La mente alerta: Usa tus primeros pesamientos para conquistar tu día y mejorar tu vida

by Rob Carter III, Kirti Salwe Carter

Desate el pensamiento positivo y la imaginación productiva, y cambie los pensamientos y conductas negativas para mejorar cada aspecto de su vida, cada mañana, de un día a la vez.

Malos hábitos. Malos sentimientos. Mañanas malas que se convierten en días lamentables.

Destiérrelos a todos con simples ejercicios mentales que cambian los pensamientos y comportamientos de negativos a positivos y productivos. En lugar de andar con pesadumbre durante todo el día, aprenda a despertarse renovado, a recargarse regularmente y a vivir mejor que nunca.

La mente alerta lo hace fácil. Basado en los descubrimientos de la neurociencia y la medicina, este libro le ayudará a calmar el área llamada “cerebro de reptil” que reacciona ante el miedo y sacar el máximo provecho del área vinculada al pensamiento y la imaginación.

Con temas que van desde la dieta y la hidratación hasta el ejercicio y la meditación, encontrará ideas para activar su cerebro y mejorar cada aspecto de su vida:


Restaurar los ciclos saludables de vigilia y sueño
Bloquear las dañinas hormonas de cortisol
Mejorar el rendimiento mental
Propiciar mañanas más serenas
Desarrollar la autodisciplina
Estimular la creatividad
Mejorar las habilidades de liderazgo
Y más…

Desde el momento en que suena la alarma, La mente alerta lo ayuda a saludar cada día con entusiasmo.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Business, Health, Audiobook, Personal Development, Productivity

224 pages, Paperback

Published June 12, 2019

Reviews

[Magdalena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I apologize for how long this negative review is. I don't often give one-star ratings, so I felt compelled to be specific about the concerns I have about this book. I'll also preface this by saying that I don't want to tell anyone not to read it. I just recommend that, if you do choose to read it, you check the endnotes to see which of these concepts and claims come from reliable sources and which ones don't.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, learn some helpful life tips from it, and maybe pick up some fun facts about psychology and neurology. As someone who used to be a morning person and wishes I still was, I thought it sounded relevant and useful to me specifically. I was expecting it to have advice based on extensive scientific research, or at least case studies. Given the fact that the authors are apparently well-educated experts, that seemed like a reasonable expectation. Unfortunately, the little bit of research-based advice it contained was pretty basic. All explanatory passages about brain function or physical health were extremely oversimplified, and very few specific studies were described. You'd get just as much out of virtually any other book on a similar topic, even those written by people without a lot of letters after their name. Instead, this book contained a lot of shallow cliches, a number of chapters defending pseudoscientific health trends, and an awful lot of empty space. Besides that, it was so poorly organized that I kept feeling like I was reading a rough draft that was still missing numerous crucial passages.

There was also quite a bit of conflicting information. The most obvious and potentially confusing was that the authors couldn't seem to make up their mind whether the parts of our brain that they term the "lizard" should be considered a limitation that we need to overcome or a necessary section of a vital organ. This is perhaps the result of the oversimplified explanation of the brain. The book differentiates between our "lizard" brain that controls unconscious functions and the "wizard" brain that does the conscious thinking and decision-making. Initially, it is acknowledged that the "lizard" does a lot of necessary things like maintaining our heartbeat and other bodily functions. Even the fight and flight response (the reflexive actions in the face of perceived danger) can literally save lives when the danger is real and the situation doesn't allow time for conscious thought and decision-making. But after the introduction, there's little discussion of brain anatomy or function. The term "lizard" suddenly refers to completely different things, usually the inclination to avoid doing difficult things. We're given to understand that the goal is to overcome and ignore our "lizard" as if it isn't an actual part of our body that has an essential purpose. It's all fine and good to encourage readers to overcome their own lack of motivation, but it's unhelpful to use a term that you'd previously used for something a lot more nuanced and actually necessary.

There are many more self-contradictions. In the final few chapters, the book repeatedly extols the benefits of getting up early, but Chapter 1 indicated that the "optimum waking time" is dependent upon a person's age and (for teens and young adults) is significantly later than the time that most of us are used to getting up. According to the tables on pages 7-9, someone in their 20s should ideally be waking up at 9:30 AM, exercising at 5:30 PM, eating their last meal of the day at 9:30 PM, and going to bed at 1:00 AM. Someone in their 30s should shift to a somewhat earlier schedule that involves waking up at 8:00 AM, but not until your 60s should you be waking up at the more common and realistic time of 6:30 AM. All of this conflicts drastically with the advice given later in the book, which promotes waking up early and exercising shortly thereafter. As far as I can tell from the endnotes, by the way, the recommendations from Chapter 1 were extrapolated from data that specifically looked at the effect of early school start times on adolescents. Either there's relevant information that's being included without being cited, or there are some serious holes in the logic here.

