Intelligence is a slippery concept. It might mean having a large vocabulary or the ability to work long hours without getting distracted. It might mean being able to solve math problems or quoting whole passages of Shakespeare.
There are countless definitions of intelligence, and countless ways to increase it. In fact, there is no one particular method that can expand your intelligence per se, but there are many methods that can help you become sharper.
This article will look at 21 different ways to become smarter than you are now.
1. Learn how to learn
In order to learn how to learn, you need to understand the process of learning. Learning is a complex process that involves taking in new information and making connections with what you already know.
In order to learn effectively, you need to be able to focus and pay attention, understand and remember what you are learning, and be able to apply what you have learned. There are a variety of techniques that can help you learn more effectively.
For example, when you are first learning something new, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller chunks and focus on one piece at a time. Repeat what you are learning out loud, or write it down to help you remember it.
Organize information using mnemonic devices, such as creating a catchy phrase or image to associate with a list of items. Practice regularly, and try to find real-world applications for what you are learning.
By understanding the process of learning and using effective techniques, you can learn how to learn more effectively.
2. Learn something completely new to you
In order to
By learning something new, you will not only increase your intelligence but also your knowledge base. Additionally, you may find that you enjoy the new activity and it could become a lifelong hobby.
Learn a new instrument
There’s no denying that learning to play a musical instrument can be incredibly rewarding.
Not only do you get to enjoy the satisfaction of making beautiful music, but you also get to reap the cognitive benefits that come with it. Numerous studies have shown that playing an instrument can improve your memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills.
So if you’re looking for a way to
There are plenty of resources available to help you get started, and with a little practice and dedication, you’ll be playing like a pro in no time.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your instrument of choice and start making beautiful music today.
Learn a new language
There are many benefits to learning a new language. For one, it can make you smarter. Studies have shown that bilingualism and multilingualism have cognitive benefits, including improved executive function, memory, and problem-solving skills.
In addition, learning a different language can also improve your communication skills. If you can speak more than one language, you’ll be better equipped to communicate with people from different cultures.
This can be helpful in both your personal and professional life. So if you’re looking to
There are many different languages to choose from, so you can pick one that interests you. With some dedication and practice, you’ll be speaking like a native in no time.
Learn a martial art
There’s evidence that learning a martial art can improve your cognitive intelligence.
A study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that people who learned a martial art had better cognitive function than those who didn’t.
The study participants who learned a martial art also had better working memory, attention, and executive function than the control group. So if you’re looking for a way to
Not only will you get the benefits of physical activity, but you’ll also improve your cognitive function. And who knows, you may even enjoy it!
Learn a new hobby or side hustle
There are many benefits to learning a new hobby or side hustle. For one, it really can make you smarter.
Studies have shown that people who engage in regular mental stimulation – whether through learning a new skill or hobby – tend to have better cognitive function than those who don’t. So, if you want to give your brain a boost, learning something new is a great way to do it.
In addition to beefing up your brain power, learning a new hobby or side hustle can also help you to be more successful in your career. Many employers are looking for employees who are well-rounded and have a diverse set of skills.
So, if you can show that you’re not only good at your job but also have other interests and skills, you’ll be more likely to stand out from the competition.
Finally, pursuing a new hobby or side hustle can simply be enjoyable. It’s a great way to meet new people, explore new interests, and have fun.
So, if you’re looking for a way to improve your life in a variety of ways, learning a new hobby or side hustle is a great option.
3. Start volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to make yourself smarter.
By giving your time and energy to help others, you can learn new skills and knowledge that you wouldn’t have otherwise. You can also gain valuable experience that can make you more marketable to potential employers.
And, volunteering can simply make you feel good about yourself and your community. So if you’re looking to improve your mind and your life, start volunteering today.
4. Exercise (Yes, you’ll hear this a lot, but it works!)
Exercise not only can make you physically healthier and happier, but it can also make you smarter.
Exercise can improve cognitive function and increase brain size. Exercise has also been linked to improved memory, higher IQ scores, and better academic performance.
Not only that, exercise may help to improve brain function by increasing blood flow to the brain and providing other benefits such as reducing stress levels. So if you want to be smarter, hit the gym!
5. Write down everything you know about a particular topic (Complete topical brain dump)
A brain dump is an exercise in which you write down everything you know about a particular topic. The goal is to get all of your thoughts and knowledge out of your head, and onto paper (or into a digital document).
