Children learn things almost by default. It’s a combination of not knowing anything to start with and having the open-mindedness that makes it much easier to pick up new things. For adults who’ve developed habits and whose brains have literally become more set in their ways, getting in the right learning mindset is a bit more difficult.
Adults may not be as good as children at absorbing knowledge or picking up new skills, but our brains still have an amazing capacity for growth and change. It just often goes unrecognized. We get stuck in old habits because that’s how it’s always been, or we listened to someone telling us we’re no good, or we’re too focused on the daily grind to consider anything else.
Learning isn’t just something we do because there’s a specific goal we need to achieve. It can be fun for its own sake. You can play a musical instrument without putting on a concert. You can play a sport without entering a competition. You can do things that aren’t necessary for school or work, and you can do them without needing to be the best.
That’s if you approach learning with the right mindset. If you’re willing and open, you can experience the benefits of learning and all that comes with it. That includes general improvements in your cognitive function and your creativity. All the research suggests that learning a broad range of skills throughout life is good for your brain (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31201426/).
So how exactly do you approach learning to make it more beneficial? What is the right mindset? There are a few approaches that may help. One is deliberate practice, which is when you analyze and plan your training rather than mindlessly repeating things in the hope that it sticks. Another is varying your practice to force your brain to be flexible in its approach.
There’s also some evidence that trying to teach others is a good way to improve yourself. Even knowing that you’re later going to be trying to pass your new skill or knowledge onto others can make you more attentive in your own lessons.
You don’t need to jump right in and try to master something difficult straight away. By taking it slowly and being careful but open in your approach, you can start to enjoy learning again and all the benefits it brings.
