Eben Pagan explains the three brain types theory by Dr. Paul McClain - the reptilian brain (physical), mammalian brain (emotional), and human cortex (logical) - and how understanding which one dominates your thinking can help you identify your natural genius and business strengths. He breaks down how each type processes the world differently and provides a framework for identifying your primary, secondary, and shadow brain types.
The 3 Brain Types We All Have And Why They Are Important
Eben introduces Dr. Paul McClain's research showing humans evolved three distinct brain systems: the reptilian brain for physical survival, the mammalian brain for emotions and social bonding, and the human cortex for abstract thinking. These systems often conflict with each other, creating internal struggle when physical drives, emotional convictions, and logical reasoning pull in different directions.
Each person tends to be naturally oriented toward one of the three brain types as their primary genius. Physical geniuses excel at spatial awareness and hands-on activities, emotional geniuses tune into feelings and relationships, while logical geniuses manipulate abstract ideas with precision but may seem disconnected from emotions and physical reality.
Everyone operates with a primary brain type, secondary function, and shadow weakness. This creates six main combinations that determine optimal career paths: physical-emotional types make excellent healers, emotional-physical become artists, logical-physical work as inventors, while the reverse combinations create athletes, coaches, and scientists with different orientations.
Understanding your brain type combination helps you choose aligned career paths and business models rather than fighting your natural cognitive orientation. Your shadow area will always be your weakness, so the key is working around it strategically while maximizing your primary and secondary strengths.
“Dr. Paul McClain, after doing a lot of research, he put together a model called the Triune Brain Theory. And his theory is that we have three brains in one.”
— Eben Pagan▶ 0:30
The three brain types are the reptilian brain (physical), mammalian brain (emotional), and human cortex (logical). The reptilian brain handles survival, fight-or-flight, and physical interaction. The mammalian brain processes emotions and social bonding. The human cortex deals with abstract ideas and rational thinking.
“Are you primarily having a physical experience, feeling embodied, always in the moment, looking around, seeing physical objects, noticing how cause-effect works?”
— Eben Pagan▶ 14:08
Physical geniuses are comfortable with hands-on activities, spatial awareness, and tend to be good drivers or athletes. Emotional geniuses are tuned into feelings - their own and others' - and naturally help people with emotional problems. Logical geniuses work comfortably with abstract ideas and complex problem-solving but may seem disconnected from emotions and physical reality.
“someone who's a primary physical genius and secondarily an emotional genius would probably make an excellent doctor or some type of a healer”
— Eben Pagan▶ 9:33
Primary physical + secondary emotional types make excellent doctors and healers. Primary emotional + secondary physical become artists and performers. Primary logical + secondary physical work as inventors and scientists. Primary logical + secondary emotional excel as teachers and philosophers. Primary emotional + secondary logical become coaches and therapists.
“when you have a physical drive, that often conflicts with your emotional conviction, and that often conflicts with what you know is right for you”
— Eben Pagan▶ 4:48
The three brain types evolved at different times for different purposes and don't naturally work together well. When your physical drives want one thing, your emotions feel another way, and your logic knows something different, you experience internal conflict as you're pulled in three directions simultaneously.
“we have a primary function, a secondary function, and what we might call a shadow or our weakness, our Achilles heel”
— Eben Pagan▶ 9:01
Your shadow brain type is your weakest area - the one of the three that you pay least attention to and struggle with most. Everyone has a primary type, secondary type, and shadow type. For example, logical-emotional combinations typically have physical as their shadow, making them disorganized and disconnected from their body.
“I've found this to be one of the most valuable and kind of simple models for understanding myself and others and my relationship with myself and others”
— Eben Pagan▶ 0:30
Knowing your brain type helps you choose the right career path and business model that aligns with your natural strengths. Instead of fighting against your nature, you can leverage your primary and secondary types while being aware of your shadow areas and working around them strategically.
A self-assessment process to determine whether you're primarily physical, emotional, or logical
Assess Physical Orientation
Notice if you're naturally comfortable with hands-on activities, spatial awareness, body movement, construction, sports, or driving. Physical types are embodied and tuned into cause-and-effect in the tangible world.
Evaluate Emotional Awareness
Observe if you're naturally tuned into your emotions and others' feelings, comfortable helping people through emotional problems, and focused on making yourself and others feel better emotionally.
Check Logical Tendencies
Determine if you're most comfortable working with abstract ideas, solving complex problems, creating detailed visions, or manipulating concepts in your mind rather than feeling emotions or focusing on physical reality.
