Lab of Misfits | The Lab of Misfits Blog

The Lab of Misfits is dedicated to expanding your perceptual intelligence. To help you better understand the perceptual assumptions and biases that guide your conscious and unconscious behaviours. Through our BLOG we hope to help you answer the question “Who are you?” in order to live a more authentic, compassion and resilient life. Join us on this journey and learn more.

Map of Pain

Pain that has lasted for more than 3 months despite medication or treatment is called ‘Chronic Pain’. It can have a devastating influence on people’s lives. 'Stop Chasing Pain' and the Lab of Misfits have collaborated on a number of experiments to understand the sources of chronic pain. This series reviews the results of our experiments.

EPISODE 3:
DOES CHRONIC STRESS INCREASE CHRONIC PAIN?

Could lowering our individual stress levels help reduce the experience of chronic pain?

EPISODE 2:
THOSE WHO PURSUE AUTHENTICITY EXPERIENCE LESS CHRONIC PAIN

If you want to lower your chronic pain, proactively choose authenticity, not simply in words, but in ACTION.

EPISODE 1:
EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY, REDUCE YOUR PAIN

What are the sources of chronic pain? This is the question the Map of Pain experiment sought to answer. Find out what we learnt.

Adventures in Sound

Our new series explores adventures in sound. We will discover the power of vibration ... and how and why your brain and body are literally impacted by it … and evolved to be so.

EPISODE 6:
THE DARK EXPERIENCE PART 2

Dr Beau Lotto explains how life exists in its nuanced details to which we’re so often blind. Not because they are hidden in the dark. But because they are hidden in the light.

EPISODE 5:
THE DARK EXPERIENCE

Dr Beau Lotto explains how without contrast there is no possibility for creating perceptions and therefore meaning. A moment of lightness does not exist without its contrast to...

EPISODE 4:
WELLBEING REQUIRES A BALANCE OF SILENCE AND NOISE

Dr Beau Lotto explains that what you need to increase your well-being is an enriched life full of meaningful contrasts and how your brain needs the movement between silence and...

EPISODE 3:
YOUR DEFICIENCIES COMPLETE YOU

Dr Beau Lotto discusses how our inherent need for closure, and the pleasure your brain perceives when realised, is an essential part of creating and/or listening to music.

EPISODE 2:
HOW DOES IT SOUND? BEAUTIFULLY IMPERFECT

Dr Beau Lotto explains that beauty is imperfection and how it must be an imperfection that creates music.

EPISODE 1:
WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN SOUND

Dr Beau Lotto begins a new journey taking him from the UK to Ibiza, a beautiful island, filled with vibrations.

Adventures in Uncertainty

In this series, Beau Lotto invites you to join his adventures into uncertainty, where he hopes to expand his perception of self, other and the world.

EPISODE 12:
ADVENTURE REQUIRES TRUST

Dr Beau Lotto explains how we’re wired to trust and how remarkable it is that most of us are unaware of how omnipresent it is in our lives.

EPISODE 11:
MAKE THE IMPLICIT EXPLICIT

Dr Beau Lotto explains the importance of not weaponising the uncertainty of others … or indeed of yourself.

EPISODE 10:
LEADING OTHERS INTO THE DARK

Dr Beau Lotto explains how what defines a good leader is how she/he leads others into uncertainty … into the dark.

EPISODE 9:
THE RISK OF 'THE RETURN'

Dr Beau Lotto explores the risk of possible self honesty created by returning from an adventure.

EPISODE 8:
THE POWER OF A REASON

Adventure, as in life, needs a reason and so essential is ‘the reason’ for our vitality that the human brain is perceptually sensitive to its authenticity in yourself and in oth...

EPISODE 7:
ADVENTURES REQUIRE A SANDBAR

Beau Lotto discusses how a sandbar enables others to embrace the uncertainty of themselves with courage and agency.

EPISODE 6:
SHARING YOUR 30 DAY PRACTICE

Misfits share the 30 day practices they've adopted in order to exercise their lives.

EPISODE 5:
EVERY ADVENTURE BEGINS IN THE SAME WAY

Beau Lotto discusses how every adventure begins by leaving and why leaving is hard because it requires letting go.

EPISODE 4:
LIVING IS AN EXERCISE OF LIVING

Beau Lotto explains how we train our bodies and minds by living. We get in shape along the way through the exercise of living.

EPISODE 3:
THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURES IS LISTENING

Beau Lotto discusses how you listen and what you listen to is what will define your adventure. Not just now, but in life, in love and in yourself.

EPISODE 2:
HONESTY CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTURE

Beau Lotto explores how the human truth - honesty - can move your adventure forwards and how courageous honesty creates the opportunity for unique moments to emerge.

EPISODE 1:
THE POWER OF ADVENTURE

Introducing a new series where Beau Lotto invites you to go on an adventure with him this summer - where he hopes to expand his perception of self, other and the world.

