of geniuses in his great book How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.
That technology is seriously amazing. All you have to do is sit there (or even lay
down), relax, and it does the rest for you as you become Zen and develop mental
superpowers. Click here to check out the Brain Evolution System, I highly
recommend it.
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Most people use their smart phone in quite a dumb way. Incessant emails,
mindless games, and too much time checking Facebook or Twitter.
But if used properly, smartphones can actually contribute to making us smarter.
Heres how:
a) Reading interesting stuff through Google Reader.
Blog posts are such a powerful way to learn and challenge our brain with new
ideas. The good bloggers put in a lot of work in creating impactful content that is
concise, entertaining, and applicable. If you read 3 insightful blog posts everyday
(10-15 minutes), thats at least 3 good ideas into your head. It challenges you to
think on a higher level and see things in a different light.
Every time youve got a few minutes off in your day, instead of doing mindless
stuff on your phone, use that time to feed your mind amazing information. Itll pay
off big time down the road.
Theres a lot of brilliant blogs out there, but right now my favourite are:
Under30CEO, High Existence, The 99 Percent and Tim Ferriss.
b) Audio learning
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Audiobooks, Podcasts, TED Talks theyre all wonderful ways to learn effortlessly.
Believe me, cleaning the kitchen goes by way quicker when youre learning
something interesting about a topic youre passionate about. But also, by listening
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to stimulating content, it constantly challenges the brain to form new neurons &
synaptic connections, making full use of the high BDNF count developed with the
other strategies.
My current favorite resources are the amazing Philosophers Notes, Audiobooks
from Audibles.com, and these podcasts: Stanford Entrepreneurial Thoughts
Leaders, The Rise to the Top, TED Talks , and of course The Feel Good Podcast :)
c) Setting up Reminders & Alarms
If youre like me, you struggle with keeping track of future commitments. Ive
always hated agendas, and relied mainly on memory. For me, this works about
99% of the time, which is really good except for 1% of the time. So lately Ive
started using my iPhones calendar app, which allow me to quickly set up
reminder 24 hours before something, and once again 30 minutes before it.
Not only does it prevent me from forgetting stuff and possibly upsetting people,
but it also frees up a lot of my mental RAM, which I can use for other things.
7. Sleep Optimization
Sleep is the great force multiplier ~Tim Ferriss
We all know it: were a lot smarter when were well rested than when were tired.
But the hidden third of life is something most people dont pay enough attention
to.
While Ferriss has his own ideas on the matter, I believe it comes down to 3 main
things:
1) Figuring out our best periods of mental performance, and building our sleep
cycle around it.
Ive always been in Superman mode from 11pm to 3am, so I make sure to be
awake and do some challenging activities at that time. Most of the content you
find on this website was created during epic late-night writing sessions.
2) Experimenting with polyphasic sleep
I cant find a reference to it, but I read somewhere that in studies where they put
people in a room with no idea of the time of the day, and no outside stimuli,
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subjects gravitated towards sleeping twice every 24 hours, one 6 hour period and
one 2 hour period.
I personally sleep about 6 hours at night, and take a 1-hour nap-atation
(meditation with Brain Evolution System & nap) everyday.
Many great thinkers in history were avid nappers, including Thomas Edison,
Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, and Napoleon Bonaparte, and one day when I
run a company with many employees, they will not only be allowed, but
encouraged, to take a nap at work in the afternoon.
3) Eating before bed
This is something I got from The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid FatLoss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman. The idea is quite simple: if we
dont eat before bed, by the time we are in the last few hours of our night, our
blood sugar level drops and our sleep because less restful.
Each night before bed, I have a 3 chocolate chips cookies with a glass of milk
(because its delicious and because the milk provides slow-digested protein called
casein) and 5 Brazil nuts (because they are highest source of selenium, which
helps increase testosterone production overnight).
