1 00:00:00,119 --> 00:00:01,584 Speaker 1: Hello Habit Mechanics . 2 00:00:01,584 --> 00:00:02,846 It's Dr John Finn here. 3 00:00:02,846 --> 00:00:04,892 I hope you're doing well. 4 00:00:06,520 --> 00:00:13,451 So this is the fourth part of our mini podcast series where 5 00:00:13,471 --> 00:00:18,224 we're just giving you full access to the new best-selling 6 00:00:18,243 --> 00:00:23,469 and it is a bestseller across four leadership and business 7 00:00:23,550 --> 00:00:27,513 categories the quite hard categories to become a 8 00:00:27,553 --> 00:00:29,917 bestseller on Amazon or it has been. 9 00:00:29,917 --> 00:00:34,347 Those charts are changing all the time, so it's a bestselling 10 00:00:34,387 --> 00:00:34,588 book. 11 00:00:34,588 --> 00:00:37,569 We're getting some amazing feedback, so thanks for that. 12 00:00:37,569 --> 00:00:43,210 People are telling us that these things are really helping 13 00:00:43,250 --> 00:00:43,371 them. 14 00:00:43,371 --> 00:00:51,524 Telling us that these things are really helping them. 15 00:00:51,524 --> 00:00:53,151 You know the ai um understanding about how it's 16 00:00:53,030 --> 00:00:53,731 impacting life. 17 00:00:53,731 --> 00:00:53,835 So it's going to impact life. 18 00:00:53,835 --> 00:00:54,140 It's, you know, it's almost changing on a daily basis. 19 00:00:54,140 --> 00:00:58,567 One of the things I found quite interesting recently was 20 00:00:58,607 --> 00:01:04,084 listening to a podcast that, um, our head of business, katherine 21 00:01:04,084 --> 00:01:12,674 grant, had made me aware of, and it's from one of the guys 22 00:01:12,715 --> 00:01:19,171 who's on the Dragon's Den, which is the UK equivalent of Shark 23 00:01:19,191 --> 00:01:19,471 Tank. 24 00:01:19,471 --> 00:01:28,673 So it's a series where people can pitch their business ideas 25 00:01:28,793 --> 00:01:33,748 and potentially get investment, and I just found it really 26 00:01:33,768 --> 00:01:36,939 surprising that this person, who's a very famous entrepreneur 27 00:01:36,939 --> 00:01:43,132 , was saying that they'd only just realised how powerful AI 28 00:01:43,433 --> 00:01:50,308 was, was saying that they'd only just realised how powerful AI 29 00:01:50,328 --> 00:01:54,134 was, and on his podcast he had a number of leading thinkers in 30 00:01:54,174 --> 00:01:59,603 this space and they were saying that AI, kind of silently, has 31 00:01:59,664 --> 00:02:01,510 already replaced about well millions of jobs. 32 00:02:01,510 --> 00:02:08,127 Obviously, businesses are not taking out press releases to 33 00:02:08,168 --> 00:02:11,841 disclose that, but it is changing the world and I know 34 00:02:11,881 --> 00:02:19,967 that I think every day now about 800 million people are using 35 00:02:20,008 --> 00:02:26,673 chat GTP and that's happening because it's powerful and people 36 00:02:26,673 --> 00:02:27,575 get benefits right. 37 00:02:27,575 --> 00:02:30,485 So, yeah, this is not going away. 38 00:02:30,485 --> 00:02:35,483 So understanding how your brain works, getting that measurement 39 00:02:35,483 --> 00:02:38,872 of your current brain states, your human ai readiness score, 40 00:02:40,641 --> 00:02:44,366 and then understanding how to create a long-term strategy, a 41 00:02:44,407 --> 00:02:49,533 daily strategy, in a way of automating your daily approach, 42 00:02:49,734 --> 00:02:52,485 is so, so key and that's why we wrote Train your Brain for the 43 00:02:52,566 --> 00:02:53,288 AI Revolution. 44 00:02:53,288 --> 00:03:00,192 It is the world's first AI-era brain and leadership training 45 00:03:00,252 --> 00:03:03,925 program, essentially, and we are running live training with 46 00:03:03,985 --> 00:03:06,841 people, with with businesses. 47 00:03:06,841 --> 00:03:12,413 We're training people to become now human AI performance 48 00:03:12,479 --> 00:03:13,463 psychology coaches. 49 00:03:13,463 --> 00:03:16,194 We've created that new field of psychology. 50 00:03:16,194 --> 00:03:20,086 So we're really leading the way on this and we're working with 51 00:03:20,126 --> 00:03:26,854 people one-to-one as well such a broad range of people but all 52 00:03:26,935 --> 00:03:30,485 who want to capitalize on these new opportunities of the AI era. 53 00:03:32,027 --> 00:03:37,219 So suppose what we're offering here with train your brain for 54 00:03:37,259 --> 00:03:38,423 the AI revolution book. 55 00:03:38,423 --> 00:03:43,432 It's sort of like all books or knowledge based products. 56 00:03:43,432 --> 00:03:45,247 It's kind of a do-it-yourself approach. 57 00:03:45,247 --> 00:03:49,045 Some people just want the knowledge and they put it into 58 00:03:49,106 --> 00:03:50,030 practice themselves. 59 00:03:50,030 --> 00:03:53,221 Some people want one-to-one support and coaching. 60 00:03:53,221 --> 00:03:56,969 Others want to learn how to do it for their teams or or even 61 00:03:57,009 --> 00:04:00,943 create their own business using this approach, and we can help 62 00:04:00,962 --> 00:04:02,064 you with all of those things. 63 00:04:03,385 --> 00:04:12,921 So today we are going to again breaking that belief that just 64 00:04:12,981 --> 00:04:17,821 talking to someone about what you want to work on, what you 65 00:04:17,841 --> 00:04:19,586 want to improve on, is enough. 