Neuroscience

“It takes 21 days to form a habit.” I’ve heard this approximately one million times. Self-help books. Productivity blogs. Motivational Instagram posts. Life coaches. So I tried it. Day 1-7: Woke up at 6 AM to code before work. Felt great! I’m building a habit! Day 8-14: Woke up at 6 AM most days. Missed a few. Still committed! Day 15-21: Made it to Day 21! The habit is formed, right? ...

At 3:47 PM on a Tuesday, I decided to quit my job and start a company. Or did I? Maybe the decision was already made by unconscious neural processes seconds before I became aware of it. Maybe my genes, my upbringing, my brain chemistry, and the exact configuration of neurons firing that afternoon determined that choice, and the feeling of choosing was just a story my brain told itself afterward. ...