Genius & Easily Raising Your IQ

Summary

Jeffrey Allen Ford, a member of multiple high IQ societies, challenges the notion that IQ is fixed. He offers practical advice on enhancing one's intelligence through improved listening skills, critical reading, expanding vocabulary, and developing mental syntax. Ford also emphasizes the importance of a conducive intellectual environment, engaging in daydreams, and surrounding oneself with great literature, arts, and music to foster creativity and independent thought.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Jeffrey Allen Ford is a member of 16 high IQ societies and has been recognized for his intelligence.
• 🏆 He was honored by Michigan's House of Representatives and received the 'Genius of the Year for America' award in 2015.
• 💡 The speaker challenges the notion that IQ cannot be improved and suggests that a perfect upbringing is not the only way to achieve high intelligence.
• 🌱 He emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for intelligence, similar to constructing a skyscraper.
• 👂 Listening is crucial for intelligence; one must be an active listener, ask questions, and avoid interrupting or judging what is being said.
• 📚 Reading intelligently involves considering the source, author's background, and publication date to understand potential biases.
• 🎯 To improve attention span, one should be comfortable with silence, focus on special interests, and be aware of how diet affects focus.
• 📝 Note-taking can be beneficial in retaining information and serves as a record of what was discussed, especially in professional settings.
• 📈 Developing proper mental syntax is essential for higher-level thinking, and this can be achieved through good grammar and vocabulary.
• 🎼 Engaging with music and math can enhance one's mental syntax, as they both involve patterns and systems that are fundamental to structured thinking.
• 🏡 Creating a conducive intellectual environment at home or elsewhere is vital for nurturing one's thoughts and ideas.
• 🤝 Joining groups and engaging with others can broaden one's knowledge and stimulate intellectual growth through shared insights.

Q & A

Who is Jeffrey Allen Ford and what is his claim to fame?

Jeffrey Allen Ford is a member of 16 high IQ societies, including Mensa and Triple Nine Society. He was featured on the cover of the July 2015 issue of the World Genius Directory and was honored by Michigan's House of Representatives for winning the 'Genius of the Year for America' in 2015.

What is Ford's stance on the possibility of raising one's IQ?

Ford believes that it is possible to raise one's IQ, contrary to what many experts say. He suggests that the only way the experts' claim would be true is if someone was born into a perfect environment with the best possible upbringing and education.

What does Ford define as the difference between education and indoctrination?

Ford defines education as truly teaching someone how to think, rather than just regurgitating facts. Indoctrination, on the other hand, is when schools or institutions focus more on telling students what to believe rather than teaching them to think critically.

What are some of the fundamental aspects Ford suggests to build up one's IQ?

Ford suggests improving listening skills, reading intelligently, developing mental syntax for complex thoughts, and creating an environment conducive to high-level thinking as fundamental aspects to build up one's IQ.

How does Ford recommend improving listening skills?

Ford recommends being an active listener, tuning out distractions, asking questions, not judging what is being said, and taking notes to improve listening skills.

What are some tips Ford provides for reading intelligently?

Ford advises considering the source of the material, being aware of potential biases due to the author's background, considering the publisher, and thinking about the date of publication when reading intelligently.

How can one improve their attention span according to Ford?

Ford suggests being comfortable in one's own company and silence, focusing on a special interest, being aware of the effects of diet such as sugar and caffeine, and gradually increasing focus on other pursuits to improve attention span.

What role does Ford believe grammar plays in developing mental syntax?

Ford believes that having good grammar is crucial for developing mental syntax, which is necessary for higher-level thinking. He encourages using online tutorials to improve grammar skills.

How does Ford view the importance of vocabulary in thinking?

Ford views vocabulary as essential for precise thinking. He suggests that the more nuanced one's vocabulary, the more precise and complex thoughts one can have.

What does Ford suggest for creating an intellectual environment?

