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Your brain is being tricked… by design | Mike Williams | TEDxCamarillo


[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] so I invite you to come back in time

so I invite you to come back in time

so I invite you to come back in time with me it is a Friday night and it’s a

with me it is a Friday night and it’s a

with me it is a Friday night and it’s a beautiful Friday night and it’s a

beautiful Friday night and it’s a

beautiful Friday night and it’s a special Friday night it’s a date night

special Friday night it’s a date night

special Friday night it’s a date night with my wife Ariana and we’re in

with my wife Ariana and we’re in

with my wife Ariana and we’re in beautiful Burlington Vermont and we’re

beautiful Burlington Vermont and we’re

beautiful Burlington Vermont and we’re downtown street musicians outside

downtown street musicians outside

downtown street musicians outside playing on the street on this nice

playing on the street on this nice

playing on the street on this nice street called Church Street nice

street called Church Street nice

street called Church Street nice pedestrian street and we’re at our

pedestrian street and we’re at our

pedestrian street and we’re at our favorite restaurant called Lunik which

favorite restaurant called Lunik which

favorite restaurant called Lunik which is right on the corner you have Church

is right on the corner you have Church

is right on the corner you have Church Street yep College Street and lootings

Street yep College Street and lootings

Street yep College Street and lootings is right there and an old-world the

is right there and an old-world the

is right there and an old-world the bistro cafe very romantic spot it’s

bistro cafe very romantic spot it’s

bistro cafe very romantic spot it’s beautiful and we’re at our table and

beautiful and we’re at our table and

beautiful and we’re at our table and nice white tablecloth and we have a

nice white tablecloth and we have a

nice white tablecloth and we have a glass of red wine there a glass of red

glass of red wine there a glass of red

glass of red wine there a glass of red wine here our breadbasket right here in

wine here our breadbasket right here in

wine here our breadbasket right here in the middle and then the the the people

the middle and then the the the people

the middle and then the the the people are walking outside it’s just a

are walking outside it’s just a

are walking outside it’s just a beautiful night and then I look up and I

beautiful night and then I look up and I

beautiful night and then I look up and I hear my wife talking to me and she says

hear my wife talking to me and she says

hear my wife talking to me and she says have you heard a word that I’ve said

have you heard a word that I’ve said

have you heard a word that I’ve said it’s like your body’s here but you’re

it’s like your body’s here but you’re

it’s like your body’s here but you’re not where are you and and I was totally

not where are you and and I was totally

not where are you and and I was totally absolutely busted I had so much on my

absolutely busted I had so much on my

absolutely busted I had so much on my mind that I couldn’t pay attention in

mind that I couldn’t pay attention in

mind that I couldn’t pay attention in this nice beautiful wonderful night with

this nice beautiful wonderful night with

this nice beautiful wonderful night with my wife and I don’t think my journey to

my wife and I don’t think my journey to

my wife and I don’t think my journey to this point is all that unusual as a

this point is all that unusual as a

this point is all that unusual as a matter of fact I think we’ve all

matter of fact I think we’ve all

matter of fact I think we’ve all probably made a journey where you go

probably made a journey where you go

probably made a journey where you go from a single person and then you find a

from a single person and then you find a

from a single person and then you find a love interest and then you become an

love interest and then you become an

love interest and then you become an engaged person and then you become a

engaged person and then you become a

engaged person and then you become a married person then you become a person

married person then you become a person

married person then you become a person with a lot of little people running

with a lot of little people running

with a lot of little people running around so it’s hard to you know find the

around so it’s hard to you know find the

around so it’s hard to you know find the time simultaneously we may have climbed

time simultaneously we may have climbed

time simultaneously we may have climbed the ladder of our career you had your

the ladder of our career you had your

the ladder of our career you had your first job you did a good job at that you

first job you did a good job at that you

first job you did a good job at that you got your second job you got your third

got your second job you got your third

got your second job you got your third job you got your fourth job so here you

job you got your fourth job so here you

job you got your fourth job so here you are sitting at a table like this

