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. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode.Thank you to our sponsorsAG1: https://athleticgreens.com/hubermanLMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlabWaking Up: https://wakingup.com/hubermanTimestamps

Asi Wind

Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

“Jazzy Magic”, Tricks & Improvisation, Memory

Magic & Imagination

Memory “Experiments”

Sponsor: AG1

Reality Augmentation, Free Will

Audience Interactions & Connection, Empathy, Tool: Breathing

Audience, Empathetic Attunement & Connection; Skeptics

Trick Explanation, Props

Exposing Magic, Misdirection, Storytelling

Delight, Hypnosis, Behavior Patterns

Hypnotists & Guiding Attention; Social Media

“Power of Pauses” & Memory; Tool: Gap Effects & Learning

Tension, Understanding Magic

Storytelling

Painting & Composition

Truths, Clean Slate, Art & Storytelling

Art & Motivation, Honesty

Inspiration & Creativity, “Sponge”

Morning Routine & Creativity

Memory & Fear, Power of Story; Tool: Walking & Creativity

Body Language

Perfectionism; Negative Emotions, Photography

Sensitivity, Empathy, Family

Incredibly Human Show