As we mentioned previously, nearly all learning methods today fall short when it comes to fostering the deeper cognitive development needed to reach the growth and performance level of an Achiever. These methods are designed to mainly focus on immediate results and tend to overlook the development of key brain regions necessary for progressing into the higher stages of ego development. As a result, children’s growth across critical areas stagnate, leaving them to depend on external factors beyond school to address these developmental gaps.
As the brain’s connections grow stronger and more connected, individuals at the Achiever stage develop cognitive and psychological patterns that prioritize efficiency, meeting goals and getting results. This programming also influences the way they communicate, leading them to value clear, direct communication that cuts straight to the point and centres around relevant information. Because they take their tasks seriously, there’s little room for idle interaction and they can quickly lose patience with people who “beat around the bush”.
This can sometimes make them appear emotionally distant or cold, which can be mistaken for a lack of emotional intelligence. Neural connections between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system become more robust, enabling better emotional regulation and allowing the Achiever to manage highly stressful situations that would normally overwhelm the Expert. They are also able to process information faster, switch between different modes of thinking or concepts with less mental effort, without losing focus or becoming confused.
How Can Learning Slow Your Child’s Development?
Our brains are naturally wired to process spatial information with ease, which is why we can navigate and recognize 3D objects all day without feeling mentally drained. In contrast, reading text is not something our neural circuits are evolved to do. When children learn through written paragraphs, their brains must work through a series of complex tasks — first recognizing visual symbols (letters), then converting them into sounds, linking those sounds to meaning and finally integrating everything into a coherent understanding.
This multi-step process demands significantly more cognitive resources than direct spatial learning. The brain must actively maintain attention while processing abstract symbols, which can be mentally taxing, especially for developing brains who have lower capacities. This is why many children learn much more easily and quickly through direct spatial experience, like 3D games or physical play — which naturally align with how they explore and understand the world. You might be wondering how this affects your child’s development?
Think of cognitive resources like a bank that deals in mental currency. Throughout the day, the brain is constantly making withdrawals, spending mental currency for various tasks. When your child engages in learning that primarily involves words, they are essentially making massive withdrawals from their cognitive account. As their mental “bank account” runs low, the brain interprets this depletion as a threat to their well-being and triggers the stress response system.
Like how someone with a low bank balance becomes more cautious about spending and may avoid certain purchases altogether, your brain implements similar protective measures to cognitive resources and starts operating in low power mode. In this mode, the brain starts to allocate resources only to what it perceives as absolutely necessary tasks. As a result, your child might be perceived as lazy, distracted or become disengaged. The brain also activates another defense mechanism known as “cognitive aversion” – where it actively tries to steer your child away from activities that require significant cognitive effort.
These forms of learning unintentionally deplete the same mental energy that children need for healthy development. When those cognitive resources are low, a child’s growth and learning can slow down. Want to learn more? Like and follow for more insights!