--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The brain needs to have a story; it needs…" description: "\"The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a logical screenplay telling where we're coming from and what we're going to.\" — Miguel Nicolelis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brain_the-brain-needs-to-have-a-story-it-needs_1156919.jpg" --- # The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a… ![“The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a logical screenplay telling where we're coming from and what we're going to.” quote by Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brain_the-brain-needs-to-have-a-story-it-needs_1156919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brain_the-brain-needs-to-have-a-story-it-needs_1156919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14a/miguel-nicolelis-25910_brain_the-brain-needs-to-have-a-story-it-needs_1156919.jpg) > “The brain needs to have a story; it needs to have a logical screenplay telling where we're coming from and what we're going to.” [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The brain processes experiences as stories, requiring coherent, logical sequences to understand past, present, and future events. **In simple terms:** Our minds need clear storylines to make sense of life. Key Takeaway Structure information as a logical narrative. Themes cognition storytelling neuroscience psychology learning Mood inspirational educational Type cognitive motivational When to use this quote - education - marketing - personal goal setting - therapy Key Concepts narrative framing mental models temporal sequencing meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - How can you craft a compelling yet accurate story? - What narratives shape your personal identity? A Different Perspective Over‑simplified stories can ignore complexity and nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Screenplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplay/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [Does religion fill a much needed gap? It is often said that there is a God-shaped gap in the brain which needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/does-religion-fill-a-much-needed-gap-it-is-often-said-that-there-is-a/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Remember on this one thing, said Badger. The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/remember-on-this-one-thing-said-badger-the-stories-people-tell-have-a/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [The world needs your story in order to be complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-jackson/the-world-needs-your-story-in-order-to-be-complete/) Anne Jackson > [“Your Brain needs to discover your Higgs Boson to get more out of every Situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemdan-m-aly/your-brain-needs-to-discover-your-higgs-boson-to-get-more-out-of/) [Hemdan M. Aly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemdan-m-aly/) > [“Your brain needs space to think, not more tasks demanding attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felecia-etienne/your-brain-needs-space-to-think-not-more-tasks-demanding-attention/) [Felecia Etienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felecia-etienne/) > [You and you alone are the only person that can live the life that writes the story that you were meant to tell. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/you-and-you-alone-are-the-only-person-that-can-live-the-life-that/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [“Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive... from Crow and Weasel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/sometimes-a-person-needs-a-story-more-than-food-to-stay-alive-from/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/sometimes-a-person-needs-a-story-more-than-food-to-stay-alive/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [I think things go wrong when there's not a very specific plan and specific emotional roadmap. You need to know what a scene needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/i-think-things-go-wrong-when-there-s-not-a-very-specific-plan-and/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-l-pez/if-stories-come-to-you-care-for-them-and-learn-to-give-them-away/) [Barry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-l-pez/) > [For horror, the needs of the story have to be first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/for-horror-the-needs-of-the-story-have-to-be-first/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [To be truly engaged at work, your brain needs periodic breaks to gain fresh perspective and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/to-be-truly-engaged-at-work-your-brain-needs-periodic-breaks-to-gain/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [Our brain needs comfort. When you irritate it, you cannot think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoran/our-brain-needs-comfort-when-you-irritate-it-you-cannot-think/) Zoran > [This body's left the soul. The brain needs oxygen. Can't sneak around this bai.t His catacomb has got me by the chin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevelle/this-body-s-left-the-soul-the-brain-needs-oxygen-can-t-sneak-around/) Chevelle > [Every designer needs a story. Mine is all about glamour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naeem-khan/every-designer-needs-a-story-mine-is-all-about-glamour/) Naeem Khan ## More by Miguel Nicolelis > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [It's not telepathy. It's not the Borg. But we created a new central nervous system made of two brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/it-s-not-telepathy-it-s-not-the-borg-but-we-created-a-new-central/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [There are several patients - there are thousands of patients, tens of thousands of patients, that carry either a stimulator in the brain or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/there-are-several-patients-there-are-thousands-of-patients-tens-of/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [You could have all the computer chips ever in the world and you won’t create a consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/you-could-have-all-the-computer-chips-ever-in-the-world-and-you-won-t/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We cannot even predict what kinds of emergent properties would appear when animals begin interacting as part of a brain-net. In theory, you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-cannot-even-predict-what-kinds-of-emergent-properties-would-appear/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We have about 100 million cells interconnected in our brains. They communicate with one another through electrical signals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-have-about-100-million-cells-interconnected-in-our-brains-they/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We want kids to think that they can think about science. They don't need to just play soccer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-want-kids-to-think-that-they-can-think-about-science-they-don-t/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [Impossible is just the possible that someone has not put enough effort to make it come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/impossible-is-just-the-possible-that-someone-has-not-put-enough/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We started all this research way back in the early 1990s, developing a technique that allows us to record the electrical signals produced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-started-all-this-research-way-back-in-the-early-1990s-developing-a/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We basically created a computational unit out of two brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-basically-created-a-computational-unit-out-of-two-brains/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [It's the first time an exoskeleton has been controlled by brain activity and offered feedback to the patients. Doing a demonstration in a stadium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/it-s-the-first-time-an-exoskeleton-has-been-controlled-by-brain/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [I have no military application in my research. You know, we are all involved into rehabilitation medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-have-no-military-application-in-my-research-you-know-we-are-all/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [We want to galvanize people's imaginations. With enough political will and investment, we could make wheelchairs obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/we-want-to-galvanize-people-s-imaginations-with-enough-political-will/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [Essentially, all expressions of human nature ever produced, from a caveman's paintings to Mozart's symphonies and Einstein's view of the universe, emerge from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/essentially-all-expressions-of-human-nature-ever-produced-from-a/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [The kind of neuroscience that I do and my colleagues do is almost like the weatherman. We are always chasing storms. We want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/the-kind-of-neuroscience-that-i-do-and-my-colleagues-do-is-almost/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) [Explore all 22 Miguel Nicolelis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) ## More Brain quotes > [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/) [Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/) > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/) [Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/) [Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/) > [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. 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