12 Everyday Habits That Make You Smarter
Summary
TLDRThe TopThink video script introduces twelve everyday habits that can enhance intelligence. It emphasizes that intelligence is not fixed and can be developed through practices like meditation, high-exposure learning, physical exercise, questioning, and reflective writing. The script also highlights the importance of surrounding oneself with intelligent individuals, engaging with music, reading, reducing screen time, and fostering creativity to stimulate the brain and improve cognitive abilities.
Takeaways
- 🧘♂️ Meditation can significantly enhance memory, concentration, and even IQ, with meditators scoring 20% higher on average in IQ tests compared to non-meditators.
- 📚 The High-Exposure Method involves daily exposure to a variety of productive materials, which can inspire innovative ideas and reveal growth opportunities.
- 🏋️♀️ Physical exercise, such as cardio and strength training, promotes neuron growth, thereby increasing brainpower and intellectual performance.
- 🤔 The habit of questioning everything fosters a deeper understanding and unique perspectives, contributing to smarter thinking.
- 📝 Einstein’s Principle of Learning emphasizes that the ability to explain concepts simply is a sign of true understanding and mastery.
- 🧠 Intelligence is influenced by the company one keeps; surrounding oneself with intelligent people can elevate one's thinking.
- ✍️ Reflective writing helps in organizing thoughts, problem-solving, and transforming one's thinking process.
- 🎵 Playing a musical instrument activates various brain areas, improving memory, motor skills, and overall brain connectivity.
- 📖 Bite-sized reading, such as reading just two pages a day, can change the brain's structure, enhancing knowledge and cognitive performance.
- 📱 Reducing screen time can improve attention span, memory, and imagination, thus contributing to better cognitive performance.
- 🎨 Creativity and intelligence are closely linked; engaging in creative activities can enhance cognitive performance and generate innovative ideas.
Q & A
What are the twelve everyday habits discussed in the TopThink video that can make a person smarter?
-The twelve habits are: 1) Meditation, 2) The High-Exposure Method, 3) Physical exercise, 4) Questioning everything (The Illusion of Knowledge), 5) Einstein’s Principle of Learning, 6) Surrounding oneself with intelligent people (Intelligence Is Contagious), 7) Reflective Writing, 8) Reinventing distractions, 9) Playing a musical instrument (Activate Your Musical Brain), 10) Bite-sized Reading, 11) Reducing screen time (Outsmart Your Devices), and 12) Unlocking imagination through creative activities.
How has intelligence been shown to influence our lives according to the video?
-Intelligence has been shown to positively influence almost every aspect of our lives, including professional success, achievement of long-term goals, success in relationships, earning respect, and contributing to societal development.
What does the High-Exposure Method involve and how can it help in expanding intelligence?
-The High-Exposure Method involves flooding the brain with productive materials daily, such as reading about current events, engaging with interesting people, and staying informed about one's industry. This constant exposure to new information can inspire innovative ideas and reveal opportunities for growth.
How does physical exercise contribute to intellectual performance according to the script?
-Physical exercise, particularly activities like cardio and strength training, promotes the growth of neurons, which transmit signals within the brain. Growing new neurons expands and complexifies the brain, effectively increasing brainpower.
What is the significance of questioning everything in the pursuit of intelligence?
-Questioning everything helps develop a deeper and more unique point of view. It encourages curiosity and critical thinking, which are key to gaining a better understanding of the world and fostering intelligence.
What does Einstein’s Principle of Learning imply about the mastery of a concept?
-Einstein’s Principle of Learning implies that if you cannot explain something simply, you probably do not understand it well enough. Mastering a concept involves being able to explain it in simple terms to others.
Why is it beneficial to surround oneself with intelligent people?
-Surrounding oneself with intelligent people is beneficial because it can challenge one's thinking, inspire learning, and elevate one's intellectual development. Intelligence is considered 'contagious' in the sense that it can influence and inspire those around it.
How can reflective writing help in processing complex ideas or problems?
-Reflective writing allows individuals to express their ideas concretely, making sense of the thoughts in their heads. It aids in problem-solving and gradually transforms one's thought process by pursuing new conclusions.
What is the concept of 'Reinventing Your Distractions' and how does it contribute to intelligence?
-The concept of 'Reinventing Your Distractions' involves substituting common time-wasters with activities that challenge the mind or teach something new. This can contribute to intelligence by making even leisure activities educational and thought-provoking.
How does playing a musical instrument affect the brain and contribute to intelligence?