8. Omega 3 Intake
Did you know that a large part of our brain is made up of fat? I learned that
recently, and it sounds crazy but its true.
The neuron membrane (or wall) is made up of good fat and in order for the
neurons to communicate properly, these membranes need to be flexible to allow
vital molecules to pass through.
Studies have shown that diets rich in Omega-3 can result in increased learning
ability, problem-solving skills, focus, memory, and communication between cells.
Omega-3 has also been shown to help promote a positive mood and emotional
balance, and can help people maintain healthy mental ability as they age.
I generally aim for about 10g of fish oil per day (1800mg EPA / 1200mg DHA).
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Cacao is sensational from a nutritional standpoint. Its the highest food in the
world in antioxidants (2x higher than Acai berries, 8x higher than goji berries, and
about 15x higher than red wine & green tea), it has the highest levels of muscle
relaxing magnesium, and its super high in iron, chromium, manganese and zinc.
But Cacaos most extraordinary aspect is its unique neuro-enhancing properties. It
contains PEA (same feel-good compound our body produces when we fall in love),
Anadamide (also known as the bliss chemical), tryptophan (pre-cursor to
serotonin) and serotonin itself. It also contains Theobromine, a chemical relative
of caffeine.
No wonder Cacao literally means Food of Gods in the Aztec dialect!
I make a hot drink of Raw Cacao Powder (2 large spoonfuls), hot (but not boiling)
water, coconut cream, agave syrup, and cinnamon. Its divine, and it makes me
feel goooood.
Earlier this year, I got 13kg of some of the finest Raw Cacao powder in the world
from Roar Superfoods. I had originally planned on repacking it and selling it for a
profit, but I gave up on the idea and just started plowing through the bag myself.
12 months later, Ive almost had the full 13kg bag!
2) My Brainpower Tea Creation
I discovered Yerba Mate through Tim Ferriss, whos an avid proponent of this
Argentinian herbal drink containing 3 different of neuro-stimulants.
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But Ive taken it a step further. I now regularly drink 1L of a drink made of Yerba
Mata, Gingko Biloba (reported to increase blood flow to the brain), green tea, and
ginseng. I simply buy them individually and mix them all together and add hot (but
not boiling) water.
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3) Matcha Green Tea
By now, Im sure youve heard that green tea offers fantastic health benefits. Well,
Matcha is like green tea on steroids.
First used in Japan over 800 years ago, the Zen monks who drank it noticed they
had better concentration and that it made them feel more alert. Its made from
high-quality Gyokuro green tea leaves that are crushed and pulverized, and result
in fine bright green powder. Nowadays, it is used in traditional tea ceremonies
and special occasions in Japan, but I just drink it every morning. One cup of
Matcha is roughly equivalent to 10 cups of normal green tea in terms of
phytonutrients & flavanoids.
Its a supplement that contains a mix of natural plant extracts full of neuronutrients and is designed to improve brain cognition, bloodflow to the brain,
synaptic connections, neurotransmitter production, memory, and more.
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It looks like its not only beneficial in the short-run, but also excellent to decrease
mental decline. In his book Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul (And, of Course,
Surfing), Big Wave surfer extraordinaire Laird Hamilton ranks nootropics (neural
supplements) as his #1 supplement, to minimize mental decline as he gets older.
I have been experimenting with Alpha Brain for over a month now and I am very
happy with the results. I take 1 pill first thing in the morning, and 30 minutes later
I feel my mental powers rising. The effects generally last 6 hours, after which
point I have my nap-itation, and then I sometimes have a another pill upon waking
up depending on my plans for the evening.
So far, I have not experienced any adverse effects and the reviews from other
users are also very positive.
If youre interested in trying Alpha Brain, you can use the coupon code FEELGOOD
and get a 10% discount.
You can read all about the different components and the scientific backing behind
Alpha Brain right here.
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But no pill is enough to harness the full power of your brain: the true extraordinary
benefits come from integrating all these strategies into your own Feel Good
Lifestyle.
