There's an advantage we have at our age that nobody explains to us: our brain will never learn this fast again. What costs adults years and a lot of money, we soak up almost without noticing.
The problem is it feels like we have all the time in the world, so we leave it for later. But "later" is exactly when it gets hard.
It's not about school
Heads up: this isn't about getting straight A's. It's about the things that are best learned young and stay with us for life:
A language. At our age the accent sticks almost on its own. As adults it costs triple and never sounds the same.
Something with your hands or body. An instrument, a sport, dancing, drawing. The coordination you train now stays forever.
Reading for fun. Not for homework. Reading whatever we feel like makes us think better, write better, and even understand people better.
The trick isn't talent, it's consistency
You don't have to be a genius. The girl who practices 20 minutes almost every day beats, in the long run, the "talented" one who keeps quitting. The hard part isn't starting, it's not giving up at the first bump. And that can be trained too.
Plant today what you'll show off tomorrow
Picture yourself a few years from now speaking another language, playing something, moving with confidence on a court or a stage. All of that starts with one tiny decision today: pick one thing and give it a little time each day.
This is one of 5 things worth enjoying at our age. See the full list.
Mara, the mentor in "Guía de Campo para Entender a los Humanos", is a biologist and teaches Catalina to observe the world in a way you don't learn in school. If you love learning unusual things, this book is for you.
Take a look ↗