Meet Mark
Mark Tigchelaar (1984) is a cognitive psychologist, international bestselling author, and one of the leading experts on focus and performance. His books are translated into 20 languages. He is a highly sought-after keynote speaker at international conferences, where he translates neuropsychology into practical tools to improve focus, performance, and well-being. Mark lives in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Walking the talk
Mark fell in love with the topic of focus many years ago. It started with a deep dive into the science of focus and performance. Trained as a cognitive psychologist, Mark built a strong scientific foundation — but his curiosity didn’t stop there.
He wants to test and live every aspect of focus himself. That’s why each year he explores and experiences a new aspect of focus firsthand. Below are three highlights from that journey:
Mark trained with the Dutch Navy SEALs to explore how you maintain focus when pushed to your physical and mental limits for 72 hours straight. During this “Hell Week,” Mark slept just one hour over three days.
He climbed the Mont Blanc (15,781 feet) with no prior mountaineering experience, following eight months of focused preparation to understand long-term discipline, attention, and resilience under pressure.
He experienced focus at terminal velocity. Mark took up skydiving to understand how focus holds up while falling at 125 miles per hour. An interesting fact: during his very first solo jump, his parachute malfunctioned.
How it all started
Slowest kid in class
Mark: “I used to have a lot of trouble learning. Two weeks after my final exams, it became clear that I am quite dyslexic. That explained a lot, but changed little. I really wanted to study, but I couldn’t. I decided to delve into the workings of the brain. My frustration turned into fascination.
After studying several scientific studies on the brain, I understood how we can study faster, better and, above all, easier. I applied my new study method right away to my psychology study. I could now do this university study in only eight hours a week (normally it states, that you need 40 hours a week). A new world opened up to me. My fellow students also became enthusiastic about this and that’s how the first training sessions were born.”
His mission
Giving back control
We live in a world full of distraction and constant noise. Our attention is being pulled in every direction, often by forces with strong interests in keeping us distracted. This is not how it should be.
With my keynotes and books, my mission is to help people take back control of their focus. Not by working harder or relying on willpower, but by understanding how the brain truly works.
By combining neuroscience with real-life experience, I translate complex insights into practical tools people can apply immediately. So they can focus on what really matters, make better decisions, and work with more clarity and less stress — in a world that constantly tries to pull their attention away.
– Mark Tigchelaar
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