are sitting at a table like this

are sitting at a table like this wondering what

wondering what

wondering what the heck is going on and how am I going

the heck is going on and how am I going

the heck is going on and how am I going to manage it all well it was during this

to manage it all well it was during this

to manage it all well it was during this time of overwhelmed that I found my

time of overwhelmed that I found my

time of overwhelmed that I found my mentor

mentor

mentor his name is David Allen fellow TEDx

his name is David Allen fellow TEDx

his name is David Allen fellow TEDx speaker and he wrote a beautiful book

speaker and he wrote a beautiful book

speaker and he wrote a beautiful book called getting things done the art of

called getting things done the art of

called getting things done the art of stress-free productivity and one of the

stress-free productivity and one of the

stress-free productivity and one of the quotes from that book is your brains for

quotes from that book is your brains for

quotes from that book is your brains for having ideas not holding them and it’s

having ideas not holding them and it’s

having ideas not holding them and it’s so interesting that that evening led me

so interesting that that evening led me

so interesting that that evening led me on this incredible journey a few years

on this incredible journey a few years

on this incredible journey a few years later David invited me to join his

later David invited me to join his

later David invited me to join his company run his company for him as a

company run his company for him as a

company run his company for him as a president and CEO but more important

president and CEO but more important

president and CEO but more important than that I got the opportunity to play

than that I got the opportunity to play

than that I got the opportunity to play the role as a coach a trainer and a

the role as a coach a trainer and a

the role as a coach a trainer and a speaker and worked with thousands of

speaker and worked with thousands of

speaker and worked with thousands of people across different kinds of

people across different kinds of

people across different kinds of industries so I got to work with rocket

industries so I got to work with rocket

industries so I got to work with rocket scientists I got to work with

scientists I got to work with

scientists I got to work with neuroscientists I got to work with moms

neuroscientists I got to work with moms

neuroscientists I got to work with moms I got to work with dads I got to work

I got to work with dads I got to work

I got to work with dads I got to work with students I got to work with clergy

with students I got to work with clergy

with students I got to work with clergy I got to work with nonprofit

I got to work with nonprofit

I got to work with nonprofit organizations and all these people were

organizations and all these people were

organizations and all these people were beautiful beautiful people and what I

beautiful beautiful people and what I

beautiful beautiful people and what I found was I was not alone as a matter of

found was I was not alone as a matter of

found was I was not alone as a matter of fact we’re all kind of alone in this

fact we’re all kind of alone in this

fact we’re all kind of alone in this together this feeling so it was very

together this feeling so it was very

together this feeling so it was very humble

humble

humble it was very human to see that after this

it was very human to see that after this

it was very human to see that after this journey but there’s something else that

journey but there’s something else that

journey but there’s something else that started entering the picture as our our

started entering the picture as our our

started entering the picture as our our lies evolved and as technology evolved a

lies evolved and as technology evolved a

lies evolved and as technology evolved a little bit of Pandora’s Box in our

little bit of Pandora’s Box in our

little bit of Pandora’s Box in our pocket so here is what I’m observing and

pocket so here is what I’m observing and

pocket so here is what I’m observing and experiencing it at certain points of

experiencing it at certain points of

experiencing it at certain points of time where you have this wonderful tool

time where you have this wonderful tool

time where you have this wonderful tool in your pocket called a mobile phone now

in your pocket called a mobile phone now

in your pocket called a mobile phone now it can both bring you joy because you

it can both bring you joy because you

it can both bring you joy because you can do all these wonderful things like

can do all these wonderful things like

can do all these wonderful things like play words with friends and then search

play words with friends and then search

play words with friends and then search and make communication and get

and make communication and get

and make communication and get communication from folks but what I’m

communication from folks but what I’m

communication from folks but what I’m seeing is it can also cause pain because

seeing is it can also cause pain because

seeing is it can also cause pain because now the world has access to you and as a

