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    Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
    Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
    Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
    Ebook281 pages5 hours

    Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently

    By Gregory Berns

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    No organization can survive without iconoclasts -- innovators who single-handedly upturn conventional wisdom and manage to achieve what so many others deem impossible.

    Though indispensable, true iconoclasts are few and far between. In Iconoclast, neuroscientist Gregory Berns explains why. He explores the constraints the human brain places on innovative thinking, including fear of failure, the urge to conform, and the tendency to interpret sensory information in familiar ways.

    Through vivid accounts of successful innovators ranging from glass artist Dale Chihuly to physicist Richard Feynman to country/rock trio the Dixie Chicks, Berns reveals the inner workings of the iconoclast's mind with remarkable clarity. Each engaging chapter goes on to describe practical actions we can each take to understand and unleash our own potential to think differently -- such as seeking out new environments, novel experiences, and first-time acquaintances.

    Packed with engaging stories, science-based insights, potent practices, and examples from a startling array of disciplines, this engaging book will help you understand how iconoclasts think and equip you to begin thinking more like an iconoclast yourself.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarvard Business Review Press
    Release dateMar 17, 2010
    ISBN9781422163658
    Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently
    Author

    Gregory Berns

    Gregory Berns, MD, PhD, is the distinguished professor of neuroeconomics at Emory University. Dr Berns’s research is frequently the subject of popular media coverage, including articles in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

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    Reviews for Iconoclast

    3.5/5

    35 ratings2 reviews

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    • 4/5
      "Iconoclast" is a neuroscientists take on how iconoclastics create innovations. Dr. Berns uses both neuroscience and business/marketing case studies to explain his ideas. The book explains Berns' view that iconoclasm is mainly created by three themes: perception, fear and sociability.I found Berns mix of science and business well done, not being too heavy on either side, and the findings felt well-grounded from both ends. Unfortunately, it also inherited the stereotypical flatness of science and business writing and lacks that extra punch other non-fiction books have.Still worth a read if you're interested in the area as an outsider, and if you identify as a iconoclast like I do.Read if: You identify as an iconoclastAvoid if: You're looking for a straight-up business book on extreme innovators.
    • 2/5
      My takeaway: iconoclastic behavior is the result of three factors -- different perception, less fear, and more social intelligence. The appendix describes the variety of drugs (legal and not) that can help.

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