Think, Learn, Succeed: Understanding and Using Your Mind to Thrive at School, the Workplace, and Life

by Caroline Leaf

Our thought lives have incredible power over our mental, emotional, and even physical well-being. In fact, our thoughts can either limit us to what we believe we can do or release us to experience abilities well beyond our expectations. When we choose a mindset that extends our abilities rather than placing limits on ourselves, we will experience greater intellectual satisfaction, emotional control, and physical health. The only question is . . . how?

Backed by up-to-date scientific research and biblical insight, Dr. Caroline Leaf empowers readers to take control of their thoughts in order to take control of their lives. In this practical book, readers will learn to use

- The 5-step Switch on Your Brain Learning Program, to build memory and learn effectively
- The Gift Profile, to discover the unique way they process information
- The Mindfulness Guide, to optimize their thought life and find their inner resilience

Dr. Leaf shows readers how to combine these powerful tools in order to improve memory, learning, cognitive and intellectual performance, work performance, physical performance, relationships, emotional health, and most importantly a meaningful life well lived.

Each of us has significant psychological resources at our fingertips that we can use in order to improve our overall well-being. Dr. Leaf shows us how to harness those resources to unlock our hidden potential.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Health, Personal Growth, Science, Neuroscience

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 7, 2018

About the author

Dr. Caroline Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. Since the early 1980‘s she has studied and researched the Mind-Brain connection. During her years in clinical practice as a Communication Pathologist she developed tools and processes that help people develop and change their thinking and subsequent behavior. Her scientific Science of Thought techniques have transformed the lives of patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), learning disabilities, emotional traumas and released the potential of thousands of young students and adults.

She has presented her unique Switch On Your Brain with the 5-Step Learning Process® and the Metacognitive-Map™ learning tool to thousands of students worldwide.

She developed the Geodesic Learning™ theory (how we think and process information) that has been conservatively shown to increase thinking, behavioral and academic performance by 35-75%. This revolutionary theory explains the Science of Thought, stating how thoughts form, how we process information and the power of the non-conscious mind and the relationship between the non-conscious and conscious. It explains that everything you do is first a physical thought in the physical brain. You think, and then you do, which cycles back to the original thought, changing it, and the thoughts connected to it, in a dynamic interrelationship. Therefore if your thinking is toxic, then your communication and behavior are toxic, and vice versa.

She has published numerous articles in academic journals and consumer magazines and has been widely interviewed in newspapers, on radio shows, and on television shows about her research and theories.

She has her own weekly TV show called "Switch On Your Brain" airing on TBN.

She frequently lectures to both Christian and secular audiences worldwide, linking scientific principles of the brain to spiritual, intellectual and emotional issues in simple and practical ways. She speaks on diverse topics relating to optimal thinking, and hence, brain performance, including:

1. Thinking and learning

2. Controlling your thought life

3. Managing stress

4. Eradicating toxic thoughts

5. Overcoming mental, emotional, and spiritual strongholds

6. Understanding male and female brain differences

7. Applying wisdom

8. Identifying your unique gifts

DR. CAROLINE LEAF’S DEGREES

University of Cape Town South Africa Degree of Bachelor of Science (Logopaedics) - December 1985

University of Pretoria South Africa Masters in Communication Pathology with distinction/cum laude - June 1990

University of Pretoria South Africa Doctor Philosophiae with specialization in Communication Pathology With distinction/cum laude and academic honors - May 1997

Reviews

[abigailscupoftea · Rating 5 out of 5]

“what we learn determines the meaning of our lives, since it shapes our worldview—or the mindset filter through which we see everything.”

i could not put this book down! dr. caroline leaf talks about neuroscience in a very digestible way, and her love and enthusiasm for her work shines on every page. i thoroughly enjoyed the quiz within this book; it really helped me understand how my brain processes things in it’s own unique way! all individuals possess the full spectrum of the seven metacognitive modules (interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, logical, kinesthetic, musical, and visual), but in varying amounts and combined in different ways— which is one of the reasons why everyone has a customized way of thinking. i also loved reading all the scientific explanations behind the mind-body connection, and there were many helpful tips for improving your focus and memory. it’s always so empowering and encouraging to know that we are always one thought away from a different experience. 🧠🧚‍♀️💫✨

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Leaf has called it more of a textbook than anything else, and I think that's the best way to approach it: take your time, study, make notes, and apply as you go. I've used her 21 Day Brain Detox in the past and can attest to the power behind what she shares, as a lot of the concepts behind that program are outlined in this book. Looking forward to seeing more results from the additional concepts as I work on implementing and understanding them.

An issue with her writing is consistently that she struggles to balance neuroscience jargon with layman's terms; she either expects you to follow her complex explanations, or she simplifies so much that you can't see a concept in what she's saying. She's a bit better about this in her verbal materials than in her writing, so I'd recommend watching the book club videos on YouTube in addition to reading the book.

