[NoFlexZone]

I play quite a bit of ball and was pouring over some stats recently. It seems like NBA players peak around 29. There are exceptions but normally career years happen around this time barring injuries.

I was wondering if the more seasoned vets could chime in on their experiences as to when they feel like they've peaked (or have yet to) mentally.

After some reading and discussion, I have a strong inkling that knowledge is exponential. It seems like you'd keep getting better so long as you're lucid. The greatest proof of this would be Peter Higgs who won the noble prize in physics last year (of Higgs Boson fame). He's 85. The average age for nobel prize winners (in hard sciences) is in the late 50s.

http://imgur.com/a/29IKl

[Parlay44]

Just when I thought I couldn't cram anymore information in my brain I surprise myself that I can. I realized this in college. My brain felt like it was going to explode then you get a break between semesters to recoup and do it all over again. It helps if you learn things that build on previous knowledge.

Hell I'm still learning 10+ years after college. College is about filtering out the motivated people from the non-motivated people. You can learn anything if really want to. You may have to read it 10 times for it to sink in. But it will.

One thing I will share is that you're more mentally alert and can do deeper thinking and reasoning when your body is well fed and physically fit. Years ago I was experimenting with Andro (pro-hormone) and lifting heavy. My T levels went up. I felt great, charged up, alive and super sharp mentally. Plus I slept like a baby. Long deep refreshing sleep every night. So I think hormones definitely affect your mental state and it changes as you age. I'm not promoting steroid use but if you're feeling some brain fog coming on get your diet and exercise straight.

[RexImperator]

Interesting theory about the possible testosterone connection. I think it's conventional wisdom that in the hard sciences the peak tends to be in the 30's or so. That's when a lot of the groundbreaking work tends to happen. Nobel Prizes are awarded decades later, after results of the work have made their impact.

[Parlay44]

(12-18-2014 06:53 PM)RexImperator Wrote:  

Interesting theory about the possible testosterone connection. I think it's conventional wisdom that in the hard sciences the peak tends to be in the 30's or so. That's when a lot of the groundbreaking work tends to happen. Nobel Prizes are awarded decades later, after results of the work have made their impact.

Why do you think you fall asleep after sex? Cause you just lost a great 'load' of testosterone and your body needs to make more to rebalance itself.

Women get a rush and a high from the good ole jizzbomb because it absorbs into their system and their T levels spike temporarily. Testosterone makes you horny. That's also my theory on why it's easier to bang girls with boyfriends.

[Inspired]

I don't think there is a "peak". Despite many conflicting studies on the brain and aging, it appears that if you continue to learn and stay actively challenged, you're going to not only accumulate knowledge, but you're going to get smarter. However, I've noticed my memory may not be as good as it used to be, but I think this has a lot to do with filtering out the bullshit I don't need.

[Saweeep]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that men's mental abilities peak at about 21.

It was an article saying that most great physicists etc make their breakthrough discoveries at about that age and rarely achieve such heights again.

I'll try and find it later.

[Beyond Borders]

I would say it depends on when the man decides to start truly learning.

I know that probably sounds dismissive and like I'm missing the point, but there's just so much that goes into development of the mind that I think it's extremely difficult to make generalizations. I think the vast majority of people won't even make anything to close to a real attempt at maximizing their mental faculties, so if there is biologically-based peak, it's probably irrelevant to most of us.

Last night I was reading about Goethe in Mastery. It sounded like his mental faculties were still evolving in his 70s and as he entered his 80s, and he believed that if he had twice as long to live his mind would just keep improving. I remember my grandmother battling senility, and while her bad moments were depressing, I always marveled at how sharp and together her mind still seemed in her good moments.

I think a better question than the when of a man's mental peak is whether or not anyone here is proactively trying to make the most out of their mind. And what type of approach they're taking to do so.