Identify Secondary Function
After identifying your primary type, notice which of the remaining two brain types you're secondarily strong in - this combination determines your optimal career path.
Recognize Your Shadow
Identify which brain type you struggle with most - this is your weakness area to be aware of and work around rather than trying to fix completely.
Humans have three distinct brain systems that evolved sequentially: the reptilian brain for physical survival, the mammalian brain for emotions and bonding, and the human cortex for abstract thinking and logic.
Based on Dr. Paul McClain's Triune Brain Theory research. The reptilian brain developed first at the base of the skull for fight/flight/reproduction, the mammalian brain evolved for live birth species to bond and nurture young, and the cortex developed dense neurons at the front for processing abstract ideas and symbols.
The three brain types often conflict with each other, causing internal struggle when your physical drives, emotional convictions, and logical reasoning pull you in different directions.
Specific example given: craving french fries (physical drive) while feeling guilty emotionally and knowing mentally it's unhealthy long-term. This creates three-way internal conflict that explains much of human internal struggle.
People tend to be oriented toward one brain type as their primary genius: physical geniuses excel at spatial awareness and hands-on activities, emotional geniuses tune into feelings and relationships, and logical geniuses manipulate abstract ideas with precision.
Physical geniuses are good drivers, often bodybuilders, comfortable with rock climbing and construction. Emotional geniuses focus on empathizing and helping others through emotional problems. Logical geniuses work in abstract idea space, often seeming disconnected but able to solve complex problems and design software.
Everyone has a primary brain type, a secondary function, and a shadow or weakness, creating six possible combinations that determine optimal career paths and natural abilities.
Examples provided: Primary physical + secondary emotional makes excellent doctors/healers. Primary emotional + secondary physical creates artists and performers. Primary logical + secondary physical (like Eben) architects information to work in reality. Primary logical + secondary emotional makes good philosophers/teachers.
Primary physical + secondary emotional types excel as doctors and healers because they understand physical cause-effect while being tuned into emotional well-being and patient care.
Contrasted with traditional doctors with poor bedside manner who are likely physical + logical combinations, disconnected from emotions. The physical-emotional combination is more common in wellness and alternative health industries.
Primary emotional + secondary physical types become natural artists and performers because art is about expressing emotion through physical mediums like acting, dancing, painting, or music.
Specific examples given: acting, dancing, creating paintings, creating music - all involve living primarily in emotion space while expressing through physical mediums.
Primary logical + secondary physical types architect information and create ideas that work in the physical world, excelling at inventing in thought space while ensuring real-world functionality.
Eben identifies himself as this type - primarily logical but fascinated with making ideas work in the physical world. They like to 'build something physical in their minds with ideas' and want inventions to work in reality.
Scientists typically operate as either primary physical + secondary logical or primary logical + secondary physical, which explains why science often appears disconnected from emotion and human connection.
Both combinations live in physical and logical realms while having emotions in their shadow. This systematic, rational approach to physical reality naturally excludes emotional considerations and human connection concerns.
Primary logical + secondary emotional types make excellent philosophers and teachers because they operate in idea space but are passionate about their concepts and can connect with others intellectually.
They combine abstract thinking with emotional passion for ideas, creating the ability to teach and philosophize effectively by bridging intellectual concepts with emotional engagement.
Primary emotional + secondary logical types excel as coaches, therapists, and consultants because they naturally care about others' emotional well-being while taking systematic, rational approaches to helping.
They combine natural interest in emotional health and growth with systematic and rational methodologies, creating effective helping professionals who balance care with structure.
People with logical-emotional combinations (either primary) tend to have physical as their shadow, making them disorganized in the real world and disconnected from their physical body and health.
They become 'abstracted from reality' by living in their heads and emotions, losing touch with physical organization, bodily awareness, and health maintenance in the natural world.
Humans have three distinct brain systems that evolved sequentially: the reptilian brain for physical survival, the mammalian brain for emotions and bonding, and the human cortex for abstract thinking and logic.
▶ 0:30The three brain types often conflict with each other, causing internal struggle when your physical drives, emotional convictions, and logical reasoning pull you in different directions.
▶ 4:48People tend to be oriented toward one brain type as their primary genius: physical geniuses excel at spatial awareness and hands-on activities, emotional geniuses tune into feelings and relationships, and logical geniuses manipulate abstract ideas with precision.
