
- 389 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
About this book
A revolution has been quietly taking place in academic psychology, economics, neuroscience, marketing, and business. In study after study, emotional forces massively outweigh human rationality in determining our actual choices and actions. This insight has reshaped both science and industry as its power is harnessed for commercial ends. Those of us who are engaged in the nexus of neuroscience, psychology, and human potential have an obligation to raise awareness of these discoveries, and, more importantly, to use them to actually improve people's lives.
AgileBrain is based on decades of psychological research conducted by the author, and others, published in peer-reviewed academic journals. It begins with the discovery of the first principles of all human motivation. Motivation is fundamentally about change. These principles can be phrased as two questions:
"Where in your life do you wish to make a change?"
To answer this question, we can choose from four life domains: the Self, the Social, the Material, and the Spiritual. Note that these represent pairs of opposites: Self vs. Social, Material vs. Spiritual.
"What kind of change do you wish to make?"
To answer this question, we can choose from Aristotle's three levels of existence: foundational (being), experiential (doing), and aspirational (having).
The answers to these two questions form a "Periodic Table of the Elements" for human motivations in the form of a three-by-four matrix. Because there are no other possible life domains or levels of aspiration, the reader can have confidence that every possible human motivation is accounted for.
A key takeaway is that all twelve emotional needs are operating and directing us all the time, and that a key to a happy, actualized life is to pursue fulfillment of needs in a balanced way, which avoids serious problems associated with unbalanced need fulfillment. A recurring theme in The Emotionally Agile Brain is the value of distinguishing between authentic need fulfillment and the superficial, inauthentic substitutes offered by our consumer culture.
After analyzing motivational data from hundreds of thousands of individuals (and consulting to scores of Fortune 500 clients), author J. D. Pincus explains it this way: "Everyone has a unique 'fingerprint' of emotional needs at any given moment in time. Becoming aware of that motivational state is a profound revelation for most people. It cuts right through the noise and distractions of life, and frees them to pursue what they really want."
AgileBrain is based on decades of psychological research conducted by the author, and others, published in peer-reviewed academic journals. It begins with the discovery of the first principles of all human motivation. Motivation is fundamentally about change. These principles can be phrased as two questions:
"Where in your life do you wish to make a change?"
To answer this question, we can choose from four life domains: the Self, the Social, the Material, and the Spiritual. Note that these represent pairs of opposites: Self vs. Social, Material vs. Spiritual.
"What kind of change do you wish to make?"
To answer this question, we can choose from Aristotle's three levels of existence: foundational (being), experiential (doing), and aspirational (having).
The answers to these two questions form a "Periodic Table of the Elements" for human motivations in the form of a three-by-four matrix. Because there are no other possible life domains or levels of aspiration, the reader can have confidence that every possible human motivation is accounted for.
A key takeaway is that all twelve emotional needs are operating and directing us all the time, and that a key to a happy, actualized life is to pursue fulfillment of needs in a balanced way, which avoids serious problems associated with unbalanced need fulfillment. A recurring theme in The Emotionally Agile Brain is the value of distinguishing between authentic need fulfillment and the superficial, inauthentic substitutes offered by our consumer culture.
After analyzing motivational data from hundreds of thousands of individuals (and consulting to scores of Fortune 500 clients), author J. D. Pincus explains it this way: "Everyone has a unique 'fingerprint' of emotional needs at any given moment in time. Becoming aware of that motivational state is a profound revelation for most people. It cuts right through the noise and distractions of life, and frees them to pursue what they really want."
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription.
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn more here.
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS or Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access The Emotionally Agile Brain by J.D. Pincus in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Personal Development & Personal Success. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Chapter 1: What Motivates You?
- Chapter 2: Motivation Can Take Many Forms
- Chapter 3: A Unified Pyramid of Human Motivation
- Part I: Motives of the Self
- Chapter 4: Safety
- Chapter 5: Authenticity
- Chapter 6: Potential
- Part II: Motives of the Material World
- Chapter 7: Autonomy
- Chapter 8: Immersion
- Chapter 9: Success
- Part III: Motives of the Social World
- Chapter 10: Inclusion
- Chapter 11: Caring
- Chapter 12: Recognition
- Part IV: Motives of the Spiritual World
- Chapter 13: Justice
- Chapter 14: Ethics
- Chapter 15: Transcendence
- Part V: Working with Motivations
- Chapter 16: How Motivations Work Together
- Chapter 17: Working with Your Emotional Needs
- Chapter 18: Measuring Motivations
- Coda
- Can Evolution Bring Higher Levels of Motivation?
- Systems of Twelve Elements
- Eight Rules to Live By
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
- About the Author