Many of us struggle to understand our actions and behavior in any given situation. Especially when pressure and stress are highest. What if we could make better decisions, create healthy habits more easily, regulate our emotions, become more mentally tough and perform well under pressure? There are certain defining moments in your life, in this course you'll learn to tap into your personal excellence when it matters.
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The Neuroscience of Personal Excellence
This course is part of Neuroscience of Leadership: Leading with Your Brain Specialization
![Ron Duren Jr.](https://d3njjcbhbojbot.cloudfront.net/api/utilities/v1/imageproxy/https://coursera-instructor-photos.s3.amazonaws.com/4a/b0cd0380b84582be32d5485af2bb62/Ron-Duren---photo6.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=1&w=75&h=75&fit=crop)
Instructor: Ron Duren Jr.
Sponsored by Coursera Learning Team
5,108 already enrolled
(52 reviews)
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Explain how the brain solves problems and how we can improve strategic reasoning.
Explain how the brain makes decisions and how we can improve this process.
Recognize the psychological construct of perseverance and how to develop it.
Details to know
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6 assignments
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills
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- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
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Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV
Share it on social media and in your performance review
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There are 5 modules in this course
As a starting point for a discussion about the neuroscience of personal excellence, we will need a common vocabulary and knowledge about how the brain works. In this first module, you will learn about the key parts of the brain and nervous system. Begin to understand how neurotransmitters, hormones and brain waves affect behavior. Lastly, the social brain hypothesis and how maleable the adult brain actually is will be discussed. Consider this module a journey to introduce you to basic neuroscience.
What's included
4 videos19 readings2 assignments2 discussion prompts
Our lives are largely driven by our habits. Research states that 43% of our behavior is habitual. In this module, we will explore the neuroscience of learning and habituation so that you can learn to harness it to your advantage.
What's included
2 videos7 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
To improve our decision-making and problem solving skills, we must learn how our brain approaches these tasks. In this module, we'll discuss ways to improve. We'll also review how to keep our minds healthy with proven neuroscience.
What's included
2 videos8 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Many people see fear, stress and anxiety as somethign that should be avoided. In this module, you will come to learn that they each have a valuable part to play for performance related tasks. Being able to regulate arousal is the key to finding your sweet spot when it comes to elite performance.
What's included
3 videos11 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
To be at our best, we need to be able to withstand the storms of life. In this module you will come away with and understanding of psychological resilience, perseverance and mental toughness. Each overlapping the others. We'll also explore tactics for developing your mental strength.
What's included
4 videos10 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Instructor
![Ron Duren Jr.](https://d3njjcbhbojbot.cloudfront.net/api/utilities/v1/imageproxy/https://coursera-instructor-photos.s3.amazonaws.com/4a/b0cd0380b84582be32d5485af2bb62/Ron-Duren---photo6.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=1&w=75&h=75&fit=crop)
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Learner reviews
52 reviews
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Reviewed on Feb 4, 2025
The prof is amazing. Very complex information has been provided in very fluid and digestible way. this course is a must if you want to help yourself and those around you achieve their full potential
Reviewed on Mar 22, 2024
Excellent program for developing personal excellence
Reviewed on Oct 21, 2024
Quite useful for personal excellence understanding
Recommended if you're interested in Personal Development
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
The State University of New York
University of Colorado Boulder
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