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David is a misunderstood individual. While many think that his books are about ridiculous physical achievements, what they are really about is concurring your mind and pushing through the 40% rule.
Challenge#1 – What was your bad hand? What are the current factors limiting your growth and success? Is it you? Start journaling. Air your dirty laundry and flip it to your advantage. It won’t be fun. Just take inventory. Own your story
#Bad Hand
#Can’t hurt me
This book by double board certified psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen is a daily guide to healing brains injured by physical and mental trauma and building and maintaining health brains. It is broken up into 366 parts and exercises, each a 2 minute read. It is designed for you to read 1 part per day for an entire day. An extra part is included in case you star on a leap year. The parts and exercises are listed below.
Day 1: Your Brain Creates Your Mind – Exercise: List 3 reasons why you want or need a better brain
Improve focus, limit reactivity, deal with stress and negative feelings.
Day 2: If You Are Struggling, Welcome to Normal – Exercise: Make a list of 10 of your friends. How many of them have needed help for their brain or mind in one way or another?
Everyone I know could improve their brain in one way or another. I have a growth mindset and anyone no matter their age or expertise can get 1% better.
Day 3: When Your Brain Works Right, You Work Right – Exercise: Think of 3 or 4 people in your life whom you judge harshly. Is it possible that at least one of them has something going on with his or her brain that affects their behavior?
Yes. There is one person in particular coming mind that drives me crazy. They are most definitely letting their brain affect their behavior negatively. They have a history of head trauma, drink several times a week, and eat junk food. It’s like looking in a mirror to the past. This person can’t see how these behaviors are shaping an anxious and reactive attitude the affects others around them negatively.
Day 4: Your Brain is the Most Awe-Inspiring Creation – Exercise: Think of 3 world changing Accomplishments done by someone’s brain
Nikola Tesla – AC Electricity
Henry Ford – Assembly Line
Alexander Fleming – Penicillin
Day 5: Brain Envy is the First Step – Exercise: Right a love letter to your brain, even a short test will due.
Dear brain, thank you for all the wonderful things you allow me to do. I don’t always treat you right but that is going to change today. Without you I would not be able to perceive all the beauty in this world. I will always take care of you because I love you.
Day 6: Doug Falls in Love with His Brain – Exercise: Meditate on this question. Do you love your brain like you love the important people in your life? If not, why not?
I do. In both cases I need to do a better job of showing it.
Day 7: Avoid Anything That Hurts Your Brain – Exercise: Take the memory rescue quiz to see which BRIGHT MINDS risk factors you may have. https://memoryrescue.com/assessment#Intro
Early Warning Sign Level: Moderate
Risk Factor Score: High
Day 8: But How Can I Have Any Fun? – Exercise: Meditate on this question: In what ways is your life harder when you engage in behaviors that hurt your brain?
I have constant low level headaches that make me irritable. When I have these headaches it is hard to focus and harder to learn. My memory suffers and I find myself doing the same things over and over again. I sleep poorly, I frown a lot, and I’m no fun to be around. Even the simplest tasks can seem like I’m setting out to climb a mountain.
Day 9: Engage in Regular Brain-Healthy Habits – Exercise: Pick one of the brain-healthy strategies listed in the chapter to add to your daily routine.
Whenever I am sad, mad, nervous, or out of control I will write down my negative thoughts and ask myself, “Is it really true?”
Day 10: Boost Your Brain Reserve – Exercise: List 3 things you do that steal your brains reserve, and 3 things you do to build your reserve.
Steal – Junk Food, Caffeine, Lack of Rest
Build – Exercise, Reading, Journaling
Day 11: Unchained from the Shackles of Failure – Exercise: What could a healthier brain help you do better and more effectively?
Decrease burnout.
Day 12: You Are in a War for the Health of Your Brain – Exercise: Look around you to see what influences are helping or hurting your brain and mind
I’m working really hard on my diet. I’m trying to cook the large majority of my meals at home and choose foods with a low glycemic index. My biggest risk factor right now is fast food. When I’m tired it is just so easy to go through the drive thru. Another negative influence is my phone. I don’t have a TV, but I’ve taken up watching YouTube videos particularly to fall asleep even thought I know that I don’t need them to sleep. I’d like to replace the videos with reading before bed.
Day 13: Brain Warrior Marianne – Best Days Ahead – Name 2 or 3 people that might be inspired if you got truly well
I would like to think that my mother and my brothers would notice the changes in my energy levels and ask for some advice.
Day 14: Do One Simple Thing at a Time for Massive Results – Exercise: What is one small step you can start today from the following list: drink more water, take a multivitamin, exercise, eat healthy foods first, learn new things, advocate for others to take brain health seriously. Are you more likely to succeed on a fast track or an incremental approach?
I already stay hydrated on water, take vitamins, exercise regularly, and eat healthy. As far as learning new things I listen to a lot of audio books and listen to a lot of podcasts. Over the last few weeks the focus of my learning has been on making better dietary decisions to improve and sustain energy levels and focus. This leads advocate for others to take brain health seriously. I know a lot of people that suffer from anxiety and depression and the last thing that they want to hear is that the have anxiety and are depressed. I want to advocate that they take brain health seriously without offending them. What I can start today is talking about my journey towards brain health. Over the years I’ve sustained plenty of head trauma through sports and poor health decisions. The easiest way not to offend someone is by being relatable. My brain used to be a mess and through daily practice I’m proof that it can get better. I’m most likely have sustained success with the incremental approach. Several times in my life a wave of motivation comes over me and I become uber productive and take on several projects at once. This always leads to burnout. This is why one of my core values is consistency. By committing to something small everyday momentum begins to build. It’s the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race.