Ford suggests having a quiet place for intellectual pursuits, engaging in daydreams, surrounding oneself with great books and arts, and joining intellectual groups to create an environment conducive to intellectual growth.

What are some of the benefits of joining intellectual groups according to Ford?

Ford believes that joining intellectual groups allows for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, fostering growth and learning, and helping individuals to think at a higher level.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Enhancing IQ and Critical Thinking Skills

Jeffrey Allen Ford introduces himself as a member of high IQ societies and challenges the notion that IQ is fixed. He emphasizes the importance of education that fosters critical thinking rather than indoctrination. Ford suggests that a strong foundation in listening, reading, and mental syntax is essential for building IQ. He also touches on the importance of creating an environment conducive to high-level thinking and improving attention span.

05:01

👂 The Art of Active Listening

Ford discusses the importance of active listening, which includes not just hearing words but understanding their meaning. He advises against interrupting and judging while listening, and instead, encourages asking questions to foster learning. Ford also recommends taking notes to ensure accurate retention of information, especially in professional settings like doctor's appointments.

10:05

📚 Developing Intelligent Reading Habits

The speaker provides tips for reading intelligently, such as considering the source, the author's background, and the publication date. He stresses the importance of recognizing potential biases and being aware of one's own. Ford also discusses the impact of the author's era, gender, and geographical background on the content, urging readers to be discerning and critical in their approach to reading material.

15:10

🎯 Improving Attention Span and Focus

Ford addresses the issue of short attention spans in the digital age and offers strategies to improve focus. He suggests being comfortable with silence and solitude to enhance concentration. Ford also recommends engaging in one's special interest to practice focus and gradually applying this skill to other areas. He advises on the impact of diet, particularly sugar and caffeine, on attention and suggests understanding one's body's response to different foods.

20:11

🌐 Building Mental Syntax and Vocabulary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of grammar and vocabulary in developing mental syntax, which is crucial for higher-level thinking. Ford encourages the use of online resources to improve grammar skills and dedicates time to expanding one's vocabulary. He also highlights the benefits of engaging with music and math to structure thinking and the value of reading great books to absorb proper syntax and grammar.

🏡 Creating an Intellectual Environment

Ford talks about the necessity of creating a conducive intellectual environment for oneself, whether it's a quiet space at home or elsewhere. He advocates for daydreaming and creativity, suggesting that one should have access to tools for writing, drawing, or building. Ford also stresses the importance of engaging with others through groups and learning from diverse perspectives, as well as surrounding oneself with great literature and arts to stimulate intellectual growth.

📖 Embracing Arts, Music, and Continuous Learning

In the final paragraph, Ford expresses gratitude for the opportunity to speak and reiterates the importance of the building blocks discussed for personal development. He encourages continuous learning through engagement with arts and music, specifically mentioning classical composers like Mozart and Beethoven. Ford concludes by inviting the audience to subscribe to his YouTube channel for more content.

Keywords

💡IQ

IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, is a measure of a person's cognitive abilities relative to their age group. In the video, Jeffrey Allen Ford challenges the notion that IQ is fixed, advocating for methods to improve it. He uses his membership in high IQ societies as a credibility marker to discuss the topic.

💡Indoctrination

Indoctrination refers to the process of instilling beliefs or attitudes in people without allowing for critical thinking. The speaker contrasts indoctrination with true education, which he believes should teach how to think rather than just regurgitate facts, as part of the foundation for increasing intelligence.

💡Mensa

Mensa is an international high IQ society that requires members to be in the top 2% of the population in terms of intelligence. Jeffrey mentions his membership in Mensa as part of his introduction, establishing his authority on the subject of intelligence and high IQ.

💡Triple Nine Society

The Triple Nine Society is an exclusive organization for individuals with an IQ in the top 0.1%. It is mentioned by Jeffrey to further emphasize his involvement with high-IQ communities and to highlight the rarity of such intelligence levels.

