THE ED MYLETT SHOW

Episode: 4 Brain Types That Unlock Your Memory Potential (Do This To Improve Your Memory)
Guests: Jim Kwik, Dr. Caroline Leaf, Dr. Joe Dispenza, John Assaraf
Date: January 31, 2026

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode is a masterclass in optimizing your brain, improving memory, and understanding the mental “code” that drives your performance and well-being. Ed Mylett hosts several leading experts—brain coach Jim Kwik, cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf, peak performance scientist Dr. Joe Dispenza, and mindset expert John Assaraf—to share their actionable frameworks and breakthroughs for unlocking cognitive potential, overcoming past limitations, and rewiring your brain for growth.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. The Four Brain Types (CODE System)

[01:34–12:00] Jim Kwik & Ed Mylett

• Jim's Brain Types Assessment
  • "C.O.D.E":
    • Cheetah (Action) – Quick, instinctive decision-makers; thrive in fast-paced environments.
    • Owl (Logic) – Analytical, detail oriented; love data, facts, logical reasoning.
    • Dolphin (Creativity) – Visionaries; big-picture thinkers, creative problem solvers.
    • Elephant (Empathy/Collaboration) – Team-oriented; strong in empathy and cooperation.
  • Most people are a blend, but have a primary type.
  • "It's not how smart you are, it's how are you smart." – Jim Kwik [06:04]
  • Application: Use with teams for better collaboration, hiring, and parenting.
    • Ed: “I have a funny feeling I have a few people on the bus...in the wrong seat based on their brain proclivity.” [07:55]

2. Personal Story: Overcoming "Broken Brain"

[12:03–18:16] Jim Kwik

• Jim's Early Struggles & Transformation
  • Suffered severe head injury age 5; labeled with a “broken brain” by a teacher.
  • “That label became my limit. So every single time I did badly in school, I would say, ‘Oh, because I had the broken brain.’” – Jim Kwik [12:54]
  • Comic books provided his escape and inspiration.
  • Superpower came through being invisible and observant, which developed empathy and insight into suffering.
  • Key Lesson: “Our struggles can be strengths. Difficult times...could distract you or diminish you, or they could develop you. We always decide.” – Jim Kwik [17:58]
  • Ed: “You’re most qualified to help the person that you used to be.” [18:41]

3. The Forgetting Curve & Neuroplasticity

[20:03–22:35] Jim Kwik & Ed Mylett

• Forgetting Curve
  • “When you are exposed to information just once, then within two days 80% of it is forgotten.” – Jim Kwik [20:09]
  • Schools teach “what to learn” but never “how to learn.”
  • Neuroplasticity: Brain can always adapt with novelty and nutrition. “What you nourish flourishes… same thing with your mental muscles.” [20:54]

4. The Power of Questions & The RAS Hack

[22:35–26:18] Jim Kwik

• Reticular Activating System (RAS)
  • “Primarily our brain is a deletion device...what we pay attention to, our RAS acts like a spotlight.” [23:03]
  • By asking questions, we prime our RAS to notice what matters.
  • "Questions shine a spotlight on the things that are important to us." [23:20]
  • Practical example: Read questions before a test or meeting so your brain is primed to spot answers.

5. Note-Taking for Retention

[27:57–31:51] Jim Kwik

• “Handwriting notes… performs better for both understanding information and retaining information.” [28:22]
• Left/Right Side Method:
  • Left: "Capture" (Note taking – facts, ideas)
  • Right: "Create" (Note making – impressions, questions, applications)
  • “On the left side, you’re capturing, on the right side you’re creating.” [29:53]
• Ed: “I look back at notes from meetings from years ago, and I have no recollection of writing this down!” [27:57]

6. The “Explanation Effect”: Learn by Teaching

[31:33–32:41] Jim Kwik

• “When you teach something, you get to learn it twice.” [31:56]
• Adopt the mindset of learning as if you have to teach it to someone (TED talk method).
• Ed recaps: “When you leave an event, is it healthier for retention to actually teach it to someone else?” [31:33]

7. Nootropics and Brain Nourishment

[32:41–39:39] Jim Kwik

• Nootropic Examples & Brain Nutrition
  • Supplements: Choline, Omega-3s (DHA), Vitamin D, B vitamins, Magnesium.
  • Nootropics: Ashwagandha, phosphatidylserine, L-theanine, creatine, curcumin (turmeric), lion’s mane mushroom.
• “Your brain is only 2% of your body mass but requires 20% of the nutrients.” [33:45]
• Always try to get nutrients from food first, but supplement if lacking.

8. Overcoming Trauma & Identity

[39:39–41:48] Ed Mylett & Jim Kwik

• Both Jim and Ed describe being introverts; public speaking and learning were childhood struggles.
• "My two biggest challenges growing up were learning and public speaking...and now all I do is public speak on this thing called 'Learn.'" – Jim Kwik [17:58]
• Major theme: We can outgrow old labels and stories—through intention, new habits, and brain rewiring.