Day 15: Are you a Wolf, Sheep, or Sheepdog? – Exercise: List a few people who need you to be their sheepdog
Where do I start? I want to be a sheepdog for just about everyone I encounter. There is so much bad information and complacency in the world that the vast majority of people need someone to help separate the truth from the B.S. I can be a sheepdog with my customers. In the cycling industry there is this huge obsession with cutting weight on the bike when cutting weight on the body is physically as effective and functionally more effective plus it is free. Cut weight (assuming you have a few extra pounds like most Americans) from your body and not only will you have less mass to pedal forward, but you’ll have more baseline energy, and a sharper more focused and determined mind.
Day 16: Getting Started Can Feel Hard – Exercise: What one decision can you make for brain health?
Cut out caffeine.
Day 17: Develop a healthy Rhythm – Exercise: How have I changed since starting a brain healthy program? What keeps me going?
I’ve focused on cutting out foods that will cause me to crash. Cookies and Full Throttle energy drinks sweet treats. Since starting a brain health program I do not crave these treats in the way I did. I’ll still want to have them, but not in a way that makes me drop everything to get them. By focusing on diet I’ve noticed my energy levels are more sustained and it helps me stay stay on task with my weekly routines. I’ve pulled the trigger on the Whoop fitness tracker 1 month free trial. I made it a point to put an emphasis on sleep a few years ago and bought a really nice bed. Unfortunately I’ve fallen out of good sleep habits. Since starting the brain healthy program its made me stop procrastinating on healthy habits. I’ve put some skin in the game to measure a sleep baseline with hard metrics so that I have a target to improve on. I can lie to myself I’m getting enough sleep and fully recovered. Hopefully I won’t be able to lie to the whoop. I’m determined to keep going with a brain healthy program because when I have brain fog I’m cranky. When I’m cranky I’m selfish. I want to be selfless.
Day 18: Brain Health Becomes Automatic and Second Nature – Exercise: What are 3 ways your life will be better if you get to the automatic phase of brain health habits?
No more headaches or brain fog
Greater patience – Less reactivity
Unlimited positivity
Day 19: You Cannot Change What You Do Not Measure – Exercise: Contact your healthcare provider to schedule lab tests to measure the 12 important health numbers in this chapter.
Completed 2/1/2024
Day 20: People Get Sick or Well in Four Circles – Exercise: Rate your health in each of the four circles (biological, psychological, social, spiritual). For each circle write one strength and one vulnerability you have.
Biological – Strength: High IQ, Weakness: Anxiety
Psychological – Strength: High Self Esteem, Weakness: Negativity
Social – Strength: Tight Knit, Weakness: People Pleasing
Spiritual- Strength: Self Analysis, Weakness: Self Centered
Day 21: Why I collect Seahorses – Exercise: Name 3 of your behaviors that nourish your hippocampi and 3 toxic behaviors that shrink them.
Nourishing Behaviors – Exercise, Supplementation, Healthy Foods
Toxic Behaviors – Cookies and Sugary Drinks, Binge Eating, Bad Sleep Habits
Day 22: Why I Collect Anteaters – Exercise: Ask yourself, what is the ANT population in my head? If it is high start writing down your negative thought and soon I will teach you how to eliminate them.
The inward ANT population in my head is generally pretty low. Typically the ANTs will swarm about once a month for a few days. On the other hand my ANT population towards others right now is mild yet consistent. I find myself being judgemental of how strangers are driving, when they are in a rush, or eating junk foods. I need grant more grace and remember that I don’t know what is going on in their lives right now and their behaviors only affect me if I let them. Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. I find myself much happier when I dwell on other’s strengths instead of noting what I think their flaws are.
Day 23: Why I Collect Penguins – Exercise: Notice something you like about one or two people in your life today and this as often as you can going forward?
I found this awesome that yesterday I wrote about wanting to focus on strengths and not flaws, and then today that happend to be the exercise. Serendipitous!
There is a person that has been frustrating me lately with showing up late to things or blowing them off entirely. The flip side of that coin is they are almost always down to hang out even if they are not as meticulous about time as I am. There is another person that I butt heads with, but this person has a ton of great qualities. This person can talk to anyone because they are curious and genuinely interested in other people.
Day 24: Why I Collect Butterflies – Exercise:Spend some time reflecting on these spiritual questions. What is the meaning of my life? Where do I find purpose? Why am I here? What do I value most in life? Where do I put my faith? What role does faith play in my life? How am I connected to people from the past and the future? What is my connection to Earth?
Those are some good questions. I guess the meaning of my life is to create more good in the world than I do evil. I believe in leaving a place better than how you found it whether that is picking up a little bit of litter in the parking lot or making a stressed out clerk feel a little better by genuinely asking them how there day has been. I value continuous improvement in myself and in others, Improving yourself improves your community. When I get a little better everything around me gets a little better. If I’m in a community with the same values than someone else’s improvement is my improvement. A rising tide lifts all ships. I do not value improving myself or my wealth to the detriment of another. I put my faith in discipline. If I do the right things and do them consistently gains will come even if they are disguised as setbacks and failures. I have faith that God will reward me for doing the difficult right thing and teach me a lesson for taking the easy way out. The good people from the past have set the stage for us to endure less pain then they did and it is our duty to improve on the gifts they have given us and set the stage for our descendants to have less pain in the world then we have. Earth is a pit stop, it is not my home.
Day 25: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Biological – Exercise: Do your behaviors and the biological circle support your health or cause harm to your brain and others’ brains?
My above average intellect allows me to seek out and retain knowledge to better my physical and mental health. When I share this knowledge in the right way it is helpful to others. Often I share it unsolicited or too directly and when I do this it doesn’t resonate with people. People don’t like to be told what to do, they like to come to the conclusion themselves. For example if I tell someone to avoid the added sugar in whatever they are currently eating they will take offense and in the future continue to consume the same foods because they want to feel agency in their decisions. If on the other hand I say I feel way better and sleep through the night because I cut out sugary drinks and cookies then this person just might consider if they are willing to cut out cookies if the tradeoff is feeling better next time the are in the checkout line. My anxiety and propensity to stay busy cause harm to my brain and because anxiety is contagious and rubs off on others it causes harm to their brains.
