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Happy Thursday folks!

Here is my favorite passage of the week, two quotes and book of the week with two important lessons to ponder on:

Author Nir Eyal on why small wins change everything:

The book of the week is How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend: A Neuroscientist's Guide to a Healthier, Happier Life by Rachel Barr.

Our brain is the most remarkable thing in the known universe. It is always trying to mend itself and always trying to protect us. It’s in a constant state of flux-adapting, re-configuring, finding new pathways and it has an astonishing capacity for recovery. Only it doesn’t always get it right.

In this delightful read, Rachel translates complex neuroscience into accessible and practical advice with humor, compassion, and relatable metaphors. It teaches us that we can shape our brain by steering our attention wisely, inviting delight and meaning into our daily lives, choosing our surroundings with care, and being selective about the information we expose it to.

Applying neuroscience to personal growth involves experimentation, adapting or discarding suggestions when they prove unsuitable for your needs. This iterative process helps us refine our approach based on real-world feedback, bridging the gap between general scientific principles and personal fit.

An excellent book that will help you take better care of your brain so you can take better care of yourself. One of my favorite reads of 2025 and I highly recommend it.

Here are two important lessons from the book:

Memories aren’t made at random, they’re encoded when the brain is given good reason to do so. When information is connected to things that matter to us (our work, passions or experiences), it carries more neurological weight, flooding the brain with signals strong enough to kick-start memory encoding.

Energy-saving is at the heart of human existence, both in behavior and physiological function. This is precisely why we don’t memorize everything. Forgetting is a feature, not a bug, quietly working to keep our minds uncluttered. It means we can use our brain power for other things, like forming meaningful connections between memories we do retain. That’s the magic of human cognition: we’re built to understand, not to memorize.

Another common concern is that finding and reading information from a screen doesn’t engage the brain quite as deeply as flipping through the pages of a physical book. And to some extent, this holds true. It is important to consider the details. When we switch from books to screens, we’re also changing how we interact with information, which introduces a new variable: time. Online searches deliver results instantly, but this speed can flood our working memory, the brain’s sketchpad for holding and manipulating information in real time. Working memory has its limits, and scribbling too many notes too quickly can mean the ideas get muddled and lost. By contrast, the slower pace of searching through a book naturally aligns with the brain’s capacity to absorb information. The act of searching creates a pause that allows working memory to empty its contents, shuffling some of those items onto the next stage of processing to become short-term memories.

The lesson here isn’t the internet is a threat to memory; it’s that it operates at a faster pace than we do. Gather information slowly and mindfully. Take breaks to recharge your brain. To avoid mental fatigue from extended screen use, step away every 30-90 minutes to engage in nondigital activities to give your brain a proper break. Recognize that your attention is limited and valuable.

Embrace the search for meaning. Recognize that meaning is created, not found. Start by accepting that your journey toward meaning is unique and requires conscious effort and reflection. Living a meaningful life requires commitment to the belief that your actions, however small, can make a positive difference. We can all pledge to leave this planet at least slightly better than we found it, right? Legacy is rarely built from single, grandiose acts, but rather on the accumulation of simple, everyday choices. Even the smallest gestures can help tip the balance toward a brighter future. Your life, however modest, matters.

Challenge the status quo and live authentically. Craft meaning in your work. Everything you do during your short time here on Earth will leave a sprinkle of your essence behind. Your moments of kindness will carry your significance, from the hearts you touch directly to those they touch in turn. The seeds you plant today will inspire a never-ending chain of life that flows from soil to sky and back again. Each principled stand you take lays a stepping stone for those who follow. It’s not just about the meaning your create in your own life; your impact will outlive you. Each small triumph sends out a ripple that radiates through time, brightening every atom of living matter it touches along the way. While enjoying life’s pleasures can make you happy, leading a purpose-driven life appears to protect your health right down to the cellular level.

Thinking Sideways: How to Think Like a Chess Player and Win at Life by Jennifer Shahade. This book is about using chess principles to make better decisions in life. Excellent read so far.

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig. A magical, time-traveling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library. Received an early copy of this book and excited for reading it.