How Coding, Music and Writing Change Your Brain: Think Bigger

The habits and activities we engage in regularly can transform our brains and completely alter the way we think and approach problems. Often we assume that everyone thinks "like us" but the studies show something very different - we can use completely different brain regions to perform the same task with varying levels of efficiency!

With that in mind, writing and programming may be especially effective practices to help us extend the capabilities of our thought: to juggle abstract concepts and ideas, and to improve creative problem-solving.

Meanwhile, playing music appears to improve the speed and accuracy of our thought processing.

Brain training is all very good and well, but it amounts to a couple of hours a week performing dull tasks. This is a drop in the ocean compared to developing and honing a skill that relies on specific brain regions. Unfortunately, no Limitless pill exists. If you want to increase your brain power and enjoy all the benefits that come from that, you need to put in the time and work to get there. Just like training the body.

The good news is that it is certainly possible to do so!

(P.S. For the psychology students out there: the clip of the monkey was actually from Marlow's study on parent-infant bonding. You may recognize it!)

[EFChartley]

As a software developer who writes, I think I need to learn an instrument! Keep representing the UK positively!

[NaturalHypertrophy]

The thing that has had the biggest impact on my cognitive abilities is learning a new language. And for each new one I add to the catalog I experience a completely new rewiring of the brain that opens up brand new ways of approaching the world.

[sethgibson]

I really appreciate that you talk about physical and also mental health thoroughly. It's something many other "fitness" youtubers leave out.

[elijahramirez]

Varying our physical training forces our body to adapt to the changing stimulus. Training the mind seems to be no different. The mind/body connection is about training both sides to create a positive feedback loop.

Thank you for such a thought provoking video!

[xdude]

Reading a lot of fantasy, playing guitar, practicing martial arts, boy scouts, and logic puzzles fundamentally shaped who I am amd how I rhink from a very young age. Picking up programming in college felt like a natural extension. I actually hear/feel tempos while sparring, reading, or writing. Matching the tempo helps me hit a flow state.

[finnmiller-new]

This is a really interesting idea as someone with autism. As my brain works in an almost entirely different manner to neurotypical people. I'm a drummer and sport science undergrad. It's incredibly interested to use my brain for high level writing and comprehensive tasks for university and highly kinematic in my athletic and musical endeavours. Usefully neither of these are particularly interpersonal or emotive which my brain is inherently not wired toward. I too live with a constant monologue.

[spacedoohicky]

I started out as an artist, drawing, and painting pictures. Then I learned programming, and then writing fiction at a professional level. I have no idea if I think differently than other people, but I have noticed there are things I understand that some other people can't. Like I can see in my mind how to solve a real life problem before I carry out the solution. I'm also rather good at internet sleuthing. Just shamelessly tooting my horn. Because why not? I have just learned these things. In reality the overtly practical impact in my life has been limited. At least for now.

[jamesstammerspt]

My man!!! I’m so impressed by you. as a fitness professional for over a decade and over three decades of loving and partaking in fitness but always struggling academically and with the theory side despite the desire to learn. I absolutely love writing and no matter how much I draw blanks, it’s videos like your regular pearls that keep inspiring me! Keep up the amazing work

[engboy]

This might be your best video yet, Adam. Nice work!

[Abhishek_]

Hey Adam. Your videos just get better and better! Love your choice of topics. Keep the great work going!

[jessepriest]

Studying languages has affected my brain greatly. I speak English (3 dialects), Spanish (2 dialects), Italian (standard and learning a dialect). I'm currently learning Irish (the Gweedore dialect specifically) and Japanese. I also study linguistics and have studied a ton of other languages that I let go of. At this point my brain just... does language. I'm constantly listening to and analyzing accents, including my own. The same with grammar and vocabulary. I no longer consider any languages "hard" or "easy", they're just different and I pick all of them up very quickly. Also, this has lead to some great developments in my life. I'm starting a podcast about languages with a friend, which has evolved into the idea of a whole company including the podcast, a separate YouTube channel, language courses (I have ideas to create a whole new approach that I think will be amazing), and other resources.

Also, if you ever want to learn a language, let me know! I'd love to help and I can have you fluent in any language (assuming it's not obscure) in 6 to 12 months, maybe even less if ya work extra hard, depending on how different the language is from English.

[DudeGlenn]

This was a great watch - thanks for posting this.

