Typically, a person wants to become smarter for two reasons. First: he understands that the development of intelligence is necessary to achieve some goals. For example, for admission to a university, employment, etc. Second: he likes to develop himself, he gets pleasure from it. If you want to improve your intellectual level, there are many effective methods for this.
Use your brains
Not in the literal sense, of course. If you've ever thought that with some effort you could become a little smarter than you are now, then that's a good thing. Thinking about the development of intellectual abilities is the first step towards the goal.
Be more curious, constantly learn new things, understand how the processes that interest you function, get to the bottom of incomprehensible things. You will be surprised at how much unknown there is around you.
How to do it
Keep your brain busy with useful work, switch from your usual routine to something you haven’t done before. Learning new skills will help your brain become more flexible and will have a positive effect on your mental performance.
Useful literature
Reading books in itself develops the brain. And if these are books about intelligence, then the effect will be simply “Wow!” If our recommendations and exercises weren’t enough for you and you’re thinking about how to further develop yourself intellectually, here’s a list of good books:
- “Brain Plasticity” Norman Doidge
- “Six Thinking Hats” Edward de Bono
- “Brain rules. What you and your children should know about the brain" John Medina
- “Japanese system for the development of intelligence and memory” Ryuta Kawashima
- “Where Intelligence Is Born” John Duncan
Find a more complete selection in our article “Books on the development of intelligence.”
read books
It has been scientifically proven that reading not only expands your vocabulary and horizons, but also helps develop your imagination. David Comer Kidd, Emanuele Castano. Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind.. When reading books, we are immersed in a new world and experience emotions that we would hardly be able to feel in reality. If you want to increase your emotional intelligence, read more good literature. This is one of the most effective ways to improve brain function.
How to do it
Join the library, purchase a subscription to a service where you can read books online, make a list of books that you have long wanted to read, but never got around to. Set a goal to read at least one book a month.
How to become smart in 5 minutes
It is impossible to become smarter in a second. But if you devote 5 minutes every day to developing your intelligence, you can see the result in a couple of months. To do this you need:
- Increase your vocabulary. If you hear a new word, don’t be lazy to look up its meaning in a dictionary.
- Study independently the area in which you have the least knowledge. A truly smart person is a first-class specialist not only in the professional field, but also in related ones.
- Become a polyglot. It is not necessary to take on several languages at once. First, learn one, but to perfection.
- Read more. We are talking about educational or classic literature, and not about meaningless novels. By reading, you also increase your vocabulary, which means you make your speech more beautiful and rich. When you see an unfamiliar word, clarify what it means and re-read the passage again, now understanding the entire text.
- Watch serious educational or documentary television programs instead of entertainment shows (Dom-2, Comedy Club, etc.). Viewing them every day only clogs the brain with empty information.
Let your emotions go
There is emotional intelligence, which helps us control and manage our feelings, and there is rational intelligence, which is responsible for our ability to think systematically. As a rule, more attention is usually paid to the rational intellect, and this is not entirely true.
To feel comfortable, you must not forget about the emotional component, which can help you learn to adapt to constant changes and quickly solve emerging problems.
How to do it
Don't be afraid to talk about how you feel. If you are unhappy with something at work or at home, then tactfully let others know about it so that you can jointly solve the problem. Of course, it’s not always possible to find a solution, but at least you won’t keep the negative inside yourself forever.
How to become smart in 1 day, overnight
If we assess the situation realistically, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to sharply become wiser in 1 day or night. However, in your social circle you can be considered an intellectual if you follow these tricky recommendations:
- According to statistics, 99% of people consider themselves smart. If you remain silent and agree with what they say, on a subconscious level, others will decide that you are not lagging behind them in mental development.
- Seek advice from intelligent people or those who consider themselves intelligent. It won't seem ignorant. On the contrary, they will think that you are smart for taking their opinion into account.
- Communicate with erudite people. Seeing them in their company, you will also be labeled as a smart guy. Plus, you can learn something new from them.
- Communicate with those who are intellectually less developed than you. You will stand out noticeably against their background. But you need to be careful with this. Being in the company of fools for a long time can stop you from developing intellectually.
- Repeat the thoughts and statements of smart people. But be careful with this too. If a dispute and discussion arises, and you do not know the premises of what was said, you will find yourself in an awkward situation. Therefore, before you say anything, understand the words.
- Observe intellectuals, imitate their behavior. People who have life experience, common sense, and act wisely are often called smart. Maybe you also have these qualities, you just don’t know how to use them.