Also, she doesn't think most mental illnesses are actual illnesses. That doesn't impact this book too much but it's something to be aware of.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from Dr. Leaf as I have worked and studied in the field of neuroanatomy and neuroscience early on in my career. Dr. Leaf explains current and recent research about the brain, the mind and our thinking that have been undergoing a lot of research worldwide by the scientific community. A lot of things that were previously thought about the brain and the mind have been debunked but it is not the myth busting that makes this book good as much as it is the flair that Dr. Leaf has in taking complex scientific research and making it understandable. She explains things very well and shares how what is being learned about our brains and our minds and our thoughts can be put to use by us to improve our lives. The book has some diagrams and charts and is divided into chapters about various mindsets that many of us share. She discusses mindsets such as the "expectancy mind set", the "willpower mindset", the "healthy stress mindset", and others in the first part of this book. Once you learn about these mindsets, then you explore your own thinking processes and assemble these into your own, individualized "Gift Profile" to identify those areas that you are really good at and transitions into teaching us how to customize our thinking patterns and gift profile to maximize our success at various tasks that we use our minds for,(hopefully). She breaks down the processes of learning and memory and diagrams how our thoughts are processed at various levels. Just like food is processed in our digestive systems, Dr. Leaf uses the stages of food digestion as a template or model to compare how our thoughts, learning and memory are processed in various stages as well by our brains and our minds and what goes on in the various stages of learning and memory. This book distills a great deal of complex neuroscientific research into chunks that each of us, no matter our level of science background, can wrap our minds around and improve our lives by developing our thinking, learning and memory. I highly recommend this book. There is an accompanying work book as well to help work through the material. I wish I had had this information many years ago when I first started my adventures in learning. But! It's never too late to learn more and put it to work. So, get the book. You will spend some time with it, and it will provide a lot of value in many ways.

[Lynn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the most practical book Dr. Leaf has written. It is easy to comprehend, or as she suggests, easy to break off into bite size pieces, savor, and let them nourish your mind and brain. I am hopeful to make great progress in my journey to a healthy, energized life with the tools in this book. It is full of wisdom and thoughtful commentary and useful steps to renovate the parts of my house hit by the hurricanes of life, where doors have long been shut and locked because no one had the energy to deal with the destruction in those rooms. I think now I can.

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

INTERESTING, INTRIGUING, THOUGHT-PROVOKING, AND EMPOWERING!

I underlined about half of the book! This book is filled with rich information that is not only scientific and biblical, it makes sense! :-)

Dr. Leaf does a great job of explaining something technical in a down-to-earth way where it is understandable. The short chapters allow time for the concepts to sink in (and make it easy to read when you have short amounts of time) and the activation tips at the end of each chapter are perfect for implementation. The principles taught are life-changing!

"When you make a negative statement, you release negative chemicals. These chemicals allow negative memories to grow stronger, especially if you continue to allow these thoughts to dominate your thinking. Whatever you think about the most grows."

If you are at all interested in improving your life, I recommend this book!

I received an advance copy of the book, however, the opinions are my own and I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not often that I come across a book that totally brings together, in one coherent statement, the truth about life and humanity I have realized through nearly a half-century of living. Dr. Caroline Leaf does just that in her recent tome, Think, Learn, Succeed.

Before I explain a bit about this book and why it resonates with me so very much, I must explain my own life. As a former minister, social worker, and now educator, I am very familiar with a wide variety of theories as to why people behave the way they do. Wearing a Protestant Christian hat, I might suggest that one’s relationship with God isn’t right and one is succumbing to whatever the temptation du jour might be, thus denying the Holy Spirit control of one’s life and behavior. As a social worker, I would cite issues in the macro environment that are creating barriers to healthy decision making, perhaps such that the neural pathways in the brain have been altered to cause poor reasoning. And as an educator – especially in today’s trauma-informed education system (another topic for another day), I would look to trauma and lack of safety in the environment as the cause of disruptive and maladaptive behavior…who cares about learning when one is barely surviving?

Are any of those theories necessarily wrong? No…and yes. The issue that I have with each one of them is that they all create victims. However you look poor behavior, lack of success, or overall dissatisfaction in life, the last thing that will help is saying “It’s not your fault – you’re a victim of life, a product of your circumstances – there’s nothing you can really do about it (but feel guilty, pray more, pay for even more therapy, or just settle for less).

Dr. Leaf, a neuroscientist, uses this book, and the mental exercises therein, to help the reader deconstruct victim mentality and take back control over their own mind. This demonstrates just how not only resilient we human beings are, but how fluid, flexible, and moldable our minds are…and how we are absolutely in control of it, not the other way around. In fact, she goes so far as to say that we are 90-99% MIND. We are primarily beings of spirit, not flesh, and how we think determines our actions, which determines the course of our lives. “Our thoughts can improve our peace, health, vision, fitness, strength, and much more. The ability to think, feel, and choose and build thoughts into mindsets is one of the most powerful things in the universe, because this power is the source of all human creativity and imagination…Where your mind goes, your life follows” (p. 38) (emphasis added).

