Maximum Brainpower (eBook)

Shlomo Breznitz, Collins Hemingway (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2012 | 1. Auflage
288 Seiten
Random House Publishing Group (Verlag)
978-0-345-52616-8 (ISBN)

Infos

'A wonderfully helpful book . . . After reading it, you will understand what you must do for your brain, and why you must do it.'--Norman Doidge, M.D., New York Timesbestselling author of The Brain That Changes Itself

Did you know that experts are often less mentally agile than jacks-of-all-trades? That crossword puzzles and sudoku are of minimal help in building brainpower? That multitasking poses unique dangers to the brain? Cognitive psychologist Shlomo Breznitz knows--and what's more, he knows what to do about it. In Maximum Brainpower, Breznitz and technologist Collins Hemingway provide both an in-depth look at how the brain works and proven methods to increase its capabilities. Armed with the results of cutting-edge research, they champion the stimulus of continual change over the deadening effects of comfortable routine, show how to separate good mental stress from bad, and demonstrate how hope and socialization can help defend against forgetfulness, memory loss, even dementia. Filled with colorful real-life stories and fascinating psychological experiments, this revelatory work will help adults of any age keep their minds sharp, healthy, and cognitively fit throughout life. It's a no-brainer!

Praise for Maximum Brainpower

'Everyone knows the importance of physical fitness, less appreciated is the necessity of cognitive fitness. How do you maintain an exercised, stimulated, flexible brain? Start by reading this book.'--David Eagleman, New York Times bestselling author of Incognito

'Profound, rich, and enriching . . . Because of its forceful suggestions, its analyses, and its wide knowledge, this book is well worth reading. And rereading.'--Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and author

'Many of us are petrified of Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and other maladies that impair the functioning of the brain. Breznitz and Hemingway can deliver no 'magic bullet' to prevent dementia. But their book does get you thinking about what you can do to develop and maintain your gray matter, build on the plasticity of the brain, and increase the likelihood that you'll live not just a longer but a fuller life.'--The Huffington Post

'Most books about healthy brain maintenance just give you the 'how', this one tells you why. And it helps you do it.'--Rita Carter, author of Mapping the Mind

Textauszug

Part IMaximum brainpower in the real world Why Brainpower Is Not About How We Do on Tests But How We Do in Life One Why Experts Know Nothing John Smith is a tall, lanky Londoner with a flair for silk ties. He works in an office amid piles of coffee cups and soft-drink cans--anything with caffeine. He stares all day long at a wall of computer screens. John makes millions of dollars a day, and he has no idea how. John's story is the story of the expert--the person who has so much ability and experience that he or she finds quick solutions to complicated problems that vex the rest of us. We all know experts. The auto mechanic who in ten minutes fixes an engine that stumps everyone else in the garage. The cook who with a single sip identifies the one missing ingredient that will make a good soup great. The engineer who draws by hand an airfoil design as efficient as that produced by a computer. The doctor who plucks the correct diagnosis out of thin air, unsupported by tests and scans (think television's Dr. House, only with nicer bedside manners). Experts process a problem through the vast amounts of knowledge and experience they have accumulated, and out pops an answer--usually the correct one, sometimes an unexpected one. I met John, a currency trader, before the introduction of the euro, at a time when every European country still had its own currency. Most large companies hold and trade different currencies in order to pay bills in local currencies and to avoid being caught with excessive holdings in case one currency's value declines. Financial institutions actively trade in currency as they would in any stock or commodity, in the hopes of making money by determining whether a particular currency will go up or down. John was one of those institutional mavericks who was exceedingly good at what he did. His specialty was buying and selling U.S. dollars against the German mark. Known as 'the money factory,' he brought in millions of dollars in profits every month. The large international financial institution where he worked feared that competitors would steal him away, or that he'd simply retire. He had made so much money for himself and for the company over the years that he no longer needed to work. How did this trader do it? How did he regularly bet on the right currency? The company leaders decided that perhaps a smart psychologist might be able to tell them, which is where I came in. By gaining insights into John's intellectual methods and analytical processes, they hoped to protect themselves against his possible departure and to learn how they might train others to achieve similar results. For days I sat next to John on the trading floor amid his computers and clutter. There were other traders in the middle of the floor, calling out offers to buy or sell. It was very, very busy, and very, very dull. Hour after hour, we watched the screens as the dollar and mark went up and down against each other. I saw every uptick and downtick that he did. I heard the same announcements. We watched news on economic and political activity all over the world on the 'tickers' streaming by on the screens. Over the course of several days, he made modest trades, but nothing spectacular. Very boring stuff. A currency trader must be well paid to sit through this kind of tedium all of his life. Then, one day, he was suddenly electrified. He held up his hand, flashing his fingers to signal 'five,' then 'three.' I scanned the screens. I zoned in on every word the sellers on the floor were saying. Nothing obvious had happened, and yet--within a few seconds--John had bought eight million marks! Before long, the value of the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 26.6.2012
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Gesundheit / Leben / Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Allgemeine Psychologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Verhaltenstherapie
• ISBN-10: 0-345-52616-3 / 0345526163
• ISBN-13: 978-0-345-52616-8 / 9780345526168