Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less

I’m surprised and saddened other reviewers have not been as profoundly affected by this book as I have. I have found myself having countless conversations with family and at work, wishing they had read this book. So many real-life examples of people getting caught up in d-mode, not understanding its limitations. As someone who strongly identifies with having a very active tortoise and being creative, I found this book illuminating. I’ve purchased two spare copies from amazon to loan to people. When you understand further the importance of giving time to slower ways of thinking, being ok with the discomfort of ‘not knowing’ until an idea surfaces in its own time, of planting the seed with time in d-mode but not adding pressure (antagonistic to the tortoise) you cannot not be changed by this book. Solutions to complex problems cannot be forced, and i respect that applying pressure to myself or to colleagues only hinders the creative process of the tortoise mind. I am applying ideas from this book to my role in business, as well as my personal life. I even understand my husband more, who virtually lives life in tortoise mode and struggles to verbalise and explain - and attempts post hoc rationalisation ...Other reviewers have wondered how to apply the ideas... as a light hearted example this book explains why I often have my best ideas and solutions to problems while nodding off to sleep, while showering and even when in the sauna. I actively use relaxation type activities now to let ideas marinate and almost always I find that good things surface. Though I didn’t understand at the time, I now know why during my mindfulness meditation sessions my mind would frequently be interrupted by sudden ideas and concepts - though trying to be mindful I was in fact entering tortoise mode by just calming myself and allowing the undermind time to do its thing. I feel I spent much of my adolescence in d-mode, probably the fault of an excessive academic focus, which in Guy Claxton’s words would lead to perception becoming flat and full. If we can nurture the tortoise through practices such as mindfulness, and slow and quiet time, we can develop all of our senses and I certainly love the idea of nurturing a richer sense of understanding the world than one that is purely linguistic and dominated by d-mode so valued by our culture.Love love love it.

Such a powerful, profound, wide-ranging and potent book. It has taken me considerable effort to ‘get the lid off’ of it but like digging for buried treasure the rewards are huge.There is nothing on my shelf that hits harder and more accurately, but like Ulysses, it’s not for sissies.Please, if you buy this be prepared for a slog before it reveals itself. Complex writing with a vocabulary that may stretch you and conceptually it certainly will.Buy it. It’s the real deal.

I like the concept behind this book, namely that there is a deeper thinking part of the mind that works 'behind the scenes', so to speak.However, at times it felt like I was reading a research paper, rather than a light reading book. I was looking for practical ways in which I could put this knowledge to the test. It was more a description of the process, rather than a how-to book.

My doctor recommend this work to me (not for any medical reason!). The sections I have read have interested me; but my Intellectual powers are not up to some of its contents and I probably won't finish it I am pleased, however, that the doctor thought I would be up to it!IG

Interesting read​ - makes a lot of sense.

really great condition

I really enjoyed this. very readable, lots of good stories.But also it is a valuable, practical approach. Think less. Let your "elephant" do the work.

I bought this a while ago when I was doing a thesis for my MA and found it invaluable. I recently wanted to recommend it to a creative writer friend and noticed the low rating it has here. In my opinion, it deserves a much higher rating. It was well written, eminently readable and informative.The main take-away thrust I received is that creativity blooms if you allow time for your mind to process the information and clues your brain is receiving. The more rational cognitive mind operates very differently to the creative mind and so both need to be nurtured in different ways. I thoroughly recommend this book.