As a Christian, a person who believes in the inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God, I can say that this book of science aligns itself perfectly with the ancient wisdom found in the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 2: “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Regardless of your faith convictions, or lack of them, if you’re up for an intellectual challenge (she is a neuroscientist, remember – there are certainly some LONG WORDS in here!) and are ready to literally transform your life, read this book.

[Kristen Gebbia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The things I want to remember:
Allow your mind to wander. Think about your thoughts. Reconceptualize negative thoughts.
Observe your thoughts as if watching a movie.
Match your words and thoughts. Consider who you are becoming and focus on progress.
You control your emotions; you may not be responsible for the trigger, but you are for the management of them.
Forgive, and reconceptualize the memory.
Choose happiness. The joy is in the journey. Connect with community. Laugh. Have fun.
Growth takes time. Failure is simply data. Be flexible and adjust.
Attempts give results, not failure. Possibilities are opportunities.
Be grateful. Track how often you are grateful vs whiny.
Give help and support to others
Make stress work for you, not against you (reconceptualize it)
Good expectations can create good outcomes and vise versa.
Willpower is not limited. You choose to persevere.
Be spiritual; where there is purpose there is hope.

(See Kayla’s review for more detailed notes)

[victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had greatest reaching and compelling to read with also providing us of three practical mental self-care tools to help us to develop successful thinking and learning habits and achieve sustainable, long-lasting change in your life. This power tools can help us improve our memory, leaning cognitive and intellectual performance, work performance, physical performance, relationships, and emotional health. I highly recommend to everyone must to read this book. “ I received complimentary a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers for this review”.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really good information on the way our brains work, and working to change your mindsets and patterns of thinking, but filled with way too much self-promotion and sales pitches for her other materials.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leaf offers scientific information on the mind, learning and memory. Much is from her own research but she includes insights from the work of others as well. The quality of her information is evidenced by the number of footnotes and suggested reading list, about forty percent of the ARC I read.

Leaf also provides tools to help readers develop successful thinking habits. She writes about the power of mindsets, the unique way each of us thinks, and her Switch Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process.

I liked her exploration of mindsets, the way we see life. She certainly encourages useful mindsets, such as one seeing life as full of possibilities. I liked her comments as to how relying on the internet is changing our thought processes. I was surprised to find that spending more time on social media and other screen activities correlates to lower levels of happiness and higher levels of depression. (Loc 427/5555)

Leaf also helps readers determine what she describes as their own unique, or customized, mode of thinking. This is a complex section and I felt confused by it most of the time. Leaf mentions a theorized arrangement of seven modules across the brain. “It is theorized,” she writes, “that our customized way of thinking is shaped by the way these seven modules of thinking interact.” (Loc 1459/5555) Questions help readers determine how information theoretically goes through these seven areas, producing theoretical insight into how thoughts are uniquely incorporated into the mind. It seems this is still theorized and I am not sure of the benefit of it, although Leaf does claim she has helped others with this theory.

It takes time to incorporate all the information in this book. It takes time for thoughts to become part of of the unconscious mind. (Loc 3255/555) Leaf mentions 21 day practice routines that need to be repeated three times for a total of 63 days. I did not come across any suggested practice routines. The Appendixes were not included in the ARC I read so I have no idea if they were included in them or how such routines might work. Leaf includes Activation Tips at the end of each chapter. “Choose to develop a mindset that...” (Loc 953/555) “Train yourself to...” (Loc 962/5555) Great suggestions but lacking in practical strategies to accomplish them.

I think there might be a caveat to this whole book. Leaf writes, “It is important to note that despite centuries of research, encoding in the brain has remained quite mysterious.” (Loc 3031/5555) Perhaps we should look at Dr. Leaf's work as one theory still needing independent study.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Dana Labreck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been very intriqued with Dr. Caroline Leaf and her epistemology on the brain and it's correlation with our well being and now in depth with the mind as two working together as one. Think= To become deeper and clearer in the thought process. Learn= Discover the untapped capability there truly is to explore. Succeed= Applying the principles on a consistent basis to thrive, attain and achieve all that anyone seeks to improve their overall ventures in life. There are many expressions that come with her talents as a Doctor, Wife, Mother and awesome woman of Faith that just scratches the surface of what she has revealed from deep inside her blessed, soul and to share with all of the world as they read this remarkable book, which is one of many, that she has written.

Thank you Dr. Caroline Leaf for all of your inspiration and motivation to excite me and help me to evolve beyond my imagination.