This can be a helpful way to organize your thoughts, and to see how much you actually know about a topic. It can also help you to identify gaps in your knowledge, so that you can focus on learning more about those areas.
Do this regularly for multiple topics to train your brain to dig deeper during future thought processes.
6. Hire a tutor to become more proficient in a topic
There are many reasons why you might want to hire a tutor to become more proficient in a topic. Perhaps you’re having difficulty understanding the material in class, or you want to get ahead of the curve.
Either way, hiring a tutor can help you achieve your goals. A tutor can provide one-on-one attention that can help you grasp difficult concepts.
They can also answer any questions you have and give you feedback on your progress. If you’re struggling with a particular topic, a tutor can help you get back on track. Hiring a tutor is a smart investment in your future.
By becoming more proficient in a topic, you’ll be better prepared for exams and career opportunities. So if you’re looking to
7. Hang around smarter people.
You know the saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Well, it turns out that there’s some truth to that.
Studies have shown that the people you surround yourself with can have a significant impact on your intelligence and overall success in life. One of the best things you can do is to hang around smarter people.
Spend time with people who are doing interesting things and who challenge you to think in new and different ways. These people will help to stimulate your mind and make you more likely to achieve success in whatever you pursue.
So if you’re looking to be
Attending industry related events or seminars is a great way to meet other smart, like-minded people.
These events provide an opportunity to network and learn from some of the top minds in your field.
Additionally, they can be a great way to stay abreast of current trends and developments. Attendance at these events can also help to build your professional credibility.
8. Re-charge your mind and body.
If you truly are seeking to
This can be done by getting plenty of rest, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly.
When your mind and body are well-rested and nourished, you’ll be able to think more clearly and be more creative.
Additionally, exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which helps to improve cognitive function. So make sure to take care of yourself physically and mentally if you want to
9. Read Every Day! The key to being smarter is to read more
Reading is a fundamental skill that helps us acquire knowledge and understanding. It is the key to being smarter and more successful in life.
By reading more, we expose ourselves to new ideas and perspectives that can help us think critically and solve problems more effectively.
Furthermore, reading helps improve our focus and concentration, and can even reduce stress levels. So if you want to be smarter, make sure to read every day!
Puzzles, crosswords, and brain teasers can all help improve your cognitive skills. Doing puzzles can help improve your memory, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills.
Crosswords and brain teasers, in particular, can help improve your verbal reasoning skills. So if you want to
11. Interact with more people (Talk to people from different backgrounds)
Interacting with a diversity of people can help you become more intelligent. hearing different perspectives can open your mind to new ways of thinking and help you understand the world better.
If you’re used to interacting with people who are similar to you, you may be missing out on valuable insights. so make an effort to reach out to people from different backgrounds and you may just find yourself
12. Push yourself to be more curious about things
You should consider pushing yourself to be more curious about things. This means constantly asking questions, researching new topics, and expanding your knowledge in all areas.
Additionally, you should always be looking for new ways to challenge yourself mentally. This can include learning new skills, taking on new responsibilities, and anything else that forces you to think outside the box.
By constantly pushing yourself to be more curious and challenging your mind, you will undoubtedly become much smarter over time.
13. Travel to places you’ve never been to before
There’s nothing like travel to open your eyes and expand your horizons. When you visit new places, you’re exposed to new cultures, new ideas, and new ways of thinking.
This can help you
So if you’re looking to become smarter, consider adding some new destinations to your travel list.
14. Get more quality sleep
Sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and well-being, yet many of us don’t get enough quality sleep on a nightly basis.
Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for our cognitive health and can actually make us smarter. When we sleep, our brains are able to consolidate information and memories from the day, which helps us to better learn and remember things.
Sleep also helps to boost our creativity and problem-solving skills. If we want to be at our best mentally, we need to make sure we’re getting enough quality sleep.
There are a few things we can do to help improve the quality of our sleep. First, we should try to create a relaxing and comfortable sleep environment.
This means making sure our bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. We should also avoid using electronic devices in the hour leading up to bedtime as the blue light can interfere with our natural sleep cycle.
Lastly, we should establish a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible. By following these simple tips, we can get the quality sleep we need to become noticeably smarter and more successful.
15. Practice makes perfect
Practice does indeed make perfect, at least when it comes to becoming smarter. Studies have shown that those who engage in regular mental activities and challenge themselves intellectually tend to have higher IQs and improved cognitive function.