To answer the question more directly, currently 75% of the biological circle is helping my brain and 25% is harming it. This is up substantially from a few years ago when 95%+ of my biological circle was damaging to my brain.
Day 26: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Psychological – Exercise: How often do you feel like you are enough? How often do you think you are not enough? What factors growing up adoption, neglect/abuse, loss, trauma, stability, praise, positive messages influenced your psychological health?
Most of the time I feel like I am enough and occasionally I feel like I could be doing more. I think my relationship with my father or lack thereof influenced my psychological health. One of the strongest memories I have of him shaped my worldview in a warped way.
Day 27: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Social – Exercise: How does stress affect your most important relationships? Which of your relationships is suffering because of stress?
When I’m stress I get irritable. When I’m irritable I lose patience and can be negative. When I’m in this state I avoid people. So I guess the answer is stress affects my relationships through isolation. People start to take it personally, but really I’m not avoiding them, I just don’t want them to think of me as a downer. My relationships with management at the shop is suffering because when management gets stressed I get stressed, and when I get stressed I’m no fun to be around.
Day 28: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Spiritual – Exercise: Ask yourself, what is one purposeful thing I can do today, then add it to your to do list.
Take an interest in others. Instead of walking through the dozens of daily casual encounters and going through the motions of transactional social pleasantries, I will look people in the eye and ask them “How are you doing today,” but actually be interested in their answer and then I’ll ask them a follow up question. I will create small positive human interactions with the aim of lifting someone’s mood even if it is just for that moment.
Day 29: All Psychiatric Issues Have Multiple Causes – Exercise: Take the brain health assessment at brainhealthassessment.com
Brian type 1: That means you tend to be balanced. You are also flexible, focused, have good impulse control, have balanced emotions, are resilient, and experience normal ups and downs.
Day 30: Why I Hate the Term Mental Illness and You Should Too – Exercise: Whom do you know who could benefit from this message? Who needs a better brain? Send them a short text about today’s lesson such as, “With a better brain always comes a better life. Let’s get our brains better together.”
There are some people that I could send this message, but I’m afraid It will start a fight. I have nudged some people in the right direction and will continue to share my progress in this book with those people.
Day 31: How Brain Imaging Changes Everything: Steve and Schizophrenia – Exercise: Ask yourself if there is an alternate reason why the difficult people in your life do what they do.
I don’t know. I don’t think I understand the question.
Day 32: It’s Easy to Call Someone Bad; It’s Harder to Ask Why – Exercise: If somebody does something you think is bad, don’t make a snap judgement, pause and ask yourself what might be behind their behavior.
This is something I was getting pretty good at but I have backslide on. It’s goes with ANTS. This is kinda a lame example but an illustration nonetheless. When driving often times you’ll see someone that is stopped in the right-hand lane to turn right when the light is green. The reactionary move is to honk and I see and hear people do this all the time. What the car honking doesn’t know is that the car is stopped at that green light because there are pedestrians in the crosswalk. The car honking their horn needs to be less reactionary and not snap to the judgment assuming that the car in front of them isn’t paying attention. The car in front has more information and most of the time they are using this information correctly while the honking car has less information and makes and erroneous judgement. When I see people doing things that I think are wrong, I’m going to make it a point to tell myself that they have more information about their situation and I should not judge until I’ve observed the situation closely enough. If someone is wearing sunglasses indoors I should assume that they are making an informed decision for their health and not jump to the conclusion that they are a tool.
Day 33: The Structure of Scientific Revolution – Exercise: Think of a big idea you have had that was shot down by others. Before giving up due to the rejection identify what stage you are is as it might motivate you to keep trying.
Meditation and yoga. These are practices that are accepted by many but also rejected by others. I was listening to Dr. Andrew Huberman in the last few days and he mentioned that 20 years ago doctors could get fired for suggesting that people try these practices. I started yoga taking advice from someone who could see how chronically stressed I was and it worked wonders. I added meditation shortly after seeing all the benefits of yoga. These aren’t exactly my big ideas but when I discovered them I wanted to share them with everyone I knew. A certain segment of the population treats you like you are suggesting that you have fallen into some cult of lunatic hippies. They don’t think they are things that strong men do. I can testify that these practices are strong anti-anxiety treatments that are having a physical benefit on my mind and body. I would put meditation and yoga in stage 4 “The Rejection” stage in the western world.
Day 34: Your Brain Can Be Better Tomorrow – Exercise: List one thing that you typically do that hurts your brain. Stop doing it for a week to see how you feel. List one thing you typically do that helps your brain and make sure you do it today
I don’t get enough sleep and I try to take on too many projects at a time. In the last few days I’ve decided to move my bed time up because no matter how long I try to sleep in, once the sun come up I can’t sleep. Meditation typically helps my brain. I will do it right now.
Day 35: The Brain is a Sneaky Organ – Exercise: Notice the crazy and weird thoughts that go through your head and how many of them you do not act on or share with anyone.
I’ll keep an eye on it. It mostly just judging people because I think they are doing something inconsiderate like not putting their shopping carts back.
Day 36: How Do You Know Unless You Look? – Exercise: Watch my TEDx talk titled, “The most important lesson from 83,000 scans,” which can be found at YouTube.com.
Every other doctor looks at the body part they are treating. Why is it not standard practice for psychiatrists to look at the brain?
Day 37: Is It Depression or Dementia? – Exercise: Think of the times where you were nearly out of hope for yourself or a loved one. Could brain health have been involved?
Most definitely. When I’m tired and anxious I tend to catastrophize only see the worst case scenario. When I’m calm and rested I can look at the same problem and realize that it can be overcome.
