Empower your career trajectory by tapping into your cognitive potential

My most recent Wiseprenurs podcast guest was with a healthy and energetic 70-year-old Jon Younger, a tireless advocate of the freelance economy. In the interview, we discussed the world of freelancing. Freelancers are self-employed professionals.

He mentioned an interesting statistic that 20% of the freelancers he surveyed were 55 years and above with five to 10 years of freelance experience.

These were not young, inexperienced professionals but people that, for the most part, had a successful career but were reluctant to leave that profession entirely for any number of reasons.

If that interests you, we must ensure that we do everything possible to continue performing at that level. That means looking after our cognitive abilities, which makes us wise and helps us get engaging, well-paid work and build our intellectual capital.

Cognitive performance refers to the ability of the brain to carry out various tasks that involve thinking and understanding. It includes mental activities such as memory, attention, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and language comprehension.

All are essential for staying competitive and working in the knowledge economy.

We need to be concerned with two types of intelligence: crystallised and fluid.

Crystallised intelligence is our ability to use knowledge, skills, and experience. It's what we have built over our lifetime, remains relatively stable, and even improves with age.

Fluid intelligence is our capacity to reason and solve novel problems independent of any knowledge from the past. It includes identifying patterns, solving new issues, and using logic in new situations. It peaks in our 20's and declines gradually with age.

The challenge for knowledge workers lies in sustaining fluid intelligence while capitalising on their accumulated crystallised intelligence.

According to Peter Attia in his book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, your most powerful tool for preventing cognitive decline is exercise.

His breakdown for keeping your brain healthy includes:

Aerobic efficiency—slow and steady, either walking or jogging, which helps cerebral blood flow,

Maximum aerobic output (VO2 max) — more intense, which makes you functionally younger

Strength to combat sarcopenia and improve your mitochondria, and combat inflammation

Stability—to avoid falls

Diet or nutrition, or as he calls it, nutritional biochemistry

Sleep, and

Manage and improve emotional health

All are factors that will improve your cognitive ability as you age, making work more manageable and you more productive and healthy at the same time.

Your active engagement in learning and problem-solving helps maintain and improve cognitive capabilities. This consistent mental stimulation contributes to neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections, essential for maintaining fluid intelligence.

Ok, I am not suggesting you run out and try to do all these things. These are considerations to build up over several years, especially if you are in your fifties or older.

I will address some practical considerations of self-employment or freelance employment in future newsletters.

Please feel free to respond.

Cheers
Nigel Rawlins
Chief Wisepreneur

Resources
Jon Younger Podcast Interview
https://wisepreneurs.com.au/jon-younger-a-tireless-advocate-of-the-freelance-economy/

Books
Peter Attia MD., Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

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