There's also conflicting advice given throughout the book about diet and exercise, as well as an underlying implication that everyone is actively trying to lose weight. (There is one passage that acknowledges that not everyone needs to lose weight and that weight loss is only one of many benefits that comes from exercise, but immediately after that, we're back to talking about losing weight as if it's just assumed that everyone reading this book is currently overweight.)

But even worse than the contradictory information is the misinformation. I couldn't help being irritated by the dishonesty of telling readers that things like the medicinal value of essential oils and dosha typology are now being verified by science. Not only are these supposed studies not described, but if you turn to the endnotes, you see that the cited "sources" for these sections are mostly non-academic webpages and journals devoted to the specific type of alternative medicine being described. If I had any respect left for this book, I lost it when it began promoting a system that relied on the concept of the five elements (water, fire, earth, air, and ether) and classifying people into three categories that supposedly offer insight into an individual's personality, health, and body type. That's even more simplistic and ridiculous than the oft-mocked medieval medical practices.

Like I said, sorry for the ridiculously long negative review. I just didn't want to leave a one-star review without clarifying.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, it's a good book if you haven't read any other book on health, habits, and discipline.
It's not a bad book, I like most of everything Carter discusses, it's just that it's nothing new, and thus the book was unstimulating to me.

[Bill Goethals · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a piece of fluff is more suited for a newsletter in a new age coffee shop than as material for a book. This book lightly picks up themes from The Power of Habit and Why We Sleep then mixes it with insights from the weird guy at your high school who follows Phish and wants to open an apothecary in the woods. Very light on science or enjoyment.

[Sienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of advice that seems gathered from many of the books I've read on aspects of health like sleep, gut, & routine. Touches nicely on how interconnected all the parts & processes are.

[Allisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t give many books 1 star but this one just completely missed the mark for me. I was hoping to glean some insight on developing a morning routine. That topic was barely covered. But you do get snippets on the use of essential oils, eating healthy, and adding exercise to your routine. This book just wasn’t for me.

[Hanell · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro es bueno pero tiene algunas cosas con las que no estoy de acuerdo según lo que he estudiado y visto en otras investigaciones. Además la editora cometió algunos errores en la redacción pero bleh, no es big deal.

Aunque le di 3, lo recomiendo

[Pearl Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting points to help you navigate the mornings. There's a lot of Eat That Frog references and it's a similar vibe.

[Marie Mimosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it all at once and I am so appreciative of the numerous outputs; although there’s not much that is new for me, the informations are put together in a really valuable way. I‘m fond of the allegories for the brain parts. It is a nice read, it‘ll certainly give anyone who reads it a ‘boost’~! and it’ll remind people to breathe—in times where people won’t or can’t, for so many reasons.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, so many useful tidbits and suggestions that even I as a self- admitted night owl, could apply to my mornings to make them more productive...I also understand myself better and have a launching point to keep making the most of each and every day.

[Jennifer Christian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, just kind of all over the place...

[sohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make your life better. this book is about your morning life/ minds. this book will help you greet each day with gusto. positive thinking and productive imagination, flipping your negative thinking to be positive mindsets. this book made my morning more efficient and more valuable time. becoming the time that I clear a bad/negative thinking and using that as my motivation to improve my day or look forward more than I used to. This book not only will help your morning but also help your daily life, applying your negative thought to a positive mind any time you want.

[Ramesh Naidu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breathe deep to activate the wizard brain
Drink lots of water
Fresh Veggies + fruits
Physically Activty
Make time to relax
Sleep
Avoid processed sugars
Eat citrus and licorice
Good posture
Drink lots of water
Spicy
breathe deeply when stressed or need to focus
Essential oils
checkout vetiver
Lavender (calm)
Rose, Orange, Bergamot, lemon, sandalwood - (stress , depression)
Frankincense , rose , lavender
Peppermint - to wake up
Chamomile - to calm
Valerian

Self Discipline - Beware of your resistance
- Plan for every outcome
- Override resistance