- Before you do something, think about what the action will lead to. How will everyone around you regard it, and will you then ruin your relationship with them?
Do it the other way around
This method may seem quite absurd to some, but it is quite effective. Try brushing your teeth with a different hand than you usually use. Try holding the mouse in your other hand. Can you?
When we make small changes to our usual actions, our brain is forced to think about how, taking into account all the changes, we will get the same result as before. This has a beneficial effect on its functioning.
How to do it
Challenge your brain and force it to find unexpected solutions. Take a new route to work, learn to navigate using maps in an unfamiliar city, talk to your friends in the language you are learning.
What do you mean by broadening your horizons?
It means curiosity and the realization of the natural need to understand the world around us. Literally, horizon means increasing visibility. The deeper a person understands the essence of things and phenomena, the better he thinks logically. If you have a diploma with a technical specialty, no one forbids you to study the humanities or natural sciences and vice versa. If you consider yourself a professional, constantly develop yourself and apply theoretical experience in practice.
Why try?
Being erudite is useful for rational reasons. Standardized education in educational institutions, watching trendy films, imposing social attitudes forms a similar worldview in people and limits the mind. A broad outlook develops unconventional thinking, helps to build logical chains and calculate events. This saves you from the troubles that often happen to short-sighted people.
Learning is a catalyst for positive changes in life. A person who has a personal point of view always wins and never loses professional significance.
In the 21st century, a new value system is a priority. People strive not so much for enrichment as for original ideas. They are born exceptional in erudite heads. Intellectuals have every chance of success. Smart people, geeks, and nerds become leaders of successful businesses.
Who are modern scholars?
These are people who have deep knowledge in at least 3 different areas and possess professional skills. Many combine knowledge and generate breakthrough ideas. This is proven by outstanding personalities: Aristotle, Huygens, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, who went down in history, and their erudite contemporaries. Everyone knows the names of Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Jeff Bezos.
For example, before Edward Wilson, biology and sociology were studied separately until he created sociobiology. Jobs integrated programming with design and introduced the MacBook. Musk, thanks to his knowledge of physics, programming, and economics, has organized billion-dollar companies and is successfully exploring space.
The combination of skills will make you a professional in a narrow field. Scott Adams, the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, was not always a comedian and animator. At the time of creating the office sketches, he was over twenty. He combined humor, the ability to draw, and a critical view of business culture - and became successful in his field. The guy believes that the achievements and combination of different skills work wonders: “My experience allows me to display themes that other illustrators cannot reproduce.”
To solve personal and general problems, knowledge in one area is not enough. For example, take obesity, which often leads to death. Nutritionists advise eating less and moving more. This is true, but not the whole truth. Scott Page in his book Diversity Bonus showed that the problem requires an integrated approach: knowledge from physiology, genetics, psychology, and other related fields. There is only one conclusion: develop in different directions, train in the ability to combine skills for career and creative breakthroughs.
Leave the search engines alone
We look for information every day and don’t even think about how easily we get it and how quickly it disappears from our heads. Just a couple of clicks - and we already have answers to all your questions.
The Internet is, of course, the easiest way to find the information you need. But it makes our brain incredibly lazy, because we no longer need to think about the fact that we don’t know something.
How to do it
Try to at least temporarily abandon search engines, automatic translators, converters and calculators. Try doing the math in your head, looking up the answer in a book, or adding up your expenses in a column. Yes, it will take much more time, but it will make your brain work and you will be more careful with information.
Spells and potions to become smart
The use of magical rituals to improve intellectual abilities is a peculiar and controversial way. From a scientific point of view, it is unlikely to give results, but you can try, it won’t make it worse.
Spells must be cast on the waning moon, and you must sincerely believe in every word. This can be done by a woman or a man. Say the following over a glass of spring water: “The water is clear and clean! Fast streams brought you! Penetrate inside (...), saturate with new knowledge! Let your thoughts (husband, daughter, son...) become clear, your mind quick. Let everything be easy for him! Let him begin to deal with everything quickly!”
Give the liquid to someone who needs magical help to drink.
If a teenager or adult has the ability to learn, but does not want to learn or is lazy, the following spell can be cast over a burning candle: “Burn, flame, flare up! Sway from my breath! So that the servant of God also burns for knowledge (...). Amen!"
After reading, the candle flame must be blown out.