now the world has access to you and as a

now the world has access to you and as a result of that are you ever off are you

result of that are you ever off are you

result of that are you ever off are you always on so it’s a very interesting

always on so it’s a very interesting

always on so it’s a very interesting thing but it’s not 100% your fault

thing but it’s not 100% your fault

thing but it’s not 100% your fault you see your brain is being tricked by

you see your brain is being tricked by

you see your brain is being tricked by design and one of our contemporary folks

design and one of our contemporary folks

design and one of our contemporary folks Seth Godin I think sums it up really

Seth Godin I think sums it up really

Seth Godin I think sums it up really well he says trust and attention these

well he says trust and attention these

well he says trust and attention these are the scarce items in a post-scarcity

are the scarce items in a post-scarcity

are the scarce items in a post-scarcity world so when you have access to

world so when you have access to

world so when you have access to everything and everybody has access to

everything and everybody has access to

everything and everybody has access to you where are we suffering the most

you where are we suffering the most

you where are we suffering the most probably trust and attention and how do

probably trust and attention and how do

probably trust and attention and how do we maintain that so what created the

we maintain that so what created the

we maintain that so what created the conditions for us to have our brains

conditions for us to have our brains

conditions for us to have our brains tricked the Deloitte Consulting Group

tricked the Deloitte Consulting Group

tricked the Deloitte Consulting Group recently released a survey and do you

recently released a survey and do you

recently released a survey and do you realize that on average we pull our

realize that on average we pull our

realize that on average we pull our phone out of our pockets 40 times a day

phone out of our pockets 40 times a day

phone out of our pockets 40 times a day now I don’t even do 40 push-ups a day I

now I don’t even do 40 push-ups a day I

now I don’t even do 40 push-ups a day I imagine if I did 40 push-ups a day it

imagine if I did 40 push-ups a day it

imagine if I did 40 push-ups a day it would be fantastic and I’d be a little

would be fantastic and I’d be a little

would be fantastic and I’d be a little bigger than I am now

bigger than I am now

bigger than I am now but 40 times a day we pulled the phones

but 40 times a day we pulled the phones

but 40 times a day we pulled the phones out of our pocket now tend to about 10%

out of our pocket now tend to about 10%

out of our pocket now tend to about 10% of us pull our phones out of our pocket

of us pull our phones out of our pocket

of us pull our phones out of our pocket about a hundred times a day and you know

about a hundred times a day and you know

about a hundred times a day and you know who you are and there’s nothing wrong

who you are and there’s nothing wrong

who you are and there’s nothing wrong with that it just is now if our brains

with that it just is now if our brains

with that it just is now if our brains are being tricked by design who are the

are being tricked by design who are the

are being tricked by design who are the tricksters in this there’s there are a

tricksters in this there’s there are a

tricksters in this there’s there are a group of folks behind the phone that are

group of folks behind the phone that are

group of folks behind the phone that are creating these wonderful phone escapes

creating these wonderful phone escapes

creating these wonderful phone escapes for us and you go to your phone and you

for us and you go to your phone and you

for us and you go to your phone and you see this wonderful beautiful screen and

see this wonderful beautiful screen and

see this wonderful beautiful screen and it’s got you charmed and it calls you

it’s got you charmed and it calls you

it’s got you charmed and it calls you back all the time right

back all the time right

back all the time right but charm that’s an interesting world

but charm that’s an interesting world

but charm that’s an interesting world it’s just another word for being tricked

it’s just another word for being tricked

it’s just another word for being tricked so how are they charming us and who’s

so how are they charming us and who’s

so how are they charming us and who’s doing the charming so behind each one of

doing the charming so behind each one of

doing the charming so behind each one of these beautiful little squares on your

these beautiful little squares on your

these beautiful little squares on your phone is a group of tricksters and

phone is a group of tricksters and

phone is a group of tricksters and they’re just like you and I really

they’re just like you and I really

they’re just like you and I really bright intelligent people there the

bright intelligent people there the

bright intelligent people there the computer programmers they’re the

computer programmers they’re the

computer programmers they’re the designers they’re the business

designers they’re the business

designers they’re the business strategists they’re our sole purpose is

strategists they’re our sole purpose is

strategists they’re our sole purpose is to congregate

to congregate

to congregate every day and say how can I get you to

every day and say how can I get you to

every day and say how can I get you to look at my app more often and they have

look at my app more often and they have

look at my app more often and they have meetings and they have scrums and they

meetings and they have scrums and they

meetings and they have scrums and they daily daily daily are thinking about

daily daily daily are thinking about

