Nir Eyal — How To Become An Indistractable Force (EP.235)

In this episode of Infinite Loops, Jim O'Shaughnessy interviews Nir Eyal, author of "Hooked" and "Indistractable," about the concept of indistractibility and how to control one's attention in an increasingly distracting world. They discuss the importance of mastering internal triggers, making time for traction, hacking back external triggers, and preventing distraction with pacts. Eyal critiques the traditional to-do list, advocating for time-boxing instead, and emphasizes the role of internal emotional states in driving distraction. The conversation also explores how to raise indistractable children by addressing their psychological needs for competency, autonomy, and relatedness, and touches on the over-medicalization of distractibility and the replication crisis in social science. Eyal shares his insights on using labels positively and offers practical advice for minimizing regret and maximizing one's potential by prioritizing time over money.