Day 38: Keeping Memories Alive – Exercise: If you have not taken the memory rescue quiz to see what BRIGHT MINDS risk factors you may have at memoryrescue.com/assessment do it now.
I have already taken it.
Action Items:
1) Beets: Add beets into your diet – Beet juice is high in nitrate which helps athletic performance, blood flow in the brain, and lowers blood pressure.
2) Berries: Eat more berries – Antioxidants reduce free radicals, Polyphenols increase circulation and decrease inflammation, and Vitamin C helps circulation.
3) Bed Time: Sleep Consistently – Stick to consistent bed and wake times. Eliminate naps.
Day 39: B id for Blood Flow – Exercise: Walk like you are late everywhere you go today.
80 year olds that can walk 3 mph have a 90% chance of living until 90. Those that can only walk 1 mph have a 10% chance of living until 90. Things I can do to work on my blood flow are eating chilli peppers and beets, staying on top of my blood pressure, and doing cordiation exercises like basketball and yoga.
Day 40: The World’s Best Brain Sport – Exercise: Find a place to play at least one game of table tennis or pickleball.
I believe the exercise is really find a place to play a racquet sport which I can do a 24 hour fitness in Pleasanton and Livermore. They have a racquetball court and I’ve played there before, but the funny thing is my nephew is getting a ping pong game for Christmas so I can play with him tomorrow. I’ll also commit to playing a table tennis game when I get back. Clubs can be located here.
Day 41: Brain Health Can Improve Your Sex Life – Exercise: List any blood flow risk factors you have and start tackling them.
Sleep and blood pressure. My blood pressure should be in line, but I have not been testing it regularly and I have plenty of opportunities to do so at the grocery store and drug store. I’m already working on sleep with the help of my Whoop fitness tracker but my lack of sleep is not for lack of want, but rather getting to bed on time. Consistency in bed and wake times will help as well as consistent morning sunlight. I will test my blood pressure regularly and aim for more high quality sleep with less wake events.
Day 42: Caffeine and the Brain – Exercise: How much caffeine do you consume each day? Cut it down by 25% and see how you feel.
I cut out caffeine about 3 weeks ago based on the suggestions of this book. I didn’t have any caffeine at all for 2 weeks and am probably averaging .5 servings per day since then. I always used to say that caffeine didn’t affect me at all because I could drink a cup of coffee right before bed. I’m starting to realize that it was affecting me but just not in the way expected. It doesn’t get me wired, but it does make it hard to fall asleep even when I’m tired. In other words it doesn’t wake me up but it does make it hard for me to sleep. The worst of both worlds. I’m going to continue to avoid coffee and only drink it occasionally as a treat in social situations. I’ll also order decaf.
Day 43: Consider Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – Exercise: Try HBOT or another method to boost your oxygen intake. HBOT is available at Amen Clinics or find an HBOT chamber near you by checking the International Hyperbarics Association website (ihausa.org).
I visited the website and signed up for the newsletter.
Day 44: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Blood Flow – Exercise: Get help for any issues that damage your blood flow such as coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmias, pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, insomnia, sleep apnea, or erectile dysfunction.
The two here I can focus on are high blood pressure and insomnia. I checked my blood pressure two days ago and will do so again today. I added beet juice into my diet which is supposed to help with blood pressure. For insomnia, I’m getting my morning sunlight, avoiding naps and caffeine, and trying to go to bed earlier to get more sleep.
Day 45: R is for Retirement and Aging – Exercise: Spend 15 minutes today learning something new.
I will spend at least 15 minutes reading from my sales books and taking notes.
Day 46: Best Metal Exercise for Your Brain – Exercise: Spend another 15 minutes today learning something new.
Will do. Almost everyday I try to spend at least 15 minutes learning something new. Yesterday I learned about the difference between muscular stain and cardio strain. I’m also going to incorporate backwards walking into my morning routine every other day.
Day 47: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Retirement/Aging – Exercise: When you don’t feel like working out or eating well, ask yourself “Do I want an old brain or a young one?” then make sure to include potent antioxidants in your diet such as berries and green tea.
I’ve been eating beet chews and drinking beet juice. I’m going to cook some up for myself and see how that goes. I need to buy berries too, I just keep forgetting. I’ll also add green tea on the list of things to get.
Day 48: I is for Inflamation – Exercise: Floss today and start making it a daily habit.
I will floss today and make it a daily habit because it prevent gum disease. Gum disease is a cause of inflammation which can lead to memory loss. I will floss to improve my memory. I will also but tumeric and start cooking with it as it helps with inflammation.
Day 49: Boot Omega-3’s to Calm Inflammation – Exercise: Make sure to take an Omega-3 supplement daily or focus on eating fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel twice a week.
I’ve been taking fish oil supplements for years. I’ve try to eat a lot of flaxseed products and add ground flaxseeds to my foods. I’m starting to cook fish more often but I’m not at twice a week yet.
Day 50: The Gut-Brain Connection – Exercise: Add more fiber to each meal by adding seeds, nuts, legumes, avocados, berries, or veggies. Which foods will you add today?
I already eat a ton of seeds and nuts. I picked up some beets at the store and going to give my first crack at cooking those and next time I go to the store I will get berries.
Day 51: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Inflammation – Exercise: Ask yourself, “Am I modeling evil ruler or good ruler inflammation strategies.”
I’m modeling good ruler strategies.
Day 52: G is for Genetics – Exercise: Evaluate you family history and list which illnesses tend to run in you family. What can you do to help prevent them. Also have a cup of green tea or a cup or organic blueberries in honor of your genes.
Obesity, heart disease, depression and substance abuse run in my family. I can and do try to maintain consistent sleep habits, a daily routine, daily exercise and am doing what I can to keep my blood pressure in control. I don’t have any blueberries or green tea in the house but I’ve added them to the shopping list.
