Your Brain Was Built to Bounce
- Ryan DeJonghe
- Nov 9, 2025
- 3 min read
Why novelty—not age—is the real secret to staying sharp, curious, and alive
We’ve been sold a quiet lie about aging. That time wears down the mind. That growing older means growing duller. But neuroscience tells a different story—one that hits close to home for anyone who’s ever felt restless, curious, or pulled toward something new.
It’s not time that slows the brain. It’s repetition.
When life becomes predictable—same routines, same conversations, same mental loops—the brain stops building. Neural activity declines. Creativity fades. Memory softens. The mind begins to settle, and in that settling, it starts to shrink.
But when we introduce novelty—a new skill, a new place, a new challenge—the brain lights up. Neuroplasticity kicks in. Neurons grow new connections. Old ones strengthen. The mind adapts, stretches, and stays alive.
The Bounce Isn’t a Flaw. It’s a Feature.
I used to kick myself for bouncing between things. Self-help junkie since age eight (Tony Robbins tapes were my jam). Marine. Pastor. Reiki practitioner. Shaman. Stand-up comic. Improv performer. Business entrepreneur. Cook. Gamer. Tennis player on the path to pro. And then, the big one—dying and coming back. That sent me on quite the deviated journey: meditation, religions, spirituality.
For years, I thought I was scattered. Unfocused. Maybe even broken.
But now I see it clearly: I was training my brain to be agile. I was building far transfer.
Near vs Far Transfer: The Science of Mental Cross-Training
Let’s break it down. Near transfer is when you apply a skill in a similar context—like learning to play the piano and then picking up the guitar. The muscle memory helps. The rhythm translates. But it’s still within the same neighborhood.
Far transfer, though? That’s when you take something from one domain—say, improv comedy—and use it to guide someone through hypnosis. Like using “Yes, and…” to build rapport, then pacing and leading their subconscious into transformation. That’s cross-domain brilliance. It’s rare. It’s powerful. And it’s exactly what happens when you live a life of bounce.
📚 Research That Backs the Bounce
In Range by David Epstein, two studies drive this home.
Study One: The Music Boarding School Researchers looked at elite students at a prestigious music academy. They split them into groups based on performance level. Surprisingly, the top performers didn’t practice more, didn’t start younger, and didn’t come from musical families. What set them apart? They played multiple instruments. Their brains weren’t just trained—they were cross-trained. The variety gave them deeper musical intuition, better adaptability, and broader creative access.
Study Two: The Air Force Academy Thousands of cadets were tracked across multiple years. Some had instructors who taught to the test—focused, narrow, efficient. Others had instructors who taught more broadly, with diverse methods and deeper conceptual understanding. The first group did better on immediate exams. But the second group? They crushed it in Calculus II, months later. The broader exposure built flexible thinking and long-term retention.
Brain Imaging Confirms What Bounce Feels Like
People who consistently learn new skills, travel, or engage in mentally demanding activities show higher gray matter volume and stronger neural connectivity, even as they age. Their brains stay sharp, curious, and resilient.
Meanwhile, those who live on repeat—same job, same habits, same mental diet—show measurable decreases in brain metabolism. Early signs of cognitive aging. The mind, like a muscle, atrophies without challenge.
You Don’t Need to Move to Bali to Spark Neuroplasticity
Breaking monotony doesn’t require a life overhaul. It just takes intention. Try a new recipe. Learn a few phrases in a new language. Take a different route to work. Engage in a meaningful conversation. Attend a hypnosis show (hint, hint, wink wink). Each new experience is a rep for your brain—a workout that keeps it awake.
Real Talk: You’re Not Broken. You’re Brilliant.
If you’ve bounced between passions, careers, or identities—good. You’ve been training your brain to be flexible, creative, and resilient. You’ve been building a mind that can adapt, connect, and thrive.
That’s not a flaw. That’s a feature.
Call to Action
Reflect on your own bounce story. What have you explored, abandoned, returned to, or reinvented? What skills have you cross-trained without even realizing it?
Then follow TranceWell.help for more insights on transformation, hypnosis, and the neuroscience of change. This is where bounce becomes brilliance.
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