Learn + Unlearn
How often are you learning new things? Have you stopped thinking about doing so since finishing school? Always learning proves to be beneficial both personally and professionally.
Learning does a lot for your brain. It’s more than just gathering knowledge and becoming smarter. It challenges your brain to change and adapt rather than remain the same.
This change of the brain is called neuroplasticity. When you acquire a new skill, hobby or information, the brain fires new neural pathways. We’ve talked about novelty in a previous post talking about living on autopilot.
Novelty is good for the brain in that it:
Releases feel-good hormones
Builds confidence
Forms new connections and firing patterns
Reduces stress and anxiety
Increases motivation and memory
Decreases risk of neurocognitive disorders
And more
One of the biggest advantages to always learning new things is that it is neuroprotective. Meaning the brain’s structure and function is being preserved. This is critical as one gets older.
Aim to learn new skills, hobbies, languages, types of workouts, movements, etc. Watch YouTube videos, read books, listen to podcasts, attend classes or learn by doing. Try something new each month or choose one thing to focus on for a while.
The same goes for unlearning bad or negative habits. It’s important to remove actions that can hold you back or even harm you. Mentalities, habits, form and vocabulary are some areas in which unlearning is beneficial.
Examples of things to unlearn include:
Comparison
Fear of failure and change
Unrealistic expectations
Outside validation
Negative self-talk
Unhealthy coping mechanisms
It’s crucial to unlearn bad form in the gym or in a sport as well. Improper or incorrect form can lead to injury and hinder one’s progress. It provides a false sense of accomplishment since the exercise can’t be performed as intended.
Those who come from a more athletic background will most likely struggle with this. The longer you have been performing an exercise or movement incorrectly, the longer it’ll take to unlearn because of neural pathways. The first step is awareness.
It may take awhile and feel frustrating, but give yourself grace.
By continuing with bad form, you’re essentially lying to yourself. It becomes “ego lifting” where you’re more concerned with how heavy you can go rather than lifting properly. Your safety and health is most important when working out.
Improper form means you aren’t gaining full benefits either. Doesn’t that defeat the point? It’s worth the time to correct bad form.
Remember: Deload weeks are the perfect opportunity to decrease your load and focus on proper form.
It might feel more difficult or even easier once you tweak your form. This can be things like stance, embracing your core, foot placement, hand placement, grip, etc. Once perfected, you’ll unlock your true potential.
Learning in general causes one to unlock their true potential and self.
You may discover your real passion, interests, beliefs or skill set. It may lead you down a different career path. It may lead you to new people too.
Make it a point to learn (or unlearn) something today. Google random facts. Find a new podcast. Pretty soon it’ll become a habit and a part of who you are.
Never. Stop. Learning.