Theory of Mind: The Missing Link Between Attention, Reward, and Motivation with John Medina

Episode 395 explores how theory of mind — our ability to understand others' intentions — drives attention, emotional relevance, and reward, shaping motivation and behavior.

Dr. John Medina explains why the brain pays attention to people and meaning, how reading narrative fiction can strengthen perspective-taking, and practical tips for teachers, leaders, and coaches to build motivation through understanding rather than pressure.

This Episode 395, We Will Cover:

✔ What Theory of Mind actually is, and why it matters for communication, learning, and leadership

✔ Why the brain pays attention to: • people • meaning • emotion • intention • and relevance

✔ How Theory of Mind helps us move beyond simply reacting to behavior—and begin understanding the human experience behind behavior

✔ Why emotionally relevant information captures attention and strengthens memory

✔ How attention and reward work together inside the brain’s Motivation Loop

✔ How dopamine helps reinforce behaviors the brain believes are worth repeating

✔ Why pressure and emotional stress can shut down motivation, focus, creativity, and learning

✔ Practical ways to strengthen Theory of Mind through: • observation • emotional awareness • communication • perspective-taking • and even reading high-quality narrative fiction

✔ Why understanding people more deeply may improve: • relationships • leadership • teaching • teamwork • learning • and overall human performance

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode:

👉 Where attention goes… the brain follows. 👉 And what the brain repeatedly rewards… eventually becomes behavior.

Welcome back to Season 15 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast.

I’m Andrea Samadi, and on this podcast, we bridge the science behind social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and practical neuroscience—so we can create measurable improvements in well-being, achievement, productivity, and results.

If you’re new here, welcome.

In Season 15, we are revisiting past episodes through a new lens—a roadmap of the brain’s foundational systems.

Instead of treating neuroscience, health, mindset, and performance as separate topics like we’ve done in past seasons… we’re now exploring how these systems come online in sequence.

Because the brain functions as an integrated system— and each phase builds on the one before it.

In Phase 1, we focused on Regulation and Safety— because without it, nothing else in the brain fully activates.

👉 If we don’t feel safe, the brain shifts into survival mode. 👉 And when that happens, the systems we need for motivation, focus, learning, and performance don’t fully come online.

This season is organized into five connected phases:

Phase 1 — Regulation & Safety • Phase 2 — Neurochemistry & Motivation • Phase 3 — Movement, Learning & Cognition • Phase 4 — Perception, Emotion & Social Intelligence • Phase 5 — Integration, Insight & Meaning

And by the end of this year, my hope is that we can step back and ask:

👉 Where am I out of alignment? 👉 Is it regulation? 👉 Is it my thinking? 👉 Is it my focus or belief? 👉 Is it how I’m learning or connecting with others?

Because once we can see the gap… 👉 We can begin to close it.

The goal is not more effort— it’s better alignment.

And when these systems are aligned…

👉 Effort feels easier 👉 Learning becomes faster 👉 And results become more consistent

Because peak performance is not about doing more. It’s about aligning the systems that drive our results.

We are now in Phase 2 — Neurochemistry & Motivation, where we are exploring one core question:

👉 What actually drives human behavior forward?

In EP 392[i], we introduced the Motivation Loop— how the brain decides what’s worth doing.

In EP 393[ii], with Bob Proctor, we explored how belief influences neurochemistry— driving action, feedback, and repetition.

Then in EP 394[iii], with Dr. Caroline Leaf, we moved deeper into the loop— examining how thought patterns shape our neurochemistry and influence behavior over time.

And now in today’s EP 395, we continue building on this foundation as we explore the next layer of motivation and performance:

🧠 Attention and reward.

Because once our thoughts shape our neurochemistry…

👉 Attention determines what we focus on 👉 And reward determines what we repeat

You can revisit our original interview EP 42[iv] (one of our early interviews) with John Medina, the author of Brain Rules and see the visuals from this interview on YouTube[v] and again, most recently with EP 370[vi], where we revisited The Brain and The Future of Learning.

Today we are going to cover one part of this interview, and it was when I first asked Dr. John Medina about Theory of Mind—something I had heard him speak about—and he explained it as our ability to understand the intentions and motivations of other people.

And this is where things become especially interesting for what we’re studying in Phase 2.

Because the brain doesn’t pay attention to random information.

👉 It pays attention to people. 👉 It pays attention to meaning. 👉 It pays attention to intention.

