Have you ever wondered why your ability to be your best self can change dramatically from day to day or even moment to moment?
On some days, you are in your best form and can rise to any challenge with grace. On other days, the most minor irritation upsets you and you find yourself unable to control your urges and impulses. The answer is literally in our brains. Studies from neuroscience reveal that our state of mind depends on what neural networks are firing in our brains, that our neural wiring can either bring forth our best qualities or cause us act in ways that contribute to suffering and health problems, and that we can rewire our brain to gain more mastery over our mind.
This article explains how our brain functions differently in three patterns of activation and how proactively strengthening a pattern I call “Brain 3.0” enables us to re-train our autopilot and experience a higher level of awareness, consciousness, alignment, and integration in our daily lives and interactions.
Three Patterns of Brain Activation
The Calm Clarity Framework: Brain 1.0, 2.0, 3.0
I first created the Calm Clarity Program in 2013 to help teenagers in inner-city Philadelphia understand how the brain works and direct the development of their brains to become more resilient to stress and trauma. To do this, I distilled neuroscience and mindfulness to develop a simple, intuitive framework that connects various emotional states to three patterns of brain activation, which I named Brain 1.0 (a state of hypervigilance), Brain 2.0 (a state of reward-chasing), and Brain 3.0 (a state of alignment and wholeness).[1] I also created exercises and workshops to help people recognize how the way they think, feel, behave, and interact with others changes as these three patterns are activated.
My framework for these three patterns of brain activation was partly inspired by the triune brain model developed by a neuroscientist named Paul MacLean.[2] His theory proposed that the human brain evolved over time in three main layers, such that the structures in each layer enabled new adaptive functions and behaviors. The Calm Clarity framework provides an updated version of this model that integrates more recent insights from brain imaging studies which reveal that different emotional states correspond to distinct patterns of brain activation, and that as human beings shift between patterns of brain activation, certain neural networks are strongly activated or deactivated. The framework provides a simple rubric for linking various emotional states to 3 general patterns of brain activation and how each pattern affects what neural networks we have ready access to.
To illustrate: the activation of Brain 1.0 or Brain 2.0 directs blood flow away from Brain 3.0, thus “deactivating” neural networks associated with Brain 3.0, such as empathy and compassion. Thus, when we get swept into Brain 1.0 or Brain 2.0, it is harder for us to access and experience empathy and compassion (more details on this topic later).
Brain 1.0: “Our Inner Godzilla”
I call the first pattern of brain activation “Brain 1.0” because the underlying structures are fully formed when we are born. These structures correspond to the self-preservation system that enables us to scan for threats, avoid danger, and protect ourselves. When Brain 1.0 is activated, we tend to feel afraid, threatened, defensive, or angry. We become hypervigilant, sometimes even paranoid, about all the things that can go wrong. This is a state of high stress arousal in which the body and brain go into a “freeze-flight-fight” response (more popularly known as “fight-or-flight”).[3]
I informally call the persona of Brain 1.0 “the Inner Godzilla” because when Brain 1.0 hijacks our minds, we often feel an urge to smash things or completely withdraw and disappear. We are easily irritated and are likely to take out our frustration on others. In Brain 1.0, our neurophysiology is focused on survival, so blood flow is directed to our arms and legs, away from Brain 3.0 (which contains our neural networks for pro-social behavior).
Brain 2.0: “Our Inner Teen Wolf”
I call the next pattern of brain activation “Brain 2.0” because the underlying structures mature during adolescence. These structures correspond to the dopamine system (also called the reward system) which motivates us to expend lots of energy and take risks to chase after rewards that we associate with pleasure, happiness, and/or “success” — “success” encapsulates the many ways people can define success, such as winning a game, improving our social status, increasing our wealth, making ourselves more attractive, etc.
To reinforce behaviors that promote our survival and the survival of our species, evolution wired us to get a surge of pleasurable, euphoria-inducing dopamine when we successfully engage in reward-seeking activities. Thanks to Brain 2.0, human beings can experience pleasure from high-risk, dangerous activities that can result in injury and even death.[4] The dopamine system is extremely sensitive to conditioning by our culture, by our environment, and by our experiences, such that the things we find pleasurable or that we associate with success and status differ by culture and community. While the dopamine system can make us feel good or feel high, the dopamine system also generates high levels of anxiety to spur us to take action in order to alleviate our anxious feelings. An over-activated Brain 2.0 can manifest as impulsiveness, addiction, reckless thrill-seeking, rigid all-or-nothing thinking, obsessive-compulsiveness, workaholism, as well as unfettered ambition, greed, and/or egomania.
