The Seven Year Old Adult

The Seven Year Old Adult

From the time we are are born until we are approximately seven years old we are cognitive sponges. Just about everything we become is preloaded into us during this period mostly through implicit learning. We are learning through observation. What we see, we do. What we see we try to make sense of, we feel. We mimic, then we create.

Our brains are machines of prediction whose primary purpose is to ensure we are safe and pass along our genes to perpetuate the species. Where we all vary is in our methods and our perceptions of these same things. Our sponge capacity slowing down after about seven and as Professor Mike Merzenich says, "Our sponge capabilities as adults have to be manually operated where as children's is on auto." So if you don't manually switch on your 'growth module' you are in effect a seven year old adult.

We have all seen them. The adult who invariably seems like a child in their behavior. The fact is that many of us fall into this descriptive to varying degrees. Unless we manually operate our growth module, we will in fact stay stuck. Fortunately there are many ways to hit that switch. Having a mindful approach to consistently learning new things and improving, reading books, having new experiences, stepping our of our routines and comfort zones all work to this end.

We have a tendency to believe we know more than we do so this mindset is not commonly employed by many but is accessible by anyone if they so choose. Personally I believe myself to now be a teenage adult although I am in my late forties thus I am proof that it is never too late to hit that switch and manually activate that growth module.


#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset

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