18 Habits That Will Make You Smarter
Cultivating smart habits is the key to
unlocking your potential.
To be
smart is great, but it doesn't happen overnight. If you want to become smarter,
you have to create habits that will groom your intelligence and nourish your
mind.
Some people are born smart, but most smart people do daily
rituals to maintain their smartness. Whether they do it in leadership,
business, the arts, or a different field, they push and challenge themselves
daily.
Here are 18 habits that can help you become your smartest self:
1. Question
everything. Don't assume anything or subscribe unthinkingly to the
conventional wisdom. Keep your eyes and mind wide open. The greatest enemy of
knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge--and questioning and
curiosity are the key to overcoming it.
2. Read as much as you
can. Many years ago, I started the habit of reading a book a day, and the
wealth of knowledge I accumulate every week is priceless. Make reading a
habit--serious reading, not celebrity gossip and lists on the web. Even if it's
just part of a chapter each day, stick to your reading schedule and your
intellect will be enriched.
3. Discover what
motivates you. Find a topic that keeps you interested and dive in. It's
easier to stay engaged with a topic you find stimulating. Find a format that
stimulates your mind, too, whether it's a podcast or a newspaper. Feed your
mind well with things it will enjoy.
4. Think of new ways to
do old things. To be innovative means making creativity more important
than the fear of being wrong. Even in the things you do every day, you can be
inventive and experimental. When you take risks, make mistakes, and have fun
instead of slogging through the same routine. You'll have a daily reminder that
imagination and creativity can change the world.
5. Hang out with people
who are smarter than you. Smart people have interesting things to talk
about. They know how to expand their mind and feed their brain, so spending
time with them is good for you on multiple levels. Seek them out at work, in
service organizations, and socially.
6. Remember that every
expert was once a beginner. When you have an opportunity to learn
something new, you become smarter. Make a point of continuously and consistently
acquiring new skills, because life will never stop teaching if you're willing
to learn.
7. Make time to
reflect. We're all so distracted, it's easy to dash from one thing to
another without pausing to consider what it means. Make time to pause and reflect--reflection
is an important part of the learning process.
8. Exercise your
body. As you're caring for your mind don't neglect your body. Build
discipline in doing what you need to do in terms of diet, exercise, and sleep.
9. Push yourself to
become more productive. Being busy and being productive are two different
things. The future you want is created by what you do. Smart people make the
most of today.
10. Come up with new
ideas daily. Carry a journal to jot down ideas when they come to you. Push
yourself to be creative and to think in new ways. Review your ideas weekly and
edit them as you go.
11. Do something that
scares you. Facing your fears makes you braver, smarter, and better able
to withstand what life throws at you. Sometimes the greatest rewards in life
come from doing the things that scare you the most.
12. Replace TV with
online learning. Devote your break time to something more productive than
social media or binge watching TV. The internet is filled with awesome learning
tools. It's a small habit but a big win if you can nourish your brain and
advance your career and life at the same time.
13. Be mindful of what
you are absorbing. Everything you take part in is either uplifting or
detrimental to your mind. It's important to silence inner and outer
negativity--once you do, you begin to play a role in shaping your mindsets and
beliefs, which in turn guide your actions.
14. Read something you
normally wouldn't. Every day, look online and in other media for topics,
interests, or other sources that fall off your usual path. When you do, you
absorb wisdom you would never have been able to access otherwise.
15. Share what you
know. Learning something new is important, but sharing that knowledge
makes what you've learned actionable and meaningful.
16. Apply your new
knowledge. There really is no point in learning something if it doesn't
make you smarter or inspire you to improve. The smartest people apply what they
know not to become a person of success but rather to become a person of value.
17. Keep a
journal. It turns out that journaling is an important way to become
smarter. Taking a few minutes each day to reflect in writing has been shown to
boost your brain power. Smart happens when you learn from your experiences.
18. Be
selective. Intelligent people tend to have fewer friends than the average
person--at least in part because the smarter you are, the more selective you
become. Who you spend time with reflects who you are.
Start building smart habits today and see what happens to your
thinking tomorrow.
By Lolly Daskal
http://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/18-habits-that-will-make-you-smarter.html?cid=nl029week49day08
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