[CL-wski]

Some practical and quick things to help with mental growth and life progression: 1) learn to square, cube and higher power mental arithmetic- watch a basic YouTube vid and try it. This will increase your working memory, and you’ll pretty quickly grow this. 2) mantra meditation- yes everyone’s heard this but it’s legit, find some mantra thing in Sanskrit and sit, repeat for 108 times. I don’t know if the woo would works but because it’s a different language, spoken a different way, the ritual of this will make your mind more quickly shut off and focus. 3) playing with memory palaces- making strong vivid memories and linking them to items to then store in a location for you to recall on, overtime and practice will greatly help your mental visualisation and capacity- try it with learning 10-20 new words from a language. 4) study routine strategy I’ve wound to work: first YouTube a vid where you get your breaths to 3 breaths per minute. Next study your item whilst using numerical beats at 8hz (this is the alpha-theta brink where flow is experienced). Finally end your study session with a 5 min gratitude feeling as though you’ve already accomplished what you’ve done. This is priming your mind to learn and uptake more effectively and it will feel good. 5) further with study routines- YouTube channels like study vibes where you can virtual study along with people in a group, also helps. 6) see your goal as a consequence. Success is the name we give to just doing the right things in the right order (whilst feeling great). Work backwards from the consequence you want to find the sequence of events you need to do to get your goal, e.g beautiful flowers are the consequence. To get this you need good soil + seed + water + timing (season) + sunlight. A little luck maybe too, but you’ve taken care of everything you can to ensure as close to 100-% your success. 7) once you’ve found the pathway of success, turn this into a system, so that you can identify the one rep or simple sequences of actions to do every day to improve so that reaching your goal is almost impossible to miss. E.g. it’s hard to get not good at half court shots if you practice them every day for a year 500-1000 times and you’re actively trying to get better with each throw. I hope this long ass comment helps some of you out there. 🔥

[johnrobinson]

Great timing. Been writing regularly (6 days/wk) for close to a year. Recently took up piano. Instilling a habit of regular practice probably goes back to exercise. Something I’ve been doing for ten years now. It’s very exciting. And challenging! Keep up the good work. Thanks.

[papercuts]

I genuinely appreciate this video, you opened my eyes that fitness is beyond strength. Im going to continue reading and drawing now the coding shall commence

[pseudosam]

Speaking of the way people think, aphantasia is a really interesting condition that a significant number of people have and don't even know it. People with aphantasia do not have the ability to voluntarily visualize anything in their mind's eye. Unless they read or are told about the condition they typically don't realize that they think differently, since that's their baseline. The crazy thing is that it generally doesn't seem to be a disability. People with aphantasia can be perfectly intelligent and still think at a high level in other ways.

[wesleyangel]

Wow, man, just...WOW! This was done with great quality as usual but something about this video was so different (other than subject matter) that it really stands out from the rest. Possibly the new camera or the angles you've chosen. Which, reminds me of a point I meant to make before about photography and how looking through a lens and, not only seeing what is there but also seeing what could be there if one applies filters (to adjust it to what the human eye has seen, or at least, as close to it as possible) or as in time lapse (over the course of months or years, in most cases). I think it takes a lot of visualization and skill to capture those moments for all or oneself to see. This too is something I have been developing to better enhance my abilities to sketch and paint, as well as think creatively and develop different neurogenesis and strengthen existing neural pathways.

I've taken up learning coding from a couple of apps (m1m0 and Grasshopper), as we already talked about on IG, and found it wasn't as near as daunting as I thought it would be. I enjoy it quite so. It's too early to tell if I think differently because of it, and I'm not sure what measure one could use internally to do so, but I do feel good on learning something than many simply refuse to even try. In today's pandemic raging society, the need of these skills are far too valuable to leave by the wayside. There is a rise of remote working, certainly, and the promulgation of benefits that come with it, as you well know but only now others are beginning to see. There will eventually be attenuation as the new normal settles people back into office chairs, boxes/cubicles, and bored..., I mean, boardrooms. However, for some of us, this new lifestyle is too exciting and refreshing to let go so easily. I understand many won't be able to for a variety of respectable reasons (no judgements) but I sincerely hope more than I expect will be able to become entrepreneurs. This opens the doors for more possibilities for self-improvement, family improvement, and enhancement for quality of life improvements. I sincerely hope people read this and "get it", as well as you and continue to provide the training we need.

[infini.tesimo]

Why would anyone dislike this? There's absolutely nothing wrong with the video...

[miserymedia]

I'm a sysadmin that recently started a new exercise program. Thanks for the reminder to study my specialty for the benefit of my quality of life/brainhealth not only the professional gains.

[upgradedragon]

Loved this video and look forward to more content like this! Thanks Adam!