How to look beyond the fixed self and choose who you are | Paul Vincent | TEDxPacific Avenue
We are not really here. At least, not in the way we think.What you see, taste, touch, and feel isn’t direct reality—it’s your brain’s reconstruction.Neuroscience calls this the active inference model: at best, we’re perceiving reality, not living it.
But it doesn’t stop there.As psychology, Indigenous wisdom, and Taoism all echo, we are also perceiving ourselves—the “self” isn’t solid, it’s a construct - shaped by lived experiences, survival patterns, and beliefs. What we call personality is, in fact, a looping script.The truth is, we are not confined by these perceptions. Once we see them for what they are, we uncover the potential to move beyond them—and live a life beyond limitations, and far more boundless.In just over six minutes, Paul weaves modern neuroscience, Indigenous knowledge, and Buddhist philosophy to reveal why we get stuck in life. Paul Vincent has pushed the limits of human performance in ways few attempt. As an expedition athlete, he raced hundreds of miles through jungles and deserts, across countries and continents surviving on little more than an hour of sleep a day.His curiosity about the human spirit led him to earn a Master’s in Human Performance and a PhD in Psychedelic Studies, and intense initiations with Indigenous lineages - Huni Kuin (Brazil), Wixárika/Huichol (Mexico), Arhuaco (Colombia), Pygmy (Gabon), Ai Cofan (Ecuador) - that included 4 day Shamanic plant medicine journeys and non-stop 24 hour wilderness treks.For over two decades, Paul has coached Olympians, entrepreneurs, and prepared lead actors for blockbuster films including Mission Impossible, Star Wars, Black Panther, Blade Runner, and Star Trek. His work bridges science, Indigenous wisdom, and Taoist practice—Using ancient and modern wisdom to guide people beyond survival patterns into lasting fulfillment. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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