▶ 5:23Everyone has a primary brain type, a secondary function, and a shadow or weakness, creating six possible combinations that determine optimal career paths and natural abilities.
▶ 9:01Primary physical + secondary emotional types excel as doctors and healers because they understand physical cause-effect while being tuned into emotional well-being and patient care.
▶ 9:33Primary emotional + secondary physical types become natural artists and performers because art is about expressing emotion through physical mediums like acting, dancing, painting, or music.
▶ 10:39Primary logical + secondary physical types architect information and create ideas that work in the physical world, excelling at inventing in thought space while ensuring real-world functionality.
▶ 11:09Scientists typically operate as either primary physical + secondary logical or primary logical + secondary physical, which explains why science often appears disconnected from emotion and human connection.
▶ 11:51Primary logical + secondary emotional types make excellent philosophers and teachers because they operate in idea space but are passionate about their concepts and can connect with others intellectually.
▶ 12:26Primary emotional + secondary logical types excel as coaches, therapists, and consultants because they naturally care about others' emotional well-being while taking systematic, rational approaches to helping.
▶ 12:59People with logical-emotional combinations (either primary) tend to have physical as their shadow, making them disorganized in the real world and disconnected from their physical body and health.
▶ 13:33Scroll for more
Claim: “Internal conflict and struggle are just part of being human and should be accepted as normal”
Reframe: Internal conflict often stems from the three brain types pulling you in different directions, and understanding this can help you resolve the conflict systematically
Claim: “Everyone should try to be well-rounded and equally good at everything”
Reframe: People are naturally oriented toward one brain type as their genius, and success comes from identifying and leveraging your primary type rather than trying to be equally strong in all areas
Claim: “Your weaknesses need to be fixed and brought up to the same level as your strengths”
Reframe: Your shadow brain type will always be your weakness, and instead of fighting this, you should recognize it and work around it while maximizing your primary and secondary strengths
“we have three brains in one”
“when you have a physical drive, that often conflicts with your emotional conviction, and that often conflicts with what you know is right for you”
“humans tend to be oriented toward one of these three realms”
“we have a primary function, a secondary function, and what we might call a shadow or our weakness, our Achilles heel”
“I've found this to be one of the most valuable and kind of simple models for understanding myself and others”
How Your Mistakes Can Inspire Others
Discover how teaching what you learn creates a superpower that allows you to combine different expertise areas into unique market positions that few others can replicate.
3 “Genius Types” + How To Leverage Yours For Success
Discover which of the 3 genius types you are and how to use this knowledge to unlock your natural strengths and create more engaging content.
How to Reach NEW CLIENTS By Sharing What’s Most Valuable To You (Rapid Success)
The dropout who built a multi-million dollar business reveals his secret formula for turning any skill into unique market value.
Building Trust Authority Presentations
The surprising psychological secret that makes customers eager to buy from you - and it's not what most sales training teaches.
Communicating So Others Listen
A simple headline change took Eben from zero response to phones ringing off the hook — here's the communication formula that built his multi-million dollar business.
Coaching Strategies
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes
Genuine enthusiasm is the most overlooked and powerful element in building trust and authority in sales presentations - if you're not enthusiastic about what you're selling, it's nearly impossible to get customers excited about paying you
Eben states he's 'known a lot of salespeople, been a salesperson, hired and trained a lot of people' and emphasizes that 'enthusiasm is really infectious' and 'when you've got someone who's genuinely excited about the thing that they're selling, it's almost impossible to not get caught up in their motivation'
In neuro-linguistic programming, 'you go first' - if you want your customer to be in a particular emotional state, you must enter that emotional state first
Eben explains the NLP principle and applies it specifically to sales: 'you want your customer to eventually be really excited and enthusiastic about paying you, about trading you some of their value... If they're not enthusiastic, they're gonna be doing it out of obligation or out of pressure, and that just leads to all kinds of problems'
Your communication skill level determines your ability to get attention, teach, influence, sell, and market - it's a fundamental skill supporting all key success areas in life.
Eben explains that without communication skills, people experience less control and influence, miss goals in health and money, can't build deep relationships, and can't motivate others to take action.
Branding advertisements that focus on getting your name out there typically fail, while direct response marketing that offers specific value gets immediate results.
Eben's real estate ad with empty chair saying 'Evan Pagan is far too busy helping people buy and sell real estate to pose for pictures' got zero calls, while 'Free report reveals expensive mistakes to avoid when buying or selling a home' made phones ring off the hook for the same spend.
