The human brain is wired for reinvention

The human brain is wired for reinvention

A 2010 report from the Congressional Research Service revealed that 11.51 percent of adults ages 55 and older had spent almost two years looking for work.

While many older adults may feel as though they are too old to change careers, this is not necessarily the case, according to former CNN correspondent Mark Walton, who recently spoke to Reuters. Walton has spent the past five years researching individuals who successfully revamped their careers during their 50s or early 60s. He has compiled his findings into a new book, titled Boundless Potential: Transform Your Brain, Unleash Your Talents, Reinvent Your Work in Midlife and Beyond.

Walton’s research led him to the conclusion that the human brain is not wired to prepare people for retirement, but rather a lifetime of learning and constant reinvention.

"The mature brain may lose some of the processing speed and accuracy that the younger brain has, but it isn't inferior," Walton told the news source. "When it is adequately challenged, it keeps growing and developing new strengths and assets that the average younger brain cannot compete with because of the reservoirs of knowledge that we have – what we sometimes call wisdom."

Before adults attempt to reinvent themselves and reenter the workforce, they may want to take a career test to see what type of role is best for them.

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