Mindset and Distraction: Insights from Nir Eyal’s Indistractable

By: Ana Melikian, Ph.D. | Posted in: Podcast Episodes | September 29th, 2023

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“The opposite of distraction is traction.”
-Nir Eyal

In this episode, we have a very special guest joining us, Nir Eyal. Nir is an expert in the fascinating intersection of psychology, technology, and business. He is the author of two best-selling books, “How to Build Habit-Forming Products” and “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.” “Indistractable” was even named the best business book of 2019 by The Globe and Mail.

Nir's deep understanding of how technology influences our behavior sets him apart from many others in the field. In our conversation, we dive into the issue of distraction that plagues our modern world. Nir challenges the common narrative that blames technology, arguing that distraction is a deeper problem rooted in our mindset.

Drawing from ancient wisdom and modern research, Nir reveals empowering insights on why we struggle to do what we know we should do. By understanding our internal triggers, we can take ownership of our actions and create a life that aligns with our values.

Join us in this thought-provoking conversation as we uncover the truth about distraction and learn practical strategies to regain control of our attention.

Get ready to be inspired and empowered as we step into the “Indistractable” mindset.

Let's dive in!

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Uncovering a deeper reason for distraction that Plato also explored in his time

Empowerment through understanding and agency over distraction

The mindset around distraction and the importance of believing in our agency

Distinguishing between addiction and distraction

Defining distraction and its opposite, traction

The significance of internal triggers in the context of distraction

The responsibility to control our emotions and reactions

Acknowledging that it is not one's fault but their responsibility to address distraction

Meet the Guest:

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford.
Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.”
He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.
Indistractable received critical acclaim, winning the Outstanding Works of Literature Award as well as being named one of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year by Amazon and one of the Best Personal Development Books of the Year by Audible. The Globe and Mail called Indistractable, “the best business book of 2019.”
In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Time Magazine, and Psychology Today.
Nir invests in habit-forming products that improve users’ lives. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify), Kahoot! (KAHOOT-ME.OL), Canva, Homelight, Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Byte Foods, FocusMate, Dynamicare, Wise App, and Sunnyside.
Nir attended The Stanford Graduate School of Business and Emory University.