There’s been a long-held belief that as you get older, your brain wears out and your memory starts to go. And there’s nothing you can do about it.

One of the true pioneer in the worlds of creative thinking and accelerated learning says that belief couldn’t be further from the truth. In his new book, “Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age,” Michael Gelb offers tips and evidence that there is actually a lot you can do to strengthen your brain.

Michael says he has been teaching this for the past 30 years, and now that he’s about to turn 60, his research and findings are really starting to hit home.

He reveals that he just had a total knee replacement because his knee wore out and two years ago he had a hip replacement. He says, yes, parts of our body do wear out, but the brain doesn’t wear out with use. in fact, it’s designed to improve with use.

Michael talks about the importance of continuance learning and reveals the surprisingly short amount of time each day it takes for people to strengthen their minds. He offers suggestions for “mental sports,” which have been shown to reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s.