66 00:04:19,586 --> 00:04:20,048 It isn't. 67 00:04:20,048 --> 00:04:22,466 The data is very clear. 68 00:04:22,466 --> 00:04:26,329 If we want to change our behavior, we need a systematic 69 00:04:26,370 --> 00:04:30,574 approach, and that's what the success cycle is in the heart of 70 00:04:30,574 --> 00:04:34,103 train your brain for the ai revolution, um. 71 00:04:34,103 --> 00:04:41,093 So what we've done in the past few episodes is we've shown you 72 00:04:41,132 --> 00:04:46,076 how to measure your brain states , then how to um, which is step 73 00:04:46,137 --> 00:04:48,764 one of the success cycle, and step two is planning with the 74 00:04:48,805 --> 00:04:49,548 task director. 75 00:04:49,548 --> 00:04:54,425 So we showed you that in the last episode, or last episode of 76 00:04:54,425 --> 00:04:57,471 this mini series, and then in the um. 77 00:04:58,252 --> 00:05:00,682 In this episode, we're going to talk about optimization with the 78 00:05:00,682 --> 00:05:01,363 day designer. 79 00:05:01,363 --> 00:05:06,492 So we're going to cover chapters 20, 21 and 23 and we're 80 00:05:06,492 --> 00:05:09,283 going to go deep and help you to create something called a 81 00:05:09,365 --> 00:05:13,781 willpower story, such a powerful tool and this is like your 82 00:05:14,122 --> 00:05:15,084 daily strategy. 83 00:05:15,084 --> 00:05:19,713 It's like a container that you can put all your um, all the 84 00:05:19,752 --> 00:05:22,107 things that you want to achieve every day into, whether it's 85 00:05:22,228 --> 00:05:26,745 very tangible things like finishing that proposal, or 86 00:05:26,805 --> 00:05:30,240 things that feel less tangible, like managing stress better or 87 00:05:30,281 --> 00:05:33,822 being a better leader, or being more focused and productive, so 88 00:05:33,862 --> 00:05:36,529 you can do more high-impact thinking every day. 89 00:05:36,529 --> 00:05:39,641 So, yeah, that's what's coming up, as ever. 90 00:05:39,641 --> 00:05:41,288 If you have any questions, just let us know. 91 00:05:41,288 --> 00:05:45,362 Contact us via the website, if you're not in the app or any of 92 00:05:45,442 --> 00:05:46,223 our other channels. 93 00:05:46,223 --> 00:05:51,593 Again, make notes, don't just nod along. 94 00:05:51,593 --> 00:05:56,228 Put things into practice and you'll start to get immense 95 00:05:56,307 --> 00:05:56,788 benefits. 96 00:05:56,788 --> 00:05:57,992 So here is. 97 00:05:57,992 --> 00:06:05,045 Here is, first of all, chapter 20, which is the first part of 98 00:06:05,165 --> 00:06:11,132 step three from the success cycle from our best-selling book 99 00:06:11,132 --> 00:06:14,257 Train your Brain for the AI revolution. 100 00:06:19,101 --> 00:06:24,127 Speaker 2: Success cycle, step three Optimization with the day 101 00:06:24,146 --> 00:06:24,548 designer. 102 00:06:24,548 --> 00:06:27,329 Planning transforms energy. 103 00:06:27,329 --> 00:06:28,315 The day designer Planning transforms energy. 104 00:06:28,315 --> 00:06:30,541 The day designer, chapter 20. 105 00:06:30,541 --> 00:06:33,391 Creating your first willpower story. 106 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,312 Sarah looked down at her lists of tasks, now neatly organised 107 00:06:38,374 --> 00:06:40,139 into ice sculptures and ice cubes. 108 00:06:40,139 --> 00:06:44,928 I knew which tasks needed my best thinking, she told me later 109 00:06:44,928 --> 00:06:47,494 , but I still wasn't sure when to do them. 110 00:06:47,494 --> 00:06:51,927 That's when the day designer introduced me to something that 111 00:06:52,067 --> 00:06:55,834 revolutionised my approach to planning the willpower story. 112 00:06:55,834 --> 00:07:01,346 Think of your willpower story as a simple map that matches 113 00:07:01,406 --> 00:07:05,353 your tasks to your brain's natural and enhanced energy 114 00:07:05,413 --> 00:07:05,853 patterns. 115 00:07:05,853 --> 00:07:10,307 Just as your FAM story guides your long-term journey, your 116 00:07:10,346 --> 00:07:14,541 Willpower story helps you navigate each day's steps along 117 00:07:14,562 --> 00:07:15,062 that path. 118 00:07:15,062 --> 00:07:20,091 The day designer has a saying planning transforms energy. 119 00:07:20,091 --> 00:07:25,125 Just as a lighthouse operator needs to understand weather 120 00:07:25,146 --> 00:07:29,615 patterns and deliberately manage their beam's power to maximise 121 00:07:29,675 --> 00:07:33,983 its reach across changing conditions, we need to actively 122 00:07:34,064 --> 00:07:38,291 plan how we use our brain states rather than letting them 123 00:07:38,692 --> 00:07:39,774 operate randomly. 124 00:07:39,774 --> 00:07:44,708 Through deliberate planning, we can transform our basic energy 125 00:07:44,767 --> 00:07:48,781 patterns into optimised states, whether through our own 126 00:07:48,841 --> 00:07:52,771 management practices or strategic AI use, reaching 127 00:07:52,870 --> 00:07:56,084 levels of performance that wouldn't be possible through 128 00:07:56,165 --> 00:07:57,447 natural patterns alone. 129 00:07:57,447 --> 00:08:02,009 This is why planning isn't just about organising tasks. 130 00:08:02,009 --> 00:08:06,321 It's about understanding and deliberately shaping the energy 131 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:07,783 we bring to those tasks. 