Psychology Says If You Can Master These 9 Skills, You'll Remain Sharp Into Your 80s
The only person who can keep you sharp is you, but these skills can give you a boost.
Fellipe Ditadi | Unsplash Regardless of your version of what a sharp mind looks like, achieving one is now more accessible than ever. Once developed, a sharp mind can lead to a much more fulfilling life as you age. The key is incorporating small activities anytime, regardless of circumstances or conditions.
Cultivate a sharp mindset by focusing all your attention on mastering specific skills, and you will live a more thoughtful, engaged, and energized life. How do you get there? It's simple: Mastering these skills allows you to remain sharp well into old age.
If you can master these skills, you'll remain sharp well into your 80s:
1. Don't try to do too many things at once
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We can only ever do one thing at a time. But if we’re holding several things at the same time in our minds — as we are prone to do — we make it impossible to act.
Instead, we need to narrow our focus to the next thing. This will make it obvious, appear simple, and make action effortless.
Thomas Carlyle once said: ‘Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.’
2. Stop believing your self-esteem is at risk
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There is no link between failure and our self-worth. Thinking there is stops us in our tracks.
Realizing self-esteem is an illusion we create sets us free and makes action effortless. Individuals who don't perceive their self-esteem as at risk often exhibit a phenomenon called defensive pessimism.
A 2022 study found that in this condition, they deliberately downplay their expectations to protect themselves from disappointment, even if they have high self-worth. This can manifest in self-handicapping or minimizing achievements, creating a buffer against negative feedback.
3. Stop waiting until you feel motivated
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Motivation will come once you are in action. Try it for yourself. Even starting something badly will motivate you because you are doing it.
Don’t wait any longer because it ain’t coming. Motivation always comes from doing — not preparing — so act.
Waiting for motivation to take action is often ineffective. Starting a task can precede and generate motivation, a concept frequently referred to as action that precedes motivation or the power of starting.
A 2022 study on motivation without extrinsic incentives found that procrastination usually stems from the anticipation of feeling overwhelmed or not wanting to start a task; simply taking the first step can overcome this initial resistance.
4. Stop overwhelming your dopamine receptors
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When we consistently take big artificial dopamine hits, such as by watching a lot of television, watching explicit content, or even eating sugary treats, our brains produce less dopamine naturally. This means that things that should energize us, like writing or enjoying nature, no longer do.
No wonder we can’t take action. We’re dead inside. Take a break from heavy dopamine stimulations and allow your natural dopamine to return and fire you up.
5. Don't be afraid of missteps
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We avoid mistakes for good reasons. We want to do it right. But this creates insecurity in our every move. We’re thinking too hard about getting it wrong.
Because we don’t want the pain of making a mistake, we avoid action. Instead, be willing to make a mistake. Purposefully do it wrong, like writing garbage before you write the real thing.
Not fearing mistakes is strongly linked to a growth mindset, where individuals view errors as valuable learning opportunities rather than failures, leading to greater resilience and willingness to take risks in new situations.
A 2018 study concluded that this often contrasts with a fixed mindset, where people see mistakes as evidence of inadequacy and avoid them due to fear.
6. Don't be held back by your lack of uniqueness
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It’s easy to hold back when we see our talented and prolific competition. ‘It’s been done before, so why bother?’
It’s been done, but not by you. The world needs your take, with your unique filter. Don’t let what others are doing stop you.
7. Don't let the lack of the right mindset weigh you down
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Adopting various ‘mindsets,’ like ‘think positive,’ or ‘just act confident’ are good at the macro, terrible at the micro — in the moment — level. Mindsets don’t matter when we’re trying to take action because they take away from the moment.
Instead, let go, and just be. You don’t need to do anything. Float in the beauty of the action.
A fixed mindset — the belief that abilities are innate and cannot be significantly changed—can hold people back by preventing them from embracing challenges, persisting through setbacks, and ultimately limiting their potential for growth and learning.
In contrast, a 2022 study on the influence of a growth mindset found that believing abilities can be developed through effort fosters resilience and a drive to improve in the face of difficulty.
8. Don't get tricked by imposter syndrome
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This, like any other story we tell about ourselves, is a self-imposed limit. To perform, we need to be free of these stories. This requires us to turn our attention away from the story towards the task at hand.
See it as a good sign you’re pushing against your edges and having very human thoughts.
But we need not act on these thoughts. They just hold us back. Take a breath, get present, and act in defiance of these thoughts.
9. Focus on the task at hand
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The way to do that is to focus on the action. Focus on the step. Focus on the system. That’s all there is. When your focus is here, you can’t help but be driven to move.
Albert Bandura's self-efficacy theory suggests that while believing in yourself is essential, focusing on the process and taking concrete actions towards a goal, rather than solely relying on self-belief, can be more effective in achieving success.
A 2022 study concluded that demonstrating focused effort and action often outweighs the need for excessive self-confidence alone.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.