💡World Genius Directory

The World Genius Directory is a registry that recognizes individuals with exceptional intellectual abilities. Jeffrey's mention of being featured in it and winning the 'Genius of the Year for America' award underscores his expertise in the field of high intelligence.

💡Mental Syntax

Mental syntax pertains to the structure and organization of thought processes. In the script, Jeffrey suggests that developing mental syntax is crucial for thinking complex thoughts, indicating that it is a foundational skill for increasing IQ.

💡Attention Span

Attention span is the length of time a person can concentrate on a task without becoming distracted. The video discusses the importance of improving one's attention span for higher-level thinking and provides tips on how to achieve this, such as being comfortable in silence.

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary refers to a person's range of known words. Jeffrey emphasizes the significance of a rich vocabulary for precise thinking, suggesting that expanding one's vocabulary is a key strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities.

💡Special Interest

A special interest is a subject or activity that a person is particularly passionate about. In the context of the video, engaging in one's special interest is posited as a way to improve focus and attention span, as it naturally captivates the individual's mind.

💡Intellectual Environment

An intellectual environment is a setting conducive to learning, thinking, and creativity. Jeffrey talks about creating such an environment to foster higher-level thinking, including having a quiet space for reflection and engaging in activities that stimulate the mind.

💡Daydreaming

Daydreaming is the act of letting one's mind wander freely, often associated with creativity and innovation. The speaker argues that daydreaming is not a waste of time but a precursor to invention and should be encouraged as part of intellectual development.

💡Classical Music

Classical music is a genre known for its complexity and structure. Jeffrey recommends listening to classical music, particularly composers like Mozart and Beethoven, as a way to stimulate the mind and potentially enhance cognitive abilities.

Highlights

Jeffrey Allen Ford, a member of 16 high IQ societies, challenges the notion that IQ is immutable.

Ford was featured on the cover of the July 2015 Mensa Bulletin and recognized as a top intellect.

He emphasizes the importance of proper education that fosters critical thinking over indoctrination.

Ford suggests that the environment plays a crucial role in intellectual development, contrary to the idea of fixed IQ.

He introduces the concept of building a strong intellectual foundation for complex thought processes.

Active listening and asking questions are presented as key skills for enhancing understanding and intelligence.

Ford advises against judging speakers mid-sentence to fully absorb their message.

Note-taking is highlighted as a valuable tool for capturing and recalling information accurately.

The importance of reading intelligently by considering the source and potential biases is discussed.

Ford recommends being aware of the author's background and the publication's credibility when reading.

Increasing attention span is linked to higher-level thinking and working memory capacity.

Learning to be comfortable in silence and one's own company is suggested for improving focus.

Ford encourages engaging in special interests to naturally increase attention span and focus.

Understanding the effects of diet, specifically sugar and caffeine, on attention and focus is advised.

Developing proper mental syntax through good grammar is presented as fundamental to higher-level thinking.

Ford promotes the use of online grammar tutorials to strengthen language skills.

Vocabulary expansion is emphasized for more precise and nuanced thinking.

The benefits of engaging with music and math for structural thinking and pattern recognition are discussed.

Creating a conducive intellectual environment for deep thought and creativity is recommended.

Ford suggests daydreaming and fantasy as precursors to innovation and encourages their practice.

Joining intellectual groups and exchanging knowledge is presented as a way to grow and learn.

Surrounding oneself with great books and appreciating their language and syntax is encouraged.

Ford concludes by emphasizing the cumulative impact of these building blocks on personal development.

