The Marks Of Maturity Tim Elemore Analysis

Everybody has met that one person that seems to never get fazed and has everything under control, the best way to describe those kinds of people is mature. Maturity comes from any number of influences and is something that most people look for in a partner, employee, student, or friend. No one can force themselves to become mature but there are certain characteristics that define a mature person. Maturity is a collection of characteristics that molds the way people live their lives.

In the article “The Marks of Maturity” by Tim Elmore, Tim addresses what he considers to be the marks of maturity. Tim breaks down maturity into three main characteristics. A mature person is developed “intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.” (Elmore). The list of characteristics that Tim created covers most of the fundamental traits that define a mature person. There are many deeper and more detailed characteristics, but for the most part they are all connected to the three that were stated. Of course the definition of maturity is subjective and differs from person to person.

So what is the most important trait to be developed in?
As Tim explains “Regions that specialize in language, for example, grow rapidly until about age 13 and then stop. The frontal lobes of the brain which are responsible for high level reasoning and decision making aren’t fully mature until the early 20s, according to Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, a neuroscientist at Harvard Brain Imaging Center. There’s a portion of time when the child part of the brain has been pruned, but the adult portion is not fully formed. They are “in-between.” They are informed but not prepared.” (Elmore). So not only is it a mental challenge but there are also physical blocks that hinder developing adolescents. So, to a point it is reasonable to expect children to mature, but it is important to understand the mental and physical limitations they are