Genius at 60 … latest scientific research shows that your brain peaks at around 60 years old … What does this mean for business, and society, and how to unlock your full cognitive potential?

June 3, 2025

We live in a culture obsessed with youth. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs in their twenties are hailed as the ultimate visionaries, Olympic athletes in their thirties are considered veterans, and companies often prize “fresh thinking” as if it is exclusively the province of the young. The unspoken assumption is that mental sharpness, creativity, and problem-solving peak early in life and then decline in an inevitable slide.

But what if that assumption is wrong? What if, in fact, the human mind is designed to reach its peak not in the frantic energy of youth but in the reflective depth of maturity? New research from Dr. Gilles Gignac at the University of Western Australia has quantified what many have sensed: that overall brain performance — when you blend knowledge, judgment, perspective, and emotional balance — does not peak until around 60 years old.

This finding challenges more than just stereotypes. It suggests that the very arc of human development is different than we thought. And it invites a powerful question: if our brain is capable of reaching new heights later in life, how do we train ourselves — mind and body — to ensure we actually get there? And what does it mean for how we live, work, and organise society?

The cult of youth, the virtue of age

Walk into any gym and you’ll find posters of athletes in their twenties, physiques at their physical prime. Open the business pages and you’ll see stories of young disruptors breaking rules and changing industries. The message is everywhere: the best years are early years.

It is true that certain mental functions — particularly those linked to raw processing speed, memory recall, or reaction times — are sharper in youth. Psychologists call this fluid intelligence, and like sprinting ability, it tends to peak earlier.

But the human brain is not built only for speed. Over decades, it accumulates knowledge, builds patterns of recognition, refines judgment, and develops what researchers call crystallized intelligence. This is the wisdom that lets an experienced investor spot market shifts, a seasoned doctor diagnose complex conditions, or a grandparent know just when to step in with the right advice. It’s why Warren Buffett made the bulk of his fortune after fifty. It’s why Nelson Mandela, released from prison at 71, became one of history’s most revered leaders.

I’m not saying all this because I’m 60 (well, I am in my 50s!), but society assumes that it’s all downhill from your 40s. Wrong, there is so much more to give.

Why the brain peaks at 60

So why does peak performance arrive so late? Neuroscience and psychology give us several clues:

  • Accumulated Knowledge
    Decades of learning, working, reading, and engaging with the world build a vast library of information. At 60, the brain is a well-stocked archive.
  • Pattern Recognition
    Experience wires the brain to recognize patterns more quickly. A chess master in their sixties may not move as fast as a teenager, but their intuition about which move to make is far more accurate.
  • Emotional Regulation
    Studies show older adults are generally better at managing stress, emotions, and interpersonal dynamics. They bring calm and perspective where younger people may react impulsively.
  • Judgment and Wisdom
    Decisions aren’t made only on facts — they’re shaped by values, trade-offs, and long-term consequences. Older adults draw on decades of judgment.
  • Neuroplasticity Continues
    Once thought to stop in youth, we now know the brain continues to rewire itself throughout life. Learning new skills, practicing mindfulness, or exercising can stimulate fresh neural connections even at 70 or beyond.

In short, youth gives us raw horsepower, but age gives us the steering wheel. At 60, the two meet in a unique balance.

Training your brain for its peak

If our best mental years can arrive later, the question becomes: how do we make sure we actually reach them? Just as an athlete trains their body, we can train our brain — and the two, in fact, are inseparable. Here’s how:

1.  Keep Learning, Always

The brain is like a muscle: it grows with use. People who continue to learn languages, study history, explore new technologies, or take up musical instruments maintain cognitive agility far longer. It is no coincidence that some of the most innovative entrepreneurs, like Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn) or Arianna Huffington, are perpetual learners who reinvent themselves midlife.

2.  Exercise the Body to Exercise the Brain

Physical activity is one of the most powerful brain enhancers. Aerobic exercise boosts blood flow, delivers oxygen, and stimulates growth factors that promote neuroplasticity. Walking, running, swimming, or yoga can all keep neural pathways sharp.

3.  Sleep, Rest, Recover

Sleep isn’t downtime — it’s brain training time. Memory consolidates, synapses reset, and creative insights emerge in dreams. Consistent, quality rest is an underrated tool for long-term mental performance.

4.  Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness practice thickens areas of the brain linked to attention and reduces stress hormones that impair memory. Leaders from Steve Jobs to Ray Dalio have credited meditation with sharper judgment.

5.  Social Connection

Loneliness accelerates cognitive decline, while strong relationships stimulate emotional and intellectual engagement. Conversations challenge the brain in ways puzzles cannot. In fact, research shows that regular social interaction is as critical to longevity as not smoking.

6.  Purpose and Curiosity

The most important driver may be purpose. People who believe they still have meaningful work, relationships, or contributions to make continue to stretch their abilities. Think of Jane Goodall, still traveling and advocating for the planet at nearly 90. Purpose keeps the brain alive.

Examples of Genius at 60

History is full of people who demonstrate the late flowering of human potential.

  • Leonardo da Vinci – Painted Mona Lisa in his early 60s.

