Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to develop and reorganise its neural connections throughout an individual's life. This process is ongoing and happens as we grow, learn, and adapt; meaning that our brains are not static, but malleable. This makes our brains resilient and allows permanent learning to take place, such as when we learn a new language or instrument, or recover from stroke or injury.
Have you ever heard the expression "neurons that fire together, wire together"? This refers to the strengthening of neural connections when a task is performed, or information/memory is recalled repeatedly. So the more something is practiced, the stronger and more efficient the neural connections for the task becomes. Our brains are actually changing physiologically in response to our behaviours and experiences.
Through knowing that our brain is malleable rather than fixed, we can be empowered to develop our brains and skills further. The idea of "practice makes permanence" is motivating to me – that through repetition my brain is physically changing and becoming more efficient at specific tasks. Also, by putting information into context and relating it to what I already know (tapping into pathways that already exist), this will benefit me in my learning journey at Dev Academy.
Other ways to increase neuroplasticity include:
Click here for an inspiring story about neuroplasticity.
The Growth Mindset is about the belief that abilities can be developed and our intelligence is not fixed. It is about changing our perspective and outlook and believing that we have some control over our abilities and that the input we dedicate to a task will increase our chances of succeeding at it. And rather than being fixated on outcomes, we need to focus on process – our effort, focus, strategies, improvement, and perseverance; as it is these factors that build our resilience.
Another significant premise of the Growth Mindset is that when we are pushed out of our comfort zones and are given challenges, our brains respond by creating stronger neural connections. Therefore, we need to transform the meaning of effort and difficulty – rather than having negative connotations, these both lead to stronger neural connections, ultimately making us smarter.
This exploration of the Growth Mindset made me realise how focused our education system is on outcomes, rather than process. We are given a grade to achieve in order to make it through to the next level, but we're not rewarded for the process it takes to get there. What isn't reflected in outcomes is that we don't all come from the same starting point – that to achieve a certain outcome can be a lot more difficult for some than others and how much our environment can play a factor in this. As an individual I've fallen into this trap of aiming to get the best grades and been weary of making mistakes – seeing them as a failure, rather than as part of the learning process.
Click here to read further about Growth Mindset and how being exceptional at something is a mix of both innate ability as well copious amounts of effort.