Best regards,
Dana Labreck

[Mary Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Caroline Leaf’s new book Think, Learn, Succeed combines helpful descriptions of various mind sets, a gift profile of how people learn, a detailed description of her “Switch on Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process, and scientific analysis. All this material is divided into Five Sections, but the sheer volume of her research findings in the various disciplines coupled with overly academic wording makes the book a bit difficult for readers who are not Ph.D. educated. Take this example: “The synapses are greatly influenced by the anatomical nonlinear (branched) complexity of the dendrites, with their many ionic voltage gates, which are minute quantum doorways through which ions pass, carrying the information you are learning as electrical and quantum informational messages from the mind” (Dr. Caroline Leaf, Think, Learn, Succeed, Understanding and Using Your mind to thrive at school, the Workplace and life, Baker Books, 2018, p. 210). All true, indeed, but a bit heavy-going for the average reader.

In addition, although the success of her research and its applicability have merit, too many times she seems to be simply lauding her own work. This makes the book an only slightly veiled extensive publicity piece. Section One, The Mind Set Guide easiest for the average reader to absorb, could have profitably been made into a separate brain/mind book and the rest of the material put into a more scientifically geared book for researchers and educators.

[Gwendolyn Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't put this book down. This is by far my favorite Dr. Leaf book yet. It's easy to read, easy to digest, and is chocked full of practical tips and strategies that I can start using today, some of which I already have. Thank you Dr. Leaf for constantly teaching us that we can change our minds (literally) and have more power and control over our brain and thoughts than we realize. Thank you for challenging us to be more intentional about controlling our mindsets and that we all can achieve success in work, school and life.

[Christopher Ong · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I love Dr. Leaf for who she is, what she does and what she represents, I personally found the book just not suitable for where I'm at. It's interesting, however, I received it as a compilation of complex scientific research and studies simplified for the average reader that gave me moments of "oh, that's interesting!", and "oh, I didn't know somebody ACTUALLY did a study on that, cool!", but often not much more. I did not finish the entire book.

[Shandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book and also used the DVD study as well. This book is not for the faint of heart. I find that the average person probably would not grasp this book. Alot of technical terms had me lost, and I found I had to keep looking things up as I read. Caroline Leaf is brilliant, for me though I found it really hard to understand. Sometimes simpler is better.

[Paola Rudecindo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me think of her other book Switch on your Brain, but more general. I think it had some interesting points. It's not my type of book, but I still learned some new principles. My favorite thing about this author is how she provides resources to empower the reader to have self-accountability and know one is in control more than one realize.

[Emma Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on audiobook. I'm sad to say that while there were some nuggets of gold when reading the book, such as understanding the way I process information, in general the book did not have much new information that I didn't already know.

[Kayla Barriger · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mindsets contain power...you cannot control the events and circumstances of life. You can, however, control your reactions to the events and circumstances of life through the choices you make and the thoughts you think. When you understand the power of your mindsets and your customized way of thinking and harness the power in your mind to build healthy memories, you will begin to realize that you can choose to control how you live your life." - Dr. Caroline Leaf

This book is truly amazing in breaking down the amazing aspects of how our brain works and allowing you to determine how to promote your unique mental health. Dr. Leaf begins by breaking down mindsets (attitudes or clusters of thoughts with attached information and emotions that generate a particular perception). Mindsets follow the truth that "our thoughts can improve our peace, health, vision, fitness, strength, and much more." Basically, "where your mind goes, your life follows:"
1) Thinker - think to understand. Allow at least 16 minutes a day to just think and allow your mind to wander. Be self reflective. This can be preventative against dementia.
2) Controlled - Consciously control your thought life. Don't allow thoughts to rampage through your mind. Detox your thoughts by re-conceptualization.
3) Words - words are the fruit of your thoughts. Acknowledge problems by observing the words you speak and the impact they have on you and others. Replace negative statements with positive ones.
4) Controlled Emotions - You design your emotions. Don't suppress your feelings, acknowledge them; otherwise, they'll spew out and control you. Reframe toxic emotions and make them work for you. Be honest with yourself and express emotions appropriately in a safe environment.
5) Forgiveness - "People who develop an ability to forgive have greater control over emotions; are significantly less angry, upset, and hurt; and are much healthier." Forgiveness is not denying pain or wrongdoing, it's choosing to the go of the person who hurt you.
6) Happiness - knowing where you belong and why you're alive, regardless of circumstances. Choose to be happy.
7) Time - Don't let time control you.
8) Possible - Adjust to the situation. Failure is knowledge obtained. You are wired for success.
9) Gratitude -Life is worth living. Choose to be grateful. Count your blessings.
10) Community - "The more removed we become from human connection, the more potential there is for us to turn to the fantasy world as a replacement to reality, rather than using our imagination as a tool to create successful and satisfying lives."
11) Support - When you feel challenged or burdened in life, try helping someone else out. Always assume the best first. Don't assume how someone feels about you, ask.
12) Healthy Stress - Visualize stress as a good thing that you can handle; make stress work for you, not against you.
13) Expectancy - "Expectations can potentially affect the outcome of any given situation...Bad expectations can create bad realities."
14) Willpower - Willpower is only limited if you think it is limited.
15) Spiritual - Choose to live in love. Spirituality is not a "delusion," it can strengthen your immune system and decrease your blood pressure.