Transcripts

hello everybody my name is Jeffrey Allen

Ford and I want to thank you for

allowing me the privilege of speaking

with you here today

I belong to 16 different high IQ

societies including Mensa

I was featured on the cover of July 2015

months a world drill not done in the

United States Mensa bulletin I also

belong to the triple nine society for

people with IQs in the 99.9 percent town

above mines above and I also am a member

of the world genius directory which is

the who's who of the high IQ world last

year in January as honored Michigan's

House of Representatives for winning the

world genius directory genius of the

Year for America which includes the

North and South American continents

today I want to talk to you about

raising your IQ and becoming more

intelligent a lot of experts say that we

can't raise that IQ I say Nance s the

only way that would be true as if he

were born to the perfect parents and the

perfect family and the perfect

neighborhood you went to the perfect

schools that didn't care much about

indoctrination or telling you what to

believe as what they cared about truly

teaching you how to think and not just

teaching you how to regurgitate facts

back to the instructor okay that's not

education that's indoctrination and

that's not what teaching should be so

because we have all lives in the perfect

environment the perfect culture perfect

society with the perfect family we need

to do things to help increase fire

intelligence and we can do that and it's

not all that hard to do as a mere fact

it goes back to the fundamentals you

cannot build a building a skyscraper

with a porous foundation you have to

have a strong foundation and today I'm

going to talk about this

that you can take to really build up

your IQ the involves how to listen how

to read how to develop the mental syntax

necessary in order to think more complex

thoughts and how to also create an

environment for yourself where you're

able to think at the highest level and

also we're going to talk about how you

can improve your attention span so let's

talk first about how to listen correctly

a lot of people they don't listen think

about how many arguments you've had in

your life of people that never would

been arguing with you if they had just

actually listened to what you said as a

tutor I triggered accounting and the

cynics who would argue you know the

exact well yeah but when I thought the

question was asking was you have to

accept the words mean what they mean

they have definitions and definitions

matter okay so you really need to listen

to what is being conveyed to you then

there's stuff that you can do to be a

really good listener one don't just

listen waiting to speak be active while

you're listening okay be active really

really just tune out the voices in your

head that will distract you from what

actually being said and another thing

you can do while you're listening ask a

lot of questions a lot of people are

afraid to ask questions because you

think it makes them look stupid or

ignorant there's no nothing wrong at all

with looking ignorant I'm so ignorant

you'd probably believe it but you know

I'm incredibly ignorant I don't know how

to fly the space shuttle I don't know

how to do TV repair I don't think I'd be

to adopt a plumbing III think we're

going to try and tap the experts so I

have talked to people who do you know

something I like to ask them questions

when I don't understand that helps me to

learn more and so when I leave

them I leave battered unless ignorant

than when I was before I met them the

other thing is to don't judge what

people are saying

while we're saying it to you just close

that voice down inside your head because

a lot of times people will be talking to

you and you'll think that's magic that's

so that's ridiculous

don't judge so click because a lot of

times people need to get to the reasons

why the things that they're saying is

valid and think about all the times

you've talked to people and they keep

interrupting you keep interrupting

they wouldn't they let me to drop you

off and just shut up and listen to what

you have to say right and then they'd

understand what you're saying but by the

constant interruptions whether on their

part or you interrupting them and your

health even if you're not saying

anything out loud you're going to mess

it so try to suspend your judgement and

just really listen the other thing I do

is I take note if I'm in a meeting if

I'm at the doctor's office nope can be a

real lifesaver in the doctor's office

because then you don't have to rely on

your own memory right because you have a

record of what was said and you have a

documented to which can sometimes come

in handy later now let's talk about how

to learn to read intelligently okay

you're not going to get far in life if

you don't know how to read intelligently

I'm not talking about do you know how to

read I'm talking about being on how to

read and intelligently okay and there's

some tips I'm going to give you to help

you read intelligently tip 1 consider

the source of everything you read

everything whether it's a book a

periodical a document wherever consider

the source

some of them I'm going to say is not

going to be politically correct you

might not like it but I hope that you'll

consider it I would like you to consider

the age of the author when you read

something

boring during the Depression really

boring during World War two revenge

child during World War two

could that possibly create a bias in

their mind because of the era of the big

