Dear Steamians,
I'd like to share with you a book I'm reading, titled:
'THINKING FAST & SLOW' by Daniel Kahneman
Daniel Kahneman (a Nobel prize winner in Economics) has beautifully demonstrated the effects of our brains and it's innate capabilities. In this book he proves the functionality of two parts of our brand namely System 1 & System 2.
While System 1 is wired to judge base on predetermined knowledge and instinct, System 2 acts as the analytic thinking core, these two system runs together throughout our waking moment, reflecting on our thoughts, desire and ultimately our decision.
Aside from a profound history of how his research came about and the remarkable people that worked alongside to make this book a success, I'd like to jump straight into sharing the ultimate reason for us to train our Brains (System 1 & 2).
A majority experiment results proves that most people's System 2 (The Analytic Part) is often at a 'low effort' mode unless provoked, hence allowing our minds to run freely with System 1 - making judgment / predetermination of everything we see, feel, touch, smell and even taste.
In short, my take away from this book is that we need to train our System 2 to be less 'lazy'. Here are some exercise that you can try.
~Exercise 1~
To start, make up a string of 4-digits, all different (ie. 5629, 1830, 2836 and etc)
and write each string of numbers on an index card. Place a blank card on the top of the deck. The task that you will perform is called ADD-1. Here is how it goes :
Start a steady tempo (of better set a metronome at 1 sec). Remove the black card and read the four digit aloud. Wait for 2 beats (2 sec) then report that original string of numbers but this time incremented by 1. If the digit on the card are 5629, the correct response when reading out loud is 6730. Keeping the rhythm is important.
Now, most of you may accomplish this with no difficulty, so your next challenge would be to ADD-3 (instead of ADD-1).
Try it !
~Exercise 2~
Objective of this exercise is simple. You need to trick your brain by describing whatever you see with another word. The word that you’ll speak out loud should be furthest away from the object itself.
Eg. Point to a chair and say car ( the further you are from it’s relatable word the harder your brain is working. So if point to a chair and say table, your brain needs a little more kick).
You’ll do this continuously for as long as possible.
Sounds easy doesn’t it? Try it. It may be harder than it sounds.
There you go! Just some simple brain exercises you can do for a Smarter you!
Let me know how it goes!
Cheerio!