# Bradley Hook

> Bradley Hook is an author, keynote speaker and founder of FLAME and the Values Institute, based in New Zealand. His work helps people and organisations stay human, curious and resilient in the age of intelligence, pairing the neuroscience of the predictive brain with the wisdom traditions that anticipated it. He is the author of five books including Start With Values (Penguin Random House, 2025).

This site is the personal hub for Brad's writing, speaking and podcast. It is part of a family of sites: speaking and programmes run through FLAME, and values research and the free assessment through the Values Institute.

## Key pages

- [Home](https://bradleyhook.com/): Introduction to Brad and his work.
- [About](https://bradleyhook.com/about): Career arc, five books, the Waves of Freedom documentary, and the science-plus-wisdom signature.
- [Speaking](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking): Keynote topics (FLAME, future of work, resilience, well-being, values, high performance). Bookings via FLAME.
- [Resilience Speaker](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking/resilience-speaker): Brad's resilience keynote — a decade at the Resilience Institute, research from 20,000+ assessments, formats and booking FAQs.
- [Future of Work Speaker](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking/future-of-work-speaker): Brad's future of work keynote — AI, change-readiness and the human capacities that matter more as machines get smarter.
- [Wellbeing Speaker](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking/wellbeing-speaker): Brad's workplace wellbeing keynote — the body budget, sleep, recovery and attention, grounded in performance science.
- [Values & Purpose Speaker](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking/values-speaker): Brad's values keynote — built on Start With Values, the Global Values Report and an assessment used across 114 countries.
- [High Performance Speaker](https://bradleyhook.com/speaking/high-performance-speaker): Brad's high performance keynote — flow, focus and sustainable performance via the predictive brain.
- [Books](https://bradleyhook.com/books): Start With Values, Resilience Mastery, Surfing Life Waves, Lilly Loves Surfing, and the forthcoming FLAME Method.
- [Podcast](https://bradleyhook.com/podcast): FLAME with Brad Hook, conversations with scientists, thinkers and doers.
- [Research](https://bradleyhook.com/research): The Global Values Report and free values assessment, via the Values Institute.
- [Articles](https://bradleyhook.com/articles): The full library of essays and guides, filterable by topic.
- [Press](https://bradleyhook.com/press): Media appearances and coverage.
- [Contact](https://bradleyhook.com/contact): Get in touch.

## Family of sites

- [FLAME](https://flame.live): Brad's flagship method, keynotes and workshops on the neuroscience of prediction.
- [Values Institute](https://values.institute): Values research, the Global Values Report, and a free assessment used in 114 countries.
- [SURFD](https://surfd.com): Brad's surf and well-being lifestyle project.

