Brain Apps: Hacking Neuroscience To Get There

by Robert G. Best, J.M. Best

For years, most of us believed that remarkably talented people were born different, and that exceptional performance lay beyond our grasp. Now, groundbreaking neuroscience studies are revolutionizing our understanding of “genius” and how it works. Brain Apps is the first book to consolidate that research into a unifying theory for radically boosting your achievement.

Robert G. Best combines years of study with one-on-one interviews featuring renowned scientists like Karl Anders Ericsson, B.J. Fogg, and Arne Dietrich, as well as world-class experts across a wide range of fields.

The result is a deep dive into seven key lessons needed to maximize the brain’s true growth mindset, goal strategy, willpower, deliberate practice, habit formation, creativity, and flow.

Learn what a world-class chess player, a legendary musician, and a record-setting diver have in common. Discover concrete steps anyone can take to create useful automatic habits, or “brain apps.” Gain real-world insights for better attitudes, better habits, and better performance—and in the process, unlock a few secrets of your own brain.

Genres: Self Help, Science, Psychology, Audiobook, Nonfiction

332 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2017

Reviews

[Dan Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

[Gregory Eakins · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I think the title is a bit cheesy due to the stylish misuse of the word, "Apps," Robert Best actually provides some solid and actionable advice for those looking to improve or maintain their mental acuity.

Here is a quick summary from my notes.

1. Eat better.
2. Cut back on medication use.
3. Reduce your social media consumption.
4. Exercise.
5. Have more sex.
6. Find a spiritual home.
7. Sleep more.
8. Never stop learning.
9. Watch less TV.
10. Do new things.
11. Be optimistic.

While I have some minor quips with his obsession with certain details, like striving to eat all-organic foods, the overall advice is solid. I think most people could change one thing in their lives for the better with the advice in this book.

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this is a great book with a lot of usable practical advice. For example one should have a openness to change. That’s very important. What appears like genius is often times the result of hard work and immersion.

To build new positive habits start with many versions of the habit and rewards for those actions. Like reward yourself for flossing one tooth a day until you build to floss your whole mouth. Also, don’t be afraid to fail. It’s an important step to reaching greatness. Collaborate with positive creative people too!

There’s also a section on kids. Those that were best able to display delayed gratification, patience, and waiting to eat the marshmallow, ended up being the ones most likely to have future success.

Short summary. Have a growth mindset, prioritize your goals, strengthen your willpower, stick to a deliberate practice regiment, be intentional about your habits, nurture your creativity, and act in the pursuit of flow.

[Esteban Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through their usage of a metaphor of applications on a phone, Robert and J.M. Best deliver a well-organized presentation of how to cultivate better habits, recognize where genius comes from, and other ways to hack one's own brain to achieve goals in one's life, though the writing style does air on the cheesy side, it's endearing nonetheless.

Additionally, the book goes into detail over many great minds such as Leonardo da Vinci and the Polgar sisters. These moments are truly when the writing shines. as it paints these figures as human and not gods walking among us.

Their successes, like anyone else's, are multifaceted. It's from years of practice and cultivating their skills.

It's not about being born different, or any other tale of natural talent, it comes from hard work, mindset, and a little luck.

3.9/5

[P Michael N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read on ways you can improve your brain and your life. The book uses the clever metaphor of 'apps' you can use to maximise your brain potential. There's nothing entirely new here but the book is a good refresher and summary of all the latest findings in brain research/performance: willpower, flow, mindset, deliberate practice, habits etc. One takeaway is the definition of luck presented here - being at the right place, at the right time in the right circumstances. So true if you really think about luck in your life and in others. It's also a reminder that you can increase your chances of being lucky by keeping your eyes open to opportunity and always being ready to take advantage of said opportunity.

[Jari Hentunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good scientific book about thinking practices with engaging examples and especially thinking processes that are understood to be actively used by "great minds". Update your consciuous to recognize these brain apps.

[Sienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like brain books, so this wasn't full of new material but I liked how it was put together. Very practical.

[Kathleen Lamothe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous book in the "science-help" genre. For fans of other science-help psychology writers like Daniel Goleman, Kelly McGonigal, Roy Baumeister, Chris Bailey, & David Disalvo.

[Amy Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great combination of insightfulness and entertaining stories.

[Helfren · Rating 4 out of 5]

What separates us from the great? All of it stems from the one organ- Brain.

The successful creates apps for success in their brain- the brain apps. They program their brain with new type of plugin to realize their dream. Be careful to not label yourself as "loser" and view the event very neutrally.

Learn to use trigger as Facebook,Twitter notification enables us to do action and manipulate our action.