grew up did they grow up during Vietnam

in the flowerpower era you know well

when drugs are just being passed out you

know that can create a bias to what

you're do they attend collagen these are

things that you need to think where were

they born what part of the country were

they born in a small town in Kansas were

they born in New York City were they

born in Los Angeles Chicago all these

things can create biases not necessarily

okay but yes be aware of potential

biases while you're reading what's the

gender of the person who wrote it to

could there'd be a bias due to someone

being a male could there be a bias due

to someone being a female not

necessarily but it's possible and you

need to be aware of that before you

start reading something also who

published the material that really

Maddox is a large publishing company a

small publishing copy was it

self-published

was it something rude that you're off

the internet and then you definitely

want to consider the source if it's not

footnote you need to think about that

and also think about the date of what

you're eating - okay when was it

published was it published recently is

it more recent there's a pressure or was

a published long ago long ago can also

be really good because maybe it was

written with people who are in that era

who maybe knew the people okay there

might be more often so they dates don't

necessarily like if it's older than the

gate the usefulness it might actually

make it more useful in ways at times now

let's talk about the tension stance

people really really really don't have a

very good attention span now

do they most people cannot stand to

handle 140 characters of a Twitter feed

you know it's like oh my gosh they used

all the characters this is too much

effort so what you want to do is you

want to have a really good attention to

band because you put things in working

memory in order to work with and the

longer things can stay in your mind that

you can stay focused the higher level

thoughts that you can engage in so

here's a ways that you can increase your

attention span one learn to be

comfortable in your own company and in

silence because a lot of people have a

hard time focusing because that they

can't be still you know and you need to

be doing something they miss the

stimulation of their cell phone or the

computer or the TV and all these things

distract you from being able to really

digest and to focus and to pay attention

learn to be comfortable and what you can

do because you can create a nice

environment for yourself and we'll talk

about that later number two second tip

for increasing your attention span and

of course this is not medical or

psychological advice for people with a

DD or ADHD okay if that here if you can

sell the professional this is for people

who just need help getting improving

what they're doing but if you need more

help got it there's no shame in that

there's a three source called other

people who are incredibly valuable and I

encourage you if you need to help

together but had a special interest okay

what I mean by that there's a passion

something you can focus on for an hour

two hours three hours and time man just

slides by you were soaked into it's so

engaged and that shows you that you can

really focus but you do have a good

man and the more you engage in your

special interest your only being at one

of it the more that you'll be able to

take that hopefully and apply it to

other things

and maybe you want to incremental shift

that into other pursuits as well but you

know that you can do it at that point

that's done just a matter of applying it

to other things

now we also all have things that we are

naturally you know better app and other

things so don't be yourself up as that's

the case that's your human condition

okay just really really really try to

focus and things that you can really

excel at and focus on and then take

those skills and just improve gradually

incrementally the other things the other

tip I have has to do a diet sugar and

caffeine some people they have served

their bouncing all over the place

Mandor not sitting down there up or

right I go boom boom boom other people

have sugar and it energizes them and

top-center set and we're really focused

because they have the energy in order to

do that know your body some people with

caffeine they get jittery edgy they

can't sit still kind of like sugar but

different other people have caffeine

computer programmers for example are

notorious and that caffeine will help

them to sit there for a long period of

time and you're only get done what needs

to get done so know how different foods

and also Turkey would shift if an

another foods also that might slow you

down so be aware of what you're eating

and that can really help you is your

attention span as well now I talked to

you about developing the proper mental

syntax that you need in order to absorb

and information in to really assimilate

it and to create higher-level slots just

as you cannot build a building with a

shaky foundation you cannot create

higher level faucets out the proper

level

tax okay how do you do that you can do

that

what's having really really good grammar

okay and there's a really fantastic new

invention out there to help you have the

grammar skills if you lack them that you

might need that this thing called the

internet they have amazing tutorials

amazing and they're terrific and they're

easy and they're done at different

levels like really beginning up to

higher level I encourage you to take

part in those tutorials they're free

