Today, we'll learn about 8 everyday habits that make you smarter. Now, let's begin. Few traits are more personally, professionally, and socially valuable than intelligence. In simple terms, intelligence is the ability to understand knowledge, to solve problems, to generate ideas, and to think critically about the world around you. In all its forms, intelligence has been the subject of hundreds, if not thousands, of psychological studies. Time and time again, it's been proven to positively influence almost every aspect of our lives. The most intelligent people tend to climb higher on the professional ladder and are more likely to achieve meaningful long-term goals. They tend to find more success in relationships, and they earn more respect from the people they meet. On a grander scale, highly intelligent people are mainly responsible for the development of our society. Creative innovators like Steve Jobs laid the foundations for generations of human progress. Geniuses like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking transformed how we understand the world, even the entire universe. From artists and philosophers to scientists and engineers. The greatest minds through history were able to change the world forever because they had the discipline and the courage to use their intelligence to the fullest.
They learned, they worked, and they experimented day in and day out, constantly searching for inspiration and questioning everything they knew. Some of these people were naturally gifted, but others were average thinkers just like anyone else. Yet they climb to the top of their fields, and they eventually change the world. How? By expanding their intelligence each and every day. Most people don't realize that intelligence isn't set in stone. For instance, Once, Albert Einstein was called a slow learner by one of his teachers, yet he won a Nobel Prize in physics, and he became one of the most renowned geniuses in history. In other words, high intelligence isn't something that you're necessarily born with. Instead, you can develop your intelligence by stimulating your mind and consistently pushing your intellectual limits. With hard work and the right habits, anyone can make intelligence their superpower. Anyone can train themselves to think and create like the smartest people to ever live. In this video, we're going to explore the many powerful ways that you can expand your mind. Whether you're naturally gifted or just average, these 8 everyday habits can make you smarter than you think.
For thousands of years, people from around the world have used one simple exercise to increase their intelligence. The ancient practice of meditation has been scientifically proven to enhance your memory, improve concentration, and even raise your intelligence quotient or IQ. In one study, avid meditators were asked to take an IQ test and their scores were compared to people who never meditated before. On average, meditators scored 20% higher than non-meditators. They were also more creative and performed better under pressure, staying calm and focused when others began to waver. So meditate for a few minutes every day, and you may think, concentrate, and solve problems like never before.
According to billionaire Warren Buffett, it's possible to rapidly expand our intelligence every single day. Using the so-called high exposure method, many ultra-successful people like Buffett were able to climb to the top of their fields. Here's how it works. Every day, they flood their brains with as many productive materials as possible. They read about current events, they talk to interesting people, and they keep tabs on their industries. They're constantly encountering new information which inspires innovative ideas and reveals opportunities for growth. While you can't possibly know everything, that doesn't mean you can't try. Expose your brain to all kinds of inspiring materials every day, and you'll start generating more ideas than ever.
Reading and studying aren't the only ways to grow your intelligence. Studies have also shown a strong correlation between intellectual performance and physical exercise. Activities like cardio and strength training promote the growth of cells called neurons, which transmit signals within your brain. Growing new neurons expands and complexifies your brain, literally increasing your brain power every day.
Most people don't question the world around them. They take things at face value and they believe whatever they're told, but simply asking more questions can make you harder. Get in the habit of questioning everything, no matter how popular or conventional something seems. Be curious every day and ask as many questions as you can. Even if it sounds stupid, every question you ask gives you a deeper and more unique point of view.
Albert Einstein once said, If you can't explain something simply, you probably don't understand it well enough. When we learn new things, we tend to paint in broad strokes, learning enough to answer questions or get good grades, but not enough to understand or master each concept fully.
Without mastery, we struggle to retain our knowledge or create new and bigger connections. That's why Einstein developed this simple test. To figure out whether you've mastered a concept, explain it to another person in as simple terms as possible. If they don't understand what you're saying, you may need to refresh your memory or expand your understanding because the person who can explain something simply is the wisest of all.
You're only as intelligent as the people you surround yourself with. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but your social groups do have a significant impact on your intellectual development. If you surround yourself with people who aren't particularly smart, you may not feel challenged or learn anything new. On the other hand, if you spend time with people who are as smart or smarter than you, one conversation can elevate your thinking. Talking to brilliant people isn't always easy. Sometimes it's downright intimidating. But intelligence is contagious. Make friends with the smartest person you know, and their intelligence will rub off on you.
Our thoughts are fleeting and limited. We can only juggle so much information in our heads, so it's often difficult to mentally process big ideas or work through complicated problems.
This is especially true in our personal lives. We can think about what direction we're headed or the sources of our anxiety, but these problems are often too complex to resolve by thinking alone. That's why many people journal or write about their lives. In writing, we can express our ideas concretely, making sense of all the thoughts that are swirling around her heads. In a sense, you're problem solving every time that you put pen to paper, pursuing new conclusions, and gradually transforming how you think. Now, contrary to popular belief, you don't have be a talented writer to write every day. Feel free to express your ideas in whatever way makes sense to you. Every day, write just one paragraph about your life, and you may start to see things in a whole new way.
Our lives are full of distractions and time-wasters, but these mind-numming activities don't have to stifle your intelligence. If you want to become smarter, make your distractions work for you. In other words, substitute common time wasters for activities that challenge your mind or teach you something new. If, for example, instead of watching a mindless TV show, turn on a thought-provoking documentary.