Thrive in Uncertainty

This series explores how it is possible to thrive BECAUSE of uncertainty and suggests ways that you can apply proactivity to an uncertain world.

EPISODE 4:
A PLACE WE CAN FIND COURAGE

The fourth in this blog series considers how to thrive in uncertainty requires openness and therefore courage.

EPISODE 3. RIOTING:
REVEALING THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIETY’S GHOST

Dr Beau Lotto discusses the neuroscience behind why we are witnessing the result of the 'ghosts of society' taking action towards thriving from hope.

EPISODE 2:
PROACTION IS A KEY FOR THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY

This poem, written by Beau Lotto, demonstrates the power of proactive journaling for the unlocking of thought.

EPISODE 1:
THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY. ACTIVATE YOUR PREFRONTAL

This blog is a transition from Adapting TO Uncertainty to thriving BECAUSE of it. Read the first in our 'Thrive In Uncertainty' series exploring ways that you can apply proactiv...

Adapt to Uncertainty

The fear of uncertainty is the brain's greatest fear. In this series we study uncertainty and how the brain adapts to it at the computational, the cellular and the perceptual level.

EPISODE 4:
PANIC IS A NATURAL RESPONSE, AND IT'S CONTAGIOUS

When disempowered, which many of our brains are feeling now in the face of COVID-19 uncertainty, panic is a natural, and often collective response.

EPISODE 3:
YOUR FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY CAN DISEMPOWER YOU

When we feel in control, our brain feels ‘empowered’. COVID-19 is challenging that sense of control. As a result, billions of brains around the world are feeling collectively 'd...

EPISODE 2 - DARKNESS:
THE FEAR THAT ARISES FROM UNCERTAINTY

The darkness of night embodies a fundamental, existential threat of all the fears that we carry in our brains from living life including the viral pandemic we are currently expe...

EPISODE 1 - WHAT IS YOUR BRAIN’S GREATEST FEAR?

If you didn’t know before COVID-19, you do now. And if you don’t know it consciously, your body is feeling it. And it can be debilitating.

The Looking Back Experiment

When you look back at your life, what is it that you want to see? Is it Meaningfulness? Value? Ease? Or something else? This series reviews the results of our experiment and our discoveries about the core perceptual needs that underpin personal, perceptual health.

EPISODE 3:
HOW TO RISE IN RESILIENCE

How do you rise in resilience? This is the question the Looking Back experiment sought to answer. Find out what we learnt about the mechanism for being resilient to uncertainty,...

EPISODE 2:
THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT

Further results of a recent Lab of Misfits experiment where people were asked to imagine being at the end of their life. Looking back, what do they hope their purpose would have...

EPISODE 1:
THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT

We review the results of a recent Lab of Misfits experiment where people were asked to imagine being at the end of their life. Looking back, what do they hope their purpose woul...

Expanding Perception

Our quest is not to shift our perception or yours, but to expand it. No matter what you think you know, all of us need to—and can—expand our perception.

ILLUSIONS - You perceive the world inside-out, not outside-in

Colour, sound, shape, even objects, as well as fear, joy and trauma are inside you projected outward.

A YEAR'S THOUGHT

As 2021 is coming to an end, Beau Lotto asks: Other than oneself, to whom can we look for mentorship in 2022?

OPTIMISM EXPERIMENT RESULTS SO FAR

Our Science Director, Rich Clarke, shares the results so far of a recent Lab of Misfits experiment where people were asked to participate in a ritual that aims to foster optimism.

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING

Our Creative Director, Melanie Lalande, describes the curation and making of our special sand painting video by Veronica Syvorotkina.

OUR QUEST: TO THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY

The world is becoming increasingly uncertain. But consider a few general facts about our modern lives before that feeling of uncertainty takes over.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

When you opened your eyes this morning, did you see the world as it really is? Ask yourself: “Do I see the world accurately?”

DEVIATE - SPEAKING BUSINESS PODCAST

Beau Lotto shares his wisdom on the Speaking Business podcast aiming to help people and organisations adapt to an increasingly uncertain world.

W_NDER: CREATING A SHARED STORY OF PLACE

This is the power of place … this is the power of its story. You can be part of it.

Thought in Motion

This series of short videos aims NOT to provide answers but to inspire imagination. Gianni Howell, our creative film designer, reflects on the creative process.

Blog

Map of Pain

EPISODE 3: DOES CHRONIC STRESS INCREASE CHRONIC PAIN?