Trust me though, once you start, you wont want to stop.
Feeling
limitless just
feels
too damn
good.
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Chapter 5
How to Get Wiser, Increase your EQ,
and Become Unstoppable
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One day, I was doing just that. It was a surreal setting, eerily similar to this poster
that adorned my wall all year in Perth.
Life was great, and I didnt have a worry in the world. Until something hit me.
It wasnt a falling coconut or an angry Indonesian dude, but rather a powerful
realization. The chapter on becoming limitless was a great piece, but it was
incomplete. I had claimed that it offered the keys to a life in the fast-lane, but this
wasnt entirely true.
To really create our dream life, massive brainpower is great, but its not
enough. We need to know how to harness that power.
We need the tools to use our newfound mental superpowers to accomplish more,
to do good in the world, and to make other peoples lives better.
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With great power comes great responsibility Uncle Ben
Having a high IQ is one thing. Knowing how to use it is a whole other ballgame.
But if we combine exceptional brainpower with a high degree of emotional
intelligence, we become--Unstoppable.
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way of connecting with others.
They are all people with an exceptionally high Emotional Quotient. They might be
very smart as well, but above all they are Emotionally Intelligent.
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By building our IQ, we improve our brains hardware. Thats great, but its not what
matters the most. Not even close.
According to Daniel Goleman, in his seminal book Emotional Intelligence, IQ
represents only 20% of the success formula. Meanwhile, its close cousin the
Emotional Quotient (EQ) counts for as much as 65% of success.
As Goleman puts it, Emotional Aptitude is a meta-ability determining how well
we can use other skills, including intellect.
Increasing our EQ is like injecting jet-fuel into our life & shooting off in the
direction of our dreams.
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Our emotions are pretty much like data for our mental computer. It tells us that
something in our life is a bit out of sync.
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One can read that data, we can do something good with it. The key is simply turn
off the autopilot, and keep our state in check through the day. Whenever we feel
lousy, its time to do something about it.
Everyone feels bad at times, but the difference between those who live a super
happy life and the others is how long it takes them to get back to feel good
mode.
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Breathe in fully through your nose for 3 seconds
Hold your breath for 12 seconds
Breathe out for 6 seconds
Do that 2-3 times. It takes 1 minute and I guarantee youll feel better after. I take
easily 20-30 of those throughout the day.
2. Hand on Heart + :) = <3
Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason, considers this to be the #1 trick to
increase our happiness instantly.
The human heart has an incredibly strong magnetic field (5000x stronger than
the brains) and by simply putting our hand there we can tap in to that energy. And
when we smile, we stimulate a hoist of feel-good neurotransmitters in our brain.
Smiling literally makes us happy.
So it goes like this: put a hand on your heart, breathe as though you were
breathing through your heart. Smile. And every time you breathe in, imagine you
are breathing joy, love, and ease.
I know it can sound a bit silly, but hey, it works! Do it for a minute and youll feel
happier and more relaxed.
3. Music is my Hot Hot State
Music has been a part of human society for a really long time because it has a
way unlike anything else to change and shape our emotional state.
Theres just so much good music out there, from all different genres Whenever
you want to feel more of a certain way, just pump up a few tracks you love and get
into it. Ill listen to trance for 2 hours to get my work done, and then maybe a
listen to a couple Colbie Caillat tracks as I wind down. But music makes
everything better, and can make us FEEL better if we use it properly.
Bonus Feel Good Points: Busting dance moves & fist-pumping to good songs is a
great way to feel even more awesome.
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There are A LOT of other little tricks you can use throughout the day to change
your state & feel better, and in my eBook, The Feel Good Guide, I wshare 25 of
them to help you feel good all day everyday.
The best way to do that is to do a few simple mental exercises. Theyre not long,
theyre free, but they require that you be really honest with yourself, unlike our
buddy Homer in the picture.
