The Brain by David Eagleman: A Snapshot

Exploring the Science of Who We Are — and How We Can Change

In The Brain: The Story of You, neuroscientist David Eagleman takes readers on a vivid, engaging journey through the inner workings of the human brain. Blending neuroscience with real-life case studies and philosophical inquiry, Eagleman explores how the brain constructs our reality, makes decisions, stores memories, forms identity — and, crucially, how it can be rewired.

The book reveals that we are not fixed beings. Our brains are plastic, adaptive, and constantly in flux, shaped by experience, emotion, attention, and environment. Eagleman explains how everything from habit formation to moral judgement, bias, and trust are biologically rooted — and open to change.

How It Relates to BARDO’s NIMM

At BARDO, The Brain forms part of the core scientific foundation for the NIMM coaching model. It underpins our belief that:

• Inclusion isn’t just a value — it’s a trainable cognitive skillset

• Change doesn’t happen through policy alone — it requires rewiring perception and response

• Bias, fear, and exclusion are not moral failings — they are brain-based defaults that can be interrupted and shifted

Eagleman’s insights directly inform NIMM's scaffolded Delta–Alpha–Gamma framework:

• Delta Level echoes Eagleman’s focus on awareness, pattern recognition, and the subconscious loops that guide our behaviour

• Alpha Level builds on the idea that brains learn by doing, through repetition, attention, and emotional connection

• Gamma Level aligns with the book’s exploration of decision-making, empathy, and higher-order thinking — critical for inclusive leadership and cultural influence

  
  

“Who you are depends on where you’ve been. The brain is a storytelling machine, constantly editing, updating, and reimagining.” – David Eagleman

BARDO’s work takes this science off the page and into practice — helping organisations build cultures where people are supported not just to know better, but to rethink, relearn, and rewire.