  • Claude Monet – Painted the Water Lilies series in his 60s.

  • Mark Twain – Wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in his 60s.

  • Laura Ingalls Wilder – Published Little House on the Prairie series in her 60s.

  • Frank McCourt – Published Angela’s Ashes at 66.

  • Charles Darwin – Published On the Origin of Species at 50, continued groundbreaking work into his 60s.

  • Dmitri Mendeleev – Refined the periodic table in his later 50s–60s.

  • Benjamin Franklin – Invented bifocals and engaged in diplomacy in his 60s.

  • Peter Higgs – Developed the Higgs boson theory in his 60s, recognized with Nobel Prize later.

  • Ray Kroc – Built McDonald’s into a global empire in his 50s–60s.

  • Colonel Sanders – Franchised KFC at 65.

  • Vera Wang – Entered fashion design at 40, but global influence peaked in her 60s.

  • Warren Buffett – While active for decades, his most transformational acquisitions (Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate expansion, Coca-Cola investment) occurred in his 60s–70s.

  • Charlie Munger – Partnered with Buffett, peak influence in investment strategy well into 60s and 70s.

  • George Soros – Quantum Fund major bets and philanthropic strategy peaked in his 60s.

  • Walt Disney – Launched Disneyland at 60 (opened 1955 when he was 53, continued innovating into 60s with new projects).

  • Amancio Ortega (Zara/Inditex) – Major global expansion of Inditex occurred in his late 50s and 60s.

  • Henry Ford – Continued to innovate (Model T, production methods, Ford Foundation) into his 60s.

  • John Pemberton (Coca-Cola) – Commercialized Coke, with major business growth post-50s.

  • David Rockefeller – Built Rockefeller family banking and philanthropic influence well into his 60s and 70s.

  • Bernard Marcus & Arthur Blank (Home Depot) – Launched Home Depot in their 50s; expansion continued aggressively into their 60s.

  • Peter Thiel – While an outlier in youth entrepreneurship, his major strategic influence at PayPal, Palantir, and Founders Fund peaked in his 50s–60s.

Closer to home, think of the colleague who becomes the “go-to” problem solver not because they are the fastest, but because they’ve “seen it before” and know what matters. Or the mentor whose one sentence reframes a dilemma you’ve wrestled with for weeks. That is the power of brains that have ripened, not just raced.

What it means for business

If people truly peak later than we thought, businesses need to rethink how they value, deploy, and develop talent.

1.  Rethinking Retirement

Mandatory retirement at 60 or 65 may cut people off just as they reach their prime. Imagine if Warren Buffett had been forced out at 60. Companies may need new models that blend senior talent with emerging leaders.

2.  Multi-Generational Teams

The best organizations will harness both youthful speed and mature wisdom. Young staff may drive experimentation; older colleagues provide context and judgment. Together they are stronger.

3.  Training and Reskilling Across Life

Education shouldn’t stop in our twenties. Businesses that invest in mid-career and late-career learning will unleash new levels of innovation.

4.  Leadership Development

Boards should reconsider the bias toward younger CEOs. Some of the most effective leaders — Satya Nadella at Microsoft, Christine Lagarde at the IMF, Tim Cook at Apple — took the helm later in life.

5.  Designing Work for Cognitive Longevity

Flexible schedules, remote work, and roles that emphasize judgment over speed can help older employees thrive. These aren’t perks; they are performance multipliers.

What it means for Society

Beyond business, the findings have profound social implications.

  • Ageism Needs to End
    The idea that older people are less valuable is not only unfair — it’s scientifically wrong. Societies that sideline elders waste their richest human capital.
  • Healthcare Priorities
    Investing in cognitive health — from fitness programs to lifelong education — should be a public health priority, not a luxury.
  • Politics and Policy
    If peak judgment arrives at 60, perhaps we should not worry that leaders are “too old.” The problem is not age itself but whether they maintain curiosity, energy, and purpose.
  • Redefining Success in Life
    The obsession with “achieving everything early” creates unnecessary pressure. If the best is yet to come, then life is a marathon, not a sprint.

Unlocking your brain power

The science is clear: the brain does not burn out early; it matures into brilliance. But like an athlete training for the Olympics, reaching your peak at 60 requires preparation. The choices you make at 30, 40, and 50 determine how strong, resilient, and creative your mind will be when it blossoms later.

The formula is simple but profound: move your body, feed your mind, rest deeply, connect widely, and live with purpose.

Imagine a society where 60 is not seen as the beginning of decline but as the arrival of mastery. Where businesses design careers that crescendo, not taper. Where individuals know that each decade is not a fading echo of youth but a step toward the fullest expression of who they can be.

Brilliant at 60

If you are 25 and anxious about “running out of time,” relax — your best years are still ahead. If you are 45 and wondering if you’ve peaked, remember: you are only halfway to your summit. And if you are 60, welcome — you are entering the golden age of your mind.

The late bloom of brilliance is not an accident of nature; it is the very design of human life. Train your brain, move your body, stay curious, live with purpose — and the best of you will still be to come.

More from the blog