Are you a football fan? If you are, you know that everything can change during this time of the year. One minute you are prepared to buy championship tickets, and the next thing you know, you are out of the Top 10 and ready to sell next year’s season tickets. It’s an emotional rollercoaster.
The same can be true with learning and academics. Remember the class you did well in all semester only to bomb the final? You can relate if you have ever helped your child with homework. You study all week, and you can bet your Starbucks coffee that they will ace the test only to see the flashing red “D” on the paper they bring home. During these times, you start to doubt everything–and you question if this is the same team that started the season or the same kid you studied with all week.
Enhancing Cognitive Skills
Fifteen years ago, Kyra Minichan sat next to a young lady who had graduated from an Ivy League school and was starting out working in the same field as her and the colleague she came with. She and her friend got paired up to complete a cognitive challenge. The young lady easily beat her friend and was beaming with pride.
Kyra watched the whole session and knew her friend well. She was brilliant and excellent in her field, but she could not keep up with this young lady. When they finished, Kyra asked if she had done these particular exercises before (still trying to figure out how she was that far ahead of her friend). Her answer changed a lot for Kyra that day. She told her that, of course, she had seen these exercises before. She had been doing cognitive work all her life, preparing her for the Ivy League.
Around the same time, the workshop leader started telling us about the various people and professions hiring cognitive coaches to enhance their performance. The list consisted of top executives at Fortune 500 companies, air traffic controllers, Navy Seals, pilots, students applying to medical school, the Ivy League, and the list went on and on. Every person the leader spoke about was in it for the long game, and those people had an advantage by enhancing cognitive skills. That day, Kyra witnessed this advantage play out and returned from that course with a brand new perspective.
Karate Kid and Cognitive Skills
Another excellent example of how this works is the original Karate Kid Movie. Remember Daniel being upset with Mr. Miyagi, making him do chores instead of Karate skills? Mr.Miyagi knew this same secret. Tasks like waxing the car, sanding the floor, and painting the fence were all part of his muscle memory training. When you improve your underlying cognitive skills, you prepare your mind for battle.
The Power of Delayed Reward
We live in a world of instant gratification. A delayed reward is something that takes endurance and strong mental effort. You can look around and see students, parents, and professionals unprepared for the long game. They are struggling. Kyra hopes to share someday all of the stories of the people who have changed their life because they chose to work on their cognitive skills and brain health. Some desperately needed it, while others knew they were made for more and were looking to work smarter, not harder.
Kyra’s approach is for the long game. She doesn’t give up easily and will encourage you to do the same. Reach out and schedule a complimentary 10-minute evaluation with Kyra Minichan today.
