Most individuals are socialized to believe that intelligence is innate, it's something you are born with, and you cannot change etcetera. Dweck Carol Ph.D., in her book "Mindset", said that prosperous people believed in beliefs such as failure is a chance to grow, talent can be developed and you can get smarter.
This then begs the question, how then do I get smarter? They're so many possible strategies to stimulate one's cognitive abilities and become more effective in a lot of fortes. After all, everyone esteems intelligent.
1READ BOOKS
Books have the natural ability to exert your mind and jog it to a remarkable extent. Books challenge to brain out of its comfort zone. Both fictional and non-fictional books shape your mind and make it tackle new paths.
A lot of studies show that all successful individuals read multiple books per month and yet normal average adults read less than a book in a year. One step to becoming smarter is to start investing your time in books. Start easy, simple, and fun to read and comprehend books and gradually navigate your way to complex meaningful ones.
Books give you a different view of the world as it exposes your thoughts to a wider range of horizons, and how diverse people do different things.
Benefits of reading
1. Relaxes your mind and body
Sleep therapists suggest reading before bed as it calms your mind and body. It's a natural lullaby that lowers your heartbeat and relaxes your muscles.
2. Concentration
This is a prerequisite for intelligence. Books have the superpower of enhancing this skill without your exertion. Reading and comprehending demand the individual to block out all distractions to fully understand the message.
3. Critical thinking
Have you read a book, midway stopped, and wondered? That is critical thinking kicking in. The questions and answers you ask and try to answer are a process of analyzing the situation and deciphering what the author meant in relation to your understanding of things which improves your critical thinking.
4. Vocabulary expansion
Are you not tired of having to google the meaning or "floating" during conversations? Take time to read, you will always encounter words you have never heard of before and the more you read the more your vocabulary improves.
5. Reading enhances your imagination
"Imagination is better than knowledge" Einstein. Imagination leads to the discovery of new things and new ways of doing things.
2CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE
Most people have accepted and become complacent in the belief that they are just average, cannot do it, or are just not built for it. This belief system makes most comfortable in their comfort zone. They show no effort in challenging themselves to do new and difficult things.
The one step to intelligence is believing in yourself. Research shows that our brains can develop new pathways and new connections. Develop a new positive affirmative pathway today and persist until it's part of the brain and becomes easy. Tell yourself every morning that you're smart, capable, and able to conquer anything and everything.
3KEEP HEALTHY
This is general knowledge to everyone that a healthy body equals a healthy mind. Incorporate the following techniques in your everyday life to maintain optimal health.
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Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes a day for adults to achieve optimal Health.
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Eat healthily Ensure your meals are comprised mostly of vegetables and fruits. What you consume is very crucial for a healthy mind.
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Hydration Our bodies fully depend on water for proper body functioning. Experts recommend at least eight glasses of water daily for adults.
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Sleep Your brain heals and re-energizes during your sleep. You need quality sleep, a minimum of seven hours.
Another way to stimulate intelligence is through mental exercises. Activities like Sudoku, scrabble, or daily crossword puzzles, tend to challenge your mind to critically think and find solutions. With time, your concentration, focus, problem-solving skills, and memory will improve.
4 SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS
This is no shortcut to intelligence but what we know, is that intelligence is daily habits that build our minds and character. Being close to these people means you will naturally pick their habits and the change will impact your growth in the long run.
They will motivate, advise and challenge you out of your comfort zone.
They jog your mind and make you want to know and understand how they do things. One of the few things you will pick up with intelligent people is their, insatiable hunger for more knowledge.
They are always learning new things like a new language. Some studies show that bilingual people are smarter than unilingual individuals. It takes a lot of concentration and focuses to switch from one language to another. You can also take up courses online and learn new things out of specialty every day.
5TRY NEW THINGS
As much as it's good to be perfect in one field, venturing differently stimulates your intelligence. Trying new things includes the basics like changing your breakfast from bread and eggs to juice to corn. New things mean more attention and focus than usual.
Travel to a new country, that way you be forced to learn and adapt to new and different ways of doing things and meet new people. The change of environment sharpens your adaptability skills.
"To create new neural pathways and strengthen the brain, it's critical for people to continually incorporate new experiences and information into their lives. At first, these moments might feel useless but eventually, you will find yourself looking forward to quiet moments alone." Inviting novelty.
6 TALK LESS AND LISTEN MORE
If you talk non-stop, then the world will pass you by. Through listening, you get to hear a different perspective on the topic of discussion. Active listening promotes mindful thinking which reduces mental health complications like depression and anxiety. A good and healthy mind is a conducive environment for your development toward intelligence. Allowing others to express themselves shows intelligence.
