We blame ourselves for burnout, distraction, and anxiety, as if struggling is a personal failing. But Dr Paul Goldsmith argues the fault lies not with us, but rather with a fundamental mismatch: we are navigating the complexities of the 21st century using a brain built for a world that no longer exists.
Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and cases from his neurology practice, this talk reframes our everyday difficulties and equips audiences with practical tools to work with their ancient wiring, not against it.
Dr Paul Goldsmith is a neuroscientist and neurologist on a mission to bridge the 50,000-year gap between our ancient biology and our modern lives. With a background spanning a triple first at Cambridge and a clinical scholarship at Oxford, Paul has spent his career at the intersection of developmental neuroscience and evolutionary medicine.
As the author of The Evolving Brain, he challenges us to stop blaming our “lack of willpower” and start understanding the biological mismatch that defines 21st-century stress. Currently a visiting professor at Imperial College London, Paul translates complex brain science into a “user manual” for thriving in a world we weren’t originally made for.
In addition to his writing and clinical work, Paul is a board member for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA licenses medicines, regulates clinical trials, and monitors the safety of medical devices and medicines already on the market.
Takeaways from Paul’s talk will include:
– Why stress, anxiety, and distraction are evolutionary features — not personal failures
– How social comparison and status-seeking are hardwired, and how to break the cycle
– Practical, neuroscience-backed strategies to reclaim focus, calm, and connection
