MIND TRAINING: THE SCIENCE OF SELF-EMPOWERMENT

A systematic program for improving one’s mind and life.

In their collaborative debut (expanded from a blog post), spouses Taylor and Taylor lay out a philosophy for developing productive mental habits: “appreciate” (understand the inherent power of your mind), “learn” (analyze how the mind actually works), “internalize” (fully absorb the Taylors’ methods), “choose” (adopt the strategies laid out), and “implement” (put the ideas into practice). Referencing a variety of psychiatric concepts drawn from a range of sources, including Freud and Erik Erikson (as well as a selection of neuroscientists), the authors break down the basics of brain function, cultural and evolutionary imperatives, and the ability “to inhibit instinctive behaviors,” like the classic quartet—fight, flight, feeding, and fornication. The Taylors acknowledge the difficulty of exercising inhibition (“How can you be honest with yourself,” they ask, “when you have these undercurrents and unknown needs and desires?”), drawing on personal anecdotes. For example, Ravinder Taylor had to summon the self-confidence to host Eldon Taylor’s radio show solo, inhibiting her “flight” response to the fear of public speaking. Added to these anecdotes are case studies taken from their wide reading to present readers with a survey of the self-help publishing industry, from Napoleon Hill and Norman Vincent Peale in the 20th century to the present day. This breadth of citation is buttressed by generously detailed end notes. Each of the book’s sections concludes with “Key Points” and “Exercises,” prompting readers to directly engage with the material.

Despite the authors’ assertion that their book is “a scientific exploration of the mind, specifically on how this information can be used to improve your life by maximizing your natural talents and abilities,” their approach is often subjective and soft-focus (one of the book’s earliest quotes is not from a psychologist or sociologist but from the Star Warscharacter Yoda). The authors provide plenty of scientific information about human cognition, but they also outline kindhearted but imprecise suggestions, as when the authors urge readers to “cultivate the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from doing something nice for someone else.” The authors compensate for these moments with many concrete, helpful takeaways; some may seem counterintuitive to readers not well versed in cognitive studies. The authors note, for example, an expert who warns that the small dopamine rush of failure might lead to an addiction to negativity. “A key part of succeeding at any of your goals,” they write, “is to believe you can achieve your goal.” By contrast, they cite a study that suggests success not only makes people happier, but that happiness makes people more successful. Their advocacy of persistent optimism and realistic goal-setting will eventually uplift even the most pessimistic reader. “What could you achieve if you were 33% more successful at whatever you tried to achieve?” they ask, and suddenly, seen in that light, the impossible seems a lot more manageable.

A serious—if sometimes vague—study of why we think the way we do and how to change it for the better.