Jason Silva, host of Brain Games

Jason Silva is a television personality, filmmaker, and public speaker. He is currently the host of Nat Geo’s “Brain Games.”

You started out making short films you call “Shots of Awe.” Why did you think digital was the best way to communicate your message?

I find the digital revolution a chance to make media on your own terms; less resources and more output. I can control every step of the process because the tools are somewhat affordable, which means that making content didn’t mean all the money that it used to mean. And for a control freak like me, who wants to control every facet of the output that he makes, it’s always been thrilling. So, I wanted to combine my love of telling stories, media, visually, with my own unique voice and control every step of the process. Philosophy and film was my double major in school, so that’s always been my thing.

When you were a kid, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up?

I was born an existentialist. I’ve just like always been incredibly curious and have always sought refuge in ideas and in the arts to provide a diversion from anxiety.

Was there a goal, or were you open to where life took you?

A little bit of both. I was kind of very Joseph Campbell – follow your bliss kind of thing. I always knew that video and ideas and philosophy were really what excited me. The use of media to agitate and stimulate or provoke was something exciting to me. And it just so happened my tools were digital tools as they sort of came of age.

Is there an obstacle you’ve had to overcome?

I think the obstacle is apathy. I think that what happens is sometimes you forget that the only person who can make things happen for yourself is you. Sometimes when I get inspired it sends me spiraling in one particular direction that leads to a butterfly effect of bifurcating, forking paths and it starts to change my direction.

How do you change that?

You have to make a change. I was in Miami for the holidays with family and stressing. There were a couple of days where I just kind of sunk into this, okay, this is just like a stressful vacation mindset. But then one day I was like no, no, no. I need to go and like do something, meet somebody, go on a date with a new girl. I just need to change it up. You have to have the willingness to get up from your cul-de-sac and error messages, that inner Woody Allen that sometimes keeps us from taking action. And when you’ve unstuck yourself, you realize that the only thing that was holding you back was you.

Is it a question of simply making that choice?

Yes, yes. A choice, but a choice based on identifying triggers and realizing that the self is a feedback loop. I design, therefore I become. It just means that every moment matters and every moment is leading to the next one. So be more mindful.

What do you think the future of video is going to be?

I think the future is people building micro followings that are robust enough that they are a permanent audience for your content and people become more niche and more niche and more niche there’s just more options for more people but I mean my videos getting 100,000 views a week now. It’s taking up all the channels.

What would you say to a kid who wants to do what you do when he or she grows up?

I would say to follow your curiosity. It sounds cliché, but that’s really it. Follow your curiosity. Follow your passion. That’s like your inner compass. You don’t need a map. You just need a compass. Whatever makes your heart skip a beat.

Did you have a favorite episode from the new season of “Brain Games”?

Every city we went to on this season is connected to the theme of the show. So we did an episode, my favorite, called The God Brain that we shot in Jerusalem. And it’s all about neuroscience and religious experience. What happens to the brain when you have a religious epiphany? Is religion an altered state of consciousness? We showed that the experience of God from the inside is a scientifically measurable experience from the outside.

How is the show different this season?

Each episode this season is an hour-long instead of 30 minutes. We decided to go deeper. We asked, how do we make it more immersive? One way is, we filmed internationally. The show retains a lot of the original magic, but we’re trying to do something a little bit different.

Learn more about Jason Silva at thisisjasonsilva.com or about “Brain Games” at channel.nationalgeographic.com/brain-games/