except for the internet connection in

your computer just really really focus

on that and that will really help you

develop the mental syntax you need for

the building blocks or high levels up

the other thing I want to encourage you

us is vocabulary vocabulary is huge we

think with words so people think in

pictures but most of us I believe think

on words

mostly and the more nuanced your

vocabulary is the more you can think

very very precise thoughts for me having

a good vocabulary and building my

vocabulary as a way of life what I'd

like you to do is dedicate yourself to

improving your vocabulary and don't beat

people up so either that that's of Naxos

right when you know people don't know

the words that you use and you don't use

them or define them while you're using

them with people but at least have them

excuse it so that you can use them

yourself in your head while you're

thinking to other fantastic ways in

order to develop these the syntax that

you need to sync music and math math I

think it's pretty obvious you have the

building blocks and really really really

helps you in terms of structuring

thinking in terms of systems and

patterns music the same exact thing

music is when you combine all those

things if you're good with a language

math and music you're really going to be

set up but let's say you don't you're

not really mathematically inclined well

then

focus on the language and maybe you're

really you know a lot of people who are

really drawing that math don't have the

greatest language skills when I worked

in accounting I would meet people looks

like you wrote that memo they were

number people and good for them because

we need them too so that's what you want

to do with that and the other thing I

want to talk to you about the final

thing I wanna talk to you about is

creating a strong intellectual

environment for you to live in that is

so key have a place in your home let's

quiet look still where you feel the

peace enough and if it's not in your

home that's okay to you because

sometimes people have large families and

we need to go away maybe find a place

outdoors or maybe in the library

somewhere where you can regularly go and

I encourage you to engage in daydreams

daydreams are not a waste of time

they're actually you know the precursor

of every invention if you think about it

people drink things up that never

existed before and that comes and

thought and it comes engage rings

fantasy right you're picturing that so

give yourself time to daydream give

yourself time to create create an

environment where if you want to write

you can write if you want to drop

pictures you can draw pictures if you

want to build something build something

that allow yourself to be able to do

that and have it be in a situation where

there's not too much extraneous noise

where you can really be at one with your

thoughts while you're doing it because

that really helps you build up being

used to hear your own voice so many of

us are told every day what to think

we're told by the media

a academia our employers TV we're told

what we need to think you need to be

able to think for yourself if you're

ever going to be thinking at a higher

level a true genius level the other

thing I'd encourage you to do join

groups again there's this resource

called

other people they know things that you

don't know and you know things that they

don't know get together with them pull

your intellectual resources and it will

help you all to grow and to become more

intelligent more knowledgeable I

defriending Chuck who one time said to

me if he knew accounting you know

chemistry negative work and you know

accounting you know chemistry

they're both systems you've already

proven that you can think in the

system's

framework all you have to do is take

that building apply it to different

things that completely opened up my

consciousness and I am gold and I've

learned so many different things you

would not believe that I was also very

young man at the time but again people

change people allow them to the good

ones to change you for the better the

other fingers can surround yourself the

great books whatever your languages

whether the people are who wrote in the

proper syntax with really good grammar

people who you'd want to emulate

intellectually or even the most one read

those things and it will help you

because while you're reading good

grammar that helps you with your own

grammar without you really even being

aware of it that just does my favorite

fiction book is Pride and Prejudice I

love the language find something where

you really really love the language and

delve right into the other thing arts

and music go to museums and in terms of

music I encourage you to listen to

classical music listen to what you want

allows music is not necessarily good for

the mind I think we all to be honest

about that but some music Julius I

really love Mozart

I love Beethoven some some vogner some

Franz Liszt

I'm not a huge classical music fan but I

absolutely love Mozart and I love

Beethoven especially multi-use my

favorite well I want to thank you for

listening to this and I hope there's

helped I know this might seem like very

simple like but these changes these are

building blocks add up over time and

they hope to change you from where you

were to who you can be and these are the

things that help to add life to life now

I again I thank you for allowing me the

privilege of speaking with you today and

if you'd like to watch more videos by me

just subscribe to my YouTube page have a

great day and thank you very much bye