EPISODE 2: THOSE WHO PURSUE AUTHENTICITY EXPERIENCE LESS CHRONIC PAIN

EPISODE 1: EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY, REDUCE YOUR PAIN

Adventures in Sound

EPISODE 6: THE DARK EXPERIENCE PART 2

EPISODE 5: THE DARK EXPERIENCE

EPISODE 4: WELLBEING REQUIRES A BALANCE OF SILENCE AND NOISE

EPISODE 3: YOUR DEFICIENCIES COMPLETE YOU

EPISODE 2: HOW DOES IT SOUND? BEAUTIFULLY IMPERFECT

EPISODE 1: WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN SOUND

Adventures in Uncertainty

EPISODE 12: ADVENTURE REQUIRES TRUST

EPISODE 11: MAKE THE IMPLICIT EXPLICIT

EPISODE 10: LEADING OTHERS INTO THE DARK

EPISODE 9: THE RISK OF 'THE RETURN'

EPISODE 8: THE POWER OF A REASON

EPISODE 7: ADVENTURES REQUIRE A SANDBAR

EPISODE 6: SHARING YOUR 30 DAY PRACTICE

EPISODE 5: EVERY ADVENTURE BEGINS IN THE SAME WAY

EPISODE 4: LIVING IS AN EXERCISE OF LIVING

EPISODE 3: THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURES IS LISTENING

EPISODE 2: HONESTY CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTURE

EPISODE 1: THE POWER OF ADVENTURE

Thrive in Uncertainty

EPISODE 4: A PLACE WE CAN FIND COURAGE

EPISODE 3. RIOTING: REVEALING THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIETY’S GHOST

EPISODE 2: PROACTION IS A KEY FOR THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY

EPISODE 1: THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY. ACTIVATE YOUR PREFRONTAL

Adapt to Uncertainty

EPISODE 4: PANIC IS A NATURAL RESPONSE, AND IT'S CONTAGIOUS

EPISODE 3: YOUR FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY CAN DISEMPOWER YOU

EPISODE 2 - DARKNESS: THE FEAR THAT ARISES FROM UNCERTAINTY

EPISODE 1 - WHAT IS YOUR BRAIN’S GREATEST FEAR?

The Looking Back Experiment

EPISODE 3: HOW TO RISE IN RESILIENCE

EPISODE 2: THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT

EPISODE 1: THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT

Expanding Perception

ILLUSIONS - You perceive the world inside-out, not outside-in

A YEAR'S THOUGHT

OPTIMISM EXPERIMENT RESULTS SO FAR

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING

OUR QUEST: TO THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

DEVIATE - SPEAKING BUSINESS PODCAST

W_NDER: CREATING A SHARED STORY OF PLACE

Thought in Motion

YOU MAKE THE MEANING

BE IN BETWEEN

SEEING YOURSELF SEE

SEE THE GRAY

EPISODE 3:
DOES CHRONIC STRESS INCREASE CHRONIC PAIN?

EPISODE 2:
THOSE WHO PURSUE AUTHENTICITY EXPERIENCE LESS CHRONIC PAIN

EPISODE 1:
EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY, REDUCE YOUR PAIN

EPISODE 6:
THE DARK EXPERIENCE PART 2

EPISODE 5:
THE DARK EXPERIENCE

EPISODE 4:
WELLBEING REQUIRES A BALANCE OF SILENCE AND NOISE

EPISODE 3:
YOUR DEFICIENCIES COMPLETE YOU

EPISODE 2:
HOW DOES IT SOUND? BEAUTIFULLY IMPERFECT

EPISODE 1:
WELCOME TO ADVENTURES IN SOUND

EPISODE 12:
ADVENTURE REQUIRES TRUST

EPISODE 11:
MAKE THE IMPLICIT EXPLICIT

EPISODE 10:
LEADING OTHERS INTO THE DARK

EPISODE 9:
THE RISK OF 'THE RETURN'

EPISODE 8:
THE POWER OF A REASON

EPISODE 7:
ADVENTURES REQUIRE A SANDBAR

EPISODE 6:
SHARING YOUR 30 DAY PRACTICE

EPISODE 5:
EVERY ADVENTURE BEGINS IN THE SAME WAY

EPISODE 4:
LIVING IS AN EXERCISE OF LIVING

EPISODE 3:
THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURES IS LISTENING

EPISODE 2:
HONESTY CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTURE

EPISODE 1:
THE POWER OF ADVENTURE

EPISODE 4:
A PLACE WE CAN FIND COURAGE

EPISODE 3. RIOTING:
REVEALING THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIETY’S GHOST

EPISODE 2:
PROACTION IS A KEY FOR THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY

EPISODE 1:
THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY. ACTIVATE YOUR PREFRONTAL

EPISODE 4:
PANIC IS A NATURAL RESPONSE, AND IT'S CONTAGIOUS

EPISODE 3:
YOUR FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY CAN DISEMPOWER YOU

EPISODE 2 - DARKNESS:
THE FEAR THAT ARISES FROM UNCERTAINTY

EPISODE 3:
HOW TO RISE IN RESILIENCE

EPISODE 2:
THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT

EPISODE 1:
THE LOOKING BACK EXPERIMENT