From 600+ conversations with the world’s leading thinkers.
By keeping people feeling they are on the wrong side of history morally, or on the wrong side of the argument intellectually, and by doing so using rhetorical tricks, they are very effective at keeping people on the defensive.
Anyone can have a good trainer; you can learn the moves and get fit. Any boxer or athlete can get super fit – the edge is mental ability – It's having the self-belief. If you're not right in the head? You'll never do it. I've seen guys getting beaten mentally. Mike Tyson beat a lot of fighters mentally before they even got in the ring, Tyson Fury does the same thing – they get in people's minds.
Highly creative individuals tend to habituate more slowly. This slower habituation means that information stays in their minds longer, which can be distracting but also beneficial. The extended presence of information allows different bits of knowledge to collide and interact, leading to new ideas.
Success is really a portal into the next stage that we're possibly capable of doing, and we have to decide how we're going to face that tsunami of emotions that then comes flying at us when we thought all we were going to have was happiness.
For me, our sophisticated way of communicating- with words- is that crucial difference. It meant that for the first time, we could teach another about something that wasn't present… whereas young chimps just learn by observing. We can read books about the distant past, and plan the distant future.
The accidental perpetrator is a team player. Their involvement in misconduct isn't driven by personal greed, but could result from simply following orders from higher-ups, a commitment to their team, or an unwavering loyalty to a CEO or CFO. However, such blind obedience could inadvertently lead to involvement in fraudulent activities.
In our sport, we're constantly wrestling, punching, kicking, often ending up with black eyes. It's this constant, intense physical contact that sets our sport apart, making the mental toughness required quite unique compared to others.
I find it fascinating that human beings seem like their default recreation is sedation. People are terrified, they don't like fear. They're literally bubble wrapping themselves. If you never face real fear, then you're going to weaken yourself.
75% of people won't purchase from a brand they don't inherently trust.
Intelligence and self-deception appear to have co-evolved, with the belief that we are fully in control of our destinies serving as a mental safeguard, despite its inaccuracy.
Polarisation presents as a spectrum where people go from disagreeing with each other, to disliking each other and eventually to dehumanising each other. We know that the most important thing it takes to prevent dehumanisation is systemic, regular face to face interaction with the people that might otherwise be dehumanised.
Consciousness is at the root of human identity. Fundamentally, we relate to each other as beings with feelings and experiences. Consciousness is at the root of everything that really matters in life from deep emotions, subtle thoughts, these are the things that make life worth living.