Chade-Meng Tan is a early Google employee and author of the personal development book Search Inside Yourself, which discusses how to use meditation to improve your work performance and happiness.
Takeaways from the talk:
-Neuroplasticity means what you think and do can change the structure of your brain.
-The first step is training your attention.
-An exercise: bring a gentle attention to your breath. If attention wanders, bring it back gently.
-Bringing attention to your breath can calm your mind.
-The amygdala part of the brain lights up when it senses a threat.
-The amygdala can override other parts of the brain
-Accomplished monks can control primitive parts of their brain.
-100 minutes is all it takes to have a measurable effect.
-If you can perceive an emotion while it is arriving you can choose to turn it off.
-Imagine having the mental habit of thinking “I want this person to be happy.”
-Being loved is good for your career.
-Effective Naval commanders have been found to be more positive, warmer, and sociable (1988 study). Even in the Navy, being nice works.
-Emotional skills creates the conditions for happiness.
-Two factors needed for world peace: the end of global poverty and inner peace, happiness, and compassion on a global scale.
Check out Meng’s book to learn more: