We wake up every morning to a flood. Not of water, but of information. News, messages, updates, notifications, all rushing in before we even take our first conscious breath.
We are living in the era of hyper-information, where knowledge is no longer scarce but overwhelming. Like an endless buffet, we keep consuming—scrolling, reading, saving for later (but never coming back to it). And yet, despite knowing more than ever, we feel more scattered, stressed, and exhausted.
Back in 1997, long before I became a stress resilience and breathing specialist, when the internet was still a dial-up tool, I wrote a thesis called Trapped in the Net, exploring how digital connection might create addiction. It was my friend Carlos who motivated this research, when he ended up hospitalized -dehydrated, exhausted -after five days online on the DOS system, with barely any sleep. For me, it was a wakeup call.
Today, we no longer “go online” like Carlos, we live there. Our phones are not just in our pockets; they are extensions of our nervous system.
And the effects are undeniable.
A study published a week ago by the University of Texas at Austin found that even when when participants took a two-week break from mobile internet, 71% experienced improved mental health, with decreases in stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms stronger than some antidepressant treatments. Another part of the research revealed that when people didn’t actively use their phones, just having them nearby significantly reduced their cognitive capacity.
This isn’t just about productivity—it’s about our ability to think deeply, to focus, to feel present in our own lives.
We are drowning in information, but starving for wisdom.
Wisdom gives us the ability to discern, to focus, to integrate, to limit, to bring nuance and depth -skills that require a different kind of intelligence. One rooted not in external data, but in internal clarity.
Wisdom is cultivated. It requires presence, patience, and most importantly, the ability to slow down.
This is where ancient practices meet modern science. Breathwork, meditation, and conscious perception work are not relics of the past; they are essential tools for navigating the future. That’s part of our work in our new Institute for Human Potential.
This isn’t about rejecting technology. It’s about using it without letting it use us.
Early humans learned to control fire after a long period of trials burning the savanna.
Like fire, technology is a powerful tool—but left unchecked, it can burn through our mental clarity, emotional balance, and sense of self. We need to get prepared for the Meta glasses, the virtual world, the robots, the AI.
So as the world speeds up, can you slow down?
As the noise increases, can you tune into your inner signal?
The future belongs to those leaders who can remain deeply present in a world of endless distractions—transcending mere intelligence to embody true wisdom.
