How to Become More Intelligent Than You Are Now

Co-authored by Jai Flicker

Last Updated: August 23, 2024 Approved

Becoming more intelligent involves daily work, but it doesn't have to be tedious or boring. Learning new things can be exciting and fun. Whether you enjoy learning online, reading books, exercising, or challenging your mind with puzzles and games, there are a variety of ways that you can become more intelligent– and you don't have to choose just one!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Getting Smarter Online

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The internet is a wonderful tool that can be used for more than posting to social media and watching videos of cats. Whenever you take a break to go online, instead of checking your notifications, check out an article about a subject you don't know much about, or a story about a topic you hadn't heard of before.^{[1]
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Pew Research Center
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Tip: Websites like Wikipedia and Google allow you to randomly select a website or an article.
2
Take free online courses to become more knowledgeable. There are a variety of free online courses that you can take to learn about a specific subject. Websites like HarvardX and Coursera offer many free courses you can take online with curriculum, materials, even videos from actual professors in a classroom. Go online to search for free courses and find a subject you are interested in or explore an entirely new one.^{[2]
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- Some online courses can even be counted as credentials towards a degree at an accredited university.
Tip: You can earn certificates of completion and take tests to show that you passed the courses and know the material.

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3
Watch TED talks online to learn about a variety of topics from experts. TED (an acronym for technology, entertainment, and design) is a nonprofit dedicated to spreading knowledge and ideas. They hold conferences where experts on a specific topic give presentations to an audience, which are recorded and can be viewed anytime for free. Go to TED.com and view a presentation on a topic you're interested in, or even one you know nothing about.^{[3]
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- Each TED talk is about 10-15 minutes long.
- There are also poetry, literature, historical, and scientific TED talks you can view.
4
Sign up for a daily vocabulary email newsletter. Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com both have newsletters that include a “word of the day” that you can sign up to receive every morning. Start your day by learning a new word, or learning more about a word that you may already know, including its etymology, its synonyms, and other interesting facts about it. Go to their websites and sign up for the daily newsletter.^{[4]
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- Wordsmith, Vocab Vitamins, and Vocabsushi are other examples of daily vocabulary newsletters you can sign up for.
- There are also daily vocabulary apps you can download on your smartphone or tablet.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Playing Games and Solving Puzzles

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1
Do crossword puzzles to challenge your recall and improve your memory. Crossword puzzles enhance your verbal skills and boost your vocabulary recall. Plus, they're really fun, and completing one can help to reduce your stress and improve your mood. The daily newspaper includes a crossword puzzle you can try your hand at, and you can also find free crossword puzzles online.^{[5]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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- Download a crossword puzzle application to your smartphone to play one on the go or whenever you want.
- Scrabble is also a great game you can play with another person to challenge your vocabulary and add a little bit of competition. Download the Words with Friends application to your smartphone to play against friends or strangers anytime you want.
2
Download a brain-training app to give your mind a workout. There are several popular brain-training apps like Lumosity, CogniFit Brain Fitness, and Brain Fitness Pro that are full of games and challenges designed to improve memory, problem solving skills, and cognitive function. Your mind has to be trained and kept active to stay fit, just like your body.^{[6]
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- Brain-training apps can also help to increase the brain's processing speed and help prevent the brain plaque build-ups that are associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
- Some brain-training apps are free, but others will charge a fee to download them or require a monthly subscription.
3
Play with a Rubik's cube to improve your concentration and cognition. The Rubik's cube is a classic mind puzzle that requires intense concentration to solve. The benefits of solving a Rubik's cube include improved hand-eye coordination, increased short-term memory, and if you manage to solve it, elation. You can purchase Rubik's cubes at large retail stores like Target and Walmart for about $10.^{[7]
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- You can also order a Rubik's cube online from retail stores or Amazon.
Tip: For a greater challenge, try different versions of the Rubik's cube like ones with more squares or different shapes like triangles and hexagons.
4
Challenge your strategic and critical thinking by playing chess. Chess was invented in the 6th century and continues to be a popular game that involves strategy, memory, and spatial skills. Playing chess stimulates the growth of dendrites, the branched extensions of nerve cells in the brain that transmit information between cells, which increases the speed of the communication between brain cells, allowing you to think faster and clearer.^{[8]
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- You can purchase a basic chess set from large chain stores like Target, Walmart, and Costco for about $15.
- You can also play chess online or on an app on your smartphone.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Exercising to Improve Brain Function