132 00:08:07,783 --> 00:08:13,314 What made this tool so powerful , sarah explained, was how it 133 00:08:13,379 --> 00:08:18,274 showed me when to use my brain's high-charge state for important 134 00:08:18,274 --> 00:08:22,764 work and when to handle routine tasks in medium-charge states. 135 00:08:22,764 --> 00:08:27,194 Instead of fighting my energy patterns, I could work with them 136 00:08:27,194 --> 00:08:31,565 , leveraging your AI support system. 137 00:08:31,565 --> 00:08:37,320 When I first categorised my tasks, sarah shared, I realised 138 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:39,823 something important about my AI tools. 139 00:08:39,823 --> 00:08:44,389 Some could handle my IceCube tasks almost entirely, like 140 00:08:44,450 --> 00:08:48,076 summarising routine meetings or drafting basic emails. 141 00:08:48,076 --> 00:08:53,427 Others could enhance my ice sculpture work, not by replacing 142 00:08:53,427 --> 00:08:56,731 my thinking, but by handling, supporting tasks. 143 00:08:57,133 --> 00:09:02,523 While I've focused on innovation , consider your own tasks in two 144 00:09:02,523 --> 00:09:03,144 categories. 145 00:09:03,144 --> 00:09:05,186 Consider your own tasks in two categories. 146 00:09:05,186 --> 00:09:07,168 Number one ice cubes that AI could handle. 147 00:09:07,168 --> 00:09:11,714 Think about routine emails, basic research and standard 148 00:09:11,754 --> 00:09:12,235 reports. 149 00:09:12,235 --> 00:09:21,364 Number two ice sculptures, where AI could support and 150 00:09:21,384 --> 00:09:22,866 augment your premium thinking for tasks like strategic 151 00:09:22,886 --> 00:09:25,352 planning, creative work or complex problem solving. 152 00:09:25,352 --> 00:09:30,570 Don't worry if you're not sure exactly how AI can support 153 00:09:30,730 --> 00:09:31,993 different types of tasks. 154 00:09:31,993 --> 00:09:36,522 The key thing is to start thinking about this and to begin 155 00:09:36,522 --> 00:09:40,691 considering how you might use these tools more strategically 156 00:09:41,032 --> 00:09:41,793 throughout your day. 157 00:09:42,659 --> 00:09:45,929 Remember you don't need to figure it all out at once. 158 00:09:45,929 --> 00:09:50,590 This understanding will develop naturally as you work with your 159 00:09:50,590 --> 00:09:51,552 willpower story. 160 00:09:51,552 --> 00:09:57,450 For now, let's focus on creating that story, creating 161 00:09:57,610 --> 00:09:59,553 your first willpower story. 162 00:09:59,553 --> 00:10:02,645 You'll need three things to get started. 163 00:10:02,645 --> 00:10:05,452 First, a blank piece of paper. 164 00:10:05,452 --> 00:10:10,070 Second, your lists of ice sculpture and ice cube tasks 165 00:10:10,149 --> 00:10:11,192 from the previous chapter. 166 00:10:11,192 --> 00:10:14,749 Third, 15 minutes of quiet time . 167 00:10:14,749 --> 00:10:17,726 Now let's follow these steps. 168 00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:19,121 Step 1. 169 00:10:19,121 --> 00:10:21,309 Draw your basic timeline. 170 00:10:21,309 --> 00:10:26,288 Turn your paper sideways, landscape and draw a horizontal 171 00:10:26,389 --> 00:10:29,684 line across the middle, from one end of the page to the other. 172 00:10:29,684 --> 00:10:33,969 Now divide this line into the key parts of your day. 173 00:10:33,969 --> 00:10:40,048 For example, wake up time, early morning, mid-morning, 174 00:10:40,730 --> 00:10:44,447 lunch time, early afternoon, late afternoon, evening bedtime, 175 00:10:44,447 --> 00:10:46,019 lunchtime, early afternoon, late afternoon, evening Bedtime. 176 00:10:46,019 --> 00:10:50,782 Just seeing my day laid out like this, sarah shared, helped 177 00:10:50,802 --> 00:10:53,490 me be more realistic about what I could accomplish. 178 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:55,523 Step 2. 179 00:10:55,523 --> 00:10:58,370 Mark your high-charge times. 180 00:10:58,370 --> 00:11:02,587 Most people have their best thinking energy in the morning, 181 00:11:02,989 --> 00:11:05,663 but this varies On your timeline . 182 00:11:05,663 --> 00:11:08,671 Mark when you typically experience these states. 183 00:11:08,671 --> 00:11:12,729 When you feel most alert and focused, this is your 184 00:11:12,788 --> 00:11:13,812 high-charge state. 185 00:11:13,812 --> 00:11:17,528 When you have less mental energy, this is your 186 00:11:17,589 --> 00:11:18,631 medium-charge state. 187 00:11:18,631 --> 00:11:21,600 Sarah discovered something important. 188 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,740 Sarah discovered something important. 189 00:11:25,740 --> 00:11:31,750 I realised I'm sharpest from 8am to 11am. 190 00:11:31,750 --> 00:11:33,120 Then have another good period from 3pm to 5pm. 191 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:34,961 This became the foundation for planning my day. 192 00:11:34,981 --> 00:11:35,523 Step 3. 193 00:11:35,523 --> 00:11:37,927 Place your ice sculpture tasks. 194 00:11:37,927 --> 00:11:41,894 Match your ice sculpture tasks to your high charge times. 195 00:11:41,894 --> 00:11:47,980 Here are some examples Complete complex planning during morning 196 00:11:47,980 --> 00:11:49,283 high charge peak. 197 00:11:49,283 --> 00:11:53,493 Have important meetings when you are most alert. 