## Ideas (thinkers and science)

- [Why Curiosity Is the Most Important Skill for the Future of Work](https://bradleyhook.com/curiosity-the-capacity-to-update): Brad's "capacity to update" essay — curiosity as a capacity built or destroyed by conditions leaders control, not a personality trait.
- [Grandma Was Right: The Old Sayings Science Ended Up Proving True](https://bradleyhook.com/old-sayings-science-proved-true): Chicken soup, honey for coughs, and sleeping on it: the actual research behind ten pieces of grandmotherly wisdom, plus the sayings she got wrong.
- [10 Ancient Practices Now Proven by Science](https://bradleyhook.com/10-ancient-practices-now-proven-by-science): From Stoicism to fasting, ten ancient practices that modern research has since confirmed, and what each one means for how you live day to day.
- [Brain Rot Is Real: Jonathan Haidt & Dr. Aditi Nerurkar on The Diary of a CEO](https://bradleyhook.com/brain-rot-is-real-jonathan-haidt-dr-aditi-nerurkar-on-the-diary-of-a-ceo): Jonathan Haidt and Dr. Aditi Nerurkar explain the neuroscience of brain rot on Diary of a CEO, and what actually rebuilds sustained attention.
- [10 Scientific Studies That Might Change How You See the World](https://bradleyhook.com/10-scientific-studies-that-might-change-how-you-see-the-world): Ten strange, well-documented experiments on free will, memory, perception and morality that challenge what you assume is real.
- [Natural vs Artificial Intelligence: Understanding the Profound Divide](https://bradleyhook.com/natural-vs-artificial-intelligence-understanding-the-profound-divide): Why AI can mirror human output yet still miss consciousness: a look at what separates natural intelligence from artificial pattern recognition.
- [New Zealand's Best Keynote Speakers (2026 Guide)](https://bradleyhook.com/a-guide-to-new-zealands-best-keynote-speakers): A curated 2026 guide to New Zealand's best keynote speakers, covering resilience, leadership, well-being, and innovation, plus fees and booking FAQs.
- [The 14 Best Resilience Speakers in 2026](https://bradleyhook.com/the-14-best-resilience-speakers-in-2026): A curated guide to the world's leading resilience speakers, from academic anchors to lived-experience voices, and how to choose between them.
- [The 14 Best Future of Work Speakers in 2026](https://bradleyhook.com/future-of-work-speakers): A curated guide to the leading future of work speakers on AI, agentic workforces, leadership and human capacity.
- [The Psychedelic Renaissance: Science, Spirituality, and Controversy](https://bradleyhook.com/the-psychedelic-renaissance-science-spirituality-and-controversy): How psilocybin and MDMA moved from sacred ritual to lab research, and what the science, risks, politics and big pharma stakes mean for the future.
- [Thomas Campbell Simplified: Exploring My Big TOE and the Nature of Reality](https://bradleyhook.com/thomas-campbell-simplified-exploring-my-big-toe-and-the-nature-of-reality): A plain-language guide to Thomas Campbell's My Big TOE: consciousness as primary, reality as virtual, and life as a game to reduce entropy.
- [What Makes Three the Most Memorable Number?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-makes-three-the-most-memorable-number): Why humans remember things in threes, from Miller's chunking research to fairy tales, slogans, and the rule of thirds in design.
- [Why Extreme Climate Change Predictions Failed and What We Can Do Now](https://bradleyhook.com/why-extreme-climate-change-predictions-failed-what-we-can-do-now): Ten extreme climate predictions that didn't happen, from an ice-free Arctic to underwater cities, and why stewardship beats panic or apathy.
- [The Yin-Yang of Quantum Entanglement: A Groundbreaking Visualization](https://bradleyhook.com/the-yin-yang-of-quantum-entanglement-a-groundbreaking-visualization): Scientists have captured quantum entanglement in an image for the first time, and it looks strikingly like the Yin-Yang symbol.
- [10 Rare Scientific Theories That Might Change How You Think About the World](https://bradleyhook.com/10-rare-scientific-theories-that-might-change-how-you-think-about-the-world): Ten fringe scientific theories, from the simulation hypothesis to quantum consciousness, that challenge how we see reality.
- [Understanding Simon Sinek: A Simplified Guide to His Key Teachings](https://bradleyhook.com/understanding-simon-sinek-a-simplified-guide-to-his-key-teachings): A plain-English guide to Simon Sinek's career, his Golden Circle, trust and safety, and the infinite game, and what leaders can take from each.
- [Billy Carson's Theories Simplified: Exploring Ancient Wisdom and Modern Consciousness](https://bradleyhook.com/billy-carsons-theories-simplified-exploring-ancient-wisdom-and-modern-consciousness): A plain-language guide to Billy Carson's Emerald Tablets, ancient astronaut theory and consciousness ideas, plus Wesley Huff's scholarly critique.
- [Does Visualization Work? Discover the Science, Benefits and Tools](https://bradleyhook.com/does-visualization-work-discover-the-science-benefits-and-tools): What neuroscience, epigenetics and sports psychology reveal about mental rehearsal, plus nine practical ways to build a visualization practice.
- [Donald Hoffman's Concepts Simplified: Understanding Reality and Perception](https://bradleyhook.com/donald-hoffmans-concepts-simplified-understanding-reality-and-perception): A plain-language guide to Donald Hoffman's interface theory, why evolution favours fitness over truth, and his conscious agents model.
- [Gary Brecka's Concepts Simplified](https://bradleyhook.com/gary-breckas-concepts-simplified): Gary Brecka's health concepts explained plainly: the MTHFR gene, oxygen therapy, personalised nutrition, hormone balance and habits that support well-being.
- [Terrence Howard's Theories Simplified: Understanding His Unique Perspective](https://bradleyhook.com/terrence-howards-theories-simplified-understanding-his-unique-perspective): A plain-language breakdown of Terrence Howard's fringe physics and maths claims from his Joe Rogan appearances, plus his influences and patents.
- [The Power of Words: How Language Shapes Our Emotions, Beliefs, and Energy](https://bradleyhook.com/the-power-of-words-how-language-shapes-our-emotions-beliefs-and-energy): How the words you use, especially in self-talk, shape your emotions, beliefs and energy, backed by neuroscience and simple ways to reframe them.
- [What is Life Force? Exploring the Essence of Existence](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-life-force-exploring-the-essence-of-existence): A look at life force through prana and qi, vitalism, Nietzsche, the Gaia hypothesis and simulation theory, plus one writer's own take.
- [What can we learn from wild animals about stress and trauma?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-can-we-learn-from-wild-animals-about-stress-and-trauma): Why wild animals shake off stress fast while humans dwell on it, and the practical lessons in physical release, presence and social bonding we can borrow.