9. Dr. Caroline Leaf: The 5-Step Neurocycle to Rewire Your Brain

[42:17–54:06, 96:53–99:34] Dr. Caroline Leaf

• 5 Steps of the Neurocycle ([44:23] and [99:34]):
  1. Gather Awareness: “Observe...what am I feeling, what are my behaviors, how am I doing or saying them, how does my body feel, and what’s my outlook?” [44:24]
  2. Reflect: “Ask why; go deeper on your signals and start unravelling the triggers.” [44:24]
  3. Write: “Dump everything onto paper…not linear but all over, to activate both sides of the brain.” [44:24, 47:46]
  4. Recheck: “Look for patterns and triggers, then move toward reconceptualization and acceptance.” [48:26]
  5. Active Reach: “Take an action for today, like a statement, visualization or affirmation to lock in progress.” [49:36]
• Repeat for 63 days for neuroplastic change.
• Key Insight: This process applies both for healing trauma and for positive change and goal pursuit.
  • Ed: “That cycle can be used to uncover trauma, reverse trauma, create brain health, but can also be a creative process.” [51:40]
• Highlight Reel Visualization: Recall positive memories before visualizing new achievements to prime the brain for success. [53:32]

10. Dr. Joe Dispenza: Change Your Personality, Create Your Reality

[57:35–79:26] Dr. Joe Dispenza

• Personal Story: Healed a broken spine by visualizing his vertebrae healing for weeks, against medical advice.
• "Your personality creates your personal reality." [65:30]
  • "If you want to change your life...you have to start thinking about what you’ve been thinking about and change it.” [65:32]
• Break the Habit of Being Yourself:
  • Most people try to create a new personal reality as the same personality.
  • The mind is 90% running old, recursive thought/emotion programs by age 35.
• Technique for Change:
  • Spend time in the present moment, visualizing your desired future vividly and emotionally (elevated emotion + clear intention).
  • “You’re either defined by a vision of the future or by memories of the past.” [69:23]
  • “Going from the old self to the new self is a neurological, biological, chemical, hormonal, and genetic death of the old self.” [70:45]
• Action Step: Write down thoughts, choices, behaviors, environments, and emotions to stop and become keenly aware (metacognition). [76:50–77:57]

11. John Assaraf: Beliefs, Identity, & Visualization

[80:52–95:54] John Assaraf

• Story: Built a $1B business by working relentlessly on internal beliefs and self-image—not just outer skills.
• “A belief is nothing more than a reinforced pattern in the brain…If you have empowering beliefs, you have brain coherence between conscious and subconscious.” [86:54]
• Visualization = Simulation:
  • “When we close our eyes and use our imagination…we create a neural network through neuroplasticity.” [90:26]
  • Repetition (66–365 days) rewires old patterns, making new goals automatic.
• Law of Attraction Debunked: Not just “think and attract.” True change is about “locking and loading” your brain on the frequency of what you want—coherence—then taking action with that alignment. [93:36–95:54]

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “It’s not how smart you are, it’s how are you smart.” – Jim Kwik [06:04]
• “Our struggles can be strengths...Difficult times could distract you or diminish you, or they could develop you. We always decide.” – Jim Kwik [17:58]
• "You’re most qualified to help the person that you used to be." – Ed Mylett [18:41]
• “When you are exposed to information just once, then within two days 80% of it is forgotten.” – Jim Kwik [20:09]
• “Questions shine a spotlight on the things that are important to us.” – Jim Kwik [23:20]
• “When you teach something, you get to learn it twice.” – Jim Kwik [31:56]
• “Your personality creates your personal reality.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza [65:30]
• “A belief is nothing more than a reinforced pattern in the brain.” – John Assaraf [86:54]
• “Visualization is simulation.” – John Assaraf [90:26]
• “The neurocycle… is how you manage your mind moment by moment. So it’s a lifestyle.” – Dr. Caroline Leaf [99:34]

TIMESTAMPS FOR IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 01:34 – Jim Kwik introduces the four brain types
• 12:03 – Jim’s “broken brain” childhood story and the labels we accept
• 20:03 – The Forgetting Curve and neuroplasticity explained
• 22:35 – RAS, question-based focus, and retention hacks
• 27:57 – Bulletproof note-taking for memory and comprehension
• 31:33 – Teach-to-learn (Explanation Effect)
• 32:41 – Nootropics and nutrition for cognitive health
• 42:17, 99:34 – Dr. Caroline Leaf’s 5-Step Neurocycle
• 65:30 – Dr. Joe Dispenza: Changing personality to change results
• 80:52 – John Assaraf on belief, self-image, and visualization as simulation

PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS

• Know your brain type and customize learning, work, and communication strategies accordingly.
• Reframe personal “limits”—childhood labels do not define your future.
• Combat the forgetting curve with spaced repetition, active learning, and teaching others.
• Use questions and RAS to focus attention and filter the vast input of daily experience.
• Handwrite notes and use a left-right “capture & create” split page for maximal retention.
• Teach to retain: After any event or lesson, teach what you learned to someone else.
• Support your brain physically with smart nutrition and consider targeted nootropics (with medical guidance).
• Neurocycle applies to trauma and goals: Cycle through awareness, reflection, non-linear writing, trigger/pattern review, and action for brainhealth and transformation.
• Rewire beliefs through repetition, visualization, and “locking in” coherence—aligning conscious desire with subconscious programming.
• Change your personality = change your life: Interrupt old thought/behavior loops, write down what to stop, and commit to new intentions, supported by elevated emotions.

CLOSING THOUGHT

This episode arms you with actual brain “software” and “hardware” upgrades: new self-understanding, actionable tools, and an inspiring reminder that your limitations are not fixed. The key isn’t being the “smartest”—it’s learning how you are smart, and then courageously, intentionally rewiring your mind for the best version of yourself.