Plasticity is the ability to change, adapt, or be reshaped.

Your brain has remarkable plasticity. When you practice piano, your brain physically changes, growing stronger connections between neurons that control your fingers. When you learn a new language, your brain rewires itself to recognize unfamiliar sounds and patterns. This brain plasticity means you're not stuck with the abilities you were born with: practice and learning literally reshape your brain.

Scientists once believed adult brains couldn't change much, but research has shown that plasticity continues throughout life. A stroke patient might regain speech by training other parts of the brain to take over damaged areas. Someone who loses their sight can develop enhanced hearing because their brain redirects resources.

Materials can also have plasticity. Warm glass has plasticity because it can be shaped and molded. Once it cools, it loses that plasticity and becomes rigid. Play-Doh has plasticity when fresh but hardens when left out.

The opposite of plasticity is rigidity or brittleness. A plastic mindset adapts to new information, while a rigid mindset resists change. Understanding plasticity helps explain why consistent effort leads to improvement: you're not just practicing, you're physically reshaping your brain's structure.