When Brain 2.0 is triggered by a reward/carrot, we tend to feel a sense of anticipation, craving, emptiness, incompleteness, and restlessness — a sensation that is often described as “FOMO” (the fear of missing out). This feeling of “not enough” and “craving more” makes us chase the reward/carrot. If and when we get the reward we’ve been chasing, we feel high, like we are on top of the world. The problem is that the high doesn’t last and then we have to chase and get another reward to feel it again. In Brain 2.0, we can get so consumed by chasing the object of our desire, we get locked into tunnel vision: we want it at any cost, as soon as possible, and feel like life would be miserable if we don’t get it.
I informally call the persona of Brain 2.0 “the Inner Teen Wolf” because when Brain 2.0 hijacks our minds, we feel a strong primal urge to become more dominant in status and power, win competitions, and have our cravings and desires immediately satisfied. For the Inner Teen Wolf, the means justifies the ends. In this state, we tend to be selfish, competitive, domineering, manipulative, and less ethical. The way the brain is wired, when we are consumed with obtaining the reward/goal/carrot in Brain 2.0, our neural networks for integrity (which lie in Brain 3.0) can get “turned off.”
How our Inner Godzilla and Inner Teen Wolf feed each other
The subjective sense that Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 are two sides of the same coin can be explained by the fact that they are located near each other in the brain and are cross-wired. This means they easily co-activate each other.[5] When we are in Brain 1.0, we are more likely to seek immediate relief or escape in Brain 2.0 by satisfying our cravings and impulses. When we are in Brain 2.0, we can get so anxious about not getting what we want that we get highly stressed in Brain 1.0. While both Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 serve an important role in our survival and the fulfillment of essential needs, when they become over-activated, we may feel like we’re stuck on a roller coaster ride driven by our “inner demons” (the Inner Godzilla and Inner Teen Wolf).
Brain 3.0: “Our Inner Sage”
I call the third brain pattern, Brain 3.0, because the corresponding structures, the frontal lobes, are the last parts of the brain to mature―in fact, they fully develop in our mid-twenties. The frontal lobes house our capacity for executive functioning, planning, aspiration, imagination, innovation, self-regulation, integrity, empathy, compassion, and altruism. Brain 3.0 contains the neural pathways that enable us to rein in our animal instincts, connect with a purpose greater than ourselves, imagine and invent things that don’t yet exist, and make sacrifices for the greater good. These are the neural pathways that enable us to calm and integrate Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 when they are triggered so that we harness the energies they unleash into a more effective response guided by Brain 3.0.
When we are in Brain 3.0, we experience stronger brain integration, because the pathways connecting the frontal lobes to the rest of the brain are activated and functioning optimally.[6] In Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0, these integrating pathways tend to get deactivated or impaired, so people have less executive functioning in these states. The state of integration, alignment, and wholeness that we experience in Brain 3.0 gives us a grounded, even-keeled disposition that enables us to calm and rein in Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 when they get triggered.
I informally call the persona of Brain 3.0 “the Inner Sage” because in Brain 3.0, we naturally act like our best selves and can access and express our inner wisdom. When Brain 3.0 is activated, we feel a sense of centeredness and inner fulfillment that the Greeks called “eudaimonia” (which translates as “good spirits”). Eudaimonia is a type of expansive feeling that often brings a sense of elevation, purpose, clarity and inspiration. Activating Brain 3.0 is linked to self-mastery and self-actualization. Rewiring our brains to sustainably function in Brain 3.0 long-term enables us to free ourselves from the roller coaster ride of living in Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0. Further, in Brain 3.0, we can see a bigger picture perspective; whereas in Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0, we get locked into tunnel vision and therefore miss opportunities.
We have to strengthen and activate Brain 3.0 to have full access to the higher-level emotional and intellectual processing capacities of our frontal lobes. Therefore, to truly perform at our peak, it’s optimal to have a very strong Brain 3.0.