Pros and cons of what we are giving up
Meditate
Remove distractions and temptations
Break work into manageable steps
Create empowering habits
A belief is an affirmation repeated until it becomes true
Use affirmations to positively alter our experiences
Effective Affirmations
- Present tense
- Use language that feels good
- Use inclusive language
- Be Specific
- Believable
- Repeat
Silencing the lizard
- Acknowledge your fears
- Plan like hell
- Familiarize yourself with discomfort (find the torture that works for you)
Every 60 sec u r angry, you give up 60 sec of peace

Morning Routine
1) Regular
2) Stretch
3) Strength
4) Goals for the day

[Courtney Nesom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the information presented was good, but personally I need something less clinical/less textbook. I need something a bit more encouraging and exciting in order to get the motivation to make changes.

[Anita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rubbish. Lizard, wizard...essential oils...mindfulness. It was weirdly disjointed information, most of which had nothing to do with mornings.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The brain has fascinated me since I understood the concept that how we think determines how well we succeed with our lives. This book focuses on the idea that how we start our day determines what we achieve. A worthy concept.
The book has three major parts, each building upon the previous. The first explains about biological and physical aspects both of the sleeping brain and awakening brain, and the influences that affect it. We also learn about the old brain, the reptilian or Lizard and how its goal focuses on survival, so what has worked in the past seems to be good for the future. We are introduced to the Wizard, which is a new portion of the brain, more open to change and adaptation.
Part two is a brief examination of the tools, practices and exercises we can build into our morning routines to nourish, strengthen and grow the more advanced brain. Being both a continuous student and aspiring writer, this section held my interest well.
The final section ties it all together, repeating what was covered earlier and giving examples of persons considered successful, with some of their morning practices.
The book is very well researched and documented, with enough charts and graphics to break up the text and keep it stimulating.
I would recommend this book to high school age and above.

[Cheryl Malandrinos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Morning Mind is different from what I expected, which is okay because it is totally fascinating. The doctors explain not only the different parts of the brain, they discuss stress hormones, your brain in the morning, how your heart impacts your health, and the significance of body temperature. All this provides an important foundation to understanding how we can create self-discipline and empowering habits.

Chapter 17 is dedicated to ancient wisdom about your brain and body. Readers are able to take a quiz to determine their primary and secondary dosha, because the way the brain works affects how we feel and behave. They help you understand your results and also provide a chart with your two optimum times of day. I took the test and it was spot on.

The Morning Mind also has a list of how some leaders start their day, which ends the book on an inspiring note.

This is definitely one of the better self-help books I've read on this topic. It doesn't recycle all the same information. It truly offers the reader a fuller understanding of how training your mind will have many positive effects.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted a robustly evidence-based book, with concrete advice for productive mornings based on our best current understanding of the brain and body, written by highly-educated experts for an intelligent layperson. The book did inspire me to create a good morning routine, but it only half succeeded at being an intellectually serious source of evidence-based advice.

The authors have a noticeable chip on their shoulders about western medicine. They include some questionable content, including a section on the therapeutic benefits of essential oils (without mentioning their toxicity to pets!). There is also a chapter on "Ayurveda" well-being, according to which each human body has a unique proportion of water, fire, earth, air, and ether elements. This is one of the most poorly cited chapters of the book (it's really bad). I want to keep an open mind about alternative medicine, but the claims have to be supported by actual empirical evidence, not tradition and "ancient wisdom"!

It was a quick and easy read with some decent advice, but I'm guessing there are better and more serious alternatives out there (I wish I knew what they were!).

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

some good stuff!! lots of helpful ideas and exercises to help you dominate your mornings and wake up early and happy (i definitely DO NOT feel this way in the morning haha). well researched, these two doctors push readers to improve our heart, brain, and human performance by prioritizing healthy habits.

now i want to do all of the things that will help me to "regain control, calm and composure." where is the focus of energy in my life? what are my priorities? where should they be instead?

i want to work on the following:

breathe deeply, drink more water (esp in the morning), run more often, keeping up good posture, sleep consistently and enough (7-9 hours), implement de-stress exercises, work on my diet, eat spicy foods on hot days (apparently it’s good for balance), improve and maintain self discipline, prioritize good habits, and kickstart mornings with positivity (which can be supported through meditation)!