198 00:11:53,493 --> 00:11:58,886 Do your creative work during afternoon high-charge time. 199 00:12:00,014 --> 00:12:00,537 Step 4. 200 00:12:00,537 --> 00:12:02,604 Fill in routine tasks. 201 00:12:02,604 --> 00:12:07,596 Place your ice cube tasks during these times, during 202 00:12:07,657 --> 00:12:12,235 natural energy dips, between more demanding tasks when you 203 00:12:12,277 --> 00:12:13,903 know you'll have less focus. 204 00:12:13,903 --> 00:12:18,659 Here's an example to help you pull everything together 6am 205 00:12:19,283 --> 00:12:19,927 Wake-up time. 206 00:12:19,927 --> 00:12:20,975 6am wake up time. 207 00:12:20,975 --> 00:12:23,283 7am start your day. 208 00:12:23,283 --> 00:12:28,506 8am ice sculpture work during high charge state. 209 00:12:28,506 --> 00:12:33,447 10am continue ice sculpture work in high charge state. 210 00:12:33,447 --> 00:12:35,701 12noon take a break. 211 00:12:35,701 --> 00:12:40,385 1pm handle ice cube tasks in medium charge state. 212 00:12:40,385 --> 00:12:45,378 3 pm return to ice sculpture work in high charge state. 213 00:12:45,378 --> 00:12:51,609 5 pm complete ice cube tasks in medium charge state. 214 00:12:51,609 --> 00:12:54,092 5 30 pm. 215 00:12:54,955 --> 00:12:57,897 Start winding down with activities like your daily 216 00:12:58,157 --> 00:12:59,258 3-to-1 reflection. 217 00:12:59,258 --> 00:13:04,001 9.30pm bedtime remember to start small. 218 00:13:04,001 --> 00:13:09,144 Just like Sarah, I started by just planning my morning hours. 219 00:13:09,144 --> 00:13:10,365 Sarah recalled. 220 00:13:10,365 --> 00:13:14,830 Once that worked, I gradually expanded to the full day. 221 00:13:14,830 --> 00:13:17,231 The key was keeping it simple. 222 00:13:17,231 --> 00:13:23,096 At first she smiled as she remembered how this approach 223 00:13:23,116 --> 00:13:23,278 paid off. 224 00:13:23,278 --> 00:13:27,184 Once I expanded to evening planning, I discovered something 225 00:13:27,184 --> 00:13:27,725 powerful. 226 00:13:27,725 --> 00:13:32,423 Including my three-to-one reflection in my willpower story 227 00:13:32,423 --> 00:13:34,811 helped both habits grow stronger. 228 00:13:34,811 --> 00:13:39,341 Good planning supported better reflection, and better 229 00:13:39,402 --> 00:13:41,668 reflection led to clearer planning. 230 00:13:43,576 --> 00:13:45,619 Common challenges to watch for. 231 00:13:45,619 --> 00:13:49,686 Challenge one Trying to do too much. 232 00:13:49,686 --> 00:13:52,110 I learned the hard way. 233 00:13:52,110 --> 00:13:57,102 Sarah shared that you can only do about four to five hours of 234 00:13:57,202 --> 00:14:01,635 premium thinking work each day, and sometimes over six hours. 235 00:14:01,635 --> 00:14:03,619 When you get the AI working with you. 236 00:14:03,619 --> 00:14:06,424 Trying to do more just doesn't work. 237 00:14:06,424 --> 00:14:10,736 Challenge two Fighting your patterns. 238 00:14:10,736 --> 00:14:14,546 Don't schedule demanding work when your brain naturally needs 239 00:14:14,645 --> 00:14:14,947 rest. 240 00:14:14,947 --> 00:14:17,938 Move ice sculptures to your high charge times. 241 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:20,482 Your next steps Step 1. 242 00:14:20,482 --> 00:14:23,869 Create tomorrow's basic willpower story. 243 00:14:23,869 --> 00:14:29,019 Draw your timeline, mark your typical high-charge times. 244 00:14:29,019 --> 00:14:33,567 Place just one to three ice sculptures to work on during 245 00:14:33,607 --> 00:14:34,249 these times. 246 00:14:34,249 --> 00:14:37,836 Fill in some ice cubes around them. 247 00:14:37,836 --> 00:14:38,376 Step 2. 248 00:14:38,376 --> 00:14:40,178 Notice what works. 249 00:14:40,178 --> 00:14:43,043 When did you feel most focused? 250 00:14:43,043 --> 00:14:46,307 Which times worked best for important tasks? 251 00:14:46,307 --> 00:14:48,769 When was routine work easier? 252 00:14:48,769 --> 00:14:53,198 Remember this is just your first attempt. 253 00:14:53,198 --> 00:14:53,780 Keep it simple. 254 00:14:53,780 --> 00:14:57,243 Be patient and let the day designer guide you toward your 255 00:14:57,403 --> 00:14:58,065 optimal rhythm. 256 00:14:58,065 --> 00:15:02,225 The key is getting started with something you can actually use 257 00:15:02,284 --> 00:15:02,645 tomorrow. 258 00:15:03,235 --> 00:15:04,118 Chapter 21. 259 00:15:04,118 --> 00:15:09,201 Strengthening your willpower story Success cycle location. 260 00:15:09,201 --> 00:15:10,517 Step 3. 261 00:15:10,517 --> 00:15:13,440 Progress 50% complete. 262 00:15:14,816 --> 00:15:18,826 Sarah had been using her basic willpower story for a week, 263 00:15:19,595 --> 00:15:22,784 matching her ice sculptures to her high-charge times. 264 00:15:22,784 --> 00:15:28,018 I was getting better results, she told me later, but sometimes 265 00:15:28,018 --> 00:15:31,246 I still struggled to maintain those high-charge states. 266 00:15:31,246 --> 00:15:35,423 That's when the day designer showed me how to protect and 267 00:15:35,503 --> 00:15:37,788 strengthen my best thinking hours. 268 00:15:37,788 --> 00:15:43,317 This is where two powerful resources come into play your 269 00:15:43,398 --> 00:15:45,162 strengths and willpower boosters . 