And when we understand someone’s intentions…

👉 That creates emotional relevance 👉 That increases attention 👉 And that activates the brain’s reward system

So in today’s episode, we’ll explore how Theory of Mind is not just about understanding others—

👉 It may actually be a driver of attention, motivation, and reward.

And this is where dopamine enters the Motivation Loop.

Because dopamine is not just about pleasure—

👉 It’s about prediction 👉 Attention 👉 Motivation 👉 And learning what matters (to each of us, as individuals).

And once we understand how attention and reward work together… we begin to understand what truly drives behavior.

CLIP 1 — Dr. John Medina on Theory of Mind, Walt Disney, Art Linkletter and Seeing Human Motivation

When I was researching your work and watching your Talks at Google presentations, you mentioned Art Linkletter and Walt Disney.

That really stood out to me because I had actually asked Art Linkletter to write the foreword to my first book. He politely declined—by fax—but I never forgot it.

What fascinated me was the story of how Walt Disney once showed Art Linkletter a piece of land in California and asked him:

👉 “Do you see what I see?”

Walt could already envision the future theme park.

But Art couldn’t see it.

And later, Art Linkletter said that declining the partnership with Walt Disney became one of the biggest regrets of his life.

So when I heard you discussing Theory of Mind, I started wondering:

👉 Shouldn’t Walt have been able to understand that Art couldn’t see the vision the same way he did?

Can you explain Theory of Mind, what it is, and whether it’s the closest thing we have to “mind reading”?

And how can we better understand other people’s intentions?

Dr. John Medina

Sure.

I’ll admit—I probably have a bias here because I’m a huge Walt Disney fan.

I actually have a large poster in my office of Walt Disney standing in what would eventually become Disney World in Orlando.

IMAGE CREDIT- https://www.instagram.com/p/DYQuXBsiaj2/?img_index=2

(This is not the exact image John Medina was talking about, but close enough).

At the time, though, it was nothing but a swamp.

In the background, you can barely see Cinderella’s Castle emerging through the mist.

And underneath the image is the quote:

👉 “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Now, Art Linkletter and Walt Disney came from completely different creative worlds.

Art was primarily an audio artist—radio, storytelling, spoken communication.

Walt Disney was visual. He was an animator, a cartoonist, someone who imagined experiences visually and kinetically.

So when Walt asked Art:

👉 “Do you see what I see?”

Maybe that wasn’t the right question.

Maybe Walt should have asked:

👉 “Can you hear what I hear?”

That might have connected more deeply with Art’s strengths and perspective.

And this is where Theory of Mind becomes important.

Theory of Mind is formally defined as:

👉 The ability to understand the intentions and motivations of another person.

More deeply, it’s the ability to step inside someone else’s psychological world—

and with very few cues, understand:

👉 what rewards them 👉 what discourages them 👉 what motivates them 👉 and what makes them “tick”

If Walt had fully understood what motivated Art Linkletter, he may have approached the opportunity completely differently.

Perhaps Art could have contributed to the audio experience of Disney rather than the visual side.

Because half of Disney is sound, emotion, atmosphere, and storytelling—not just visuals.

And in many ways, that may have changed the entire outcome of their partnership.

That’s why Theory of Mind matters.

It helps us understand: 👉 how other people think 👉 what captures their attention 👉 and what motivates their behavior.

KEY TAKEAWAYS — CLIP 1 Dr. John Medina on Theory of Mind, Attention & Human Motivation 1. Theory of Mind is the ability to understand another person’s inner world.

Dr. John Medina defines Theory of Mind as:

👉 “The ability to understand the intentions and motivations of someone else.”

It’s our capacity to:

understand what motivates people recognize what captures their attention predict what rewards or discourages them and see the world from their perspective

This ability strengthens communication, relationships, leadership, learning, and collaboration.

We first explored Theory of Mind in greater depth on EP 46[vii], where we examined why this skill is so important for human connection, communication, learning, and performance.

Theory of Mind—or ToM—is considered crucial for everyday social interactions because it helps us:

analyze behavior interpret emotions judge intentions and infer what another person may be thinking or feeling

Researchers describe it as an important: “social-cognitive skill that involves the ability to think about mental states, both your own and those of others.”[viii]

In other words, Theory of Mind allows us to step outside of our own perspective and recognize that:

👉 other people may think differently 👉 feel differently 👉 perceive situations differently 👉 and respond differently than we do

This ability becomes essential in: ✔ classrooms ✔ workplaces ✔ leadership ✔ teamwork ✔ relationships ✔ parenting ✔ coaching ✔ and overall communication

Because the better we understand:

another person’s motivations their emotional state fears intentions or needs

the more effectively we can respond to each person individually, and help meet those needs.