Next, Dr. Leaf covers the Gift Profile. This is a series of 7 modules of thinking that everybody uniquely cycles through while processing information:
Intrapersonal/Introspection: Deep thinking, analyzing, thinking things through in your head.
Interpersonal/Interaction: Communication, conversations, and sharing information.
Linguistic/Words: Spoken and written words
Logical/Mathematical/Rationalization: Scientific and strategic reasoning, order, and planning.
Kinesthetic/Senses: Movement, experiential, and body-awareness.
Musical/Intuition: Instinct, reading between the lines, and musical talent.
Visual/Spatial/Imagination: Imagination, or "seeing" in the "mind's eye."

You cycle thoughts through these modules with your strongest being at the beginning and your weakest closing the cycle. However, you can strengthen each module of thinking:
1) Focus - become consciously aware of taking in information
2) Attention - become consciously aware of being absorbed by the information
3/4/5) Analysis - consolidate/confirm/integrate on a non-conscious level -not fully aware
6) Apply - be consciously aware of the new information
7) Close - become consciously aware of the need to do something
How you complete this cycle depends upon your cycle of modules in the Gift Profile.

Lastly, Dr. Leaf covers the scientific aspect of learning. She discusses the importance of 3 21-day cycles in order for something to become a habit. She also discusses quantum mechanics and it's application to neuroscience and neuroplasticity (changing of the brain), short-term and long-term memory, and the use of metacogs in learning.

In summary, anybody who is interested in self-help, self-reflection, or simply wants to understand their mind a little better would greatly benefit from this book. Dr. Leaf does not speak merely scientific, but she explains things that anybody can easily understand if they apply themselves.

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not recommended to anyone struggling with mental illness who has nearly done everything mentioned in the book but got backfired. There has to be a balance.

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book mainly because I felt like I needed to reshape my brain & how I think. I watched an interview/discussion between Dr. Leaf & Steven Furtick a while back & thought that what she was saying made a lot of sense. She talked about renewing your mind, taking thoughts & addressing them, and neural pathways and all sorts of brainy stuff. She was easy to understand, and even though I'm sure she has the ability to talk about neuroscience in a sophisticated way, spoke about complicated things in an easier-to-digest way.

So I finally got this book & have to say that it's very encouraging. The author takes the approach that we can change what we think all the time & can improve ourselves & our lives by doing so. I appreciate this point of view, especially because we've probably all been through hard things that took a toll on us & we got into bad thinking patterns and want to get out of them!

The first part was very interesting & she discussed a lot of studies.

The gift profile was a bit harder to read in the beginning, however towards the end of this section, it was kind of fun to figure out my way of thinking with the questionnaire provided.

The third part, the Switch on Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process felt kind of slow in the beginning & it felt like some things were being repeated that had already been gone over. Maybe that was to help with retention of this new info, I am not sure. There are several drawings in the book to help you see the things she is talking about with regards to the neurons in your brain, cells, etc. These images were pretty detailed & mostly easy to understand, although a few things I wish had been zoomed in on—mainly the nucleus area with all the layers surrounding it. However, it isn't a big deal in my opinion.
This part of the book is more scientific & I had to really focus on each part intently. Some of it I did not understand, but most of it I could get the gist of. I had to power through the last few parts because it wasn't as interesting to me as the beginning & middle of the book. I will be rereading this book in the future as I feel like it's one of those books that I need to go over again in order to really understand everything. This book has a lot of gems in it that I've needed to learn for a long time. I've tabbed up so many pages in the book to read again later or to highlight something important.

One thing I struggled to apply in my life as the concept of using the metacogs in 3 (21) day cycles in order to fully understand/memorize/make a habit out of something. Dr. Leaf mentioned using this in a college/learning setting and I couldn't help but think, "Some of my classes are only 8 weeks. How could that help me?" Some of the things she mentioned when learning new things like taking notes differently, teaching things to ourselves, analyzing what we have read, etc., I do and have used to be successful in school—even in subjects I did not want to learn and had a hard time understanding. I don't fully understand all the ways her entire system could be used for college, especially when you don't have all the info needed to make a full metacog/set of metacogs (complete set of info) to go over for 63 days in a row in order to ace that final. But that doesn't mean it doesn't work. I think I'll need to read some more of her books, & perhaps she'll have more info on using it for college specifically in those books. I've been applying some of her theory already in taking notes on things I don't understand, & I think it's helped me. I don't write nearly as frantically or as much as I used to, but I usually still get the "meat" of the subject enough to do well on a test or final.