To add wisdom and intelligence to yourself, you need to say the following words: “Great Lord! Send me the grace of Your Holy Spirit, giving us a bright mind and thoughts! So that, by listening to the science taught to us, we may be admonished for the glory of the Creator, for the joy of our loved ones, for the benefit of the church and the Fatherland! May your will be done in this! May Your Name be glorified! Amen!"
Whether to resort to potions and spells or not, everyone decides for himself. However, the time you spend on magic is better used for self-development (reading, brain exercises, etc.). These methods are proven and will definitely bring results.
Play mind games
Brain stimulation games and programs are usually developed by neurologists and cognitive psychologists specifically to improve the functioning of different parts of the brain. You can find a variety of games: some develop memory, others develop attentiveness, others improve spatial orientation, and others teach concentration.
How to do it
Think about how exactly you would like to pump up your brain. Do you want to train your memory? Play games that teach you to remember different sequences. Want to become more observant? Play games where you have to search for various objects. You can choose how to train your brain.
Strategy All about one
How to increase erudition, where to start if your choice fell on this strategy?
First of all, choose for yourself the space of knowledge that you intend to seriously delve into and thoroughly master. And here you find yourself “between Scylla and Charybdis,” in other words, between two dangers.
The first threat is that the field is too wide. When someone seriously claims that he knows all philosophy, all history, all literature, this causes completely justified mistrust. It’s a different matter when you have a specialist in the field:
- Ancient Greece, i.e. an expert in its language, history, literature, sciences, philosophical movements, culture and religion;
- pediatrics, i.e. a specialist who has thoroughly studied childhood diseases, psychophysiological development, norms and pathologies, regulatory documents on children's health, characteristics of childhood diseases in different countries and in different periods of history, Latin, finally;
- automotive industry, i.e. a technician who understands engineering issues, the history of development, the current state, development trends, and future prospects.
In this case, we recognize that before us is a person deeply erudite in a certain area of human knowledge, a bearer of serious systemic and systematized knowledge, an expert on a variety of issues in his field of competence.
Rule 1 in implementing the “All About One” Strategy: clearly define your area of competence.
It is not without reason that they say that there is nothing more important for an intelligent person than to understand where his competence ends and where he can admit with a clear conscience: “Unfortunately, I am not competent enough in this matter.”
The second threat lies in the exact opposite position: going too deep into one narrow issue.
This leads to Rule 2: Differentiate your areas of competence according to the depth of your knowledge.
To determine this, draw three concentric circles:
- the first is what constitutes the core of your knowledge;
- the second is something that is derivative, just as in mathematics Y is a function of X;
- the third is something that is already derived from Y, now it acts as an argument and sets the subject area of your knowledge.
Don't rush into identifying these zones. To begin with, consider several options, but even earlier you will have to generate these options. Set it as a challenge, even a game, to train your intellect. Prepare stickers in three colors and decide which color will define this or that zone for you. For example, on blue sticky notes you will write down ideas about the core of knowledge, on yellow ones - about Y, and on green ones - about the third area.
As you come up with an idea about which knowledge you intend to master, take notes on the sticky notes. Let them hang everywhere before your eyes - on your computer monitor or even on the refrigerator. Looking at them, by association you will determine for yourself more and more different directions of knowledge. After a couple of weeks, evaluate the result obtained in this way. You should have an individual plan for developing your erudition.
Talk to yourself
Many people consider self-talk a sign of an unstable mental state, but it has recently been shown to stimulate brain activity in many ways. Buschkuehl, J. Jonides, W. J. Perrig. Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory..
When you talk to yourself, you learn to organize and simplify information, which often helps you solve problems more effectively. Of course, it will be better if you still don’t talk to yourself in some public places, but at home it’s quite possible.
How to do it
Read aloud, recite tongue twisters, memorize poems or sing songs. If you are trying to remember something, then try to retell it to yourself as if you were trying to explain an incomprehensible thing to a stranger. Present information in different ways: as if you were talking to a colleague, or as if you were communicating with a child. This technique allows you to better assimilate and understand information.
Letting go of perfectionism
Some people sin by starting to strive to always be the first in everything. Others want to do everything perfectly. This is impossible by definition. How to become erudite if you constantly want to prove something to someone? First, you need to give up the idea of doing everything right. Everyone makes mistakes, there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes even mistakes are necessary in order to be able to grow above your problems and try to solve them with all your might. Only after going through special tests can you understand what you are really worth and in which direction you should direct your efforts. It is known that perfectionists are the most unhappy people in the world. Refusal of such a position will allow you to achieve a lot and free yourself from internal torment.
