How your brain changes as you age

And why it’s a GOOD thing [The Writer’ s Life]( August 19, 2022 "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." – Henry Ford Hi {NAME}, During almost every webinar I do with AWAI members, someone asks me if they're "too old" to start a copywriting career. And I get it. When you're just starting out, it can feel like there's a lot to learn. But in my 25 years of doing this, I've never met anyone who was "too old" to make it. In fact, freelancers over 50 are in good company. A recent article by Forbes.com points out that 30% of 42-57 year-olds and 20% of 58-76 year-olds are freelancers, whether part- or full-time. How are they doing financially? According to that same Forbes.com article, "77% of 50+ freelancers say that freelancing makes it possible for them to achieve their financial goals …" So, if you ever entertain the worry that you're "too old," think of this famous Henry Ford quote: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't – you're right." If it's the perception you're worried about — that clients might not want to work with you when they discover your age — I can assure you that, as someone who hires writers all the time, age doesn't matter in the slightest. In fact, I'd say that people who have lived longer have an advantage — more life experience to pull from. And if it's the learning part you're afraid of, read on for today's article from full-time copywriter, Jen Adams. Turns out, the idea that age inhibits learning is a myth invented thousands of years ago! Read on to discover what really happens in your brain as you age — how to use it to your advantage — and the best methods for learning at any age. Hope you have a great weekend, Katie P.S. The majority of our most successful members started writing after a full career in another field. One of the best ways to start up a well-paid freelance writing career — fast — is by using your past career and life experiences to write for the B2B world. Today is your last day to get into our B2B copywriting mentorship with Steve Slaunwhite — and get everything you need to start a successful freelance writing career by this fall — no matter how old or young you feel! Enrollment closes tonight at midnight — [go here now to learn more](. You're Never Too Old to Learn New Tricks By Jen Adams There's always something new happening in the world of marketing — a fresh social media platform, new customer management tools, advancements in design and UX, and even whole new frameworks for doing business, like Web3. That's awesome, because it means there's always a new avenue opening up for you to succeed. However, I've also heard some writers fret that their brains may be getting "too old" to keep up with the latest developments. Is that true? Is there a point at which "old dogs" in the writing game can't learn any more new tricks? No! According to the latest research on brain function, there's no age at which learning stops. In fact, barring injury or illness, your brain can continue to absorb new information as long as you'd like it to do so. Now, you may not believe that — so let me show you the proof. Today, we'll take a look at why people believe age is a factor in learning, the two biggest brain changes as you age, and the one thing you can do to maximize the amount of new information your brain can hold at any age. The origins of the old, brittle brain myth The modern belief that old brains can't learn new things has ancient roots. And you can actually blame a writer for getting this started! Aristotle, a Greek philosopher living in the 300s B.C., wrote a famous treatise on memory where he compared the brain to a wax tablet. Wax tablets were popular note-taking tools at the time, but they had a number of imperfections. It was easy and fast to scribble on a fresh, warm tablet, but hard to chisel into a colder tablet that had set up. Writing over an old idea was impossible, and over time the tablets would become brittle, breaking easily and effectively erasing the knowledge that had been stored on them. Alas, claimed Aristotle, our own brains behaved in the same way, hardening to new ideas and, over time, becoming less useful. This comparison of the brain to a wax tablet caught on in the popular imagination and formed the basis of what scientists now refer to as the "encoding deficit theory." It's a fancy way of saying "Old dogs can't learn new tricks," and implies that older brains aren't as limber or impressionable as young ones. Sadly, it was a generally accepted theory for about 2,000 years. What changed? Science itself! Thanks to advances in brain scanning technologies, neuroscience, and long-term studies, we now know that Aristotle was dead wrong. Our brains aren't wax tablets, though they do change with time. Yet instead of "hardening" to new ideas, there's something much more interesting going on … The two big changes that happen to your brain as you age (and both of these are mind-blowing) As a child, your brain is flooded with hormones and neurochemicals that accelerate the speed at which you make new connections and process new information. You're soaking up new information as fast as possible, sorting data and linking experiences to build frameworks for understanding the world around you. Then, around age 25, your brain shifts its chemical balance away from pattern building and toward pattern efficiency. So what does that mean for your ability to learn by the time you're 30? Or 60? In a nutshell — and I'm simplifying some pretty wild brain science here — the first thing that happens is that your brain swaps maximum effort for maximum efficiency. When it comes to processing information, our brains like to handle things as quickly as possible. Once we have a system of neural pathways built up, our brains are going to try and fit everything we encounter from then on into an existing framework before putting in the work to create new a new set of connections. Brown University researchers even found that older brains presented with new information were more likely to change their