So if you’re looking to give your brain a boost, start by doing things that require mental effort and focus.
Play brain games, learn a new foreign language, read challenging books, and solve puzzles.
The more you challenge your mind, the sharper it will become.
16. Listen, read, and write with purpose
When you listen, read, and write with purpose, you are engaging your brain in higher-level thinking.
This type of thinking challenges and strengthens your brain, making you more intelligent over time. When you have a purpose for listening, reading, or writing, you are more likely to pay attention and to remember what you heard, read, or wrote.
When you are able to remember and recall information, you are better able to understand and use it. This deeper understanding increases your intelligence.
Engaging your brain in higher-level thinking also helps you to see connections between ideas, to make new associations, and to come up with creative solutions to problems. This type of thinking requires effort, but it is worth it because it makes you smarter.
17. Play with your kids
There’s no need to feel guilty about spending time playing with your kids – it could actually make you smarter.
A new study has found that parents who play with their children on a regular basis score higher on tests of mental flexibility and problem-solving than those who don’t. So go ahead and build that block tower together, or have a tea party with your little ones.
Not only will you be creating cherished memories, you’ll also be giving your brain a workout. And who knows, maybe your kids will even teach you a thing or two.
18. You are what you eat
You are what you eat, so they say. And there may be some truth to that adage – especially when it comes to becoming smarter.
A growing body of research suggests that what we eat can have a significant impact on our cognitive abilities. For instance, studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids – found in fish, nuts and certain types of oils – can improve memory, focus and attention span.
Other nutrients that have been linked to better brain function include vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and zinc. So, if you’re looking to boost your brainpower, you may want to consider adding more of these foods to your diet.
Of course, there’s more to increasing intelligence than just eating the right foods.
Exercise, sleep and reducing stress are also important factors in cognitive function. But if you’re looking to give your brain a little extra boost, what you eat may be a good place to start.
19. Go to a museum and look at paintings or other artworks
While studying hard and reading books is usually the first thing people think of when discussing improved intelligence, one that often gets overlooked is viewing art.
According to a recent study, looking at paintings and other artworks can also help to boost your intelligence. The research found that people who visited a museum and looked at artworks showed an increase in their IQ scores.
So if you’re looking for a way to become smarter, a trip to the museum might just be the answer. Who knows, you might even enjoy it!
20. Limit the amount of time you play video games
First of all, video games are not necessarily a bad thing.
Heck, I play Rocket League sometimes myself, and I’m a middle aged man! In fact, some studies have shown that playing video games can actually make you smarter.
A new study has found that playing video games can actually increase your intelligence levels. The study, published in the journal Nature, found that people who played action games for just one hour a day for three months improved their cognitive skills, including memory, perception, and multitasking.
The key is to not over-do it!
However, if you want to become substantially smarter, you should limit the amount of time you play video games.
This is because too much time spent playing video games can lead to problems with focus and attention, and can also make it difficult to learn new information.
Playing video games too much can also increase the risk of developing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
So, if you want to increase your IQ, it’s best to limit the amount of time you spend playing video games.
If you’re playing for 8 to 10 hours per day, you may be doing more harm than good.
21. Randomize your environment
Intelligence is not just about acquiring knowledge – it’s also about being able to adapt to new situations. One way to become more adaptable is to randomize your environment. By exposing yourself to new and different experiences, you can “reset” your brain and become more flexible in your thinking.
So how can you randomize your environment?
One way is to try new things (like I mentioned at the beginning of this article). Take a different route to work, eat at a new restaurant, or learn a new skill.
You can also travel to new places, meet new people, and read new books. By shaking up your routine, you can open your mind to new possibilities and become smarter in the process.
Try to spice things up and not be stuck so much in a mundane existence. Variety is great for increasing your intelligence levels!
Conclusion: Intelligence is not static
We hope you’ve found this blog post useful. We know that some of these tips might seem like common sense, but it never hurts to be reminded of these things.
You can always improve on your current state, try out some of the above ways and see if they can change your life. If you’re looking for more ways to boost your intelligence, we hope you’ll check out our blog for other posts like this one. Thank you for reading and have a great day!
About David Gracey
Founder of SuperMindHacker.com
In other words, I am completely obsessed with anything and everything related to cognitive brain enhancement!
Whether it's nootropic supplements, challenging brain puzzles, or even meditation techniques, chances are, I've tried it! This website is my outlet to give back and share what I've learned in the past 15+ years in this field of study.
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