daily daily daily are thinking about that now multiply that times all the

that now multiply that times all the

that now multiply that times all the pieces of real estate on your phone and

pieces of real estate on your phone and

pieces of real estate on your phone and you’ve got quite a bit of competition

you’ve got quite a bit of competition

you’ve got quite a bit of competition for your attention so it’s a jungle out

for your attention so it’s a jungle out

for your attention so it’s a jungle out there’s literally a jungle out there

there’s literally a jungle out there

there’s literally a jungle out there that you have to go through every time

that you have to go through every time

that you have to go through every time you pull your phone out of your pocket

you pull your phone out of your pocket

you pull your phone out of your pocket but what are they actually doing what

but what are they actually doing what

but what are they actually doing what are they doing to us so some of the

are they doing to us so some of the

are they doing to us so some of the tricks that they’re pulling are very

tricks that they’re pulling are very

tricks that they’re pulling are very very interesting and they actually tap

very interesting and they actually tap

very interesting and they actually tap into our nervous system so our nervous

into our nervous system so our nervous

into our nervous system so our nervous system is something that with badges

system is something that with badges

system is something that with badges sounds notification buzzing lights

sounds notification buzzing lights

sounds notification buzzing lights lights up all our sensory neural

lights up all our sensory neural

lights up all our sensory neural pathways and every time you go to an

pathways and every time you go to an

pathways and every time you go to an application and you look at it it lays

application and you look at it it lays

application and you look at it it lays down a neuro pathway and the more you go

down a neuro pathway and the more you go

down a neuro pathway and the more you go there the stronger the neural pathway

there the stronger the neural pathway

there the stronger the neural pathway gets as a matter of fact if you go back

gets as a matter of fact if you go back

gets as a matter of fact if you go back and back and back again you probably

and back and back again you probably

and back and back again you probably even get a shot at dopamine that says

even get a shot at dopamine that says

even get a shot at dopamine that says wow that felt really really good come on

wow that felt really really good come on

wow that felt really really good come on back come on back next time to check

back come on back next time to check

back come on back next time to check your email and just do a randomly and

your email and just do a randomly and

your email and just do a randomly and I’ll give you another shot of dopamine

I’ll give you another shot of dopamine

I’ll give you another shot of dopamine so it’s kind of interesting that we

so it’s kind of interesting that we

so it’s kind of interesting that we enter this jungle and there’s a part of

enter this jungle and there’s a part of

enter this jungle and there’s a part of our brain when we go to this jungle that

our brain when we go to this jungle that

our brain when we go to this jungle that is just like we’re back in the jungle

is just like we’re back in the jungle

is just like we’re back in the jungle our brains were designed to notice

our brains were designed to notice

our brains were designed to notice little twitches and behind those

little twitches and behind those

little twitches and behind those twitches it’s either food or we’re food

twitches it’s either food or we’re food

twitches it’s either food or we’re food so it really really plays on that part

so it really really plays on that part

so it really really plays on that part of our brain now the other interesting

of our brain now the other interesting

of our brain now the other interesting thing is also in this jungle if you take

thing is also in this jungle if you take

thing is also in this jungle if you take a look at the American psychology

a look at the American psychology

a look at the American psychology Association report 62 percent of us go

Association report 62 percent of us go

Association report 62 percent of us go to some place some kind of screen space

to some place some kind of screen space

to some place some kind of screen space to manage our stress so in the same

to manage our stress so in the same

to manage our stress so in the same place where we go to do our productive

place where we go to do our productive

place where we go to do our productive work we also go there to a

work we also go there to a

work we also go there to a Cape so when we go to the phone what are

Cape so when we go to the phone what are

Cape so when we go to the phone what are we going to do we’re going to be

we going to do we’re going to be

we going to do we’re going to be productive or we’re going to escape it’s

productive or we’re going to escape it’s

productive or we’re going to escape it’s all sitting there right in front of us

all sitting there right in front of us

all sitting there right in front of us and we have to make some of those

and we have to make some of those

and we have to make some of those decisions now this is a jungle but there

decisions now this is a jungle but there

decisions now this is a jungle but there is a way out so what I’d like you to do

is a way out so what I’d like you to do

is a way out so what I’d like you to do just for a moment is look at this screen

just for a moment is look at this screen

just for a moment is look at this screen just ponder it just for a second just

just ponder it just for a second just

just ponder it just for a second just look at it

look at it