Day 53: Brain Warrior Chalene Transforms Her Life – Exercise: How might poor brain function be holding you back? List 3 ways.
Limited Attention Span
Decision Making
Expressing myself accurately
Day 54: The Lincoln Legacy – Exercise: How have your struggles made you a better stronger person?
My struggles have helped me be better at acknowledging and expressing gratitude. They have helped me be thankful for the gifts that I was given and squandered. I’m naturally good at so many things to the point that I didn’t need to try hard at anything to be above average. Because of this I never really strived to be great at anything and as a result, I’m a little better than average at everything. My struggles have helped me learn the being scatterbrained and taking on too many projects is detrimental to my physical health, which negatively impacts my mental health, ultimately affecting my productivity. My struggles have made me understand the importance of taking my health seriously. I neglected my health for years. Negative health consequences pile up so gradually that it’s hard to tell the huge negative effects they are having on you. I got up to 298 lbs after graduation HS at 225 lbs. It happened so gradually that I didn’t realize I was fat when I looked in the mirror. It was almost seeing 300 on the scale that was my wake up call. Carrying around this much extra weight is physically exhausting not to mention how bad my internal organs must have been suffering.
Without my struggles I wouldn’t have had the necessity to find things like meditation, yoga, journaling, self reflection, etc. that have enriched my life and made me a better more selfless person. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m on the right path. David Goggins titled his 2nd book “Never Finished” because no matter how much we accomplish, if you have a growth mindset, there is more to be done.
Day 55: Turn Off the Genes That Make You Vulnerable – Exercise: Go through the five previous reasons (1. Genetic Vulnerabilities 2. Family Psychiatric Challenges 3. Previous Generations Illnesses 4. Family Self Medicating 5. Family Poor Health Habits) to see which ones might be affecting you or your children.
Mostly 4 and 5.
Day 56: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Genetics – Exercise: What part of your family history or genetic issues do you need to address for the sake of your brain?
Alcohol abuse and depression.
Day 57: H is for Head Trauma – Exercise: To avoid possible head injuries, stop checking your texts while driving or walking today and all days going forward to prevent falls or accidents in which you might bump your head.
I can do that.
Day 58: Identify Head Injuries of Any Kind – Exercise: Think back through your childhood teen years and adulthood for any accident, fall, or sports played that may have impacted your brain. How many head injuries have you had?
I’m tall and I hit my head on everything, especially overhead bins on planes. If we stick to just above average severity, I’ve had a childhood cracked skull, stitches for taking a metal rod to the temple, front yard boxing matches, 8 years of football, one hospitalization for a concussion snowboarding, and two ruined bike helmets. Let’s call it north of 5.
Day 59: Reversing Brain Damage Is Possible: Amen Clinics NFL Brain Rehabilitation Study – Exercise: Avoid contact sports. Ask yourself if you can continue to watch football the same way now that you know about head trauma.
I haven’t sat down and watched a full football game since 2019.
Day 60: Amen Clinics’ Position on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – Exercise: Have hope. Even if you have been bad to your brain it can be better if you put you brain in a healing environment.
10-4
Day 61: You Must Know about Irlen Syndrome – Exercise: If any of this sounds familiar take the self tests at irlen.com.
Thankfully I do not experience any of the symptoms of Irlen Syndrome.
Day 62: Brian Warrior Captain Patrick Caffrey – Exercise: If you’ve experienced a head injury, consider neurofeedback, a non-invasive technique that helps train the brain to optimize emotional and behavioral health. Neurofeedback is offered at Amen Clinics. Other providers can be found at isnr.org/find-a-member.
Day 63: Distinguishing PTSD from Traumatic Brain Injuries – Exercise: Consider brain spect imaging to find out if you have PTSD or a TBI. If you know people that suffer from PTSD or a TBI send them this information.
Day 64: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Head Trauma – Exercise: How often do you engage in activities that put you at risk for a head injury? Protect your head by reducing your risk for accidents. Always fasten your seatbelt, wear a helmet when you ride a bike or go skiing, and hold on to railings when walking up or down stairs.
I don’t engage in many activities that put me in risk for head trauma. My biggest risk factor is playing basketball and I’ve never experienced any head trauma playing basketball. Mountain biking is honesty probably my biggest risk factor, but I don’t do much or that anymore.
Day 65: T is for Toxins – Exercise:Exercise: Drink more water to help flush out your toxic load. Engage in regular cardio exercise that makes you sweat.
I have two playlists: “Mellow” and “Chill” that I like to listen to when I’m anxious.
Day 80: Natural Ways to Help Depression – Exercise: Get treated for any depressive symptoms. Early treatment can be key in preventing long-term health issue for your brain.
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Day 81: Is Bipolar Disorder the New “Fad” Diagnosis? – Exercise: If you have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder but treatment isn’t working investigate if you may have been mis-diagnosed.
I have not been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
Day 82: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Mental Health – Exercise: List any mental health concerns you have for yourself or loved ones. What keeps you from getting help?
My main concern is depression. I get concerned that at some point I will not be able to take joy in anything anymore. I am getting help. I’m listening to this book daily and taking its suggestions seriously. I’m expanding my horizon’s to find new things that I enjoy doing. Its nice, to some extent, when the day feels to short to get everything thing I want to get done vs laying in bed all day and it feelinging never ending. The next thing I should do for myself is to set up weekly therapy appointments. What is keeping me from doing that is that I tried a year ago and the process of trying to find a therapist was irritating. I had to do these pre-screening appointments and then talk to this referral company and all they did was give me 12 names out of there phone book to call myself and only one therapist called me back and we were not a good fit. What does that referral company even get paid for. I can work a phonebook my sell. talk about a bullshit job.
Day 83: I Is for Immunity and Infections – Exercise: Cook a meal that includes garlic, onions, and mushrooms such as an omlette or a stir fry to enhance immune system function.