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1
Establish an exercise routine to grow and form new neurons. When you exercise your body, it increases the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is a protein that promotes the growth of new neurons, the specialized cells in your brain that transmit nerve impulses. Regular exercise increases your blood flow and oxygen levels and improves brain function.^{[9]
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- The more neurons you have and the healthier they are, the faster you can think and the better your memory will be,
- Develop a regular exercise routine to get into the habit. For example, you might set a goal of exercising on certain days of the week, or spending a certain amount of time exercising after work or school.
2
Do aerobic exercise to produce more of the protein called irisin. Irisin is believed to activate genes that are involved in learning in memory in your brain. Aerobic exercises use large muscle groups like your back, legs, and arms, which increases your heart rate and breathing and produces more of the irisin protein which is linked to the growth of new neurons.^{[10]
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- Consider joining a gym that offers aerobics classes.
- You can also purchase DVDs or use online classes to do aerobic exercises at home.
Warning: Avoid overtraining which has been linked to cognitive loss, inability to focus, and memory loss. If you are new to exercising, start slow and work your way up to more challenging workouts.
3
Challenge your brain by switching up your workouts. It can be easy to fall into a routine with your exercise that may cause you to get bored or discouraged when you feel like you aren't making any progress or improving. When you try new kinds of exercise, you'll sharpen your focus and improve your cognition as you use different parts of your brain to conquer a new physical challenge or skill.^{[11]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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- If you take regular classes at your gym, try taking a different class.
- If you lift weights often, switch it up with sprints.
4
Try yoga to improve your problem solving skills. A regular yoga practice can increase your ability to use logic, identify patterns, and solve new problems. The meditation involved in yoga slows down brain activity, which allows your brain reorganize itself and rest. Giving your brain a chance to rest while active means it is ready to absorb new information and approach problems from a different perspective.^{[12]
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- Join a yoga studio for guided practice.
- Yoga still uses your muscles too, which increases blood flow and cognitive function.
- Headspace is a popular app you can download for guided meditations.
Tip: You don't need to meditate for hours, studies show that 20 minutes a day is enough to receive the benefits of meditation.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Reading to Get Smarter

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1
Read a little bit every day to improve cognitive function. The mental stimulation from reading can help improve thinking skills and memory. Reading improves your brain's mental flexibility, an important part of memory retention, by stimulating your entire mind and keeping every part of your brain active.^{[13]
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Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

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- You don't need to read an entire book a day. At least 15-20 minutes of continuous reading can give you the mental benefits you need to be more intelligent.
- Listening to audio books is a convenient way to read every day.
2
Read more fiction to become more emotionally intelligent. Reading more fiction will help you become better able to empathize with other people and view the world from their perspective, because novels and short stories encourage you to understand the motivations and points of view of multiple characters. The ability to understand other people requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, and fiction is an easy way to improve yours.^{[14]
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PLOS ONE
Online peer-reviewed, open access scientific research journal

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- Fiction also improves your cognitive flexibility by mentally placing you in different situations and settings, allowing you to imagine how you would respond.
3
Read the news every day to stay current on what is going on in the world. Reading the news keeps you informed and a steady diet of national, local, and international news will make you smarter, sharper, and more intelligent. Whether it's a traditional newspaper or a news app on your smartphone or tablet, aim to read at least the latest headlines for the day.^{[15]
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- Don't neglect your local news– it's just as important to stay informed about what's going on in your community as it is to learn about what's going on in the broader world.
- Talk radio is a convenient way to absorb the day's news.
Tip: Sign up for daily newsletters like The New York TImes Morning Briefing for a quick breakdown on important news stories.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I find out my learning style?

Jai Flicker
Academic Tutor
Jai Flicker is an Academic Tutor and the CEO and Founder of Lifeworks Learning Center, a San Francisco Bay Area-based business focused on providing tutoring, parental support, test preparation, college essay writing help, and psychoeducational evaluations to help students transform their attitude toward learning. Jai has over 20 years of experience in the education management industry. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego.

Jai Flicker

Academic Tutor

Expert Answer

We actually learn using all of the different learning styles, even if we prefer one style more, so it's not recommended to just choose one learning style and only focus on that. Instead, just focus on the specific things that help you the most. Maybe reading and rereading works best for you, or maybe you find flashcards to be really helpful. Instead of picking one learning style, just do the things that work best for you.

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Tips

Approaching situations with a growth mindset can help you become more intelligent. Instead of viewing your intelligence as a fixed thing that can't change, think of it as something that can grow and expand when you push your boundaries and challenge yourself.^{[16]
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Jai Flicker
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Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.}

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Work on developing your critical thinking skills. Instead of just following directions and accepting things as they are, be curious. Ask questions about things and think about how they make you feel.^{[17]
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Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.}

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When reading, be sure to find a quiet place. Studying there might make it easier for you to focus on the information that's being presented to you.
If you're tired and cannot study anymore, feel free to take a break. It's important to give your brain some time to rest!

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