Linking Brain Patterns to the Autonomic Nervous System
“Freeze-Flight-Fight” in Sympathetic Stress vs. “Rest-and-Digest” in Parasympathetic Homeostasis
Homeostasis is the catchall scientific term for the internal self-regulating feedback loops that keep the body and all of the organs within it in a state of optimal functioning and health. Homeostasis is regulated by the autonomic nervous system which governs the life supporting mechanisms that happen without our direct conscious control such as respiration, heartbeat, digestion, and sleep.
The autonomic nervous system has two main arms: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is often called the “fight-or-flight system” (more accurately, it’s the “freeze-flight-fight system”) because it corresponds to a state of stress arousal, and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) which is often called the “rest-and-digest system” because it corresponds to a state of homeostasis.
Chronic stress, which means experiencing elevated stress levels for a long period of time, tends to push the body out of homeostasis, such that it becomes more vulnerable to disease. This is because the body wasn’t designed to handle high states of stress for more than short bursts. Chronic stress wreaks havoc on our cardiovascular system because it increases blood pressure and puts our immune system on extended red alert, which leads to increased inflammation. In order to return to homeostasis, the body needs to spend the majority of time in parasympathetic mode to rebuild and regenerate. However, when the SNS is strongly aroused, it sets off a biochemical cascade that elevates stress hormones and “turns off” the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). Thus, the PSNS is unable to maintain optimal rest-and-digest functions when we are in freeze-flight-fight mode.[7]
Unfortunately, sympathetic arousal also reduces blood flow to the frontal lobes (which house Brain 3.0), thus impairing our higher processing capacity and our ability to regulate our urges and impulses. When we can’t access Brain 3.0, we tend to react to stressors in ways that create even more stress in our lives by impulsively doing and saying things that add fuel to a fire, create more difficulties, or result in other negative consequences.
To tie this back to our framework: being in Brain 1.0 revs up the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and floods our bodies with stress hormones. Being in Brain 2.0 (and feeling anxiety about not getting the outcome we want) also revs up the SNS and puts us into a state of high stress. High stress “deactivates” the PSNS and Brain 3.0. Therefore, given the way the autonomic system is wired, the PSNS functions best when we are in Brain 3.0. “Turning on” Brain 3.0 in a challenging situation enables us to modulate the stress cascade as well as harness the energies unleashed by stress into constructive efforts that can make a positive impact on the situation.
The Vagus Nerve is Key to Homeostasis and Healthy Connections
It is important to note that the vagus nerve — a major part of the PSNS which connects and sends messages between our brain and vital internal organs, such as our heart, lungs, stomach, pancreas, and intestines — gets deactivated and goes “offline” when we are in freeze-flight-fight mode. The vagus nerve also plays a key role in relationships because it enables us to attune to friendly non-verbal communication like tone of voice, smiling, and heartfelt gestures.[8] In Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0, we have less empathy and exhibit less pro-social behavior because the vagus nerve is deactivated by the stress cascade. In turn, we are also more likely to feel disconnected and isolated.
Interestingly, the mechanisms for Brain 3.0, pro-social behavior, and our parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) appear to be interwoven in a positive spiral. Activities that stimulate the vagus nerve also “turn on” the PSNS and release oxytocin — a chemical known as the “cuddle hormone” because it promotes bonding, empathy, and prosocial behavior. Oxytocin helps us recover from stress by regulating levels of cortisol (a major stress hormone) and restoring blood flow to the neural networks of Brain 3.0. This explains why activities that increase oxytocin, such as connecting with loved ones and getting a hug with genuine warmth are very effective at relieving stress and helping us recover from setbacks.[9] Conversely, being in Brain 3.0 also stimulates the vagus nerve and the PSNS, thus enabling us to be less agitated by and more resilient to stressors. Furthermore, being in Brain 3.0 is more conducive to building strong emotional bonds and connections which, in turn, elevate levels of oxytocin.
These intertwining mechanisms mean that we can turn on this positive spiral by doing micro-practices that activate Brain 3.0 and thereby also enhance our resilience, wellbeing, and connectedness. Thanks in part to the contagious nature of these mechanisms, our natural ability to calm, comfort, uplift, and inspire others is also maximized when we are in Brain 3.0.