I can do that. Onions and mushrooms have been pretty standard for me but there is for sure room for garlic in my repertoire.
Day 84: Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin – Exercise: Get you vitamin D level tested and work to optimize it. Most of my patients take between 2000 and 5000 IUs a day.
I just had by blood taken but I guess they didn’t test for vitamin D. I take a daily supplement and try to get sun on my skin when I’m outdoors. I just switched from pants to shorts hopefully for the next 8 months or so on Feb 13th.
Day 85: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Brain – Exercise: If you or anyone in your family had COVID-19 start taking one of the supplements listed above.
I have not had COVID-19.
Day 86: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Immunity and Infections – Exercise: How often do you get sick, even just a case of the sniffles? This is a sign that your immunity is low. Work to lower your stress so your body has a chance to rest and recover.
I rarely get sick.
Day 87: N Is for Neurohormone Issues – Exercise: Set up an appointment to test all your hormone levels. Boost healthy hormones naturally through exercise, strength training, adequate sleep, healthy diet, and stress management.
I’ve set a reminder right to set an appointment with my doctor to review my blood work, get my vitamin D tested, get a therapist referral, and have my hormone levels tested.
Day 88: The Pill’s Surprising
(and Scary) Side Effects – Exercise: If you are on an OCP, consider switching to an alternative birth control method that does not use hormones.
Does not apply.
Day 89: Change Your Hormones, Change Your Dog – Exercise: If you have any of the symptoms of imbalanced testosterone get your hormones checked. In the meantime steer clear of endocrine disruptors (pesticides, plastics, etc.). Refer back to day 70 and day 74 for information about personal care and household products that can interfere with hormones.
I’d say that in the past I suffered from many of the symptoms mentioned, but now those symptoms are rare. Nonetheless I’m still going to schedule my doctors appointment and plan to have my hormones tested.
Update: I went to the doctor and he tried to talk me out of getting these “unnecessary tests” saying that a false positive send me down a treatment path that does more harm than good. Why not just test again and one more time before treatment. I think he was being genuine but it is a perfect example of our “Sick Care” system. There is a fraction of the money in prevention versus treatment. The Doctor basically told me lets wait until you have symptoms before we run any tests. I guess they don’t teach that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Assuming that prevention and cure cost the same by weight then you can make 16 times the money by selling cure. It was just baffling to me(but shouldn’t have been) that these business model is so ingrained in our system that the Doctor honestly thought he was giving me good advice. The healthcare system wants obedient worker bees and not critical thinkers. When you have hundreds of thousands of dollars of student debt and big house and car notes to pay you can’t piss off the boss because then you’ll have to shop at the Burlington Coat Factory with the common folk.
Day 90: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Neurohormones – Exercise: When you take your vitamins include ashwagandha, a cortisol reducing supplement that also supports thyroid function.
Will do. I’ve be curious about ashwagandha for a few months. Now that I’m under direct orders to take it, it’s a done deal.
Day 91: D is for Diabesity – Exercise: Calculate your BMI. Go to any online BMI calculator.
My BMI is 24.6. That’s the upper edge of the normal range, but I have an athletic build with above average muscle mass so I wouldn’t we worried if I crept above 25 which is where the “overweight” category starts.
Day 92: What We Learned from the Weights of 20,000 Patients – Exercise:If you need to lose weight, get started by cutting out 1 unhealthy food habit.
I don’t need to lose weight. In the last 2 weeks I’m between 198-205 lbs at a height of 6’4″. I’ll probably end up losing more weight but I don’t need to.
Day 93: A Half Dozen Ways Doughnuts Can Ruin Your Life – Exercise: List foods that are a struggle for you to give up. How many of them are sugary?
Is life even worth living without pizza 😉 . Luckily pizza is not sugary. Full Throttle, Reese’s, Cookies. These are my sugary treats but honestly I’m I don’t eat a ton of these. I haven’t had a Reese’s in 2 weeks probably, and I’m probably at about 1 Full Throttle a week and one 2-pack of cookies a week. I don’t crave the sugar the longer I go without it but I will have a week every once in a while where maybe 3-4 2-packs of cookies show up. The more I eat them the harder they are to walk past at the grocery store. All in all my sugar intake is pretty under control, but If my goal ever becomes to get a size pack I could probably do this without to much sacrifice buy doing 2 slices of pizza every other week and cookies once a month with no Full Throttle until the abs are there.
Day 94: Love Food That Loves You Back – Exercise: Start asking yourself, “Is this a food or drink I love that loves me back?” everytime you eat or drink something.
I can do that.
Day 95: Brain Warrior Carlos Influenced Everyone He Loved – Exercise: List two people who will benefit if you work hard to get truly healthy.
My brothers.
Day 96: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Diabesity-Exercise: How seriously do you take you physical health? What needs to change?
I take my physical health pretty seriously. If anything needs to change it is that I need to get more rest/sleep.
Day 97: S is for Sleep – Exercise: Go to bed 20 minutes earlier tonight and don’t look at any screen within an hour of going to bed, then see how you feel tomorrow.
I’ve been trying to read before bed each night.
Day 98: Natural Ways to Improve Sleep – Exercise: Do you have any issues that steal your sleep? See a doctor to test for hormone issues or sleep apnea. Add one positive sleep habit to your bedtime routine tonight.
I have some melatonin. I will start takinging it nightly before bed. I’ve been working on my sleep habits and there are some ups and downs. My wake time is getting pretty consistent but my bedtime is not as consistent because I really struggle with putting myself to sleep. I usually fall asleep watching videos and I know this is not recommended because of blue light, but I’m consistently asleep within 5 minutes on lying down and starting a video.
Day 99: Understanding Dreams and Nightmares – Exercise: Write down your last dream in detail. Analyze it for the 3 components just mentioned and write a new ending for it.
