You’re Not Too Old To Learn New Tricks

We recently purchased a new car, which came with a center console filled with buttons and apps and goodness knows what else. It has so many bells and whistles, it comes with a user’s manual the size of a dictionary. What a pain, I thought. Why does it need to be so complicated? Does anybody else have moments like these where you feel too old to learn how to operate yet another new device?

It seems like the more technology changes, the harder it is to keep up. And some days I can get a bit curmudgeonly about needing to learn a new system every time I purchase a new appliance or discover my software has been updated. I grumble about wasting hours figuring out the “new improved” controls when all I want is run a load of laundry or check my email.

But then I remember that we humans are blessed with brains that are capable of learning new things. Learning isn’t an annoyance. It’s how we grow and get the most out of life.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” –  Henry Ford

Good news! You’re not too old to learn new things

Science tells us that our brains continue to adapt our entire lives. We can create new neural connections at any age. That’s what enables us to develop new habits or learn new skills.

Plus, it’s good for us. Studies in various fields have shown that pursuing new experiences and skills enhances not just mental health, but physical and social health as well.

• Learning new things helps our brains remain agile and helps fight memory loss and cognitive decline. Challenging our brain with new skills exercises our brain “muscles.”
• Exploring new interests enhances our ability to creatively solve problems. The more ideas and experiences we absorb, the more creative fodder our subconscious has to work with. Besides, why should we be satisfied with what we already know when there is so much more to explore?
• An attitude of curiosity helps us remain flexible and able to adapt to change. (News flash: the world will continue to change whether we like it or not.) If we don’t stretch our brains, we’ll get stuck in mental ruts. The more we embrace lifelong learning, the more we can face new challenges with confidence. Plus, curiosity helps us find new purpose when we move from one season of life to the next.
• Learning a new skill forces us to concentrate, pulling our attention away from ruminating over negative thoughts and worries. This in turn helps us maintain a better perspective and enables us to feel happier.
• Learning helps us stay connected. We interact with instructors and fellow learners, and then we can pass what we have learned to others. Learning also enables us to see the world through other people’s perspectives, expanding our empathy and patience with others.

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” – Bill Nye

4 strategies for success when you’re afraid you’re too old to learn new things

It might feel like it takes forever to gain new skills or learn new ways of doing something. Partly, it’s because your brain becomes set in old thinking patterns and doesn’t want to change. But with consistent effort, you can rewire your thinking.

I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s very much possible. And here are 4 tips to help you succeed.

Take small steps

Mastering a new skill such as playing the piano or understanding how to use the control panel on a new car can feel daunting. Our current level of ability seems impossibly far from mastery of the subject. This is when we need a change of scope—we need to reduce the challenge to something we can handle.

That means breaking the challenge into manageable chunks, and then breaking those chunks into smaller subtasks until we come to a small step we can manage at our current level of ignorance and ineptitude. If we take it one small step at a time, we can eventually get there.

Which brings me to the next important strategy…

Be patient and enjoy the process

We like things to happen quickly. The faster we learn how to do the thing we want to do, the better. Unfortunately, expecting mastery to be quick is a recipe for disappointment.

We’re much less likely to give up when we approach the endeavor with patience and an acceptance that it will take time to achieve our goals. When we focus on the process rather than the end goal, we can find satisfaction in each small success. This, in turn, gives us motivation to keep putting in the hard work.

One thing at a time

We have a finite amount of time and energy each day. And as we age, it seems like we have less energy and things take more time. We need to come to terms with the fact that we can’t do it all—at least not all at once.

Mastery of a new skill generally includes learning several different subskills, each with its own goals and challenges.

When we try to accomplish too many different goals at the same time, we can’t give any of them the focus they deserve. That’s why it’s better to focus on one goal at a time. (Even though it means the whole endeavor may take longer. See the point on patience.)

Focusing on ONE thing means you have the time and mental bandwidth to practice with concentration, which in turn enables your efforts to be more effective. In the long run, you may discover that achieve mastery quicker than you would have trying to tackle everything at once.

Find people to support you

Learning is hard. Mastering a new skill is hard. You are much more likely to keep going when you have people to walk through the process with you.

Intentionally spend time with people who will encourage you, keep you accountable, and help you work through disappointments. At the same time, limit your exposure to naysayers and criticizers. It’s hard enough to overcome your own self-doubts and inner critic, you don’t need unhelpful negative messages from others telling you you’re too old to learn new tricks.

Because you’re not!

So I challenge you to find something new to learn about. And also, please find someone you can encourage by letting them know, “You’re not too old to learn something new.”