Overall, I'd say this is a book worth reading. If we as a culture can get away from thinking that we can't control our thoughts, how much better off would we be! We'd stop comparing ourselves in the wrong ways to other people, learn how to take back the reins of our mouths, hearts, & minds, and grow into good, healthy, well-rounded people.

I'm glad I was able to read this book and add a few more tools to my toolbox for repairing my brain and thinking.

4 stars.

[Prairie Sky Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my experience with opening a book by Dr. Caroline Leaf, I always receive so much more information than I knew could be held between the covers of a single volume! Her newest release from Baker Books, entitled “Think, Learn, Succeed: Understanding and Using Your Mind to Thrive at School, the Workplace, and Life” is no exception, and is in fact one of her most practical and accessible books to date.

“Think, Learn, Succeed” is divided into four sections: The Mindset Guide, The Gift Profile, The Switch On Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process, and The Science.

- The Mindset Guide helps us to learn how to make our brain and body work for us, and focuses on various types of mindsets organized by chapter; for example, the Time Mindset, the Gratitude Mindset, the Forgiveness Mindset, and so on. Each mindset chapter gives a brief overview of how this mindset can work for or against us, and includes a list of daily strategies for activating a healthy version of that mindset in our lives.

- The Gift Profile is my favorite section of the book, where Dr. Leaf discusses how each individual person in the world has their own unique blueprint of thinking. The section opens with discussion about customized thinking, and then we get to complete our own Gift Profile and discover the keys to unlocking a new understanding of our own, exclusive way of thinking. It is exciting, eye-opening, and a tool you will want to share with everyone you know!

- The Switch On Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process takes the discoveries we made in The Gift Profile and helps us “learn how to learn in (our) customized and exclusive way.” In this section, we discover a proven and effective way to better retain what we are learning, and habits to improve our mindfulness throughout every facet of our lives.

- And finally, The Science behind the teachings of “Think, Learn, Succeed” is a short chapter that is technical and rather difficult to follow... but the parts that I did understand were quite fascinating!

As you can see, “Think, Learn, Succeed” is packed with information that can revolutionize the way we think, and how we think about thinking. It is a powerful book, and one that will definitely be a valuable resource for me for many years to come. However, there is one thing that I found lacking in this otherwise incredibly book... Although prevalent in Dr. Leaf’s previous works, references to God’s incredible design of the human brain, and explanations of how Scripture lines up with science in every way, were noticeably lacking. It seems as though this book was written to an audience that is not necessarily Christian. I found this disappointing because her previous work so beautifully pointed toward an amazing Creator God who designed us with such intricate and one-of-a-kind uniqueness, but in this book our Creator is rarely mentioned. Except for this disappointing element, however, it is clear that this book is a powerful guide to truly helping us “Think, Learn, & Succeed: Understanding and Using Your Mind to Thrive at School, the Workplace, and Life”. I highly recommend it.

I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Laurie Jeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Caroline Leaf has done it again. I have been following Dr. Leaf for many years. I own and have read several of her books and DVD’s as well as watching her on TV, and I have subscribed to her Gift Profile and 21 Day Brain Detox programs.

Dr. Leaf’s new books Think Learn Succeed is another valuable resource in my personal life transformation. Whenever we talk about the brain it becomes somewhat technical and for the average person that is not a doctor it can be a challenge. I think this is perhaps my favorite book from Dr. Leaf. It is an easier read for the non-medical professional. It incorporates new information while also including a section on her Gift Profile and her 5 step Brain Training Program. It is the best of all worlds.

What I loved about this book is that the information was condensed down into smaller chapters. She teaches out how to learn. For many of us growing up in school we would study and cram to spit out information on a test only to forget most of what we were learning. There is a different way to approach learning and that education system would be wise to hire Dr. Leaf to lead them as future generations would be grateful.

Dr. Leaf explores many different mindsets in her book from gratitude to forgiveness to words and thinking. As someone who recognizes the value of our thoughts and how that impacts the words we speak I love what she shares. It is a refreshing approach to healing that not only affects our minds but our body and soul too. It allows us to see that our mind and brain are separate and that our will and emotions are a part of our soul and can be controlled.

I have longed believed that toxic thoughts can affect the health of our bodies and Dr. Leaf shows how research confirms that this is true. By applying the principles in her book you can move from striving to thriving. You can move from overwhelm and feeling stuck to a vibrant, flourishing life. If you have had more questions than answers and if you are tired of being stuck or want to get off the wheel you have been running on that order a copy of this book today and begin the journey. Dr. Leaf will walk alongside you as a faithful friend. I encourage you to visit her website and look at her various programs that are a small investment in changing your life. You don’t need to spend thousands to get answers. You can invest about $100 to purchase programs and books and then it is about the time investment. Taking a half hour or an hr a day for yourself is the best prescription. Tell Dr. Leaf I sent you and then share your journey so someone else can be inspired. You only get one life, make it the best one possible.