## Guides (practical)

- [The 14 Best Team Assessment Tools in 2026](https://bradleyhook.com/best-team-assessment-tools): A practitioner's comparison of MBTI, DISC, CliftonStrengths, Belbin, Hogan and more — by someone who has built workplace assessments for 25 years.
- [The Future of Education](https://bradleyhook.com/the-future-of-education): Schools were built for factories, not children. Here is how AI tutors, ageing curricula and a caning in Durban point to what education is really for.
- [The Trust Business: The Future of Banking in the Age of AI](https://bradleyhook.com/future-of-banking): Why AI will automate most of banking's routine work this decade, while trust, judgement and human relationships become its scarcest, most valuable product.
- [The Weather You Make: How a Leader's Predictions Become Your Team's Reality](https://bradleyhook.com/the-weather-you-make): Why a leader's brain-generated forecasts spread through a team via emotional contagion, and how to catch a bad prediction before you broadcast it.
- [The End of Middle Management (And What Comes Next)](https://bradleyhook.com/the-end-of-middle-management-and-what-comes-next): Revisiting a 2020 prediction: why AI is turning middle management into coaching, and what organisations could realistically look like by 2031.
- [What Is Shitty Flow? The Hidden Cost of High Performance](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-shitty-flow-the-hidden-cost-of-high-performance): Flow isn't automatically good: it's a multiplier. Here's why shitty flow, flow holes, and values-aligned excellence still miss the real question.
- [Abundance vs. Scarcity Mindset: The Definitive Guide](https://bradleyhook.com/abundance-vs-scarcity-mindset): Why scarcity and abundance are survival strategies, not personality flaws, and how the science of loss aversion, bandwidth tax, and antifragility applies.
- [Resilience in Crisis: An Evidence-Based Guide for Turbulent Times](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-stay-resilient-in-crisis-situations): A practical, evidence-based guide to staying resilient in crisis, covering nervous system regulation, shifting values and lessons from Shackleton and Sarajevo.
- [What Is Resilience Training? The Complete Guide](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-resilience-training-the-complete-guide): A practitioner's guide to resilience training: what it actually is, the leading global frameworks, the neuroscience, and how to build it into culture.
- [What Is Burnout? A Clear Definition in a World That Still Disagrees](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-burnout-a-clear-definition-in-a-world-that-still-disagrees): Burnout has 140+ competing definitions and no clinical status. Here's what fifty years of research actually says it is, and why it keeps rising.
- [What Is the Resilience Institute? An Insider's Guide](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-the-resilience-institute-an-insiders-guide): An insider's account of the Resilience Institute: its origins, the Resilience Spiral framework, its global growth, and where the model has limits.
- [AI Burnout: Why Artificial Intelligence May Be Increasing Workplace Stress](https://bradleyhook.com/ai-burnout-why-artificial-intelligence-may-be-increasing-workplace-stress): AI is not reducing workload, it is reshaping it. Here is why AI burnout and 'brain fry' are rising, and what actually protects people at work.
- [Why So Many Parents Feel Regret Later in Life](https://bradleyhook.com/why-so-many-parents-feel-regret-later-in-life): Why the first eleven years of a child's life are a once-only window, and how presence now shapes regret or peace decades later.
- [How to Have a Great Holiday Break (Start Now, Not in January)](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-have-a-great-holiday-break-start-now-not-in-january): Six small, science-backed habits to start now so your nervous system is ready to rest when the holiday break finally arrives.
- [Resilience Training](https://bradleyhook.com/resilience-training): Brad Hook's resilience training programme: keynotes, workshops, the Resilience Assessment and certifications for organisations worldwide.
- [The Science of Meaning: How to Create a Life That Matters](https://bradleyhook.com/the-science-of-meaning-how-to-create-a-life-that-matters): What psychology and neuroscience reveal about meaning, why a crisis of meaning is spreading, and practical steps to build a life that matters.
