Neuroplasticity and Growth Mindset

1. Neuroplasticity

1.1 Understanding the principles

First, what is neuroplasticity?

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to adapt and change throughout a person's life in response to experiences, learning, and environmental factors. Neuroplasticity makes your brain extremely resilient and is the process by which all permanent learning takes place in your brain, such as playing a musical instrument or mastering a different language.

How does understanding this principle benefits people?

Until recently, the conventional thinking was that our brains were hard-wired at birth and therefore unchangeable. In actuality, our brains are like malleable plastic that is constantly being reshaped by our daily experiences. Neuroplasticity has far-reaching implications and possibilities for almost every aspect of human life and culture, from education to medicine.Its limits are not yet known. Understanding the principles of neuroplasticity can provide numerous benefits for individuals:

Enhanced learning
Mental health
Neurorehabilitation
..........

1.2 How you might engage with the principles of neuroplasticity for your benefit.

There are a lot of strategies how one could engage with the principles of neuroplasticity for their own profit.

Some of these include:

Continuously learning: Since our brains are like malleable plastic that is constantly being reshaped by our daily experiences, engaging in continuous learning and acquiring new skills can stimulate neuroplasticity. Researching new topics, engaging in challenging activities, exploring new hobbies could promote brain flexility and growth.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practising mindfulness and Meditation techniques can positively infulence neuroplasticity. In the previous sprint we talked about how this could significantly improve one's mental health hence increase the efficiency overall performance, specially neuroplasticity.
Physical Exercise: Just like any muscles in the body, our brain's muscles could be trained as well. When people repeatedly practise an activity or access a memory, their neural networks - groups of neurons that fire together, creating electrochemical pathways - shape themselves according to that activity or memory. When people stop practising new things, the brain will eventually eliminate or "prune" the connecting cells that formed the pathways.

1.3 There are some additional ways that could help increasing your neuroplasticity:

Get sufficient sleep
Reduce stress
Socialize and connect
Step out of your comfort zone and expose yourself to new experiences.

2. Growth Mindset

2.1 Definition

Growth mindset is a concept developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, which refers to the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance.

“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” (Dweck, 2015)

Why is it relevant?

Well, until recently, the conventional thinking was that our brains were wired at birth and therefore unchangeable. That is the definition of a fixed mindset:

“In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.” (Dweck, 2015)

Growth mindset allows people to value what they're doing regardless of the outcome. With a growth mindset, one would be able to tackle problems, chart new courses, work on important issue. Effort to increase neuroplasticity is involved, but far more than that, your mindset if about your access to support and your repertoire of strategies to help you solve problems.

2.2 In this exploration, did anything surprise you? Change for you? How will you integrate growth mindset into your learning journey?

Nothing actually suprised me. However, there's a lot of changes for me which would help integrate growth mindset into my learning journey.

First of all, just like the majority of people on earth, the thought of "your brain is fixed" has been implanted in your head since you were borned and it is not easy to change that. In fact, we do believe that talents play the most important rules in one's success. However, the more I explore about new things, the more I am able to gradually change my thinking and practising my neuroplasticity, hence improving my abilities in learning new things, performing new tasks and eventually would be able to achieve my goals.

Exploring neuroplasticity and growth mindset has proved that everyone has the ability to train their brain, that the brain is not fixed, and that by continously learning and practising, one could be able to enhance existing cognitive capabilities, hence boosting their brain fitness. Age and environment play a role. Generally, young brains tend to be more sensitive and responsive to experiences than much older brains. But this does not mean that adult brains are not capable of adaptation.

By understanding and practising brain neuroplasticity and growth mindset, I would be more confident in any aspect of life, belive in myself more and therefore I will be able to achieve the goals that I set out.

3. Resources

One of the resources that I found particularly useful or engaging for both neuroplasticity and growth mindset is the book "Think and grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. It is not a free book but I recommend you to read it if you haven't already. You can buy your own copy here. Despite the book’s title, this book is not about how to increase your income and become rich. The author’s philosophy can help just about anyone succeed in their professional life, achieve their aspirations, and attract success in their life. It is all about having a growth mindset, and always belive in the power of your own brain.