The humor center of the brain is actually located in the retina ;)
The humor center of the brain is actually located in the retina ;)
Set yours.
And yes, there are other forms of learning too, but before you decide you can't focus (on a book, podcast, learning a language, a complicated movement, etc.) make sure you have a specific strategy for each repetition or attempt, page or chapter. Focus emerges from having a deliberate strategy.
Obviously, there are instances of passive learning, but there's always an underlying strategy and rule even to those. Sometimes it's made aware to you; sometimes it's not.
To those who say they can't focus: you can scroll 60+ min = you can focus. It's because you have a strategy to anchor your focus. The strategy is "find the content engaging enough to comment on or share." To focus & learn you have to actively search as you read, watch, listen…
She has seen this in athletes, academics, would-be novelists who also are decent at scriptwriting and on and on. I have to agree. Go all in on the one thing and save the rest for recreation later. And yes, seek some balance across your life at all stages. "All in" is re: career.
When (world-class choreographer) Twyla Tharp was on my podcast, we didn't cover what she said offline, but it's vital: People who are really, really good at one thing are often good at many adjacent things. To become world-class, they (you perhaps) must only do the one thing.
It's impossible to overstate how important this protocol is for your health and well-being. I know I've been saying this for years. Take comfort in knowing that in 2026 I'll be saying it even more! In a few new major venues too…
Get morning daylight in your eyes. I wish I'd called it daylight and not sunlight because any time there are clouds people say "there's no sun here." Compare how bright it is on an overcast morning with at night. There's lots of daylight! Do this every day, especially on overcast days.
I noticed that when some people post their fitness or weight loss achievements, or their sleep scores, there's a cohort of people out there that somehow accuse these people of being obsessed. Ignore it. Just stay on your path and fill your life with things that matter to you.
After a few years of tending to your sleep and eating well, exercising regularly, minimizing or eliminating alcohol, it becomes second nature. People would have you think that it's going to consume your life, but it opens up time and energy for all sorts of things that bring meaning.
Forget "getting dopamine."
You're spending it.
Spend wisely.
I really enjoyed having this conversation with Andrew Huberman @hubermanlab.com and I hope y'all find it interesting: youtu.be/tb6ApBIXr1k?...
The things you need to do for your health every day—well, you generally need to be told to do them every day until you're doing them every day. Bright light mornings and dim dark nights set the stage for health. What you do in the first and last hour of the day is so key.
New Huberman Lab Essentials episode out now: 30 minutes, key takeaways only. go.hubermanlab.com/ALPrQVS
Compartmentalization gets a bad rap. But to be productive, to be present to people, to get anything worthwhile done… we have to learn to compartmentalize.
I hosted Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the new director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the Huberman Lab podcast and we recorded for nearly five hours. No topic was left unturned! You can expect it to be out in about two weeks.
New Huberman Lab Essentials episode out now: 30 minutes, key takeaways only. go.hubermanlab.com/FYmmr1L
New Huberman Lab Essentials episode out now: 30 minutes, key takeaways only. go.hubermanlab.com/PH5df16
Long, deliberate exhales slow your heart rate via a specific circuit from a known brainstem nucleus through your vagus nerve. We can thank the amazing Jack Feldman from UCLA for much of our understanding of the brain circuits that control breathing and heart rate.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and you’re more alert than you want to be because you want to fall back asleep, try some long exhales through your mouth. This slows your heart rate. It’s a hardwired circuit that works the first time and every time.
Hard things made easy by hard work over time are the things to focus on. That process captures the healthy dynamics of dopamine circuits and displaces your time and attention from the no- or low-effort reward traps that exist everywhere. We still need rest, but the formula never fails.
New Huberman Lab Essentials episode out now: 30 minutes, key takeaways only. go.hubermanlab.com/sPY0glv
Focus harder on builds. Pivot faster out of nonsense.
Your perception and reality are not always aligned.
Note: Yes, light plays a role in color, but this effect is about more than just color. It involves how neighboring receptive fields influence one another, as well as adaptation phenomena in neurons. Visual illusions have taught us a lot about how the neural retina and visual system work.
New Huberman Lab Essentials episode out now: 30 minutes, key takeaways only. go.hubermanlab.com/7L1cxrW
We’ve created a series of zero-cost, no-sign-up newsletters that summarize these protocols. You can sign up for more if you want, but you don’t need to. All are available here: hubermanlab.com/newsletter. Enjoy!
The best health protocols allow you to lean into life harder and longer. Yes, there is some discipline involved, but it’s always about having more energy, focus and vitality for the meaningful work and relationships in your life—and deeper, more gratifying bouts of relaxation.