How to Change Your Brain's Patterns and Pathways

By our mid-20s, most of our brain's patterns become solidified. However, it's still possible to change and develop new neural pathways. Here’s how you can keep your brain agile and adaptable even as you age.

Summary

While our brains may become less flexible as we get older, we can still create new neural pathways and change ingrained patterns through focused attention, deliberate practice, and the right environment. These methods can help us stay mentally agile and enhance our personal and professional lives.

1. Focused Attention To keep your brain agile, you must engage in tasks that require intense focus and effort. This means working on activities that are challenging enough to exhaust you mentally and physically. Deborah Ancona and Tara Swart from MIT recommend learning new languages, mastering musical instruments, or tackling complex problems. These tasks force your brain to create new neurons and pathways by engaging in conscious processing, decision making, and problem-solving.

2. Deliberate Repetition and Practice Learning something new isn't enough; consistent practice is essential to solidify new neural connections. Swart highlights that repetition over several months is necessary for new pathways to become habitual. This period requires motivation, willpower, and self-control to maintain the practice until it becomes a default behavior.

3. The Right Environment Creating new neural pathways also depends on being in an environment conducive to change. Stress and survival instincts can keep your brain stuck in old patterns. A supportive and positive environment helps your brain focus on innovation and creativity rather than merely surviving. Swart emphasizes the importance of physical health, as proper hydration, nutrition, and rest are crucial for maintaining brain plasticity.

Conclusion

Changing your brain's pathways and patterns is challenging but possible. By engaging in focused, challenging activities, practicing consistently, and ensuring a supportive environment, you can keep your brain agile and adaptable. These methods not only improve mental flexibility but also enhance overall well-being and effectiveness in various aspects of life.