Neuroplasticity & Growth Mindset

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. This is an important concept in learning as it scientifically proves that skills and knowledge can be developed.

Understanding the principles of neuroplasticity benefits people in a few ways:

• 1. It helps them to apply tools and strategies to change their brain

• 2. The knowledge that they are capable of changing their brain can improve confidence and increase motivation to do the tasks that will help them to improve and learn

• Intermittent fasting:
  increases synaptic adaptation, promotes neuron growth, improve overall cognitive function, and decreases the risk of neurodegenerative disease

• Traveling:
  exposes your brain to novel stimuli and new environments, opening up new pathways and activity in the brain

• Using mnemonic devices:
  memory training can enhance connectivity in the prefrontal parietal network and prevent some age-related memory

• Learning a musical instrument:
  may increase connectivity between brain regions and help form new neural networks

• Non-dominant hand exercises:
  can form new neural pathways and strengthen the connectivity between neurons

• Reading fiction:
  increases and enhances connectivity in the brain

• Expanding your vocabulary:
  activates the visual and auditory processes as well as memory processing

• Creating artwork:
  enhances the connectivity of the brain at rest (the “default mode network” or DMN), which can boost introspection, memory, empathy, attention, and focus

• Dancing:
  reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and increases neural connectivity

• Sleeping:
  encourages learning retention through the growth of the dendritic spines that act as connections between neurons and help transfer information across cells

• 1. Practice, practice, practice

• 2. Put information into a context you understand

• 3. Find a strong purpose for learning

• 4. Remember that brains can change

• 5. Try new and better ways of doing things

Growth mindset is the mindset of “not yet”. It believes IQ, skills, knowledge, etc can be developed and that failings are temporary and changeable. Essentially, a growth mindset is the belief that anything you aren’t able to do is something you aren’t able to do YET. It also values effort over result, as effort is the act that when repeated will lead to success.

Something that finally clicked for me is that failure is key to success. Not because its impossible to succeed without failure, but because the most successful people are the ones who see failure as an opportunity to improve and a measure of their current skills, not intelligence or potential. The most successful people are not inherently better, they just keep trying despite failure, instead of seeing it as a sign that they should quit.

• 1. Looking at difficult things as fun challenges

• 2. Remembering that skills are learned

• 3. Pushing myself beyond my comfort zone

• 4. Embracing failure

• 5. Celebrating effort