Being intelligent isn’t limited to getting good grades in school and having a high-paying job. It means broadening your horizons, having new experiences, and enjoying every aspect of your life, not just the part you’re already familiar with.
Your IQ doesn’t matter to people–it’s the way you live your life that counts. But seeking out something new really does make you a smarter person, because it unlocks parts of yourself that you didn’t know were there. Much like children learn at increased speeds because they are always curious, you must be too if you want to increase your intelligence. By following these 5 simple steps every day, you’ll be able to do so in no time.
1. Do something new
It doesn’t have to be jumping out of a plane or traveling to a new land. There are a ton of things that are new to you. Meeting new people or going to a new restaurant or museum counts. Anything that isn’t monotony or something you “just always do.”
2. Face challenges
The easiest way to do this is to step outside of your comfort zone. Try something that scares you, or at least makes you uncomfortable. This works as an exercise for he brain by stimulating it, and forcing you to think outside the box.
3. Be creative
This doesn’t mean quit your job to become a musician or a painter, but instead just to let your own brain be it’s most creative. Solve a problem with in a new way, or buy that adults-only coloring book all your friend’s are talking about. Being creative comes in many forms–just try to get away from memorizing facts and move towards analyzing them.
4. Try it the hard way
Technology has simplified everything in our lives–calculating a tip, remembering that actress in that movie. This time, try to do it on your own, as an exercise for your brain. Don’t turn on Google Maps to get somewhere that’s only a few blocks away. Your brain needs (and wants) the work.
5. Network
This tip is the most important, because it is the one that will help you to follow the other four. If you don’t know how to step out of your comfort zone or try something new, then let a new friend do it for you. Including other people in your life will give you new perspectives and make you think differently, which is really a way of trying all of the other tips at once.
[Featured Image Credit: www.memd.me]