Modern Life Challenge: Chronic Stress
In the modern age, we are less exposed to the physical threats that beset our ancestors, but the human body reacts to psychological and financial stressors using the same biochemical cascade for physical threats. This means that our bodies can react to uncertainty, change, information or sensory overload, social tension, taxes and bills the same way we react to encountering a bear or tiger. Being continuously exposed to stress-inducing stimuli through technology and social media can keep people in a chronic state of worry and high alert. Living in chronic stress activates and strengthens Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0, making us even more vulnerable to being hijacked by the Inner Godzilla and the Inner Teen Wolf.
In this age of increasing speed, change, and uncertainty, so many people are experiencing overwhelm and burn-out. This is because they spend so much time in Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 and not enough time in Brain 3.0 to recover and re-center. Unfortunately, letting life sweep us into Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 for long periods of time can lock us into a negative spiral. Why? Because we need to regularly activate and use Brain 3.0 to make it strong enough to calm and integrate Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0. When Brain 3.0 is under-developed or “deactivated,” your inner demons in Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 have free rein to add to your suffering and agitation. That keeps keeps you in a state of chronic stress.
Mastering the Mind: Shifting into Brain 3.0
These three patterns of brain activation provide a new way of understanding Albert Einstein’s comment, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” When we operate mainly out of Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0, our brain functioning is handicapped. In Brain 1.0 or Brain 2.0, we tend to get stuck in short-sighted tunnel vision regarding matters of self-preservation and self-interest. This short-sightedness renders us more likely to exacerbate or perpetuate challenges rather than solve them.
For human beings to access our capacity for higher level processing, big picture thinking, deep listening, and collaboration, we need to shift into Brain 3.0. Furthermore, being in Brain 3.0 naturally declutters our minds by turning down the volume on the Inner Godzilla and the Inner Teen Wolf. In Brain 3.0, we can attune to and embrace the present moment without having our minds burn valuable energy ruminating on the past or anxiously worrying about imagined catastrophes in the future. To clarify, shifting into Brain 3.0 doesn’t mean Brain 1.0 or Brain 2.0 never get triggered; it means when they are triggered, we can connect to our Inner Sage to listen to the information that Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 communicate and respond effectively and appropriately without over-reacting in Inner Godzilla mode or Inner Teen Wolf mode. Furthermore, when we are guided by the Inner Sage, we are more likely to experience flashes of insight and epiphanies that present us with new approaches to solving difficult challenges.
Neuroplasticity: How the Brain Changes
One thing to keep in mind is that the neurons that make up the brain are continuously reorganizing themselves according to our life experiences, a phenomenon called neuroplasticity. Two simple maxims that capture this process can be summed up as follows: “Neurons that fire together, wire together” and “Use it or lose it.” The neural pathways that are most frequently fired become like superhighways in the brain and the ones that aren’t fired atrophy.[10] Therefore, we can only develop and strengthen Brain 3.0 by being in Brain 3.0 more often through the regular, deliberate, and intentional activation of Brain 3.0.
To Be Our Best Selves: Retrain the Autopilot in Brain 3.0
To minimize energy consumption, the brain tends to function in autopilot mode when we go about our daily routines. In autopilot mode, the neural pathways that are strongest in our brain self-trigger without the need for any conscious prompting. In general, our neural superhighways shape how we react to everyday life events and in turn, our reflexive mental and emotional patterns reflect the neural pathways that are most strongly hardwired in our brains.[11] If we do not intentionally and mindfully train these neural highways, the brain’s default is to be in Brain 1.0/Brain2.0. Harvard psychology professor Ellen Langer’s statement that “Virtually all of our suffering comes from our mindlessness,” is an apt way of conveying why we want to be mindful rather than run around mindlessly on autopilot.
Given that we spend most of our waking life performing routines and habits on autopilot, if we want to be the best version of ourselves, we have to activate and exercise Brain 3.0 on a regular basis and consciously build new mental and emotional routines and habits guided by Brain 3.0. By tying our neural superhighways to Brain 3.0 in this manner, we can shift from “mindless autopilot” to “mindful autopilot.” This will enable us to live more and more an an embodiment of our Inner Sage and bring our best selves to the many challenging situations that life may throw at us. I refer to this intentional proactive process of steering brain development to live more and more in Brain 3.0 as “mind-hacking.”