270 00:15:45,162 --> 00:15:49,616 Think of these as the support systems that help you maintain 271 00:15:49,937 --> 00:15:54,126 your optimal brain states, especially during important 272 00:15:54,206 --> 00:15:54,888 high-charge work. 273 00:15:54,888 --> 00:16:00,683 These resources supercharged how I approached each day. 274 00:16:00,683 --> 00:16:02,106 Sarah explained. 275 00:16:02,106 --> 00:16:06,965 Instead of just hoping I'd stay focused during important work, 276 00:16:07,547 --> 00:16:10,735 I had specific strategies to protect my thinking time. 277 00:16:10,735 --> 00:16:14,360 Your lighthouse brain's support system. 278 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,548 Remember how your lighthouse brain needs different power 279 00:16:18,587 --> 00:16:20,070 states throughout the day. 280 00:16:20,070 --> 00:16:24,465 Just as a lighthouse needs systems to maintain its beam at 281 00:16:24,544 --> 00:16:29,345 full power, your brain needs support to maintain its high 282 00:16:29,384 --> 00:16:30,106 charge state. 283 00:16:30,106 --> 00:16:34,907 This is especially crucial when working on your ice sculptures 284 00:16:35,736 --> 00:16:39,267 those tasks that require your premium thinking power. 285 00:16:44,423 --> 00:16:50,416 Understanding your strengths Strengths are your natural 286 00:16:50,436 --> 00:16:51,437 abilities for maintaining focused states. 287 00:16:51,437 --> 00:16:53,198 Key ones include self-controlled you stay focused 288 00:16:53,198 --> 00:16:56,062 on priorities and avoid distractions. 289 00:16:56,062 --> 00:17:01,870 Persistent you motivate yourself to keep going when 290 00:17:01,929 --> 00:17:02,650 things get tough. 291 00:17:02,650 --> 00:17:08,644 Perspective you step back from the immediate to reflect and 292 00:17:08,703 --> 00:17:09,003 plan. 293 00:17:09,003 --> 00:17:14,239 Efficient you organise well and minimise wasted effort. 294 00:17:14,239 --> 00:17:19,169 Optimistic you stay positive when things don't go to plan. 295 00:17:19,169 --> 00:17:20,576 Optimistic you stay positive when things don't go to plan. 296 00:17:20,576 --> 00:17:23,759 Learning about these strengths was enlightening, sarah shared. 297 00:17:23,759 --> 00:17:28,644 I realised I was naturally good at being persistent, but needed 298 00:17:28,644 --> 00:17:30,507 to work on being self-controlled. 299 00:17:30,507 --> 00:17:37,215 This helped me know exactly what to focus on Adding 300 00:17:37,316 --> 00:17:38,076 willpower boosters. 301 00:17:38,076 --> 00:17:41,542 While strengths are your internal capabilities, willpower 302 00:17:41,542 --> 00:17:46,130 boosters are specific actions that protect your brain states. 303 00:17:46,130 --> 00:17:51,403 Key boosters include phone management turn off your phone 304 00:17:51,765 --> 00:17:53,249 to minimise distractions. 305 00:17:53,249 --> 00:17:58,184 Internet management disconnect to reduce quick check 306 00:17:58,224 --> 00:17:58,926 temptations. 307 00:17:58,926 --> 00:18:03,204 Workspace plan create an environment with minimal 308 00:18:03,224 --> 00:18:03,886 distractions. 309 00:18:03,886 --> 00:18:08,625 Concentration booster Write down a focus plan before 310 00:18:08,664 --> 00:18:11,982 starting Strategic AI management . 311 00:18:12,976 --> 00:18:17,445 Sarah discovered that AI tools could either boost or drain her 312 00:18:17,486 --> 00:18:18,188 brain states. 313 00:18:18,188 --> 00:18:19,596 Ai tools could either boost or drain her brain states, just 314 00:18:19,636 --> 00:18:20,397 like my phone. 315 00:18:20,397 --> 00:18:24,784 I learned to manage AI tools strategically, she explained. 316 00:18:24,784 --> 00:18:29,529 During high-charge periods, I'd use them to enhance my thinking 317 00:18:29,529 --> 00:18:36,770 , having them analyze data while I focused on strategy. 318 00:18:36,770 --> 00:18:39,897 During medium-charge periods, they could handle routine tasks. 319 00:18:39,897 --> 00:18:43,585 Examples of how you could use AI during high-charge periods 320 00:18:43,965 --> 00:18:44,767 they could handle routine tasks. 321 00:18:44,767 --> 00:18:47,491 Examples of how you could use AI during high-charge periods to 322 00:18:47,491 --> 00:18:48,374 outsource brainpower. 323 00:18:48,374 --> 00:18:51,377 Use AI to support and augment complex thinking. 324 00:18:51,377 --> 00:18:54,645 Have AI handle background research while you experiment 325 00:18:54,807 --> 00:18:55,367 and innovate. 326 00:18:55,367 --> 00:19:00,739 Let AI explore alternatives while you focus on strategic 327 00:19:00,778 --> 00:19:01,318 decisions. 328 00:19:01,318 --> 00:19:07,332 Examples of how you could use AI during medium charge periods 329 00:19:08,279 --> 00:19:11,250 Let AI handle routine communications. 330 00:19:11,250 --> 00:19:15,730 Use AI for standard information processing. 331 00:19:15,730 --> 00:19:22,352 Use AI to automate repetitive tasks, completely enhancing your 332 00:19:22,352 --> 00:19:23,213 willpower story. 333 00:19:24,221 --> 00:19:27,795 Let me walk you through a sample day's schedule and how it 334 00:19:27,855 --> 00:19:31,626 aligns with your brain states, strengths and boosters. 335 00:19:31,626 --> 00:19:36,358 This will show you how to take your basic willpower story and 336 00:19:36,420 --> 00:19:37,321 add these elements. 