Think Before You Think: Understanding and Mastering Executive Function

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[A]n intriguing overview of how executive function works and what people can do to improve theirs. . . . . Owen offers valuable insights into boosting brain power.-- "Publishers Weekly"

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A captivating, lucid, and empowering read that shows how, in this turbulent world, our executive functions may be our most underused superpower. Think before you think--it changes everything.--Roger Highfield, science director, Science Museum (London)

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Fascinating and packed with compelling stories. . . . [A] riveting cognitive journey.--Fergus Walsh, BBC

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Executive function, or the ability to control our attention, emotions, and decisions, is probably the most important--and most misunderstood--capability of the human brain. Adrian Owen has spent much of his career shedding light on this most critical of faculties, and in this book he takes readers on a journey of discovery, demystifying executive function, busting myths, and giving readers tools to cut through the clutter, focus on what matters, and transform their lives.--Charan Ranganath, PhD, New York Times best-selling author of Why We Remember

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From jewelry heists to the nature of free will, Adrian Owen's exploration of our cognitive powers is both a gripping story and a masterful summary of his pioneering research into the inner workings of our minds and brains. An insightful and rewarding read.--Anil Seth, best-selling author of Being You

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A fascinating journey into the human mind. . . . [ Think Before You Think] provides a practical blueprint for a brighter future.--Richard Wiseman, author of 59 Seconds

Publisher Marketing:

From the ever-rising rate of ADHD diagnoses to the life-changing challenges of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to the everyday brain fog many of us muddle through, so-called deficits of executive function are everywhere. Whether you're tearing the house apart trying to find the keys you've been holding all along, struggling to stay on task at work, or watching a loved one lose their social filter, the consequences when executive function falters can be frustrating, puzzling--sometimes even devastating. We're told it governs everything from planning and decision-making to self-control and social behavior. But what exactly is executive function, and what can we do to sharpen it? In Think Before You Think, internationally renowned neuroscientist Adrian Owen cuts through the confusion, showing how the underlying systems that orchestrate executive function interact, why they sometimes fail us, and what that tells us about the everyday business of being human.

Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research, Owen reveals the six core components of executive function that shape how we think and act: working memory, planning, inhibition, attention, theory of mind, and emotional regulation. Crucially, he also busts many common brain myths. Sharpening your mind isn't about brain-training apps or quick fixes; in many cases, a good night's sleep will do more than any puzzle or game. But the latest discoveries in neuroscience offer a simpler--and more powerful--solution: understanding your own executive functions and learning to take conscious control of how you use them.

As practical as it is profound, Think Before You Think offers a new way of understanding your brain--its strengths, its limitations, and its remarkable potential. You'll never say "I wasn't thinking" in quite the same way again.

Review Citations:

• Publishers Weekly 05/25/2026 (EAN 9781324075165, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:Owen, Adrian
Adrian Owen is a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario. Author of Into the Gray Zone, he has been featured in the New Yorker, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Nature, and Science, among other publications.