
Nir And Far: Business, Behaviour and the Brain Interview with author Adam Alter - Nir And Far
May 22, 2023
Adam Alter, NYU professor and author known for books on behavior and technology. He talks about his new book and what it means to get unstuck. He explains the HEART–HEAD–HABIT framework and shares personal experiments that shifted his career. He explores using diverse perspectives and tools like ChatGPT to spark fresh ideas and lower barriers to action.
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Breakthroughs Defined As Getting Unstuck
- A breakthrough is defined as moving through prolonged stuckness to the other side.
- It can be measured objectively by a yardstick or subjectively as progress on the path.
Heart, Head, Habit Model
- Alter's model to get unstuck has three limbs: heart, head, and habit after an initial 'help' stage.
- Emotion, cognition, and action map to strategies for moving from stuckness to breakthroughs.
Slow Down To Move Forward
- Slow down and dial down emotional intensity when you're mentally stuck instead of flailing more.
- Paradoxically, to move forward you often need to calm yourself first.






