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LSQ Newsletter

A newsletter for lifelong learners looking to improve their processing, retention and recall of everything they learn.

Written by

Ray Blakney

How to Flip the "Anxiety Switch" to Focus

Mastering the "Arousal-Performance Curve" and the "Challenge Response" to turn cortisol into cognitive fuel.

Ray Blakney

Feb 24, 2026

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6 min read

How Movement Builds New Neurons

Leveraging BDNF and Neurogenesis to upgrade your "Hardware" while you move.

Ray Blakney

How to Make Learning as Effortless as Brushing Your Teeth

Feb 24, 2026

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5 min read

How to Make Learning as Effortless as Brushing Your Teeth

Shifting your practice from the "Expensive" Prefrontal Cortex to the "Efficient" Basal Ganglia.

Ray Blakney

Curiosity: The "Dopamine Bridge" to Memory

Feb 23, 2026

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5 min read

Curiosity: The "Dopamine Bridge" to Memory

Leveraging the "Information Gap" and the Brain's Reward System to make learning effortless

Ray Blakney

Feb 23, 2026

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6 min read

Acetylcholine: The "Neural Highlighter"

Leveraging Acetylcholine and the "Cholinergic System" to lock your brain into Deep Work.

Ray Blakney

The Neurobiology of The "Midnight Janitor"

Feb 22, 2026

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5 min read

The Neurobiology of The "Midnight Janitor"

How your brain uses Sleep Spindles and the Glymphatic System to "Defrag" your lore overnight

Ray Blakney

Feb 21, 2026

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5 min read

The "Active Reading" Neuro-Hack

Using "Inspectional Reading" and "Syntopical Mapping" to maximize your ROI per page.

Ray Blakney

Feb 21, 2026

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6 min read

Stop writing, start "Synthesizing"

Using "External Scaffolding" and "Cognitive Offloading" to turn messy thoughts into clear mastery.

Ray Blakney

Procrastination: It’s not about laziness

Feb 20, 2026

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6 min read

Procrastination: It’s not about laziness

Understanding the "Emotional Hijack" and why your brain chooses short-term mood repair over long-term learning.

Ray Blakney

...

Archive

How to Flip the "Anxiety Switch" to Focus

How Movement Builds New Neurons

How to Make Learning as Effortless as Brushing Your Teeth

Curiosity: The "Dopamine Bridge" to Memory

Acetylcholine: The "Neural Highlighter"

The Neurobiology of The "Midnight Janitor"

The "Active Reading" Neuro-Hack

Stop writing, start "Synthesizing"

Procrastination: It’s not about laziness

LSQ Newsletter

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