Brain Hacks

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Keith Barry’s book ‘Brain Hacks’ recently.  If I had paid for this book, I would have got good value as this book feels like 3 books in 1.

It is part autobiography, part positive thinking and part mental techniques.

I usually enjoy reading about mindset, habits and positivity and this book offers plenty on these topics. 

Keith shares his TARGETS strategy, (Take Aim, Act, Record your progress, Gamify, Expect Obstacles, Team Up, Success) and offers his personal experiences as examples.  In particular, I found his story about physiotherapy following a car accident a very compelling account of determination.

I liked his advice that everyone should take a reorientation day (or at least half a day) every month.  He explains it’s a day when he switches off his phone and retreats to a space where he thinks about his purposes, goals and progress.  He records his observations in his journal and uses this to plan and propel forward.

The power of the mind, and how Keith uses his own mind power is evident throughout the book.  Keith shares tools and techniques about using visualisation and reprogramming to change some of our automatic responses, which may not be serving us well.

As a lecturer, I always try to remember student names and Keith has given me some new memory hacks for this.  He suggests using repetition and visuals to recall a name.

Here are some of his examples.  A coincidence for me that my own name was one!

“I see a key going through teeth… Keith.” 

“Sinead could be somebody with a plaster covering a deep cut on their shin – shinaid.” 

At the end of the book, Keith offers insight to some of his mental tricks, so the next time you meet me, I may be able to astound you with my mind power… of course I can’t divulge anything here due to “Rule 1. Never reveal the secret.”