[QuietmanWife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Leaf opens up a whole new, healthy way of thinking for me. I have purchased and read most of her other books, but Think, Learn, Succeed is my favorite to date. This book is so helpful and will be one I regularly go back to for review. The chapters have “Activation Tips” to reinforce the material covered. This is wonderful in leading me to take pause and think more deeply about certain mindsets. Dr. Leaf really makes this highly complex information understandable and move into useable application. I found myself being so grateful for the overviews because they really encourage me to share what I am learning easier because when you can explain something, you know it better than just consuming information and moving on.

The beginning section of the book explains mindset and expounds on different types. Examples of mindsets are The Controlled Mindset, The Controlled Emotions Mindset, The Forgiveness Mindset, and The Healthy Stress Mindset. I have gone back and reread these quick, but well-explained chapters often. Another one of the many aspects I appreciate about this book is that “the fluff” is left out. Dr. Leaf is direct and clear. I have a choice to take these truths and apply them in my everyday. When I do, I am thinking more clearly with less stress, and as a person who doesn’t always know what I’m feeling, this is a huge relief! Through this book, Dr. Leaf has helped me better understand how I am uniquely created, how I think and how to better communicate with others in love. In Think, Learn, Succeed, Dr. Leaf has done an effective job of teaching, encouraging , and revealing how to apply this life changing concept of taking my thoughts captive and the importance of love in every area of life. Thank you, Dr. Leaf!

***I was included in the Think, Learn, Succeed book launch team and sent a copy of the book to review. I have since purchased additional copies for friends and family, but was under no obligation to do so. I believe in Dr. Leaf’s gifted message and this book! This would be a great Christmas gift, but I can’t wait!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It was very well-written and easy to understand. My favorite section was the one on Mindsets, which was basically common sense backed by science. The activation tips were very helpful and made it easy to start changing some of my negative mentalities. I also thought the Gift Profile was fun, and I loved the suggestions she provided for growing in all of the Seven Modules. I am slightly skeptical of her 5-Step Switch-on-Your-Brain Learning Process, especially since I've heard from numerous sources that many of her claims are unfounded. In general, I agree with the 5 steps, but I think the heart of learning is how you interact with the information, which is different for everyone. Depending on what you are learning, the process will also be different from other types of knowledge. I think that the Metacog is just one of many different note-taking formats, and I felt like she was trying to box all learning up into these steps. I had a classical education and know firsthand that these steps are important, but sometimes you need to do them in different orders, or even skip certain steps entirely. I plan on doing my own research into what most scientific studies show, as well as look into some of her sources, since some of her work is controversial. Being a Christian, I am very excited that Dr. Leaf is using her talents to share the Gospel, although I wish she spoke more about her faith in this book.
I think some of the information is more legitimate than other information, so I will probably practice some of her techniques and not others. I am definitely interested in more of her books, podcasts, and articles. This book has inspired me to do more research into and learn more about how to teach yourself, study on your own, and build better memories! I highly recommend this for anyone interested in learning more about the brain and how to learn!

[Tony Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of “Think, Learn, Succeed” by Dr. Caroline Leaf

Dr. Leaf tackles a difficult subject in an easy to understand manner. Her experience in academics and working with all types of people have given her an effective communication style. The book takes us through how we think, how to identify our learning style and her five-step learning process. Readers discover how to use these to improve their thinking, their ability to learn and ultimately to succeed in life. A very interesting and helpful section is on myths about learning and capabilities that have become popular, myths that can actually, and unfortunately, artificially limit a person.

This book is excellent for any individual to read and study and would also be very good as a text book or guide for a class. I found the book very, very helpful and useful. I cannot say it is an easy read because it makes you think. One of very useful parts of the book is the Mindset Guide. This section helps us understand how our mindsets can affect how we think and what we do. Dr. Leaf provides ideas on how to change your mindset to one that is oriented to better thinking and personal success. Throughout this book (and all her books I have read) Dr. Leaf encourages treating other people with kindness and respect.

