5 Tricks to Double YourPower to Learn

"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it." -

Albert Einstein

Think back to when you last learned a new skill. Odds are, youre thinking back to

when you were back in school when you were still young. Very rarely do you hear a

person learning a new skill in their 80s. You hear 1 or 2 "miracle" stories, but thats

it. You think that youre way p ast the period where you can improve your IQ or your

brain power. Wrong.

While the human brain is powerful, it is also EXTREMEMLY MALLEABLE . What

that means is that our brain is capable of " upgrading" and "downgrading" itself -

depending on how we apply it.

The concept of brain plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity to some, refers to the

brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience.

Older research up until the 1960s suggests that changes in the brain could only

occur during the early stages of our life. Newer studies have instead disputed that

claim; there were cases of older adults suffering from massive strokes regaining

normal functioning, showing that the brain was much more malleable than

previously believed.

Modern research has demonstrated that we are capable of developing new skills and

learning new information as our brain change existing neural pathways AND creating

NEW ones to adapt to new experiences.

Now, the most important question is: HOW do we apply this concept?

The brain functions most effectively when different, as opposed to similar,

locations are stimulated simultaneously. When the same area is needed for

two different tasks, the interference effect occurs which frequently results in

becoming frustrated.

Thats why its annoying to try to simultaneously listen to someone on the telephone

and to someone in the same room with you. You inevitably have to tell one of them

to hold on for just a moment so as to focus on listening to only one of them.

You can build your brain from so many different angles. Here are some effective

BSTN methods to strengthen your overall gray matter:

1. The Multi-Pass Approach

2. Engaging in whole-brain activities

3. Sharpening your vision and ALL other senses

4. Increasing your mental acuity with broad and varied reading

5. Brain Wave Entrainment

1. The Multi -Pass Approach

This BSTN techniqueinvolves exposing your brain to new material as soon as

possible, even if its only for a few minutes. This does not mean force-feeding new

knowledge into your brain; it simply means exploring a subject of interest to you.

For example, say you have not yet had the time to read a Stephen Hawking book,

but you see an excerpt from one of his books in a magazine article while you are in

the doctors office waiting room. Dive in! You may only have 10 minutes to read,

and the material may be confusing. The confusion is simply the first stage of

learning. From that point on, your subconscious will begin assimilating the material

in a process of incubation.

There is no limit to the amount of material the subconscious can incubate. The next

time you read t he same concepts discussed by Stephen Hawking, they willbe easier

to understand.

2. Engaging in whole -brain activities

In other words, engage in new activities. When youre learning something new,

many of the areas of the brain are involved. But once yo u become used to it or

master it, a much smaller area of the brain is involved, usually only the parts

involved in your motor skills.

Thats why repetitive factory jobs or being a telephone operator are literally mind-

numbing. So if youre engaged inrepetitive work, stop daydreaming, and focus on

the task at hand to engage your entire brain again. Try to do something differently

if possible, or try to improve your skill.

For example, if youre a telephone operator, try to press the buttons evenfaster.

This will improve your speed, which will look great for your next employee

evaluation! Or if you really dont find fully concentrating on the toilet bowl youre

cleaning as enjoyable, then focus your mind on something constructive, such as

mentally creating poetry!

3. Sharpen your vision and ALL other senses

This BSTN exercisewill create new networks; enhance the brains representational

properties; increase visualization prowess; boost short-term memory; and improve

your ability to ignore distractions and focus the mind.

All senses are active brain processes.Perception, knowledge and brain enhancement

form a unified process. To exercise your vision, look at a houseplant from different

angles. Study it until you can recreate it with your eyes closed --until you can see

every last detail in your mind exactly the way it appears in reality; include the exact

same number of leaves and stems.

With your other senses, develop a keen awarenessof each. When youre eating,

focus your mind on the texture and flavor of your food, and chew slowly; dont

distract yourself by reading, watching television or having a meeting. This trick also