Mind-hacking Enables us to Build Brain 3.0 and Restore Homeostasis
Building up Brain 3.0 is not as straightforward as building muscles by weightlifting. It involves fine-tuning our autonomic nervous system, which is a challenge because, by definition, we don’t have direct conscious control over this system. Fortunately, research has shown that ancient contemplative practices such as yoga and meditation kick-start a cascade of biochemical mechanisms to recover from stress, “turn on” the PSNS, bring blood flow back to Brain 3.0, and restore homeostasis.[12]
Guided by insights from neuroscience and research on traditional meditation practices, I designed a variety of mind-hacking exercises that are easy for beginners to understand and practice yet also effectively activate and enhance various functions of Brain 3.0 in a relatively short amount of time.
For example, one of Calm Clarity’s foundational exercises for “working-out Brain 3.0" is based on scientific research on an ancient meditation practice called “metta” (commonly translated into English as “compassion” or “loving-kindness”) that was developed in India over 2,500 years ago. Several preliminary studies by different research labs have found that the metta practice is associated with increased positive emotions, higher empathy, and prosocial behavior (which are linked to Brain 3.0).[13] Furthermore, the long-term practice of metta is associated with higher gamma synchrony across the many regions of the brain, a state that is believed to be conducive to higher mental activity and heightened awareness.[14] Based on these and other findings from scientific research, I created a neuroscience-based compassion meditation technique that activates these mechanisms and boosts Brain 3.0 in a relatively short amount of time (10 minutes). As a result, this “work-out” exercise can be easily incorporated into a daily routine.
The Calm Clarity approach to strengthening Brain 3.0
When I started Calm Clarity in 2013, my intention was to provide people in inner-city communities facing what might seem like insurmountable adversity with a concrete, practical, and experiential science-based leadership and life-skills program that actually enables them to overcome that adversity to realize their potential. Through each session, I guided participants to build key neural networks of Brain 3.0 that enable them to manage stress, overcome challenges, and create positive changes in their lives, their families, and communities. I shared tools and exercises to rev up Brain 3.0 like an engine, stimulate the vagus nerve, boost oxytocin levels, and restore homeostasis.
I cried tears of joy as the participants began to share stories of how they were developing a greater awareness of when they were triggered into Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 and how they could increasingly activate and use Brain 3.0 to make choices to come out of Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 — choices that moved them forward towards their goals and aspirations. For example, a young man in a college access summer program for high school students in West Philadelphia shared a realization in the first session that he wasn’t the Brain 1.0 or Brain 2.0 version of him. Who he really is, his true self, was the Brain 3.0 version of him and he wanted to experience himself that way more and more. At the end of the program, he shared about how he could see when the co-activation of Brain1.0 and Brain 2.0 caused him to procrastinate by playing video games and that he could now use Brain 3.0 to manage his video game addiction and focus on doing what he needed to do to apply for college.
In a workforce development program, a mother shared a powerful story of how she was able to stop herself from becoming abusive using what she learned from Calm Clarity. On a snowy day, she had come out to shovel the sidewalk without her keys. Unexpectedly, her 5-year-old son rushed out because he was excited to play in the snow with her and closed the door behind him. Once she saw that he had locked them out, she became aware that her Brain 1.0 got triggered. She observed how mad she felt and how a strong urge arose to scream at him and beat him as punishment for locking them out. Instead, she took several slow, deep breaths to restore blood flow to Brain 3.0 like I taught her. Then she remembered that she had given a neighbor a spare key. After re-centering herself, she saw that there was no need to punish and traumatize her son, who was too young to understand that he locked them out, and instead chose to co-create a positive memory of playing in the snow together.
I’ve since seen over and over that our experiential leadership program works because as participants go through the training, they experience the activation of Brain 3.0 and gain a visceral sense for how they naturally experience a state of alignment and wholeness and embody their best selves when they are in Brain 3.0. With this new perspective, they are inspired to be the Brain 3.0 version of them as much as possible. They leave with a sense of empowerment from having a concrete understanding of the science as well as practical tools to further develop and strengthen Brain 3.0. By bringing a higher level of consciousness into their lives at work/school and at home, our alumni create positive ripple effects by using what they learned in our training to interact with the people around them and build connections and relationships in Brain 3.0.
