Being smart is pretty darn useful.
Whether you call it intelligence, savvy, wisdom, etc., it’s a powerful resource that helps you understand more skills and topics, make good decisions, and overcome life’s challenges.
Rather than specializing in just one topic, being smart gives you a wide mastery so you can adapt to various situations while someone who’s only a “one-trick pony” might struggle.
So how do we actually become smarter? I’ll share some of the best tips I’ve found while avoiding obvious advice like “read more.” Instead, I’ll focus on unconventional things that might fly under the radar, yet can really boost your intelligence, strategic thinking, wisdom, and more.
Stop Reading and Start Applying
Everyone knows they should read—it’s a valuable way to learn new lessons, subjects, and skills. But if you truly want to become brilliant, then use what you read and make it your own.
Don’t just read about entrepreneurship; start a business. Don’t just read about conversations; talk to people. Remember: Self-help books are a means to an end—not the end itself.
For example, to learn a language, it’s easy to stick to books on vocabulary, grammar, etc. But language is about communication: So until you actually talk to someone in real-time, how much are you actually learning?
Once you close your books and apply what you studied, ironically, you’ll learn far more than you could’ve possibly learned from the books themselves.
“One learns from books and example only that certain things can be done. Actual learning requires that you do those things.”
— Frank Herbert
Listen to What You Don’t Want to Hear
Many years ago, when I worked at a top gym, we set up a booth at a local fair to get new clients. Yet so many people came to us to argue against our training philosophy without knowing a damn thing about fitness.
We tried to answer their questions, but they refused to listen and kept spouting off. “Geez, maybe if you shut up,” I thought to myself, “you might learn something.”
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
— John Wooden
You don’t know what you don’t know. Sometimes the hardest yet most beneficial thing is to listen to an opposing opinion and learn from it, especially if it’s something you don’t know much about.
Sure, brilliant people have opinions too, but they also know that they don’t know everything. They don’t defend their current level of knowledge and are open to feedback from those who clearly know more.
It might be humbling to discover you were previously incorrect, but it’s worth it. You’ll be more open to new strategies and paradigms, which will boost your intelligence.
“Keep learning; don’t be arrogant by assuming that you know it all, that you have a monopoly on the truth; always assume that you can learn something from someone else.”
— Jack Welsh
Regularly Shake Things Up
One of my family members has eaten at the same handful of restaurants and ordered the same dishes for the past 20+ years. And it’s a microcosm of his overall life: He’s entrenched in his routine, rejects new experiences, and regularly comes across as misinformed and close-minded.
To make new connections in your brain, escape your routine and experience novel situations. Visit new restaurants and stores. Wear different clothes. Talk to people that you don’t normally talk to. Buy different brands.
If you read the same subjects all the time (ex. self-help), study something completely unrelated. If you mainly read non-fiction, read fiction. If you read sports news, read business news. The more you expose yourself to the “unfamiliar,” the more your brain will work and the more connections it will make to stay healthy and active.
Also, cultivate an explorer’s mindset. Sure, going overseas can expand your horizons, but travel is a mindset—it’s a way of seeing the world, whether you’re in your hometown or on the other side of the planet.
It’s a curiosity about the people, things, and culture around you. After all, there are people from different countries in your city right now—and you can learn just as much from them as you can from visiting their homeland.
Think With Your Own Mind
It’s easy to have groupthink, especially nowadays because social media and internet algorithms tend to create “echo chambers” that feed us information to match our opinions.
Instead, nurture independent thinking. Be honest: What are some opinions you have that contradict what practically everyone else thinks? What are some widely accepted truths you strongly disagree with?
This isn’t an excuse to be rash or impetuous, but if you have a well-thought-out, well-supported opinion, then have the courage to go against the stream. That way, your mind won’t be swayed by popular opinion and you can start thinking for yourself.
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).”
— Mark Twain
Learn From Everyone’s Mistakes
We all know it’s important to learn from our mistakes. That way, we don’t repeat the same errors or try to do the same thing while hoping for a different result (which is the definition of insanity).
But to take your wisdom to the next level, don’t just learn from your mistakes—learn from other people’s mistakes too. If your friend shares a lesson they learned the hard way, study how they resolved their problems. (Or at the very least, learn what not to do.) That way, if you’re confronted with the same situation, you can sidestep their mistakes and do much better.
“A smart person learns from his mistakes, but a truly wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”
— Ken Schramm
Seek Wisdom, Not Just Entertainment
For as much as I moan about “mindless” entertainment, I admit I enjoy things that many people consider “mindless.” For example, I love watching sports like baseball, football (soccer), and ice hockey.
But if there’s something I enjoy, I try to learn everything about it.
For example, with football, I’ll learn about formations, the positioning and movement of players, and how teams adapt during a match. That way, I’m not just watching people run around for 90 minutes — I’m analyzing every minute and every player like a manager.
Does this knowledge apply to my daily life? Not really. But it changes how I see things and builds a deeper, richer understanding—and if you do that with your hobbies, it will boost your intelligence.
If you like movies, study cinematography. If you like cars, learn about automotive engineering. If you like a TV show, learn about the writers, their influences, etc. (Or, uh, just watch Fraiser.)
Teach
There’s a saying: “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”
That’s incredibly inaccurate.
If you really want to master a subject or skill, force yourself to teach it. The smartest people I know can take complex concepts, distill them to their simplest points, and teach them to novices in a way that’s easily understood.
This transforms how you learn too. Not only do you have to study it, but you have to understand it so well that you can help those who don’t know. You have to prepare for tough questions that challenge your intellect. You have to figure out how to help people who flounder. You have to put yourself in other people’s shoes, which can also enhance your social IQ.
Move
As a sportsaholic and fitness expert, I’m biased here, but learning how to move your body in many ways can enhance a different kind of intelligence.
When I was a personal trainer, I noticed some people struggled terribly with basic movements while others mastered them quickly. The slower group lacked coordination and body control because they rarely moved; yet the quicker group always had experience in moving (ex. ballet, sports, martial arts, etc.) even if it was only during childhood.
Doing various physical activities is good for your brain. Don’t focus on only one; do a variety. If you only play golf, try swimming. If you only run, try dancing. Learn new movements and keep your brain (and body) sharp.
Be Quiet
We live at 1,000,000 miles per hour nowadays. And because of our hectic lives, we zap our willpower and clutter our minds. Stress, for example, hinders your ability to learn and remember—we struggle to gain new information in high-stress environments versus low-stress ones.
To overcome this, take a moment every day to find some calm and stillness so that you can silence the chatter, hear what’s going on inside, create space to absorb new information, come up with creative ideas, and act with more clarity and objectiveness.
One simple way to do this is with a daily mindfulness practice, which has powerful benefits on your brain. Whether that’s meditation, yoga, or just sitting with your eyes closed for a few minutes, it will make a huge difference in how you think and feel.
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