You may believe that there’s not much you can do to boost your intelligence. But, there are actually a number of things that can increase your cognitive power.
Becoming more intelligent can give you more success in your work and personal life, as well as make a lasting impression on those around you. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be hard. There are several simple tips that anyone can implement that will drastically boost their intelligence levels. In this post, I’ll outline the most effective strategies to become super intelligent quickly, allowing you to achieve the mental acuity of an experienced professional or top student.
Read on for useful advice that is guaranteed to help you succeed.
Read also: 7 Study Techniques to Increase Your Learning Ability
1. Read voraciously and critically to boost intelligence
One way to become super intelligent quickly is to engage in what is called “deliberate practice.” This means practicing with a specific goal in mind, and constantly striving to improve your performance.
However, you can’t deliberate practice if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong in the first place. That’s where reading comes in. When you read, you expose yourself to new ideas and different ways of thinking.
Think about all the things that you do not know. Well, believe it or not, the things that you erroneously believe to be true are likely much more dangerous.
Reading helps you develop a better understanding of the world and how it works. It’ll improve your critical thinking skills, as you learn to question everything you read and to think deeply about the meaning behind words.
Read also: 16 Simple Tips To Make Reading A Habit
2. Travel and experience new cultures
One of the best ways to learn is to experience things firsthand. When you travel, you’re exposed to new cultures, which can help you develop a better understanding of the world. You also learn about different people and their customs, which can give you a more well-rounded perspective on life.
Travel can also improve your problem-solving skills, as you’re constantly faced with new challenges and situations that you have to figure out how to deal with.
Do you know how many years I tried to learn to speak Spanish to little or no avail?! Then, I moved to Cuba and quickly became fluent. This was largely due to the fact that I HAD to learn the language to succeed in my studies and secondly, I was fully immersed in it. So if you want to learn something quickly, fully immerse yourself in it and make it NON-OPTIONAL. It’s amazing how fast our brains adapt when we don’t have much of a choice.
Read more about my journey here: Life Lessons From My Medical School Journey
3. Be open-minded and curious
If you want to get smarter, you need to be open-minded and curious about the world around you. Constantly ask questions and seek out new information.
If you’re curious about something, not only are you more likely to go and FIND the answer, but you’re also much more likely to RETAIN that information, EXPLORE deeper, and come up with creative solutions.
Remember, intelligence is not only about gathering information. It’s about retention, clarity and application and that’s exactly why curiosity is so important.
To improve your curiosity, focus on you. What are the things that you are most interested in or passionate about. How do you learn best? Answer these questions and then apply your passion to your best learning style. Allow yourself to get bored so that you could focus on yourself and/or let your mind wander.
Read also: 19 Easy Ways To Increase Your Brain Power
4. Practice active listening to become super intelligent
Active listening is a skill that is often underrated but is actually quite important. When you’re actively listening, you’re not just hearing the words that are being said, but you’re also trying to understand the meaning behind them.
This requires focus and concentration. Active listening can help you better understand the people and the world around you. It can also help you remember information better.
Want to become an expert communicator? Read more: 20 Powerful Tips To Become An Expert Communicator
5. Take on new challenges to become smarter
One of the best ways to become intelligent is to USE YOUR BRAIN. I know, I know, it’s obvious but true. Find ways to continually challenge yourself. This will help you develop new skills and knowledge. It will also force you to think critically and to problem-solve. When you’re constantly challenging yourself, you’re more likely to get smarter over time.
Take on new projects and tasks that are outside of your comfort zone. Do complex puzzles and memory games. Mix things up a bit. Try a new route home. Do that Math question without a calculator. Technology is great, but it’s amazing how DEPENDENT or LAZY we’ve become because of them – myself included.
BTW, in your quest to take on new challenges, remember to get over yourself. Be willing to make mistakes. Remember that we’re often our biggest critics and that FAILURE is actually not your worst enemy – it’s your lack of desire to try. Either that or your indecisiveness.
Here are some more expert tips for self-improvement: 9 Simple Steps To Be A Better You
6. Get plenty of sleep to boost intelligence
It’s important to get enough sleep if you want to be more intelligent. Sleep helps your brain rest and recharge, which is essential for learning and memory.
When you’re well-rested, you’re able to think more clearly and creatively. You’re also more likely to remember information. So make sure to get plenty of rest if you want to be at the top of your game.
According to research, sleep deprivation affects both brain activity and stability. In fact, the impact that sleep deprivation has on the brain is likely more severe than the impact it has on our bodies.
Benington & Heller, 1995
Read also: 31 Benefits Of Healthy Sleep Habits – Based on Research
7. Practice meditation and mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness can help improve your focus and concentration. They can also reduce stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your ability to think clearly.