look at it notice how your brain feels now look at

notice how your brain feels now look at

notice how your brain feels now look at this screen notice how your brain feels

this screen notice how your brain feels

this screen notice how your brain feels now what if by design we could take a

now what if by design we could take a

now what if by design we could take a little slice of whatever you’re feeling

little slice of whatever you’re feeling

little slice of whatever you’re feeling now and I bet it’s a little calmer than

now and I bet it’s a little calmer than

now and I bet it’s a little calmer than the situation before what if we could

the situation before what if we could

the situation before what if we could take a little slice of that and grab it

take a little slice of that and grab it

take a little slice of that and grab it and make it our own what would happen if

and make it our own what would happen if

and make it our own what would happen if we took that slice and actually did

we took that slice and actually did

we took that slice and actually did three things one make that little slice

three things one make that little slice

three things one make that little slice of your own personal paradise whatever

of your own personal paradise whatever

of your own personal paradise whatever photo you find inspiring grab it and set

photo you find inspiring grab it and set

photo you find inspiring grab it and set it as as your home screen number two

it as as your home screen number two

it as as your home screen number two take the jungle that you have to go

take the jungle that you have to go

take the jungle that you have to go through every time forty times a day

through every time forty times a day

through every time forty times a day when you open up your phone and move the

when you open up your phone and move the

when you open up your phone and move the jungle to your second screen and then

jungle to your second screen and then

jungle to your second screen and then third go in and turn off all your

third go in and turn off all your

third go in and turn off all your notifications and then go back and turn

notifications and then go back and turn

notifications and then go back and turn on as many as you need in as few as you

on as many as you need in as few as you

on as many as you need in as few as you can get by with what might not leave you

can get by with what might not leave you

can get by with what might not leave you with here you now have a device that’s

with here you now have a device that’s

with here you now have a device that’s in your pocket that becomes just a space

in your pocket that becomes just a space

in your pocket that becomes just a space to be before you choose to engage how

to be before you choose to engage how

to be before you choose to engage how many people could use a little space

many people could use a little space

many people could use a little space before engaging how many people have

before engaging how many people have

before engaging how many people have ever gone to your phone to do one thing

ever gone to your phone to do one thing

ever gone to your phone to do one thing 20 minutes later you still haven’t done

20 minutes later you still haven’t done

20 minutes later you still haven’t done the thing that you wanted to

the thing that you wanted to

the thing that you wanted to right so this is just a micro space to

right so this is just a micro space to

right so this is just a micro space to engage so calm by design it’s in your

engage so calm by design it’s in your

engage so calm by design it’s in your power it’s in your control it’s

power it’s in your control it’s

power it’s in your control it’s something that is is is available to us

something that is is is available to us

something that is is is available to us right now so what I invite you to do is

right now so what I invite you to do is

right now so what I invite you to do is try the test see if it works for you and

try the test see if it works for you and

try the test see if it works for you and then perhaps perhaps that space that you

then perhaps perhaps that space that you

then perhaps perhaps that space that you created would create space for you to be

created would create space for you to be

created would create space for you to be available to that next creative idea

available to that next creative idea

available to that next creative idea that’s waiting for you out there

that’s waiting for you out there

that’s waiting for you out there perhaps it’s there waiting for you so

perhaps it’s there waiting for you so

perhaps it’s there waiting for you so you can play with your children

you can play with your children

you can play with your children just a little more perhaps it’s there so

just a little more perhaps it’s there so

just a little more perhaps it’s there so that haze of overwhelm that’s in your

that haze of overwhelm that’s in your

that haze of overwhelm that’s in your eyes can be replaced by the twinkle in

eyes can be replaced by the twinkle in

eyes can be replaced by the twinkle in your eyes of expectation of loving of

your eyes of expectation of loving of

your eyes of expectation of loving of paying attention to the one that you

paying attention to the one that you

paying attention to the one that you love and perhaps my next date night can

love and perhaps my next date night can

love and perhaps my next date night can be romantic and filled with paying

be romantic and filled with paying

be romantic and filled with paying attention to the people that I love in

attention to the people that I love in

attention to the people that I love in the moments that are created when we

the moments that are created when we

the moments that are created when we create them thank you

create them thank you

create them thank you [Applause]

”

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