And neuroscience shows us this process is deeply connected to: attention, emotion, empathy, prediction and reward systems in the brain.

Theory of Mind helps us move beyond simply reacting to behavior… and instead allows us to begin understanding the human experience behind this behavior.

And that shift changes not only how we understand others…

but how we lead, teach, communicate, and connect with others.

2. People process the world differently.

The Walt Disney and Art Linkletter story in this clip shows that:

Walt Disney was highly visual and imaginative Art Linkletter was more auditory/storytelling-oriented

Walt asked: 👉 “Do you see what I see?”

But Medina suggests the better question that could have changed Art’s life, may have been: 👉 “Can you hear what I hear?”

This reminds us: 👉 Not everyone experiences information the same way.

Understanding how someone thinks is critical for connection and influence.

Attention is Driven by Meaning and Emotional Relevance

One of the most important ideas Dr. John Medina reinforces is that the brain does not pay attention to random information.

👉 Attention is selective. 👉 The brain is constantly filtering what matters and what does not.

And what determines that filter?

The brain prioritizes information connected to:

people emotion meaning intention relevance and survival

This is why emotionally meaningful experiences are remembered more clearly than neutral ones.

As Medina explains in Brain Rules and as researchers continue to confirm:

“Emotions help memories form and stick.”

From a neuroscience perspective, emotion acts like a biological highlighter.

When something feels emotionally important: ✔ attention increases ✔ the amygdala becomes activated ✔ stress and reward chemicals increase alertness ✔ and the brain signals: 👉 “This matters. Remember this.”

This is why we often remember:

emotionally charged conversations inspiring moments fear-based experiences meaningful relationships powerful stories or moments of uncertainty

far more easily than random facts or disconnected information.

The amygdala—one of the brain’s emotional processing centers—works closely with attention and memory systems to determine what information should receive priority.

And interestingly, much of this process happens below conscious awareness.

As National Geographic explains:

“Humans communicate emotions through facial gestures. Control of these gestures lies in the brain stem and amygdala, beyond consciousness.”

This means our brains are constantly scanning: 👉 facial expressions 👉 tone of voice 👉 body language 👉 emotional energy 👉 and social cues

often before we are consciously aware of it.

This connects directly back to Theory of Mind.

Because when we try to understand:

another person’s intentions emotional state motivation or perspective

our attention naturally increases.

The brain becomes more engaged because socially relevant information carries survival and emotional importance.

In other words:

👉 Emotion drives attention. 👉 Attention strengthens memory. 👉 Memory influences behavior. 👉 And repeated behaviors shape results.

4. Motivation increases when people feel understood.

When we understand:

what drives someone what matters to them what rewards them

we can communicate more effectively and create stronger motivation based on what matters to them.

This applies to: ✔ leadership ✔ teaching ✔ parenting ✔ coaching ✔ relationships ✔ sales ✔ teamwork

5. Vision alone is not enough.

Walt Disney could see the future theme park.

But Theory of Mind suggests: 👉 Great visionaries must also understand how others perceive the vision.

If people cannot emotionally connect to an idea… they may not act on it. (Like Art Linkletter)

Leadership requires:

vision communication empathy and understanding each individual’s motivation

TIPS TO PUT THESE IDEAS INTO ACTION

Theory of Mind—the ability to understand another person’s thoughts, emotions, intentions, and motivations—is one of the most practical social and emotional skills we can develop.

Why does it matter so much?

Because human behavior almost always gives clues before words are spoken.

The brain is constantly reading:

facial expressions tone of voice body language emotional energy engagement levels and social cues

And the more we practice observing these cues, the stronger our Theory of Mind becomes.

This skill is powerful in both the classroom and the workplace because it helps us better understand: 👉 what people are feeling 👉 what motivates them 👉 what captures their attention 👉 and what they may need before they even say it.

I’m still working on learning this skill. You can take the ToM[ix] test yourself to see your own score.

1. Ask Better Questions & Understand Perspective

Instead of assuming people think like you do, ask:

👉 “How do you see this?” 👉 “What stands out to you?” 👉 “What would make this meaningful for you?”

Strong communication begins with understanding another person’s perspective.

Not everyone processes information the same way.

REMEMBER: Some people are:

visual learners auditory thinkers emotional processors logical analyzers or action-oriented learners

The better we understand how people experience the world, the better we connect, teach, lead, and communicate.

