The day you were born, you had a full set of neurons—just as you do now! So why couldn’t you play the piano? Or even walk and talk?
Brain cells are like a railway system. Each station, or cell, is useless unless connected to the rest of the system by a track. You start out life with few “tracks,” or paths. That’s why babies are helpless. But as you learn and remember, your brain creates new paths—shortcuts to help you think faster and better.
Suppose you’re learning to play the piano. The first time, your fingers feel clumsy. You play slowly and make mistakes. Your brain has to think about moving each finger, reading music, and not falling off the bench. As you practice, sets of neurons are connected together to create shortcuts. You soon play almost without thinking. The “piano path” is now wired into your brain.
When you’re young, you can make new paths easier and faster. Now is the best time to train your brain. You can even choose what kind of brain you want! If you love reading, your brain will hardwire paths in the language area. If you play sports, the motor-control section will grow thick with connections. In short, you are what you think!
