The Man Behind the Superhero Mind – Jim Kwik
Jim Kwik, founder of Kwik Learning and SuperheroYou, is a world expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning. After a childhood brain injury left him learning-challenged, Kwik created strategies to dramatically enhance his mental performance. Fast-forward to today, and Kwik serves as a leading mental coach and advisor to many of the world’s leading CEOs and celebrities in entertainment, technology, education and business.
He shares his top 24 tips for living a life of greater power, productivity and purpose in the September/October 2015 issue of 24Life™ magazine (available for download free of charge at the App Store and Google Play). We wanted to know more about the man behind the superhero mind, so we asked him a few more questions.
24Life: What’s in your 24? Describe a typical day in your life.
Jim Kwik (JK): When it comes to resources, people are not equal. We all have different amounts of money, relationships, education, etc. But everyone has the same 24 hours. It’s how you invest those hours that matters. It can be difficult to have a plan for your day if you don’t have a plan for your life.
I try to spend time on the things that matter to me most. Self care should be at the top of the list for everyone. Pay special, close attention to your morning and evening routines, the first (and last) hour you are awake because it sets (and ends) the tone of the day. For me, the morning includes proper hydration, reading, meditation, stretching, working out. Evenings are for loved ones, journaling, planning my next day.
24Life: Where do you find inspiration for new ideas to share?
JK: When it came to originally improving my mind and memory, my inspiration was really my desperation. Growing up with learning challenges, I was always seeking solutions. The best techniques I discovered are now what we teach. From life’s struggles can emerge new strengths. Today I get inspiration for new ideas daily. They are everywhere. One of my favorites is from the people we meet. I believe we can learn something from everybody. And another is from books – many of our students read a book (or more) each and every week. That’s a lot of inspiration.
24Life: As a speaker/author/coach and mentor to so many, how do you achieve work/life balance?
JK: Balance for me is not putting everything in my life in equal proportions. I don’t need to spend the same about of time at the gym as I do at work. Like an orchestra, I strive for harmony. Each instrument coming together playing the soundtrack of our lives. That said, it’s not easy. Like working out, you have to schedule the things that are most important to you and commit. There is no magic pill or silver bullet.
24Life: If you only have 24 minutes to exercise today, what do you do?
JK: When I’m at the gym, just like my brain, with my body I like to mix it up. If I had to pick, I would spar with my trainer.
24Life: What are you most passionate about?
JK: I believe everyone has genius inside. My passion is helping people unleash their mind’s superpower. It’s not about how smart you are, but how are you smart.
24Life: What are you reading at the moment?
JK: Everything I can get my hands on. As Abraham Lincoln said, “My best friend is the person who will give me a book I have not read.”
24Life: What do you do to relax or regenerate?
JK: I meditate for 20 minutes twice a day. I also have a float pod. It’s a sensory deprivation chamber filled with about 900 pounds of salt water. While you float there in the dark, you can’t see, hear or feel anything. It’s like you are in infinity. A great rejuvenating meditation to clear your mind, become refreshed and creative.
24Life: What’s next on your bucket list?
JK: Short term, I want to build another school for children in need (we fund schools in places from Kenya to Guatemala). Long term, I want to positively impact one billion brains.
24Life: Do you have any advice for the world in one sentence, or a quote that’s inspired you most?
JK:
Kwik said …