This isnt about impressing anybody, its about getting more clarity into yourself so
you can become You 2.0.
Here are 3 great tests to get you started:
Strengths & Weaknesses
This is very simple: just sit down, and take time to list all your strengths, and all
your weaknesses. Come on, you know what they are: just be honest.
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360 Test
This is something that a lot of top organizations around the world use. Its a bit
scary, probably quite eye-opening, and I havent had the balls to do it yet. But
basically what you do is create a simple questionnaire where you ask people to
rate you in different categories and to help you see clearly what your strengths are
and *dum dum dummm* your weaknesses as well.
The Deathbed Exercise
This is an exercise that Marshall Goldsmith, one of the top executive coaches in
the world, gives to most of his clients (mostly Fortune 500 CEO & Executives) to
help them live a more meaningful life while increasing their EQ:
Imagine youre 95 years old and youve only got a few hours left to live. And youre
looking back on your life, the great things you did and the mistakes you made.
If at that point in your life, you could give yourself 2 pieces of advice:
1) The one thing you should do differently in your personal life
2) The one thing you should do differently in our professional life
Its that simple. The answers are already inside you, and you can probably figure it
out rather quickly.
In case youre curious, when I did that exercise I decided to
1) Trust my heart, my instincts, and my guts more.
2) Go for it big time. Work hard, be focused, and really believe that I can make a
dent in the universe.
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What traits did you exhibit in your life? How did you show up in the world? How did
people describe you?
2) Shooting the Arrow
This is a practice that Tibetan Buddhist monks do after each mediation session,
when their brain is in an optimal state. They simply picture themselves how theyd
love to be that day, and in the future. The visualize themselves behaving exactly
the way they want to behave. Then they get up, and they go be that person.
3) Rate your score
Once you start working on one of your weakness (for me, impatience is #1), every
night give yourself a score on how you performed on that weakness. That will
definitely increase your awareness, and motivate you to pay special attention to
that trait during the day.
***
From there, its just a matter of getting busy, and working hard everyday on
ourselves. By getting 1% better everyday, it doesnt take very long before we get
100% better. According to Daniel Goleman, it takes about 3-6 months before we
can really start re-inventing ourselves.
3-6 months to become the type of person who will kick ass for the next 30, 50 or
even 100 years? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
5) Fantasize about the Future
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I read Richard Bransons biography while travelling, and hes a good example of a
guy who doesnt have the highest IQ (he was dyslexic, wasnt doing well in school,
and didnt go to University.
But he had an exceptionally high EQ and thats why hes had the success hes
had. And why he has his own house on a deserted island and hangs out with
supermodels all the time. Life in the fast-lane anybody?
In his biography, he admits that fantasizing about the future has always been one
of his favourite past-times. Owning his deserted island? Before it was a reality, it
was just an idea in his mind he had several years before.
Dreaming big is not only useful to becoming successful, its almost a prerequisite. You can only achieve something as big as what you envision.
Heres a quick & really fun (my favourite of all) exercise to start dreaming big and
seeing your future.
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Take a piece of paper, and take 10 minutes to write down EXACTLY how you want
your life to be in 1 year.
Just let your mind go wild and have fun with it. As David J. Schwartz, Ph.D. writes
in The Magic of Thinking Big, No one accomplishes more than he sets out to
accomplish. So visualize a big future. I am a firm believer that anything you can
conceive, you can achieve, so dont be afraid to think big.
Its more fun, and itll pay off big time down the road.
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Now that youve had fun with that, its time to come back down from the clouds
and onto the earth.
Having a big-time vision of our future is not enough: we need to connect it with
our present, and build a bridge between the two. And thats called goals.
Right after doing the Dream Life exercise, when youre all pumped up, is a great
moment to set goal for this week, this month, and the next 3 months. Each little
goal is a building block for something bigger.
Enough little steps, and soon youre at the top of the mountain.