I can’t remember in detail any recent dreams or nightmares. I don’t really have a recurring nightmare but I do have dreams where I end up very angry with two different and specific people.
Day 100: Hypnosis for Sleep – Exercise: If you’re having trouble sleeping try my hypnosis audio with a free trial our our app, available for download in the app store. Click to download app
I typically fall asleep really quickly watching videos on my computer. I know all the science says blue light crushes you sleep but it doesn’t keep me from falling asleep. I do wonder if it affects my sleep quality, but I really think I’m just an outlier on this one. Nonetheless I think I will try the app as it seems to have other tools in it and I’ll even give the sleep hypnosis a crack. I’ve downloaded it. I’ll open it and explore it soon. It has less than a thousand downloads in google play.
Day 101: The Good Ruler vs. Evil Ruler Strategies to Create and End Mental Illness: Sleep -Exercise:What would change for you if you had better sleep strategies?
I think I would be a more talkative, high energy, outgoing person. Often times I don’t spark conversations with people because subconsciously I’m conserving energy and driving a conversation can be an energy drain for me. If I had better sleep habits and was sharp and high energy all the time I’d be better at easily coming up with topics to discuss with shy people as opposed to struggling to find common ground at 50% sharpness.
Day 102: Tiny Habits for BRIGHT MINDS – Exercise: Adopt 1 tiny habit from this list. It’s ok to adopt more than 1. Remember to celebrate whenever you do a tiny habit.
When I pump gas I will stand away from the nozzle. I will floss every night. I will spend time learning a new language everyday.
Day 103: Digital Obsessions – Exercise: How much do you let technology control your attention? How often do you turn off notifications? Pick one of the habit just mentioned to start doing today.
I’ve been on a phone detox for a few years now. Recently I just started really utilizing silent mode. Its great because while I’ve already limited the notifications allowed, they never interrupt me when I’m not already looking at the phone. I get text messages, but not while I’m driving or otherwise occupied. It has removed the need for me to feel like I have to respond immediately. It even allows me to let apps like YouTube send me notifications that I am interested in, but not interested enough to stop what I’m doing. The notifications pile up in the top tray and I either dismiss or take action on them when I’m ready. I used to get really irritable with my phone constantly dinging with shit that I didn’t care about RIGHT NOW. Silent mode has been a huge factory in me cutting out irritating distractions when I’m focused on something else. Missed calls get returned when I’m ready and the same is true with missed text messages. I’ve already implemented most of these suggestions to some extent. The one I’m going to focus on is “#4 Use you brain.” I’m working on a habit of reading and I also want to spend more time sitting and just thinking about the most effective actions to take in the coming days, weeks, and months.
Day 104 – When Getting Healthy Starts with Love – Exercise: Are you modeling health or illness for those you love? Whom could you influence if you got healthy?
I am modeling health and people are noticing. I would hope my mother would follow suit but she has a negative association with health for complicated reasons I will not get into. My aunt and brothers have taken notice to and I think are at least a little inspired. High blood pressure runs in the family and after years of uncontrolled high blood pressure mine is under control with no medication. This might be a catalyst for them to ask me what I’m doing. Also my buddies at the bike shop have commented on my physical fitness and I give them tips and pointers.
Day 105: Introduction to Brain Types – Exercise: If you have not done so before, take my brain health assessment to learn about your brain type at brainhealthassessment.com.
I have already taken the assessment twice. I am brain type #1 – “Balanced”.
Day 106: Balanced Brian Type – Exercise: Make sure to include a multivitamin, omega-3s, and probiotic supplements in your daily routine.
I take about 5 daily supplements including omega-3 fish oil and get my probiotics mainly through yogurt and kombucha.
Day 107: Spontaneous Brain Type – Exercise: If you have the spontaneous brain type eat a high protein, lower carbohydrate diet to help increase dopamine in your brain.
I do not have the “spontaneous” brain type but I do relate to some of the qualities of that brain type. I eat a high protein low sugar diet already but I wouldn’t consider it low carb necessarily. If I’m going to have a large amount of carbs I try to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar first.
Day 108: Persistent Brain Type – Exercise: If you have the persistent brain type make an effort to compare yourself to others in a positive way and add more seafood to your diet which includes tryptophan and omega-3 fats to boost serotonin production.
I don’t have this brain but I have been eating salmon about twice a week.
Day 109: The Sensitive Brain Type – Exercise: If you have the sensitive brain type give or get a message to boost your oxytocin and add yoga to your weekly workout routines.
I don’t have this brain type but I relate to a few of their characteristics. I already do yoga and I need to use my theragun more. I should also get a paid message maybe once a month to start.
Day 110: Cautious Brain Type – Exercise: If you have the cautions brain type try hypnosis or “tapping” also known as emotional freedom technique. Visit medicalnewstoday.com to balance your cortisol levels and stay calm in the face of stress.
I’ve watched some sleep hypnosis videos on youtube and I do find them helpful.
Day 111: Natural Treatments Whenever Possible – Exercise: Consider Nutraceuticals
Done.
Day 112: Supplement Basics for the Brain – Exercise: Take a multivitamin mineral supplement.
I’m taking a Sea Moss multivitamin in a pill form.
Day 113: Protecting Teenage Brains – Exercise: Compare your own decision making skills when you were age 18 vs age 25.
I don’t know that I was a far superior decision maker at 25 than at 18. I’m was definitely better at 35 than 25.
Day 114: Brain Warrior Alicia Dominates Her Husband in Table Tennis – Exercise: Do one coordination exercise today such as dancing, golf, or tai chi for just a few minutes. I’m playing ping pong.
I will meditate, and in the next few days I will get to the Pleasanton Gym to play racquetball.
Day 115: Discipline Your Mind – Exercise: Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, write down your automatic thoughts and ask yourself if they are true.