337 00:19:37,321 --> 00:19:39,748 Remember, this is just an example. 338 00:19:39,748 --> 00:19:42,936 At 8am, focus on strategic work . 339 00:19:42,936 --> 00:19:45,064 This is a nice sculpture task. 340 00:19:45,064 --> 00:19:49,321 Your brain will be in high charge state and your key 341 00:19:49,362 --> 00:19:51,688 strength here is being self-controlled. 342 00:19:51,688 --> 00:19:56,650 To boost your performance, keep your phone turned off and find 343 00:19:56,691 --> 00:19:58,194 a quiet space to work. 344 00:19:58,194 --> 00:20:01,705 At 10am, have your team meeting . 345 00:20:01,705 --> 00:20:06,481 You'll still be in high charge state, which is perfect because 346 00:20:06,521 --> 00:20:09,611 your strength in this situation is leading others. 347 00:20:09,611 --> 00:20:14,471 Make sure you have your meeting plan ready to boost your 348 00:20:14,510 --> 00:20:15,152 effectiveness. 349 00:20:15,961 --> 00:20:18,490 At 1pm, handle routine tasks. 350 00:20:18,490 --> 00:20:22,208 This works well with your medium charge state, where your 351 00:20:22,288 --> 00:20:23,751 strength is being efficient. 352 00:20:23,751 --> 00:20:27,169 No special boosters needed during this period. 353 00:20:27,169 --> 00:20:32,070 Finally, at 3pm, focus on creative work. 354 00:20:32,070 --> 00:20:37,503 Your brain will be back in high charge state and your strength 355 00:20:37,604 --> 00:20:39,106 here is being persistent. 356 00:20:39,106 --> 00:20:43,721 To boost your performance, try turning off your internet 357 00:20:43,741 --> 00:20:48,230 connection if you don't require it to reduce distractions and 358 00:20:48,270 --> 00:20:49,574 help you maintain focus. 359 00:20:49,574 --> 00:20:53,988 Remember, this is just an example to help you understand 360 00:20:54,388 --> 00:20:58,842 how to start pulling all these elements together To make it 361 00:20:59,063 --> 00:21:02,828 easier to create a complete willpower story. 362 00:21:02,828 --> 00:21:12,420 I have created a PDF template story. 363 00:21:12,420 --> 00:21:13,242 I have created a PDF template. 364 00:21:13,242 --> 00:21:14,988 Go to toughermindscouk forward slash, train your brain to 365 00:21:15,008 --> 00:21:15,569 download your copy. 366 00:21:15,589 --> 00:21:15,830 Start simple. 367 00:21:15,830 --> 00:21:19,721 Begin by adding just one or two strengths and boosters to your 368 00:21:19,821 --> 00:21:22,006 most important high charge period. 369 00:21:22,006 --> 00:21:27,064 I started with just my morning planning time, sarah explained. 370 00:21:27,064 --> 00:21:33,442 Once that worked well, I gradually added support to other 371 00:21:33,442 --> 00:21:33,761 parts of my day. 372 00:21:33,761 --> 00:21:36,626 Common challenges using too many boosters. 373 00:21:36,626 --> 00:21:39,010 Start with just the essential ones. 374 00:21:39,010 --> 00:21:40,973 Sarah found this out. 375 00:21:40,973 --> 00:21:47,107 At first. 376 00:21:47,107 --> 00:21:48,054 I tried using every booster. 377 00:21:48,054 --> 00:21:48,617 It was overwhelming. 378 00:21:48,617 --> 00:21:51,224 Starting with just phone management made it much easier. 379 00:21:51,224 --> 00:21:53,169 Forgetting to use your strengths. 380 00:21:53,169 --> 00:21:57,604 Make a note of which strengths help most during high charge 381 00:21:57,663 --> 00:21:57,903 work. 382 00:21:57,903 --> 00:22:00,670 Build on these natural capabilities. 383 00:22:00,670 --> 00:22:05,544 Your next steps Identify your key strengths. 384 00:22:05,544 --> 00:22:10,321 Which ones do you naturally use well, which could help with 385 00:22:10,343 --> 00:22:11,286 your high charge work? 386 00:22:11,286 --> 00:22:13,542 Choose your essential boosters. 387 00:22:13,542 --> 00:22:16,269 What most often interrupts your focus? 388 00:22:16,269 --> 00:22:18,724 Which boosters would help most? 389 00:22:18,724 --> 00:22:21,567 Update tomorrow's willpower story. 390 00:22:21,567 --> 00:22:26,163 Add one to two strengths to your main high charge period. 391 00:22:26,163 --> 00:22:29,111 Include one key willpower booster. 392 00:22:29,111 --> 00:22:34,031 Remember start small with just one or two supports. 393 00:22:34,031 --> 00:22:38,329 The goal isn't to use every strength and willpower booster 394 00:22:38,470 --> 00:22:43,067 at once, but to gradually build a system that helps you maintain 395 00:22:43,067 --> 00:22:46,153 your best thinking states when they matter most. 396 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:47,665 Chapter 22. 397 00:22:47,665 --> 00:22:50,801 Managing your biggest daily challenge. 398 00:22:50,801 --> 00:22:52,905 Success cycle location. 399 00:22:52,905 --> 00:22:54,308 Step three. 400 00:22:54,308 --> 00:22:57,855 Progress 75% complete. 401 00:22:58,999 --> 00:23:02,265 Sarah had been using her willpower story for two weeks, 402 00:23:03,006 --> 00:23:06,772 matching tasks to brain states and using strengths and 403 00:23:06,813 --> 00:23:07,815 willpower boosters. 404 00:23:07,815 --> 00:23:12,828 While I was making progress, she reflected there was still 405 00:23:13,088 --> 00:23:17,125 one persistent challenge in my daily routine that post-lunch 406 00:23:17,247 --> 00:23:17,828 energy crash. 