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Deep work starts where distractions stop
Silence isn't empty - it's where great work begins.
Mario Peshev
May 28, 2025
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Welcome to The Smarter Brain, a curation of thought-provoking ideas and actionable reads to help you build better habits and become more productive.
Happy reading - See you on Sunday!
Cheers,
The Smarter Brain Team
Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins
3 Ideas for Better Habits
Build, Don’t Scroll
Computer science professor and productivity expert, Cal Newport, on deep work and focused success.
“You can’t, in other words, build a billion-dollar empire like Facebook if you’re wasting hours every day using a service like Facebook.”
Own Your Silence
Explorer & philosopher, Erling Kagge, on the power of silence in a noisy world.
“You cannot wait for it to get quiet. Not in New York, nor anywhere else. You must create your own silence.”
Source: Silence: In the Age of Noise
Open Books, Open Minds
Memoirist & cultural critic, Eva Hoffman, on identity, exile, and the search for belonging.
“Reading is not a project of moral improvement, but by broadening our perspective, it can make us less susceptible to the immediate seductions offered by our environment; and in the best-case scenarios, it can enlarge the scope of humane understanding, and of empathy.”
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Productivity Tools and Resources
What If Kindness Could Be Your Fuel?
Tender Discipline is a 6-week exploration of motivation through softness, challenging everything we’ve been taught about discipline and drive.
‘Pushing Through Pain’ Is Out, ‘Prime Confidence’ Is In
While researching 'Bluebird Day,' author Megan Tady learned some valuable lessons from elite athletes. Here, she explains how she applies them to her own life.
What We're Reading
Ali’s Weekly Letter is a thoughtful and engaging newsletter that shares insights on productivity, learning, personal growth, and tech—delivered with warmth and clarity. Each week, Ali curates valuable resources, reflections, and actionable tips to help readers live happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives. It's a quick, friendly read designed to inform and inspire.
Brain Food
Today I Learned: Recent findings show that the shingles vaccine not only prevents shingles but also reduces the risk of heart disease for up to eight years. (Source)
Science: An AI system has been created to automatically detect fish calls, revolutionizing coral reef monitoring and aiding in marine conservation efforts. (Source)
Have a productive rest of your week,
The Smarter Brain Team
Resource Spotlight
Strengths-Driven Focus, No-Nonsense Strategy, Practical Execution
This concise manifesto strips away distractions to reveal the clearest path to personal and professional success: doubling down on what you’re naturally good at. Delivered with Gary Vaynerchuk’s trademark directness, this piece urges creators, entrepreneurs, and leaders to stop obsessing over weaknesses and instead channel energy into high-leverage strengths.
Where Travel, Solitude, and Self-Discovery Intersect
Lyrical reflections blending the romance of travel with the rawness of solitude invite readers into a quiet confrontation with themselves. These essays explore how unfamiliar places illuminate inner landscapes, revealing truths that routine conceals. With poetic resonance and emotional clarity, they challenge the myth of constant connectivity and celebrate the transformative power of being alone - on the road, and within.
Decode Connection with Neuroscience
A focused deep dive into the biology of our bonds - exploring how emotions, relationships, and attachment shape our behavior and brains. This insightful episode distills cutting-edge neuroscience into practical frameworks, revealing how early life experiences, hormones like oxytocin, and neural circuitry influence empathy, love, and conflict resolution. Perfect for psychology enthusiasts, educators, or anyone curious about the science behind human connection.
Unpack the full exploration here
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