This was a really good chapter and a great reminder at almost a perfect time. On Tuesday I was overwhelmed by ANTS and I had to call someone and vent. I felt better after venting and perhaps it was because by processing the ANTS I was able to realize that mist of them were not the big deal I was making them out to be. I was catastrophizing things. In other words my ANTS were not true. Let me be clear, the things I’m going through right now are stressful, but its nothing I can’t mandle if I monotask. Trying to do them all in one day made the ANTS feel true, and in that sense they were true. I couldn’t do everything in one day, but it I stretch it out to a few weeks then I can get everything done, and nothing on my plate is so urgent that it NEEDS to be done today. Progress needs to be made daily, but the deadlines I’ve placed in my mind on these items are more or less self imposed and imaginary. Buy some ANT spray and USE IT Brian.
This book written by former FBI agent Joe Navarro is about interpreting peoples non-verbal communications. It’s focus is on how the brain’s limbic system sub-consciously controls body movements that can give us incite into how people are actually feeling. People will lie with their mouths facial expressions in an effort to be polite don’t realize they can be communicating something else with their bodies. If you can read that people are uncomfortable with what you are saying or are to polite to tell you they don’t like the product you are selling you have the opportunity to make a course correction.

1500m Swim – 35:48 / Goal 27:00
Transition – 4:03
40K Bike – 1:33:43 / Goal 1:18:00
Transition – 1:26
10K Run – 56:21 / Goal 49:42
Book Synopses
Matthew 18:3 “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
This book is a collection of hundreds or very short anecdotes, typically written by a child’s parents, about times when that child would exhibit dare I say supernatural abilities. Most of the stories start with some version of the following “When my Tommy was 3 or 4 years old he said something that sent chills down my spine,” and end something like this “Tommy doesn’t remember that but it is something I will never forget.”
Five years ago I would have cynically dismissed this book has hocus pocus and the mind finding patterns that don’t exist by the third page. My knee jerk reaction is still to do that but if you suspend disbelief and approach the text from a place that most people are good and honest then this book could be a paradigm shift for you. The truly remarkable thing is about how many of the stories are so similar. Now some of the stories in this book can probably be discarded as embellished and mis-remembered by the parents, you know the type of person that might see The Virgin Mary in their Cheerios, but the sheer number of stories about the children knowing something they could not have known is incredible. And I’m not talking about stuff that they could have overheard and the parents forgot they said it. That is surely the case in some of these stories, but I’m talking about sensitive often never discussed amongst adults topics of knowing the number of miscarriages their mother had and the names and descriptions of deceased siblings they had never met or been told about. The main topics covered are memories before birth, re-incarnation, memories of past lives, and interactions with spirits.
I would say that the main theme of this book is that at least a fraction of the population is born with extrasensory perceptions that fade by the time they are 5 or 6 years old. It is quite possible that the children lose these abilities because as they are socialized they are taught to protect their ego and vulnerabilities from beliefs that are not mainstream. As the author writes on page 217, “I believe that young children are examples of begins who see and feel the presence of angels because they live virtuous, non-judgemental lives. It seems that this angelic communication that little boys and girls report so frequently comes to them without their seeking. And this is in large part because angels recognize their own Divine qualities in those who have yet to be victimized by their own egos.” As with many skills when you fail to practice it or deny it you lose it altogether.
Another theory for why these abilities seem to dry up with age is that exposure to the contaminants of the world creates a barrier that inhibits the perception of these subtle vibrations. A quote on page 214 really made me stop and think. It was spoken by one of a pair of twins about 2 or 3 years old about why they don’t see angels as much as when they were younger, “Now that we don’t drink milk out of bottles and we eat food, they don’t come as often.” My mind goes to two places when I read this quote: #1 Ultra processed food is a poison to the mind and body #2 What is the relation between this quote and fasting in so many religious and spiritual practices.
This book was a quick, fun, thought provoking read. It’s got me trying to remember extraordinary things from my childhood and ruminating on why for so many people they simply don’t have any memories before the age of 5. None of us remember or births. It’s like we just didn’t exist on Earth until a few years in from our perspective, but our parents remember the years we can’t and will attest to the fact that your are born with your broad personality traits.
It also reminded me of a story that someone close to me told me about their child and has me thinking about it in a different light. It was a funny story about the innocence of a child. His grandpa Tim had just passed and they were on the way to his funeral. Knowing that they were going to a gathering and probably knowing that he’d usually see Tim in this type of setting his curiosity got the best of him. He said “Tim still dead?” At first glance It’s a humorous story about a child not knowing the logistics of how death works but after reading this books it’s got me asking a whole new question. Maybe this child is amused by us adults not understanding the logistics of death as well as he does?

David is a misunderstood individual. While many think that his books are about ridiculous physical achievements, what they are really about is concurring your mind and pushing through the 40% rule.
Challenge#1 – What was your bad hand? What are the current factors limiting your growth and success? Is it you? Start journaling. Air your dirty laundry and flip it to your advantage. It won’t be fun. Just take inventory. Own your story
#Bad Hand
#Can’t hurt me
This book written by former FBI agent Joe Navarro is about interpreting peoples non-verbal communications. It’s focus is on how the brain’s limbic system sub-consciously controls body movements that can give us incite into how people are actually feeling. People will lie with their mouths facial expressions in an effort to be polite don’t realize they can be communicating something else with their bodies. If you can read that people are uncomfortable with what you are saying or are to polite to tell you they don’t like the product you are selling you have the opportunity to make a course correction.
Favorite Books









Favorite Quotes
- “If you can get through doing things you hate to do, on the other side is greatness”
- “You find yourself on the other end… I found myself on the other end of that ****** race.”
- In response to the question why he does things he hates, “I don’t want to take showers and eat…I hate that too.”
- “If I miss one day, I try to get back into it as quickly as possible. Missing one workout happens, but I’m not going to miss two in a row… Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.”
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