A short motivational talk by John Assaraf contrasting two metaphorical brain systems: the imaginative, goal-oriented 'Einstein brain' which envisions desired life outcomes, and the protective 'Frankenstein monster' brain that generates fear-based 'what if' objections. Assaraf argues that awareness and conscious choice—integrating both parts—allow intentional change and the automation of new, constructive defaults.
Chapters
Two of the key parts of our brain is what I call the Einstein brain and the Frankenstein monster brain. And the Einstein brain says, you know what? I would love this kind of a relationship and this kind of life and this amount of income and this much purpose and this much meaning. And this is what would be amazing for me. I'm going to use my imagination and my deductive reasoning. I want this. Not that there's another part of our brain that's a protector, not an antagonist per se, but a protector, called Frankenstein's monster. Frankenstein's monster is supposed to do this. As soon as the Einstein brain has all these awesome, imaginatory ideas and desires and goals and dreams, Frankenstein's mantra says, but what if. What if you try this and you fail? What if the same thing happens to you that happened when you were 10 years old? What if you fail? What if you're embarrassed? What if you're ashamed? What if you're ridiculed? What if you're judged? What if you're rejected? What if. What if negative? That is that part of our brain's absolute priority. It's like an early warning detection system that is incredibly powerful. And what if you could just calm down enough to pay attention to both? Is it possible that a higher functioning brain in a state of awareness is what gives us choice? And isn't it that choice that now can give us freedom? When our brain sees that we are committed and that we are engaged purposefully to change our mind, to be more aware, to take this action instead of that, our brain says, hey, you're investing energy on this. Let me just automate that. So this becomes your new default way of being. What if that intelligence is within us? And what if you can orchestrate it better? The answer is wow. And you can.