It is not the first book by Dr. Leaf I have read, and it will certainly not be the last. As a part of the review team I received a free copy of the book for my objective review.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive guide which combines hard science and practical application for the improvement of thinking and learning outcomes in a variety of settings. This book can be used both personally and professionally, including, but not limited to counseling and educational environments. The book is divided into four sections. In the the first section, Dr.Leaf profiles 16 different mindsets describing each one, including scientific data, and following up with a practical list of tips to activate each one.
In section 2, she outlines the purpose of and lays out her gift profile. You take the assessment at this time and learn what to do in each of the seven modules to customize and improve your personal performance.
In section 3, she outlines The Switch On Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process, in which the mind-set and gift profiles are integrated together.
Section 4 is the science behind memory, her Geodesic Information Processing Model and how our customized way of thinking and learning fits together. This book is based on thirty or more years of research and practice working with a wide variety of individuals including patients with T.B.I and P.T.S.D., students with all levels of learning struggles and highly functioning students, as well as adults just wanting to improve their lives. This book offers a unique combination of topics and pulls them all together effectively in a way no other book on this topic had done.

[Julie D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always so very blessed to read a book by Dr. Caroline Leaf. She has, quite honestly, changed my life for the better in so many ways. She's really brilliant and her books are easy to read and apply to our life, despite her use of big words! lol

I really like that Dr. Leaf always emphasizes that we are each uniquely created and that we can utilize the way we think to learn and succeed in better ways. I also love the Gift Profile part of the book because it gave me a clearer understanding of who I am and how I can better use my gifts. I also like that she talks about healthy mindsets. This was particularly helpful to me, especially when she talks about taking thoughts captive. It's so easy to think negative thoughts and she gives us the tools to stop these things in their tracks and think in better ways.

Of course, how we think affects how we learn and succeed so she draws the line from one to the other for us so we can have better success in our lives. Having a more loving attitude with gratefulness and forgiveness is the road for us to do better in our lives. Of course, we know this, but with Dr. Leaf, she breaks it down and gives us the tools to actually think this way.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to improve their thinking and their life. Dr. Leaf has once again written an amazing book that will bless you! I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.

*This book was provided to me by the publisher an author for my honest review

[Shelley Shrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

We live in an era where mental illnesses are significantly increasing, and technology is hindering deep thinking moments that lead to increasing our long-term memory.

Dr. Caroline Leaf does an outstanding job of providing astounding insight into the way our brain is designed to think, learn and succeed in life, school, and the workplace.

Many people mistakenly believe as we succumb to the aging process, our brain deteriorates. Dr. Leaf gives us solid scientific evidence that proves our brain can improve with age, if we have the correct mindsets, understand how we uniquely process our thoughts and learn how to learn.

I found this book to be utterly fascinating as well as encouraging. It's packed with great tools to help unlock your potential. Discover how to apply 15 healthy mindsets, build long-term memory and engage in an active learning process.

Some Notable Quotes:
Where your mind goes, your life follows.
Whatever we think about the most will grow.
Our words are the fruit of our thoughts.
Stress is actually a good thing! It's how you choose to perceive the stressful situation that will determine if the stress works for you or against you!
Forgetfulness is not a natural part of aging. Indeed, the brain is meant to get better with age!
You are the one who has control over your thinking; you wield this power through the way you think, feel, and choose.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the most practical book Dr. Leaf has written! "Think, Learn, Succeed" answers many questions that researches have been trying to answer for a long time. First, she digs into the area of learning and why so many students have a difficult time learning and retaining information. We've all struggled with brain fog at one time or another, but for many students and adults this is apart of their everyday life and she provides powerful information and resources to help the struggling students. Second, I think she offers a great deal of information of how and why a person processes information. Each of us processes information differently, almost like a computer processor, except within our brain. How we process can come out in our natural gifting and when we using that gifting to the fullest benefit, everyone gets to enjoy the gifting that God has given each of us. I found the customized thinking section to be super useful and full of great information. Finally, I think Dr. Leaf addresses that we can all take charge of our thinking by being mindful and taking awareness to things we say, do and the things we eat. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot. There is a lot of information that is beyond my scope of science understanding at the moment, but I am changing my thoughts to understand this! I really learned a lot from this book and it's one to keep on the shelves. I give this book 5/5 stars!

[Emmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Think, Learn, Succeed" was an incredible read and something I would have like to have had in school, especially before nursing school. Dr. Leaf walks you through myths around thinking and learning as well as understanding different mindsets. This section was very eye opening and showed me some areas where I had believed myths that I was taught.

The Gift Profile is the gold of this book. The abbreviated Gift Profile helped me understand the pieces I have been trying to figure out about myself and how I process information. I had my husband and oldest son take it also and it showed us things about each other that will also help us in communicating going forward. It covers seven ways you process information and it was so interesting to see how these seven areas work together to process and how each of us in unique in it.

The Switch On Your Brain Learning Process was also helpful and one I'm sad I didn't have access to in high school and college, but look forward to implementing myself and teaching my children.

She also includes lots of science, which I appreciate as a nurse, and helped me understand even more of the neuro I learned in school. Some of it I had to read a couple of times, but she does a good job of putting the science it a way that you can understand.

I look forward to reading this with my children and going through the workbook as well as reading other books Dr. Leaf has written. I absolutely recommend this book!