When teams or families go through this training together, it helps them understand each other on a deeper level and break limiting patterns that keep them from being truly collaborative and effective together. It also helps them build a deeper heartfelt connection and support each other to calm and integrate Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 and to live more and more in Brain 3.0.
Are you ready to shift into Brain 3.0?
We invite you to experience the latest version of our leadership and life skills program, “Lead in Alignment and Wholeness.” You can register for one of our virtual workshops which are listed on our website here. We also offer customized training for organizations looking for science-based leadership development. Please contact us at info@calmclarity.org for more information.
By engaging with us, you are supporting Calm Clarity’s non-profit programs to serve low-income communities impacted by trauma and violence, such as our Community Healing and Peace Project. This includes training programs for schools and non-profit organizations and scholarship programs for people living in or working to make a difference in low-income communities to join our virtual workshops.
This article was first published in January 2017 and updated in August 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Calm Clarity Co. All rights reserved.
Footnotes:
[1] Please note: the purpose of this framework is to synthesize complex brain science into a user-friendly tool that young people without a college education can understand and apply to everyday life, so it is intended to be simplistic rather than comprehensive.
[2] MacLean, Paul D. The Triune Brain in Evolution: Role in Paleocerebral Functions. New York: Plenum Press. 1990.
[3] For a detailed understanding “Brain 1.0” and the impact of trauma, I recommend reading Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, And Body in the Healing of Trauma (2014).
[4] For a detailed understanding about “Brain 2.0” and how it develops during adolescence, I recommend reading Dr. Laurence Steinberg‘s Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence (2014).
[5] The structures of Brain 1.0 and Brain 2.0 are located closely together in an area of the brain called the limbic system (limbus means border or margin) which lies between the neocortex and the brain stem.
[6] For a more detailed understanding of “Brain 3.0,” I recommend Dr. Daniel Siegel’s books which dive into the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, such as Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation(2009) and Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human (2017)
[7] For a detailed understanding about the physiological mechanisms of stress, I highly recommend Dr. Robert Sapolsky’s Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcer (1994).
[8] More information on the vagus nerve can be found in this article in Time: “The Biology of Kindness: How It Makes Us Happier and Healthier” by Maia Szalavitz.
[9] For a more detailed understanding of the role of oxytocin in mediating stress, I highly recommend Kelly McGonigal’s The Upside of Stress: Why Stress Is Good for You, and How to Get Good at It (2015).
[10] For a more detailed understanding of neuroplasticity, I highly recommend reading Norman Doidge’s The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science (2007).
[11] For a more detailed understanding of the autopilot, I recommend reading Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow (2011) and Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (2012).
[12] See research on mindfulness-based stress reduction and other contemplative practices conducted by the Center for Healthy Minds led by Dr. Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin- Madison.
[13] See research led by Dr. Barbara Frederickson at the University of North Carolina and by Dr. Tania Singer at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences.
[14] Please refer to this article in the Washington Post: “Meditation Gives Brain a Charge, Study Finds” by Marc Kaufman. It is hypothesized that gamma synchrony is connected to having eureka moments, creative breakthroughs and innovation, but the science on brain waves, in general, is not yet conclusive.
About the Author:
Due Quach (pronounced “Zway Kwok”) is the author of Calm Clarity: How to Use Science to Rewire Your Brain for Greater Wisdom, Fulfillment and Joy, one of Fast Company’s 7 best business books of 2018. She is also the founder of Calm Clarity, a social enterprise whose mission is to improve collective well-being, develop inclusive leaders, and co-create a world where all human beings and communities thrive together. Having started life in poverty as a refugee in inner-city Philadelphia, Due turned to neuroscience to heal the long-term effects of trauma, graduate from Harvard College and the Wharton School of Business, and build a successful international business career in management consulting and private equity investments. After traveling through India to study various contemplative traditions and understand how they align with neuroscience, she started Calm Clarity in 2013 to help more people overcome adversity and unlock their potential. Due’s inspiring story is featured in The Portal, an uplifting documentary film about meditation as a portal for healing and transformation.
Due also founded the Collective Success Network, a nonprofit that collaborates with the wider business community to increase socioeconomic inclusion by mentoring, supporting, and empowering low-income, first-generation college students to successfully navigate college and enter professional careers.
After living and traveling all around the world, Due is once again a proud resident of Philadelphia, her hometown.