2. Focus on Emotional Relevance

The brain remembers and pays attention to what feels meaningful.

Before presenting an idea, teaching a lesson, coaching a team, or leading a conversation, ask:

👉 “Why would this matter to this person?”

When the brain sees emotional relevance: ✔ attention increases ✔ motivation increases ✔ learning improves ✔ and memory strengthens

This is where Theory of Mind becomes incredibly important.

Not everyone is emotionally moved by the same things.

What feels meaningful, motivating, rewarding, or emotionally important to one person may feel completely irrelevant to another.

Why?

Because emotional relevance is shaped by:

past experiences memories beliefs goals fears personality values relationships identity and even our biology

The brain is constantly asking:

👉 “Does this matter to me?” 👉 “Is this connected to my goals or survival?” 👉 “Should I pay attention to this?”

And the answer is different for every person.

3. Strengthen Observation Skills

Theory of Mind improves through intentional observation.

Pay attention to:

facial expressions tone changes stress signals emotional reactions posture engagement levels and energy shifts

Often people communicate discomfort, confusion, anxiety, or frustration long before they verbalize it.

We dove into this topic on EP 163[x] with Dan Hill Ph.D, who for more than 20 years, has specialized in studying how emotions drive behavior, especially through the analysis of facial expressions. He often says, “The most valuable 25 square inches of visual territory on earth runs from the eyebrows to the mouth,” because this is where people most clearly reveal the affective responses that influence how they think, decide, connect, buy, lead, compete, and communicate.

4. Tips to Use These Skills in the Classroom

Imagine how much easier teaching and learning could become if educators recognized emotional cues before a student became overwhelmed.

A teacher might notice:

rising anxiety before a test frustration during an assignment embarrassment about asking for help disengagement before behavior problems begin or nervousness before a presentation or sporting event

That awareness creates an opportunity to intervene early.

Sometimes all it takes is: 👉 reassurance 👉 encouragement 👉 movement 👉 a breathing strategy 👉 emotional support 👉 or the student simply feeling seen and understood

And neuroscience tells us this matters deeply.

When students feel anxious or emotionally unsafe, (like we have covered in Phase 1) the brain shifts toward survival and threat detection.

But when students feel: ✔ emotionally regulated ✔ supported ✔ socially connected ✔ and understood

the systems needed for:

attention learning memory motivation and performance

begin functioning more effectively.

5.Tips to Use These Skills in the Workplace

The same principle applies in professional environments.

Imagine being able to recognize what someone needs before they say it.

For example:

noticing a customer searching for assistance sensing frustration through facial expressions identifying confusion during communication recognizing stress in a coworker or observing disengagement during a meeting

That ability to use this skill improves: ✔ teamwork ✔ leadership ✔ communication ✔ customer experience ✔ empathy ✔ and performance under pressure

6. Build Motivation Through Understanding—Not Pressure

People are more motivated when they feel: ✔ seen ✔ understood ✔ valued ✔ emotionally connected

Sustained motivation rarely comes from force.

It comes from: 👉 meaning 👉 connection 👉 safety 👉 and understanding

So what happens when pressure replaces understanding?

From a neuroscience perspective, excessive pressure activates the brain’s stress and threat systems.

When people feel:

judged criticized controlled rushed emotionally unsafe or afraid of failure

the brain shifts toward survival mode.

And when that happens: 👉 attention narrows 👉 creativity decreases 👉 emotional regulation weakens 👉 motivation drops 👉 and performance suffers

Instead of feeling inspired, people begin focusing on:

avoiding mistakes avoiding embarrassment avoiding punishment or protecting themselves emotionally

Pressure may create short-term compliance— but it rarely creates long-term motivation, growth, or engagement.

This is especially important in: ✔ classrooms ✔ athletics ✔ leadership ✔ parenting ✔ coaching ✔ and workplace environments

As we covered in Phase 1: 👉 the brain performs best when challenge is balanced with support.

That does not mean removing accountability.

It means creating environments where people feel safe enough to: 👉 try 👉 fail 👉 learn 👉 adapt 👉 and grow

without fear shutting down the systems needed for learning and performance.

This is why the best teachers, coaches, parents, and leaders don’t simply push harder.

They understand: 👉 what motivates people 👉 what emotionally drives them 👉 what support they need 👉 and how to help them feel capable and connected

Because understanding fuels motivation far more effectively than pressure alone.

