Have you stopped learning new things?

And some ideas on how to start again.

When I hit 30, I realized I had to make a serious effort to learn a new thing. And by this I don’t mean new facts and ideas but new skills. I am busy enough that the ROI instinctively didn’t seem worth it for many projects but then what’s the opportunity cost of mental stagnation?

Learning new skills — however trivial their direct value and however time consuming the effort — is always worth it. Other than the inherent joy of acquiring a new skill, learning a new one also helps you keep a growth mindset. It helps you feel more comfortable stepping outside your comfort zone in work, embracing failure and remembering what being a beginner is all about. Best way to kill the fear of starting something new! As Carol Dweck writes in her book Mindset, the biggest downside of a fixed mindset is the inability to cope with failure or take risks.

Here are some good ideas to try:

1. Juggling — the research on this is unequivocal. Juggling helps in nerve fiber growth and increased connectivity in the brain at any age. This is my plan for 2017.
2. A Musical Instrument — a tough one if you had no exposure as a kid and can’t tell notes apart but if you can, pick up that guitar.
3. A New Language — there’s even some research linking this to better impulse control! I started learning Spanish a while ago and found it immensely therapeutic.
4. A New “Sport”- probably the most challenging as we get older, so better start now! Buy a bike.. or a Steph Curry vest.
5. Teenager chops — everyone has some teenage skill they missed picking up on — video games, driving or perhaps just using Snapchat :) ? For me this one is touch typing at 80 wpm but anything that requires new complex muscle memory works

A truly challenging project is likely to be a year or two year project so the key is to give yourself time to accomplish it and plenty of positive reinforcement when you make progress.