Build Mental Muscle

When we stop exercising, we lose the muscles we've built. When we stop any form of physical activity at an extended period, say due to sickness or injury, muscle atrophy happens. We lose strength and capability.

What of our minds?

I see it in much the same way. When we stop learning new things, when we stop thinking and strategizing and solving problems, we lose the muscles required in doing those.

We forget how to think fast, how to remain calm and mentally strong in times of crisis, how to come up with fresh ideas and new insights.

We should be proactive in training our minds consistently. In building cognitive capability and mental toughness. We should intentionally build the muscles required in logical reasoning, abstract thinking, decision making, strategizing, planning, and other cognitive functions.

And instead of restricting ourselves with only specific subjects, we should consume a wide range of resources. Learn about many different things. I see this as a way of widening our perspective of the world, peeling away layers and seeing truth and wisdom in different angles. A wider perspective also gives us deeper understanding of other people's lives and helps us arrive at a more accurate conclusion when judging different situations.

There are many mental skills that we can acquire and, thus, many cognitive capabilities we can lose too if we fail to practice them.