Learning new skills: Why you should make the effort

There are many general benefits of embracing new skills.

• Long-term brain changes can slow the mental decline that comes with ageing. A study of adults - aged 58 to 86 - who pursued a handful of courses showed a marked improvement on more general cognitive tests - matching the performance of adults 30 years younger. The benefits came from pursuing multiple skills, not just one skill.
• The ongoing pursuit of different interests may increase your creativity.
• Intellectual humility - the capacity to recognise the limits of your knowledge - can open your minds to new ways of thinking.