The addictions literally hijack the brain.

He had lost control over the decision of whether to use

A healthy brain, in my experience, is associated with effective, goal-directed behavior.
When your brain works right, you work right. When your brain is troubled, it is very hard for you to
be your best self.
three-quarters of the brain develops outside the womb, in response to environment and experience.
Nature and nurture always work together.
Brain needs: fuel(blood flow) 1. glc 2. oxygen and 3. stimulation: physical exercise, mental exercise,
and social bonding
respect for the physical fragility of the brain.
You do not have to lose consciousness in order to have a significant brain injury. Consciousness is
controlled by structures deep in the brain.
Whatever any man does he first must do in his mind
Life outside medicine helps you to maintain perspective and build resilience.

The simplest form of determination is sheer willfulness. When you want

something, you must have it, no matter what. But you also have to be hard on
yourself. Determination implies your willfulness is balanced by discipline.
One reason the young sometimes succeed where the old fail is that they don't
realize how incompetent they are. mly, as they tend to be early in people's lives,
then the ambitious ones won't have many ambitious peers.
Achievements also tend to increase your ambition. With each step you gain
confidence to stretch further next time.
how determination seems to work: it consists of willfulness balanced with
discipline, aimed by ambition. And fortunately at least two of these three qualities
can be cultivated. You may be able to increase your strength of will somewhat;
you can definitely learn self-discipline; and almost everyone is practically
malnourished when it comes to ambition.
Intermittent breaks for renewal
gratitude- the more detailed and specific, the higher the impact.
tell yourself a more positive and empowering story about your role
multitasking undermines productivity. Distractions are costly.
focus systematically on activities that have the most long-term leverage