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Hunger is the fire within. Its what helps us work hard day & day out towards our
goals. Hunger comes from combining our goals with our passions.
Optimism is the faith that everything will work out and it comes from knowing
were ultimately in control of our destiny.
Persistence is the ability to keep going when the going gets tough. It comes from
character and from hunger.
No worthwhile project will ever go smoothly from start to finish. And weve all been
there, we were working on something great and then halfway through we hit an
obstacle, and gave up. And now we have to live with that terrible what-if feeling
forever
I really like this quote from Dan Millman in Everyday Enlightenment: By remaining
productive in difficult emotional episodes, you are more likely to improve your
emotional state than if you do nothing but ruminate & wait for sunny skies.
Being hungry, optimistic, and persistent is not always easy, but who said life
always had to be? Every person you see on TV whos enjoying glory has had to
spend years and years working in the shadows to prepare for that moment. Its
called The Grind Before The Glory.
But Im sure if you asked these now if it was worth it Theyd give you a
resounding Oh Hell Yeah!
So lets get busy on those goals and prepare for the amazing rewards that will
come our way in the future.
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Think about a person in your life whos a really good listener. I bet your really
enjoy hanging out with that person. Its normal, because we all love talking,
especially when we feel like the other person is really into what were saying.
Being a great listener is amazing for 2 reasons:
1) Its quite simply the easiest & fastest way to make friends.
2) Its an amazing way to learn new stuff & become wiser
John Donahoe, CEO of eBay, and another member of the EQ Top 10 for CEOs,
likes to use this strategy: Every time I have an interaction with people, I ask
myself What can I learn from them? and I try to look for their strengths.
Here are a few quick tips to become a better listener:
1) Ask lots of questions & follow-up questions (Develop your ability to find
common ground between you and others, so you can ask question your care
about. If youre fake listening but really thinking about something else, people
will feel it.)
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2) Look at people in the eyes
3) Express emotion with your face
Its not really rocket science, but it does take some practice (Im working on this a
lot myself these days).
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While I was in Indonesia, since I couldnt communicate well with people, I focused
on smiling a lot. I can tell you, from about 1000 people I smiled at while walking
around (and some, very stern-looking old men) at least 997 returned the favor.
Our reaction to a smile is hard-wired: when we see someone smile, our mirror
neurons automatically fire off and we smile too.
So smile. Its easy, its free, it makes the world a better place and people will like
you more for it.
b) Eyes
The eyes are the windows to the soul
The way we look at people tells a lot about us, and can really make us or break us
when were meeting new people.
You try seducing a hot girl (or guy) and you keep looking at your feet? Youre dead
in the water.
You try to inspire your team but your eyes show that deep down you have big
doubts? Theyll feel it.
Our eyes really can betray us, or help us become a better version of ourselves.
If youre interested in this, I highly recommend you read this article about the
power of eye contact. It uses Bill Clinton as an example and Ive learned a few
very helpful tricks in there (best one: lingering eye contact).
c) Posture
A nice straight posture just looks better, and conveys more confidence.
This is actually something Ive been working for a LONG time. As a former
swimmer, I started getting hunched over, and I still remember seeing myself in a
mirror and thinking.. WTF?? I was starting to look like a friggin hunchback.
So I committed to sitting up straight, and my spine is fine now.
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When you walk, when you sit, whatever, try and be conscious of it. Makes a huge
difference.
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d) Handshake
In Enchantment, Kawasaki actually offers the mathematical formula to a perfect
handshake, but heres what it boils down to:
-Make eye contact through out
-Make a Duchenne Smile
- Stand a reasonable distance from the other person, and shake their hand
halfway
-Give the hand a firm squeeze (but not bone-crushing)
-Use medium vigor in the shake
-*Bonus* Make sure you remember their name! Remembering + using
someones name is a great way to increase our likability.
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Philippe Drolet
Boulder, Colorado June 12, 2012.