Lazy Old Minds

Lazy Old Minds

I would like to believe that our minds do not deteriorate as we grow older. As long as we keep a keen interest in life and the things around us, our minds will always be healthy and sharp. Learning is a life-long experience.

Adults often say that they are not capable of studying technical subjects like mathematics anymore; they look at their old school textbooks and they wonder how they managed to slog through all those strange symbols and equations. At work, we often like to leave the hands-on technical work to the newbies and young employees who are always full of enthusiasm. Young minds can think quicker and better, we claim.

Is that really true? Do we actually lose our ability to tackle technical subjects when we grow older? Or is it simply because we can afford the luxury of choice now?

Often when we start gaining a bit of experience in our work, we think that we don't have to prove ourselves anymore to our peers or superiors; so we tend to relax a little bit. We leave the "dirty" work to the younger people.

A lot of people sink into their comfort zones and do not want to budge from there. By doing so, they actually contribute to their state of deterioration. I don't think we are ever too old to learn or to roll up our sleeves to do hands-on technical work. It is often complacence, impatience, laziness, lack of incentive and ego that turns us off from tackling the more technically tedious work--not any lack of ability.

We have not lost any of our mental capabilities that we used to possess when we were in school. It's only the bad habits that we've acquired along the way that is hindering us. If we can recognize and consciously overcome them, our minds will remain young for a very very long time to come.