Use Your Brain
Think Deeper in a World on Autopilot

Quotes

“Erica Dhawan might just save you from brain rot.”
—Adam Grant, bestselling author of Vibe and Think Again, and host of the podcast Re:Thinking

“Use Your Brain is a deeply useful guide to knowing when to speed up, when to slow down, and how to remain intellectually vital in a world that seems intent on flattening originality.”
—Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of The Power of Regret and Drive

“This profoundly insightful book is urgently needed for anyone seeking to lead thoughtfully in an AI-saturated world. With rare clarity and humanity, author Erica Dhawan shows that the greatest risk we face is the quiet surrender of our own judgment, curiosity, and connection.”
—Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School, and author of Right Kind of Wrong

“Use Your Brain is a timely and practical guide to staying mentally present in a world increasingly designed to think for us.”
—Nir Eyal, bestselling author of Hooked, Indistractable, and Beyond Belief

“This is the leadership book our world needs NOW, an actionable, practical framework for the one thing no algorithm can replace: judgment.”
—Alison Levine, American Women’s Everest Expedition team captain

“Outsourcing your thinking is an existential threat. Dhawan offers an indispensable guide to ensure you manage AI, not the other way around.”
—Kim Scott, bestselling author of Radical Candor

“Use Your Brain is the field manual every innovator needs right now. Erica Dhawan doesn’t just sound the alarm, she gives you the tools to fight back.”
—Josh Linkner, serial entrepreneur, professional jazz guitarist, and bestselling author of The Road to Reinvention

“As an entrepreneur and performance expert, I know that your greatest competitive edge is your thinking. Use Your Brain is the book I wish I’d had years ago. Erica Dhawan delivers a clear, urgent framework for protecting the mental sharpness that no AI can replace.”
—JJ Virgin, CNS, bestselling author of The Virgin Diet

“The most powerful learning is the kind we do ourselves. Dig deep and figure it out. Erica’s here to help.”
—Seth Godin, author of The Knot

“Part wake-up call, part playbook, Use Your Brain is what happens when rigorous thinking meets a storyteller who can make you feel the stakes in your chest. This book is brilliant and deeply necessary.”
—Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 executive coach and bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

“The greatest risk in the age of AI isn’t that machines become smarter than people, it’s that we stop using our own minds and the intelligence of our teams. In Use Your Brain, Erica Dhawan shows how to avoid the false win of effortless answers by knowing when to slow down, tap the brakes, and reclaim the driver’s seat. This smart and deeply researched book will help you think more clearly, lead more wisely, and remain unmistakably human.”
—Liz Wiseman, author of Multipliers and Impact Players

“Erica Dhawan has a unique ability to alert us about the unintended consequences of technological progress. This brilliant book is the most important manifesto to date on why and how we need to protect our creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking from the lazy misuses and abuses of AI, and why harnessing human intelligence is the only differential in the age of intelligent (and at times not that intelligent) machines.”
—Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, University College London and Columbia University professor of business psychology, chief science officer at Russell Reynolds Associates

“Use Your Brain is the rare book that is equally relevant in the boardroom and at the kitchen table as a parent. This should be required reading for every family and professional in today’s world.”
—Eve Rodsky, founder of the Fair Play Policy Institute and bestselling author of Fair Play

“In a world racing to let machines think for us, Erica Dhawan delivers a beautifully written and timely reminder that human connection, imagination, and joy cannot be outsourced. Her framework is exactly the playbook this AI moment demands: a practical guide to the reflection, judgment, authenticity, and accountability we need to nurture our humanity.”
—Hubert Joly, Harvard Business School professor, former CEO of Best Buy, and bestselling author of The Heart of Business

“Use Your Brain is thoughtful, practical, and relevant for anyone trying to stay present and fully human in a world moving too fast.”
—Shawn Achor, bestselling author of The Power of Beliefs and The Happiness Advantage

“Use Your Brain is the kind of book that will make you uncomfortable in the best way and leave you a sharper, more intentional leader.”
—Pastor Craig Groeschel, Life.Church senior pastor and bestselling author of Heal Your Hurting Mind

“Use Your Brain is such an important reminder that while AI can make us faster and more efficient, we can’t outsource what makes us human. Our judgment, curiosity, intuition, creativity, and ability to truly connect with each other matter more than ever.”
—Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient

“The future of leadership isn’t about adopting more AI. It’s about investing in the one thing AI can never replace: human judgment. Use Your Brain is the essential playbook for every leader committed to human-centered growth in the age of AI.”
—Ryan Estis, founder, keynote speaker, and author of Prepare for Impact

“I love how this book offers a practical framework for combining AI’s power and speed with the uniquely human strengths of judgment, originality, and mental sharpness.”
—Alex Osterwalder, Strategyzer founder and CEO and creator of the Business Model Canvas

“The question isn’t whether we should use AI. That’s happened. The real question is, how can we use AI skillfully to become better leaders and more effective people? Dhawan answers that question with incredible clarity and practicality. This is not a treatise; it’s a guidebook that every leader needs to read. And then they need to hand it to everyone in their company. It’s a must-read-now kind of book.”
—Peter Bregman, bestselling author of 18 Minutes and Leading with Emotional Courage

“Want a competitive edge? Read this book. Its real-life stories and actionable insights show how to be an original, discerning, strategic thinker. Get good at this and you can name your ticket.”
—Sam Horn, founder of The Force for Good Project

“This is the book to buy for your team if you are tired of AI slop. We are all moving faster and thinking less. Erica Dhawan names the trap, then hands you the insights to climb out of it. Smart, warm, and refreshingly free of hype.”
—Morra Aarons-Mele, author and host of The Anxious Achiever

"In a world where technology can accelerate almost everything, Erica Dhawan reminds us that our greatest leadership advantage is still a thoughtful, discerning mind. Use Your Brain is both timely and practical, equipping leaders to embrace innovation without surrendering the wisdom, judgment, and human connection that define great leadership.”
—David Ashcraft, CEO, Global Leadership Network