7. Protect Your Attention: Reward & the Motivation Loop

Attention is one of the brain’s most powerful filtering systems.

At every moment, the brain is deciding:

👉 What matters? 👉 What should I focus on? 👉 What should I ignore? 👉 And what is worth repeating?

And this is where attention connects directly to reward.

Because the brain naturally pays attention to what it believes will lead to: ✔ reward ✔ meaning ✔ safety ✔ connection ✔ achievement ✔ pleasure ✔ or emotional significance

In other words:

👉 Attention directs behavior. 👉 Reward reinforces behavior.

And together, they shape the Motivation Loop.

This is exactly what we see in Phase 2 of our roadmap.

Belief influences what we think is possible.

Thought patterns shape our neurochemistry.

Attention determines what we focus on.

And reward determines what we repeat.

Over time, repeated patterns of attention begin shaping: 👉 our thoughts 👉 our emotions 👉 our habits 👉 our behaviors 👉 and ultimately our results

Attention literally helps train the brain.

And this is why understanding: ✔ ourselves ✔ other people ✔ emotion ✔ motivation ✔ and what drives behavior

becomes so important.

Because the more intentionally we direct our attention…

the more intentionally we shape: 👉 learning 👉 communication 👉 performance 👉 relationships 👉 habits 👉 and eventually our long-term results

Where attention goes… the brain follows.

And what the brain repeatedly rewards… becomes behavior.

CLIP 2 SUMMARY — Dr. John Medina on Improving Theory of Mind

In this second clip, Dr. John Medina explains that Theory of Mind—the ability to understand another person’s thoughts, emotions, motivations, and intentions—is not just something we are born with.

👉 It is a skill that can be strengthened and developed.

Dr. Medina references the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” developed by Simon Baron-Cohen, which measures a person’s ability to interpret emotions and mental states by looking only at facial cues around the eyes.

But what becomes especially fascinating is how neuroscience research shows we can improve this skill.

According to Medina, one of the most effective ways to strengthen Theory of Mind is through reading high-quality narrative fiction—especially award-winning literature.

Why?

Because great fiction allows readers to: 👉 enter the psychological interior of another person 👉 experience different perspectives 👉 understand emotions, motivations, and struggles 👉 and mentally simulate someone else’s experience

In other words, reading literary fiction trains the brain to better understand people.

Medina explains that:

nonfiction alone does not appear to improve Theory of Mind in the same way but narrative storytelling activates social and emotional processing systems in the brain helping readers become more empathetic, observant, and socially aware

He even suggests: 👉 reading just 10–15 minutes a day for a month can measurably improve Theory of Mind scores.

Dr. Medina also emphasizes that this skill is especially important for: ✔ teachers ✔ leaders ✔ parents ✔ coaches ✔ and anyone working closely with people

because it helps us recognize when someone is:

confused overwhelmed emotionally distressed disengaged or struggling internally before they verbalize it

One of his strongest recommendations is for educators to form book clubs and engage with meaningful, award-winning literature together.

Why?

Because Theory of Mind improves through repeated exposure to: 👉 perspective-taking 👉 emotional storytelling 👉 social complexity 👉 and human experience

The more we understand how other people think and feel…

the stronger our communication, empathy, leadership, learning, and relationships become.

REVIEW & CONCLUSION — EP 395 Theory of Mind, Attention, Reward & Human Motivation

As we close out this week’s episode, I think one of the biggest ideas we uncovered is that the brain is not randomly paying attention to the world around us.

👉 Attention is selective. 👉 The brain is constantly filtering what matters.

And what determines that filter is often:

emotion meaning relevance intention reward and human connection

Reward is the brain’s reinforcement signal.

It tells us: ✔ what matters ✔ what to move toward ✔ and what behaviors are worth repeating.

This is why Theory of Mind becomes so important in Phase 2 of our Season 15 roadmap.

Because once we understand: 👉 what motivates people 👉 what emotionally drives them 👉 what captures their attention 👉 and what rewards (or what matters most to them) that drives their behavior

Then we can begin to understand what truly drives human performance.

This week’s episode connected several important ideas together:

✔ belief shapes neurochemistry ✔ thought patterns influence attention ✔ emotion strengthens memory ✔ reward reinforces behavior ✔ and repeated attention patterns shape habits and results

And this is exactly how the Motivation Loop works.

What we repeatedly focus on literally helps train the brain through neuroplasticity.