- [How to Cultivate a Discerning Mind: A Guide to Thoughtful Media Consumption](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-cultivate-a-discerning-mind-a-guide-to-thoughtful-media-consumption): A practical guide to spotting bias, checking sources and resisting manipulation so you can think clearly about the media you consume.
- [Will Artificial Intelligence Take My Job?](https://bradleyhook.com/will-artificial-intelligence-take-my-job): AI is reshaping work, not ending it. See which jobs are most at risk, what new roles could emerge, and how to prepare with purpose and clear values.
- [What Does It Mean to Dawdle? And Why You Should Start](https://bradleyhook.com/what-does-it-mean-to-dawdle-and-why-you-should-start): Why dawdling is not laziness but a deliberate way to slow time, ease burnout and make ordinary days feel fuller.
- [Life is a Movie. How Can I Make the Most of It?](https://bradleyhook.com/life-is-a-movie-how-can-i-make-the-most-of-it): Use the life-as-a-movie metaphor to take the lead role: write your own scenes, chase purpose, name your values, and edit how you frame setbacks.
- [What Will A World Teeming With AI Agents Be Like?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-will-a-world-teeming-with-ai-agents-be-like): A look at how a future full of AI agents could reshape daily life, widen inequality, narrow our thinking and test what it means to stay human.
- [How to Improve Mental Health in 17 Minutes and 9 Seconds Per Day](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-improve-mental-health-in-17-minutes-and-9-seconds-per-day): Why 120 minutes of nature a week can lower stress and lift mood, and a micro-habits plan for fitting it into a busy day.
- [What is an AI Ethicist and How Do I Become One?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-an-ai-ethicist-and-how-do-i-become-one): What an AI ethicist actually does, why values must come first, and the practical steps to build this career, plus a reading list to start with.
- [What is Negative Visualization and How Does it Work?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-is-negative-visualization-and-how-does-it-work): A Stoic practice for building resilience and gratitude by briefly imagining loss, why it works, and how to tell it apart from anxious spiralling.
- [The Power of Mindfulness for Productivity](https://bradleyhook.com/the-power-of-mindfulness-for-productivity): How mindfulness sharpens focus, cuts stress and supports flow at work, with practical habits like mindful pauses and the Pomodoro technique.
- [What can we learn about leadership from Krishna?](https://bradleyhook.com/what-can-we-learn-about-leadership-from-krishna): Ten leadership lessons drawn from Krishna's role in the Bhagavad Gita, from strategic vision and adaptability to humility and mentorship.
- [How Do I Become Antifragile?](https://bradleyhook.com/how-do-i-become-antifragile): A practical guide to building antifragility: seven habits for turning stress, rest, and uncertainty into personal and team growth.
- [How to Cope with Disappointment and Move Forward](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-cope-with-disappointment-and-move-forward): Practical, research-backed ways to process disappointment, reframe setbacks and rebuild hope, from mindfulness to reconnecting with your values.
- [Who Am I? Answering Life's Greatest Question](https://bradleyhook.com/who-am-i-answering-lifes-greatest-question): Beyond names and job titles: what science, philosophy, and mysticism reveal about identity, and a values-based way to answer who you really are.
- [Here is My Simple, Research-based Morning Routine](https://bradleyhook.com/simple-research-based-morning-routine): Brad Hook shares his research-backed morning routine, from grounding and sunlight to breathing and playful movement, and why it beats checking your phone.
- [Understanding ACT Therapy: Embracing Life Through Acceptance and Commitment](https://bradleyhook.com/understanding-act-therapy-embracing-life-through-acceptance-and-commitment): What Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is, the evidence behind it, its six core processes, and how to apply it at work.
- [How I Built a Podcast in New Zealand](https://bradleyhook.com/how-i-built-a-podcast-in-new-zealand): Brad Hook shares the real challenges and advantages of podcasting from New Zealand, plus the gear, guest strategy and tips he actually uses.
- [How to Deal with Change: 3 Research-Based Strategies for Resilience](https://bradleyhook.com/how-to-deal-with-change-3-research-based-strategies): Why change triggers a homeostatic threat response, and three practical strategies for managing emotions, values-alignment, and mindset.