The “Get Quiet” exercise is about giving your sensory organs (eyes, ears, nose, etc.) a break to avoid sensory overload.
The goal is to quiet external stimuli to allow your brain to process and organize information more effectively, improving awareness and observational skills.
Why Give Your Senses a Rest?
Constantly engaging your sensory organs overloads the brain, reducing its ability to analyze and observe accurately.
When the brain is not overwhelmed, it can index—or organize and interpret sensory data more clearly—leading to sharper awareness.
The “Clean Palate” Effect
The exercise works like cleansing your palate before trying new flavors—it resets your senses so they are fresh and receptive to new information.
This enhances your ability to notice subtle details and make better observations in a given environment.
When and Why to Use the Get Quiet Exercise
The technique is particularly useful before entering a situation where keen observation is required, such as meetings, negotiations, or investigations.
It ensures you go in with fresh sensory awareness, giving you an informational advantage in the situation.
Gaining the Upper Hand through Observation
In high-stakes environments, most people operate with narrow, limited perceptions, missing critical details.
By resetting your sensory awareness through “Get Quiet,” you gain more perspective and insight than others, enhancing your decision-making ability.
How to Practice “Get Quiet”
Find a quiet space where external stimuli are minimized.
Close your eyes and relax your body, reducing reliance on vision, sound, and smell.
Sit still and focus inward—this allows your brain to process and organize existing information, making room for new observations.
Use this state to prepare mentally before stepping into a new situation or task.
The CIA’s Use of Sensory Reset Techniques
Intelligence organizations like the CIA use techniques like this to ensure agents enter environments with heightened awareness.
Fresh sensory input enables them to gather more accurate and nuanced information, giving them an edge in any scenario.
Conclusion: Awareness is a Competitive Advantage
Practicing Get Quiet helps you reset your senses, boosting your ability to observe, interpret, and act effectively.
In a world where most people are distracted and overwhelmed, this practice provides clarity, focus, and an informational edge that can make a critical difference.