That means: 👉 repeated focus on stress strengthens stress pathways 👉 repeated focus on fear reinforces fear 👉 and repeated focus on growth, meaning, and possibility strengthens those pathways as well

This is why protecting our attention matters so much.

Where attention goes… the brain follows.

And what the brain repeatedly rewards… eventually becomes behavior.

One of the most practical takeaways from Dr. John Medina’s work is that Theory of Mind is not fixed.

👉 It can be developed.

We can strengthen this skill by:

becoming better observers listening more carefully paying attention to emotional cues asking better questions and intentionally trying to understand another person’s perspective

And Medina’s recommendation to read high-quality narrative fiction was especially fascinating because it shows us that the brain can literally be trained to better understand people.

Why does this matter?

Because whether we are: ✔ teaching students ✔ leading teams ✔ coaching athletes ✔ parenting children ✔ serving customers ✔ or building relationships

understanding people improves: 👉 communication 👉 motivation 👉 empathy 👉 learning 👉 leadership 👉 and overall performance

It also reminds us of something we introduced earlier in this season:

The brain performs best when challenge is balanced with support.

Pressure alone may create short-term compliance… but understanding creates: ✔ trust ✔ psychological safety ✔ emotional connection ✔ resilience ✔ and sustainable motivation

And this brings us back to the core question we are exploring in Phase 2:

👉 What actually drives human behavior forward?

This week’s answer may be this:

👉 Attention 👉 Meaning 👉 Emotional relevance 👉 Reward 👉 And human connection

Because once we understand: 👉 what captures attention 👉 what creates emotional relevance 👉 and what the brain finds meaningful

we begin to understand what drives behavior.

And this is where everything begins connecting back to the Motivation Loop we’ve been building throughout Phase 2.

The brain naturally pays attention to what it believes is: ✔ important ✔ rewarding ✔ emotionally meaningful ✔ or worth pursuing

This is where attention and reward become deeply connected.

And this is where dopamine enters the picture.

Next week we revisit our interview with Dr. Anna Lembke who explains in her book, Dopamine Nation:

Dopamine is not just about pleasure. • It’s about motivation. • Anticipation. • Pursuit. • And what the brain decides is worth the effort.

So when attention and reward are aligned…

Learning increases • Memory strengthens • Motivation rises • Behavior becomes repeatable • And dopamine helps reinforce the behavior

But when attention and reward become disconnected…

Focus decreases • Motivation drops • Learning weakens • Emotional disengagement increases • And the Motivation Loop begins to break down

This is why understanding: ✔ attention ✔ emotion ✔ reward ✔ meaning ✔ and human motivation

becomes so important.

Because what the brain repeatedly pays attention to… and repeatedly rewards…

eventually shapes: 👉 our habits 👉 our behaviors 👉 our performance 👉 and ultimately our results

Where attention goes… the brain follows.

And what the brain repeatedly rewards…or what matters most to us, that we determine is worth repeating, eventually becomes behavior.

I’m Andrea Samadi, and this is the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we continue exploring how the brain’s systems work together—

because when regulation, attention, motivation, learning, movement, and emotion become aligned…

👉 performance improves 👉 learning accelerates 👉 relationships strengthen 👉 and results become more consistent

as we continue bridging neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and human performance—

to help turn awareness into action, learning into results, and potential into performance.

See you next week.

REFERENCES:

[i] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 392 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/the-motivation-loop-how-your-brain-decides-what-s-worth-doing/

[ii] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 393 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/belief-first-the-neuroscience-of-motivation/

[iii]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 394 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/thoughts-as-biology-how-your-mind-shapes-neurochemistry/

[iv] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 42 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/dr-john-medina-on-implementing-brain-rules-in-the-schools-and-workplaces-of-the-future/

[v] YouTube Visuals Andrea and John Medina EP 42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFzg5nQnEMs

[vi] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 370 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/brain-rules-revisited-how-neuroscience-can-transform-classrooms/

[vii] Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 46 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/as-close-to-mind-reading-as-brain-science-gets-developing-and-using-theory-of-mind-in-your-daily-life/

[viii] How the Theory of Mind Helps Us to Understand Others by Kendra Cherry Oct. 1, 2019 https://www.verywellmind.com/theory-of-mind-4176826

[ix] Theory of Mind Test NOTE: My score was 29/36 http://socialintelligence.labinthewild.org/mite/

[x]Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast EPISODE 163 https://andreasamadi.podbean.com/e/dan-hill-phd-the-faces-guy-on-how-to-read-the-emotions-in-others-for-schools-sports-and-the-workplace/