407 00:23:17,828 --> 00:23:22,949 That's when the day designer showed me how to use the swap to 408 00:23:22,949 --> 00:23:25,233 overcome my biggest daily challenge. 409 00:23:25,233 --> 00:23:30,329 Most people have one part of their day that consistently 410 00:23:30,410 --> 00:23:31,353 causes problems. 411 00:23:31,353 --> 00:23:35,170 For many, like Sarah, it's post-lunch. 412 00:23:35,170 --> 00:23:40,161 For others it might be early mornings, late afternoons or 413 00:23:40,201 --> 00:23:41,467 switching off in the evening. 414 00:23:41,467 --> 00:23:46,306 The swap helps you tackle this challenge systematically. 415 00:23:46,306 --> 00:23:49,171 What made swap so powerful? 416 00:23:49,171 --> 00:23:50,473 Sarah explained. 417 00:23:50,473 --> 00:23:52,416 The swap helps you tackle this challenge systematically. 418 00:23:52,416 --> 00:23:54,980 What made swap so powerful, sarah explained, was how it 419 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,224 helped me turn the most challenging part of my day into 420 00:23:56,244 --> 00:23:57,470 a genuine recharge opportunity. 421 00:23:57,470 --> 00:24:01,849 Instead of fighting my energy dip, I learned to work with it. 422 00:24:03,279 --> 00:24:04,685 Understanding swap. 423 00:24:04,685 --> 00:24:10,451 Let me explain what swap spelt S-W-A-P means. 424 00:24:10,451 --> 00:24:12,727 It's an approach with three parts. 425 00:24:12,727 --> 00:24:17,510 The S-W stands for self-watch Notice what's happening. 426 00:24:17,510 --> 00:24:22,346 The A stands for aim Choose a specific goal. 427 00:24:22,346 --> 00:24:27,488 The P stands for plan Create clear steps to achieve your aim. 428 00:24:27,488 --> 00:24:32,307 Let's see how Sarah used this to transform her challenging 429 00:24:32,729 --> 00:24:34,933 post-lunch dip in energy levels. 430 00:24:36,420 --> 00:24:36,902 Step 1. 431 00:24:36,902 --> 00:24:41,989 Self-watch First, sarah observed exactly what happened 432 00:24:42,048 --> 00:24:42,550 after lunch. 433 00:24:42,550 --> 00:24:45,448 She noticed four key things. 434 00:24:45,448 --> 00:24:47,503 She felt mentally foggy. 435 00:24:47,503 --> 00:24:50,151 She struggled to focus on work. 436 00:24:50,151 --> 00:24:52,182 She often made mistakes. 437 00:24:52,182 --> 00:24:54,587 She ended up scrolling on her phone. 438 00:24:54,587 --> 00:24:59,462 Just paying attention helped me see the pattern Sarah shared. 439 00:24:59,462 --> 00:25:04,170 I was trying to do high charge work when my brain was only 440 00:25:04,230 --> 00:25:07,474 capable of working on medium-charge tasks. 441 00:25:08,961 --> 00:25:09,463 Step 2. 442 00:25:09,463 --> 00:25:17,142 Aim Next, sarah set a clear, specific goal Complete my list 443 00:25:17,262 --> 00:25:21,531 of afternoon ice cube tasks effectively, despite the energy 444 00:25:21,573 --> 00:25:21,752 dip. 445 00:25:21,752 --> 00:25:27,220 Notice how this aim has three important qualities it's 446 00:25:27,259 --> 00:25:30,971 specific, focused on a clear list of afternoon work. 447 00:25:30,971 --> 00:25:33,184 It states a positive action. 448 00:25:33,184 --> 00:25:35,050 Complete a list of tasks. 449 00:25:35,050 --> 00:25:39,932 It's measurable the tasks will either be completed or not. 450 00:25:41,599 --> 00:25:42,101 Step 3. 451 00:25:42,101 --> 00:25:48,430 Plan Finally, sarah created a simple plan to support her aim, 452 00:25:48,990 --> 00:25:52,195 which included strategic AI use. 453 00:25:52,195 --> 00:25:57,169 She chose to eat a light lunch to avoid feeling heavy and 454 00:25:57,229 --> 00:25:58,952 experiencing indigestion. 455 00:25:58,952 --> 00:26:02,869 She took a 15-minute walk to refresh her energy. 456 00:26:02,869 --> 00:26:07,510 She prepared a clear list of afternoon Ice Cube tasks. 457 00:26:07,510 --> 00:26:13,163 She used AI to help her draft replies to urgent emails. 458 00:26:13,163 --> 00:26:18,292 She used self-control to turn off her phone to minimise 459 00:26:18,333 --> 00:26:19,055 distractions. 460 00:26:19,055 --> 00:26:24,207 Having a specific plan was very powerful, sarah explained, 461 00:26:25,188 --> 00:26:27,932 instead of just hoping I'd somehow push through. 462 00:26:27,932 --> 00:26:33,309 I had clear steps to follow Strategic AI management. 463 00:26:33,309 --> 00:26:38,061 I realised AI could help manage the most challenging part of my 464 00:26:38,061 --> 00:26:39,787 day, sarah explained. 465 00:26:39,787 --> 00:26:44,219 Instead of forcing myself to do complex work when my energy 466 00:26:44,278 --> 00:26:48,878 dipped, I could use AI to help me write some draft emails I 467 00:26:48,939 --> 00:26:51,164 needed to reply to whilst I recovered. 468 00:26:53,410 --> 00:26:55,714 Adding a swap to your willpower story. 469 00:26:55,714 --> 00:26:59,844 Look at your willpower story and circle the most challenging 470 00:26:59,903 --> 00:27:04,032 part of your day, when it's most difficult to get into the brain 471 00:27:04,032 --> 00:27:06,626 state you need to be at your best. 472 00:27:06,626 --> 00:27:11,223 This might be a time of day when you struggle most with 473 00:27:11,284 --> 00:27:19,836 focus or often waste or feel least productive or worry and 474 00:27:19,875 --> 00:27:24,226 beat yourself up a lot, or you might have trouble transitioning 475 00:27:24,226 --> 00:27:26,269 from work to rest in the evening. 