IF WE CHOOSE OUR BRAINS CAN GROW, NOT DIE SLOWLY

Most depressing of all for me when I started researching my book was the realisation that no one still really knows that much about how the brain works (except for this analogy which I rather like: compared to the human brain the computer is as mundane as a can-opener.)  

But the computer brain plus a human being’s brain, well that’s another story. The human problem is this: we’re told that our brain cells are dying off at the rate of knots. So as I sit here writing this blog those little blighters are lining up at the mental crematorium in droves. That’s why my writing could in theory get worse and worse as time passes. Worse and worse……

But here’s the good news. Our brains can actually grow too. Research shows that taxi drivers’ brains grow as they do the knowledge – yes, their hippocampuses actually get bigger. The same is true with violists where the part of the brain that operates their nimble fingers of their left hand, grows. Ditto with ice skaters and their sense of balance.

Carol Dwek is Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and her book “Mind-set” is regarded as seminal in its exploration of mental motivation. It’s not only good on this it also talks persuasively about fixed and growth mind sets. We need the latter if we are to really grow our skills. As she says of people with ‘growth mind sets’: “They don't necessarily think everyone's the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.”

It gets better. There’s strong evidence that as you get older you can get actually more creative.

And writers can write better and better. For example Hilary Mantel is in her 60s; Donna Leon in her 70s: Daniel Kahneman in his 80s and PD James in her 90s.

Daniel Kahneman in action (above) proves it. That the bottom line is simply this. You can train your brain.
And it’s about time we all started doing that so when people ask us “what do you think?” what comes out of our mouths is a considered, thoughtful and useful reply that people listen to and think about themselves.

How to solve problems and make brilliant decisions. (Business Thinking Skills that really work) published by Pearson is coming out on November 12th 2014