Learn to formulate thoughts briefly
This is where social networks can come to the rescue. For example, on the social network Twitter, you can only leave an entry that consists of no more than 140 characters. It turns out that using Twitter, we learn to organize information and express our thoughts clearly and concisely.
If you don’t want to share your thoughts on social networks, then you can simply take a piece of paper, draw a figure on it and write down your thoughts without going beyond its boundaries.
How to do it
Create an account on Twitter, find a piece of paper or open notes on your phone, decide what boundaries you will set for yourself, and start writing. You can do this at any convenient time to take a little break.
Types of intelligence
There are many different classifications of intelligence. The most famous one belongs to the American psychologist Howard Gardner. He identified 8 types of intelligence:
- spatial,
- bodily-kinesthetic,
- musical,
- linguistic,
- logical-mathematical,
- interpersonal,
- intrapersonal,
- naturalistic.
According to Gardner's theory, everyone has a dominant intelligence that determines what a person can be successful at. Based on this, standard IQ tests are untenable, since they only measure the level of logical-mathematical intelligence.
Another classification divides intelligence into 4 components:
- Mental intelligence is responsible for rational thinking. It is applicable wherever the laws of logic apply.
- Physical or bodily intelligence controls processes associated with controlling the body.
- Emotional intelligence deals with emotions and interpersonal interactions.
- Spiritual intelligence is associated with the subconscious, intuition, and ethical categories.
All components of intelligence require development. If you pay attention to only one thing, you will not achieve harmony. Some important areas of life will be limping.
Learn languages
When we learn a new language, our brain is actively working: we train our memory by remembering new words, learn something we haven’t done before, train our speaking skills, and try to think in another language. All this sometimes helps to look at the world differently.
The brain of a person who speaks several languages works much more efficiently than the brain of someone who speaks only one language.
How to do it
Find services and applications that will make learning foreign languages easy and enjoyable. There are many resources to help you start learning a new language. Don't forget to practice your conversational skills and be sure to find a native speaker with whom you can correspond or communicate in person.
Online services for the development of intelligence
Finally, I want to share with you my favorite sites and applications with simulators for developing intelligence. I hope you find a use for them.
Vikium
The Vikium service includes more than 40 brain development simulators. All of them are quite simple, so you can easily fit training into your daily schedule. An individual program is compiled based on the results of testing, which each user undergoes before starting training.
Wikium is suitable for all ages. It will help your child prepare for school and improve his attentiveness. With the help of it, teenagers and adults will be able to increase their productivity, reduce the number of mistakes during work and study, and keep their brain in good shape. For older people, training will be an excellent prevention of age-related changes in the brain.
The service also has very interesting courses. For example, the Sherlock Thinking course, where you will be taught how to draw logical conclusions, recognize deception and think critically. Or the Brain Detoxification course, where you can clear your mind of destructive thoughts and attitudes.
4Brain
4Brain is a resource that contains training courses in a variety of areas: from financial literacy to acting. As part of our work on developing intelligence, you and I will be interested in several courses.
Free:
- Emotional intellect
- Critical thinking
- Making decisions
Paid:
- Quick Read
- Mnemonics
- Cognitive science
Bitreynik
On Bitreynik you can train your intellect separately, or you can choose a program to develop several functions at once: perception, memory, thinking, attention. The simulators and games are based on the achievements of cognitive psychology. Daily exercise will help you form new neural connections in your brain.
The developers promise the first results within 20 days, provided that you exercise for 10–20 minutes a day.
BrainApps
On the BrainApps service you will find as many as 52 simulators. There are also a bunch of interesting tests, including ones to determine IQ. The tasks deserve special attention. Among them are logical, mathematical, geometric, chess, erudition problems, puzzles... Most of them are available for free.
If you decide to opt for this service, I advise you to try the following simulators:
- Fruit mathematics
- Letters and numbers
- Visual geometry
- Anagrams
- Geometric switching
Here, just like on Vikium, in addition to simulators, there are ready-made courses in various areas: from memory development to learning English. I recommend the Emotional Intelligence course to you - it is interesting, rich and original.
Watch interesting documentaries and listen to audio content
In addition to books for the mind, there is a lot of other content that can increase your intellectual level. These include educational documentaries from both streaming services and major TV channels, as well as from numerous YouTube channels that create independent content.
Special attention should also be paid to various podcasts, which can be devoted to art, politics, history, business and other areas of human activity.
Search for your content and always filter it so as not to clutter your head with information junk that can have a destructive effect on your cognitive abilities.