476 00:27:26,269 --> 00:27:30,496 You might have trouble transitioning from work to rest 477 00:27:30,516 --> 00:27:31,096 in the evening. 478 00:27:31,096 --> 00:27:32,479 Now let's create your own swap. 479 00:27:32,479 --> 00:27:34,040 You can use Sarah's example for inspiration. 480 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:38,988 First, self-watch what exactly happens during this challenging 481 00:27:39,048 --> 00:27:39,347 time. 482 00:27:39,347 --> 00:27:41,911 Second, set your aim. 483 00:27:41,911 --> 00:27:45,075 What specific outcome do you want instead? 484 00:27:45,075 --> 00:27:50,893 Third, create your plan. 485 00:27:50,893 --> 00:27:53,442 What two to three-part plan will you create to help you 486 00:27:53,462 --> 00:27:55,428 achieve the specific outcome you want? 487 00:27:56,490 --> 00:27:57,172 Start simple. 488 00:27:57,172 --> 00:28:00,048 Begin with just one small change. 489 00:28:00,048 --> 00:28:04,830 I started with just the lunchtime walk, sarah explained. 490 00:28:04,830 --> 00:28:08,329 Once that became natural, I added the other elements. 491 00:28:08,329 --> 00:28:10,904 Small steps made it sustainable . 492 00:28:10,904 --> 00:28:14,212 Common challenges to watch for. 493 00:28:15,599 --> 00:28:18,787 Challenge one Trying to fight your pattern. 494 00:28:18,787 --> 00:28:22,314 Don't try to schedule ice sculptures during the most 495 00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:23,702 challenging part of your day. 496 00:28:23,702 --> 00:28:27,349 Work with your brain's natural rhythms instead. 497 00:28:27,349 --> 00:28:31,584 Challenge two making the plan too complex. 498 00:28:31,584 --> 00:28:34,690 Keep your swap steps simple and specific. 499 00:28:34,690 --> 00:28:36,713 Sarah found this crucial. 500 00:28:36,713 --> 00:28:41,084 The simpler my plan, the more likely I was to follow it. 501 00:28:42,766 --> 00:28:43,666 Your next steps? 502 00:28:43,666 --> 00:28:48,874 Let's break this down into three simple actions to take. 503 00:28:48,874 --> 00:28:53,163 Action one Identify your daily challenge. 504 00:28:53,163 --> 00:28:55,548 Circle it on your willpower story. 505 00:28:55,548 --> 00:28:58,134 Notice exactly what happens. 506 00:28:58,134 --> 00:29:01,094 Be specific about the time frame. 507 00:29:01,094 --> 00:29:04,861 Action two Create your simple swap Self-watch the pattern. 508 00:29:04,861 --> 00:29:06,387 Create your simple swap, self-watch the pattern. 509 00:29:06,387 --> 00:29:08,448 Set one clear aim. 510 00:29:08,448 --> 00:29:10,929 Make a two to three step plan. 511 00:29:10,929 --> 00:29:14,019 Action three Try it tomorrow. 512 00:29:14,019 --> 00:29:16,588 Focus on just one small change. 513 00:29:16,588 --> 00:29:17,986 Notice what works. 514 00:29:17,986 --> 00:29:19,759 Adjust as needed. 515 00:29:20,682 --> 00:29:24,859 The complete willpower story has three elements working together 516 00:29:24,859 --> 00:29:24,859 . 517 00:29:24,859 --> 00:29:30,853 First, your basic timeline matching tasks to brain states. 518 00:29:30,853 --> 00:29:36,211 Second, your strengths and willpower boosters for support. 519 00:29:36,211 --> 00:29:39,740 Third, your swap for your biggest challenge. 520 00:29:39,740 --> 00:29:44,308 As Sarah discovered, this combination takes how you think 521 00:29:44,388 --> 00:29:46,712 about managing your day to new levels. 522 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,613 Once I had all three parts working together matching tasks 523 00:29:51,753 --> 00:29:55,604 to energy, using the right support tools and managing the 524 00:29:55,644 --> 00:29:59,571 most challenging parts of my day , everything became easier. 525 00:29:59,571 --> 00:30:03,682 I wasn't fighting my brain anymore, I was working with it. 526 00:30:03,682 --> 00:30:09,190 But even with these tools mastered, sarah faced one final 527 00:30:09,250 --> 00:30:14,190 challenge Making this new approach automatic rather than 528 00:30:14,230 --> 00:30:14,611 effortful. 529 00:30:14,611 --> 00:30:19,411 That's where step four of the success cycle pulls everything 530 00:30:19,451 --> 00:30:19,811 together. 531 00:30:19,811 --> 00:30:21,662 Congratulations. 532 00:30:21,662 --> 00:30:26,973 You've now completed step three of the success cycle. 533 00:30:26,973 --> 00:30:31,701 Before we move on, and if you think it's helpful, take a 534 00:30:31,762 --> 00:30:35,845 moment to think about people you admire for their ability to 535 00:30:35,924 --> 00:30:40,001 structure their day and manage their energy, whether it's a 536 00:30:40,063 --> 00:30:44,333 colleague, a mentor or even a high-performing athlete. 537 00:30:44,333 --> 00:30:47,646 What makes their approach so effective? 538 00:30:47,646 --> 00:30:51,742 This might help you to improve your relationship with your own 539 00:30:52,044 --> 00:30:56,522 day designer, and you might even name it after one of those 540 00:30:56,604 --> 00:30:57,667 people you admire. 541 00:30:57,667 --> 00:31:03,284 Next, we'll move on to step four, where you'll discover how 542 00:31:03,345 --> 00:31:07,650 to use behavioral science to make completing your daily 543 00:31:08,070 --> 00:31:10,079 willpower story automatic.