In this episode, my guest is Asi Wind. He's one of the world’s top magicians and mentalists.

We discuss what magic and mentalism reveal about the human mind, including how memories are made, how to erase them, and how and why we perceive things the way we do, all in the context of how he performs his astonishing tricks.

Asi explains that magic works because it involves storytelling, which is key to how we organize memories. He also explains how emotional connection allows people to co-create and believe a common narrative, even one that did not actually occur.

We also discuss how Asi's love of painting and photography and his specific daily routine allow him to access creativity. We also discuss fear, perfectionism, and how feeling emotions deeply serves his craft.

Whether you are interested in magic or not, this conversation with Asi will give you an incredible window into how you perceive, learn, and remember the world around you and how what you believe may or may not be based in reality.

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Asi Wind
Website: https://www.asiwind.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@asiwind
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asiwind
X: https://twitter.com/asiwind
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsiWindsIncrediblyHuman
Before We Begin (book): https://bit.ly/3TxN9Wt
Masterclass: https://bit.ly/43vdsBk

Asi Wind Clips
Penn & Teller: Fool Us: https://youtu.be/fg0CC99hVK8
Salt and Pepper Trick: https://youtu.be/aEg3bKYiaGI
Invisible Die Card Trick: https://youtu.be/OrLpp6I_YM8
Kelly Clarkson: https://youtu.be/BNAd_HoYtAo
The View: https://youtu.be/YaVneB7YCus

Other Resources
The Magic Castle: https://bit.ly/3IQH9mR
Karl Deisseroth on Lex Fridman Podcast: https://bit.ly/43EqVqz
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://amzn.to/3Tzsph8
Epicly Later’d: The John Cardiel Story: https://youtu.be/xSESz6oU4Ss

Huberman Lab Episodes Mentioned
Dr. Karl Deisseroth: Understanding & Healing the Mind: https://youtu.be/w9MXqXBZy9U
Rick Rubin: How to Access Your Creativity: https://youtu.be/ycOBZZeVeAc
Dr. David Spiegel: Using Hypnosis to Enhance Mental & Physical Health & Performance: https://youtu.be/PctD-ki8dCc
Chris Voss: How to Succeed at Hard Conversations: https://youtu.be/q8CHXefn7B4

People Mentioned
David Blaine: illusionist, magician: https://davidblaine.com
Avner the Eccentric: magician, clown, mime: https://bit.ly/3Tqvpwi
Franco Pascali: magician, cardist: https://bit.ly/3TElMdI
Juan Tamariz: Spanish magician: https://nyti.ms/3Tz8qz4
Tommy Wonder: Dutch magician: https://youtu.be/AgteMZ8qnog
Chan Canasta: Polish mentalist: https://bit.ly/3TN5vEr
Lucian Freud: English painter: https://bit.ly/3TMFmFE
Andrew Wyeth: American realist painter: https://mo.ma/3Twm0mT
Vincent van Gogh: Dutch painter: https://bit.ly/3TyZFoU
Mark Rothko: American painter: https://bit.ly/4crUkZ3
Bevil Conway: researcher, senses and perception: https://bit.ly/4cohAax
Chuck Close: American painter: https://bit.ly/3TxPO2x
John Cardiel: skateboarder: https://www.instagram.com/johncardiel
Henri Matisse: French artist: https://bit.ly/4ctyTH6
Laura Alexander: American artist: https://bit.ly/3VxBklL
Harry Lorayne: American magician: https://bit.ly/4cvHMjf
Hernri Cartier-Bresson: French photographer: https://bit.ly/3vhlnpp
John Graham: magician, mentalist: https://bit.ly/3TuhZzj
Doug McKenzie: magician, mentalist: https://bit.ly/43tIDwV

Timestamps
00:00:00 Asi Wind
00:02:48 Sponsors: LMNT, BetterHelp & AeroPress
00:07:07 “Jazzy Magic”, Tricks & Improvisation, Memory
00:14:57 Magic & Imagination
00:24:06 Memory “Experiments”
00:29:18 Sponsor: AG1
00:30:46 Reality Augmentation, Free Will
00:35:31 Audience Interactions & Connection, Empathy, Tool: Breathing
00:41:20 Audience, Empathetic Attunement & Connection; Skeptics
00:49:10 Trick Explanation, Props
00:57:21 Exposing Magic, Misdirection, Storytelling
01:07:29 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:08:36 Delight, Hypnosis, Behavior Patterns
01:17:35 Hypnotists & Guiding Attention; Social Media
01:23:01 “Power of Pauses” & Memory; Tool: Gap Effects & Learning
01:30:14 Tension, Understanding Magic
01:36:16 Storytelling
01:43:00 Painting & Composition
01:51:08 Truths, Clean Slate, Art & Storytelling
01:59:03 Art & Motivation, Honesty
02:05:17 Inspiration & Creativity, “Sponge”
02:12:38 Morning Routine & Creativity
02:19:28 Memory & Fear, Power of Story; Tool: Walking & Creativity
02:29:53 Body Language
02:33:01 Perfectionism; Negative Emotions, Photography
02:40:19 Sensitivity, Empathy, Family
02:45:16 Incredibly Human Show
02:49:22 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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