Meditation and mindfulness can also help improve your memory and brain function. So consider practicing these techniques on a regular basis.
Read more on mediation and mindfulness in this article: 12 Spiritual Tips for Self-Care To Boost Your Health
8. Eat healthy and exercise to boost intelligence
Eating healthy and exercising not only benefits your physical health, but also your mental health. When you’re physically healthy, you’re more likely to be alert and focused. You’re also less likely to get sick, which can interfere with your ability to learn.
Exercise has also been shown to improve memory and brain function. So make sure to take care of your body if you want to take care of your mind.
Read also: Why Is Self-Care Important? + Top Tips To Prioritize It
Physical exercise, a healthy diet, decreasing alcohol use and increasing cognitive effort are the best strategies to minimize the negative effects that aging has on our brains.
peters, 2006
9. Know thyself to become super intelligent
Self-knowledge is a powerful tool for becoming more intelligent quickly. Examining your strengths and weaknesses can be the key to unlocking knowledge that can help you progress in any field.
By better understanding yourself, you’ll be able to identify areas of difficulty and know when it might be beneficial to get help or advice from an expert. Likewise, recognizing your capabilities and skills will also inform your personal learning style; meaning you’re able to focus on the material that resonates with you most to become truly informed with less effort.
So, do whatever it takes to get more familiar with who you are. Work on perfecting the skills you already have. Identify your shortcomings or weaknesses and then, find creative ways to DEFEAT them. If you can’t find any creative ways, PRACTICE does make PERFECT.
Read more : 4 Key Ways To Improve Emotional Intelligence
Research proves that intelligence can be enhanced. However, strategies to increase intelligence must have a greater focus on the individual. They should be personalized for enhancing individual interest.
(Colom & Román, 2018)
10. Be positive and optimistic
Positivism and optimism have been linked to better mental health and increased resilience. Surrounding ourselves with positive people and maintaining a positive outlook helps us to cope better with challenges and achieve our goals.
Additionally, this will likely make the process fun. If learning is fun, you’ll be more likely to stick to it.
11. Surround yourself with like minded people
One of the best ways to become super intelligent quickly is to surround yourself with clever people. When you’re around people who are smart and successful, you’re more likely to learn from them.
Connecting with like-minded people helps to create a supportive network, exchange ideas, and collaborate on projects. Also, spending time with people who share our interests helps to keep us motivated and inspired.
But understand that you may have to work harder or study more than some persons. Realize that sometimes, you may need to put in twice the work for the same results. And that this perseverance and hard work, will be just as valuable.
12. Set goals and work towards them diligently
Goal-setting gives us a sense of purpose and direction, and working towards them diligently helps us to achieve our full potential. Having a growth mindset will allow us to embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities for learning and development.
Remember that the simple act of writing down your goals increases your chances of achieving them.
Read more about goal-setting here: Thinking About New Year’s Resolutions & Goals for 2023? Read this!
13. Practice active learning to become smarter
When it comes to becoming intelligent quickly, practice active learning. Active learning involves engaging with the subject material rather than passively consuming as much information as possible. This can involve assessing your own understanding by practicing key concepts, discussing with other people to gain different perspectives, and generally participating in activities which require your full attention and focus.
Active learning is evident in activities like discussions, debates and interacting with sources of knowledge like teachers or books.
Practice will develop deep understanding and foster critical thinking which are essential skills to become more intelligent. It doesn’t matter how much time is allotted for learning; a few focused hours can lead to significant gains in understanding and intelligence if they are used effectively.
Be prepared to discuss topics and learn from various resources.
Final words on simple tips to become super intelligent quickly
You don’t have to be a genius to become super intelligent. By following these simple tips, you can give your intelligence a boost in no time. Start by reading as much as you can, actively learn and listen, practicing meditation to improve focus, and exercising regularly to keep your brain sharp. And if you want to see even more results, try incorporating some of these activities into your daily routine. With a little bit of effort, you can become the smartest person you know. Do you have any other tips for becoming super intelligent? Share them with me in the comments below!
Read more: 6 Types of Activities to Improve Working Memory
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The good news is, there are some easy and simple things you can do that will help boost your image as an intelligent person. In this blog post I explore a few of these tips. Read more
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References
Benington, H. J. & Heller, C. (1995) Restoration of brain energy metabolism as the function of sleep, Progress in Neurobiology, Volume 45, Issue 4, Pages 347-360, ISSN 0301-0082
Colom R, Román FJ. Enhancing Intelligence: From the Group to the Individual. J Intell. 2018 Mar 1;6(1):11.
Peters R. (2006). Ageing and the brain. Postgraduate medical journal, 82(964), 84–88.