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps I could have skipped this one. Reads like a PHD thesis or worse a term paper for college or high school. Some doctors should stick with medical journals. This attempt at writing for the general public just falls short for me, not that it is overly scholastic or scientific, but that it is sophomoric and reads more like a series of newspaper or magazine articles. The cover bemuses me, because it depicts a steaming cup of coffee, and in the book the author's rail against caffeine as an evil toxin. Perhaps it's a cup of tea. So, I did not enjoy the book. Many of the points are salient, and a better life surely would be realized by following them. Just dry and uninspiring. In the vein of finding something positive, I think I will remember and uses the analogy of the Lizard versus the Wizard, the two aspects of the brain.

[Vlad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short relevant and relative book written in sentence i like wich not too much examples of people but facts.
Simply putting an occasion of solution to productivity and following on it.
Book wil include an time managment of our circadian rhythm like you should begin you’re day early in the morning (like many people do) meditate afterward wich will give you the wizard mind
Our brain is split in section the instinct lizard and rational wizard the point is ladys and gentleman that greed for one and better word is good, perhaps eating healthy will give you a cognitive boost.

Overall well writen short book that i enjoyed reading

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic - though the choice of title is misleading. I learned a lot of useful information and will be adding this to the list of books I like to go over again in a few years for review.

For anyone looking for a book completely about morning routine, this - despite the name - isn't the book for you. Still many useful tips in an easy to read format. This book is more about how the choices we make and habits we develop affect us and how to choose the correct changes that will make the most impact.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the book for me, alas. The authors and I approach life and how we got here very differently (evolution for them, creation for me), and that differing premise really trickles down into the rest of the book and how either they or I would approach life.

Several of the one-star reviews go into helpful detail about the problematic science reported in the book, so I won't rehash it here. For me, the above combined with minimal groundbreaking info here that I haven't read elsewhere combined for a lackluster read.

[Mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Мне понравилась книга. Продолжает мысли книги про здоровый сон. Очень много объясняется, как работает наш организм и мозг, насколько важно правильно питаться, спать, быть активным (это, конечно, всем ясно, но я думаю, когда читаешь объяснения, то больше мотивируешься).
Впервые прочитала, как работают аффирмации с точки зрения работы мозга (это очень интересно, до этого я слышала только объяснения с духовной точки зрения). Говорилось много про важность медитации.
Были главы о пользе масел и про Аюрведу (система альтернативной медицины в Индии)

[Flo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned that there are two types of brains, the lizard and wizard. Not surprisingly, I gravitate towards the lizard brain which is more about pleasing your baser needs. Too much food, alcohol, watching too much tv, not getting enough exercise. The wizard brain focuses on mindfulness, thinking first before acting, thinking ahead, planning ahead, being conscious overall. I think there’s a place for both brains. Living and working through a pandemic has been stressful and leaning on my lizard brain during these times has been helpful for my mental psych.

[THOMAS KORN]

The Morning Mind is an easy read that helps you with multiple aspects of your life. Based on findings from doctors the book helps you tap into parts of your mind you never knew existed. With topics ranging from diet and hydration to exercise and meditation, you’ll find ideas for activating your brain and improving every aspect of your life such as Restore healthy cycles of waking and sleeping, Block harmful cortisol hormones, Boost mental performance, Creating calmer mornings, Develop self discipline, Stimulate creativity, Improve your leadership skills.

[Monica Ramey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out loving this book, learning about your brain and habits but I was hoping this book was going to transform and hopefully put everything together to create your morning and starting habits.

It just didn't evolve as much as I would have liked it to. But again, I was not really sure what to expect from this book. Overall, I would read it to learn more about the human brain and habits. I have tried to put some of these into practice but there was not much.

[Dana Muwwakkil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wizard Vs Lizard

A how-to, for anyone looking to improve their lives while conquering their morning.
This book feels both like textbook, with lots off information broken up to easily digestible pieces and part activity book.
All in all , a wonderful guide detailing why mornings are so important for success (however you measure success) and lots of tools to make this a possibility.

[K.T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, once I trudged through his religious indoctrination of scientism, it has some merit. I read a few books a year on productivity and life hacking. I would suggest this book to someone who has never read on the subject. It has positive suggestions that could help anyone improve aspects of their life, but nothing new for me. Not a complete waist of time as it was reinforcing a lot of my existing habits and why I have them.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had so many insightful and interesting bits of information. I am working on being a morning person and this gave me some interesting tips and tricks. I also really loved how in the beginning it talked about the best and worst time to do certain things such as work out.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

No new ideas here, but they are presented well. It is an encouraging read that breaks down scientifically how to have better mornings in order to "master the day". It's written well - I encourage a read.