white matter (the part of the brain that controls processing speeds) than their cortex area (the part of the brain that creates fresh connection paths). The result? If you're an older learner, you may understand new ideas more quickly, because your brain is ultra-efficient at fitting new concepts into existing brain frames. However, if you don't find yourself quickly saying "Oh, this is like that — got it," with a skill, then you may need to be more deliberate and intentional about reviewing key concepts that are totally fresh. This helps prove to your brain that you're dealing with material that's worth the extra effort of creating a fresh pattern group or synaptic node. This need to "prove it's worth it" ties into the second major change going on in your brain … your attitude toward learning new material. And it turns out that your attitude toward the information in front of you is even more critical than your brain's specific mechanism for encoding new material. Researchers have noted that some people are "eager learners" — excited and happy to be presented with new concepts and new experiences regardless of their ages. They may describe themselves as "naturally curious" or think of themselves as life-long students. Other people can turn into what scientists call "reluctant learners." They may feel that since they're no longer in a formal school setting, they're done with their education. They earned their original high school diploma or even a college degree and that's enough. Or, certificates aside, these people may have decided — consciously or unconsciously — that a certain set of information or experiences just isn't for them, prompting their brains to dismiss it or resist storing it. The result is that learning becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your brain is reading your feelings about a piece of information and acting in accordance with your wishes. If your brain believes you want to learn something, it will make the effort to move it into long-term storage. But if your brain believes you don't feel the information is important, it will be efficient about it and never bother to stash it in your synapses for later. The one thing you can do to maximize your learning abilities Aristotle believed that once the brain had hardened, you were out of luck. These days, we know better. Your brain CAN learn at any age … if you want it to do so. And that's the secret! In study after study, age comes in as a distant second after enthusiasm and interest in the material. Learning — and a lifestyle of continual learning — is a choice you can make. Yes, as an older learner, you may have to do a more deliberate review to ensure your brain gets the hint that something belongs in long-term storage. What are the best ways to go about that? Being active with your learning, joining groups, asking questions, and engaging with the material in multiple formats, such as combining written exercises with webinars or audio presentations. In this way, you can push your brain to build fresh pathways and maximize the efficiency and power of your existing thought patterns. Your future as a working writer comes down to how you think and feel about learning the skills and practices of persuasive writing. Are you "done" and resisting learning new things? Or are you eager to acquire new information and excited to integrate new ideas? It's worth reflecting on, and perhaps even doing some mindset "reset" work on yourself. Just know that here at AWAI, you'll never be "too old" to learn something new — and we all hope that we can continue to bring you fresh ideas and opportunities for many years to come. [Editor's Note: The absolute best way to boost your enthusiasm about learning — and dig deep into a topic — is by joining one of our intensive, mentor-run training programs, like the currently open B2B Copywriting Mastery program with Steve Slaunwhite. When you join, you'll instantly be part of a group of fellow learners, and you'll get a chance to actively engage with Steve and ask questions as you go. By Week 7, you'll be ready to kick off a career as a high-earning B2B copywriter. Enrollment ends tonight at midnight — [go here now to get in](!] LAST CHANCE: Copywriting Crash Course for Just $129 $49! Earn more as a writer than you ever thought possible by picking up the essential skills you need to charge professional fees! Join Katie and Rebecca and in just three hours, they'll give you: - The essential writing skills you need to charge higher fees from the start … - An instant confidence boost knowing you can give your writing clients exactly what they need … - The most powerful secrets of persuasion that the highest-paid writers use to make six and even seven-figures … - Our secret, four-part structure of copy that works — Impress your next client with this … - The look of a GENIUS with our favorite editing tricks … And soooo much more — for just $49!! Hurry — enrollment closes at midnight tonight. [Get In Right Now Here]( What's Hot at AWAI … 👉 [Today's your LAST CHANCE to sign up and learn B2B writing from Steve!]( 🤑 [4 money-making trends in B2B copywriting you should know about!]( 🤔 Curious about the best niches for B2B writing? [Here are the TOP 35!]( 🤓 Best place to engage with others as you learn? Bootcamp! [Sign up here!]( And The Winner Is … [Social media post with photo about receiving a check in the mail for winning the April Barefoot Writer challenge] Great job, Kip! You've got the chops … now go get that "client or two!" We believe in you! Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! TODAY: Bootcamp Early-Bird Deal Bootcamp is THE must-attend "event of the year" for copywriters. You'll discover the latest insights and trends, hone your writing skills, connect with marketers who are looking to hire, and much, MUCH more. And TODAY you can reserve your spot and SAVE over 70%. Don't wait and pay more … Grab your ticket now for the lowest price you'll see. [View the Details and YOUR Savings]( Your ALL-ACCESS Key — Just $1! 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