How a 'beginners’ mindset' can help you learn anything

Children are very good at picking up patterns implicitly. But after age 12, we lose some of that capacity to absorb new information.

This does not mean that adults can't learn. We still have "neuroplasticity" - the ability for the brain to rewire itself in response to new challenges.

Anyone can use these basic principles to make learning more effective.

1. Learn from your mistakes. Instead of repeating information over and over, think about what you did right and what you did wrong.
2. Practice should be varied. Change how you learn something. It forces the brain's learned patterns to become more flexible.
3. Teach others the same skill. Consider sharing the skill you're learning with someone you know.