When is it too late to start building mental fortitude and learning

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When is it too late to start building mental fortitude and learning skills? I know the entire "it's never too late for anything" but I've been told of scientific studies that the mind stays in patterns you learn early on. I'm 21, I never learned to study, never read books, never tried to learn stuff. I was always considered pretty smart for my age, reading above college level in primary school, average grades despite never studying or doing homework, all that jazz. I got my GED in junior year and I've been working ever since. Now I've come to the realization that I want to learn and read and all this stuff I used to be too apathetic for, but I have no study skills and its way too hard to stay concentrated on an informative novel. Is self teaching just a meme in itself?