-Playing a musical instrument triggers emotional responses and increases activity in various parts of the brain, including the motor, auditory, and visual cortexes. It also improves communication between the brain's hemispheres, enhances memory, and sharpens motor skills, thereby contributing to intelligence.
What is the impact of excessive screen time on cognitive performance and what can be done to mitigate it?
-Excessive screen time can shorten attention span, worsen memory, and dull imagination. To mitigate these effects, one can reduce screen time by stepping away from devices for a few hours daily, which can boost energy, concentration, and motivation to learn.
Why is unlocking imagination through creative activities considered important for intelligence?
-Unlocking imagination through creative activities is important for intelligence because creativity allows for the generation of new ideas, thinking outside the box, and solving problems in innovative ways. Engaging in creative hobbies can enhance cognitive performance and nurture interesting ideas.
Outlines
🧠 Enhancing Intelligence Through Everyday Habits
The video from TopThink introduces twelve daily habits that can boost one's intelligence. Intelligence is portrayed as a valuable trait affecting various life aspects, including career success and societal development. Historical figures like Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking are highlighted for their contributions to human progress. The video emphasizes that intelligence can be developed rather than being an innate quality, and it encourages viewers to adopt habits that stimulate the mind and push intellectual boundaries.
🧘♂️ Meditation and High-Exposure Method for Cognitive Growth
The first two habits discussed are meditation and the high-exposure method. Meditation has been shown to enhance memory, concentration, and even IQ, with meditators scoring 20% higher on IQ tests compared to non-meditators. They also demonstrated increased creativity and better performance under pressure. The high-exposure method involves daily exposure to a variety of productive materials, as practiced by successful individuals like Warren Buffet. This method encourages constant learning and idea generation by staying informed about current events and industry trends.
🏃♂️ Physical Exercise and The Illusion of Knowledge
Physical exercise is the third habit that contributes to intellectual performance by promoting neuron growth, which in turn expands and complexifies the brain. The fourth habit, 'The Illusion of Knowledge,' encourages viewers to question everything and develop a curious mindset. This habit challenges the tendency to accept information at face value and promotes a deeper understanding of the world by asking questions and seeking unique perspectives.
🤔 Einstein’s Principle of Learning and The Impact of Social Circles
Einstein's principle of learning, which states that simplicity in explanation indicates true understanding, is the fifth habit. It suggests that one should be able to explain concepts simply to others as a test of mastery. The sixth habit discusses how intelligence is influenced by the company one keeps, suggesting that surrounding oneself with intelligent individuals can elevate one's own thinking and learning.
✍️ Reflective Writing and Transforming Distractions
The power of reflective writing is the seventh habit, which allows individuals to concretely express and make sense of their thoughts, aiding in problem-solving and personal growth. The eighth habit encourages viewers to reinvent distractions by substituting mindless activities with those that challenge the mind or teach something new, thereby turning potential time-wasters into learning opportunities.
🎵 Musical Brain Activation and Bite-sized Reading
Playing a musical instrument is the ninth habit, which has been shown to have a profound effect on brain activity and cognitive functions, including memory and motor skills. The tenth habit promotes bite-sized reading, suggesting that even reading just two pages a day can significantly impact brain performance and connectivity, making it an effective way to accrue knowledge without being time-consuming.
📱 Reducing Screen Time and Unlocking Creativity
The eleventh habit advises reducing screen time to improve cognitive performance, suggesting that even a 20% reduction can lead to increased energy, concentration, and motivation for learning. The final habit, unlocking imagination, highlights the link between intelligence and creativity. It encourages engaging in creative activities to enhance cognitive performance and foster innovative thinking, recommending at least fifteen minutes a day for such pursuits.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Intelligence
💡Habits
💡Meditation
💡High-Exposure Method
💡Neurogenesis
💡Questioning
💡Mastery
💡Social Influence
💡Reflective Writing
💡Distractions
💡Musical Brain
💡Bite-sized Reading
💡Screen Time
💡Imagination
Highlights
Intelligence positively influences almost every aspect of our lives, with highly intelligent people achieving more success in various areas.
Intelligence can be developed by stimulating the mind and pushing intellectual limits, rather than being solely an innate trait.
Meditation has been proven to enhance memory, improve concentration, and even raise IQ, with meditators scoring 20% higher on average in IQ tests.
The High-Exposure Method involves flooding the brain with productive materials daily, inspiring innovative ideas and revealing growth opportunities.
Physical exercise promotes neuron growth, expanding and complexifying the brain, thereby increasing brainpower.
Questioning everything, even if it seems popular or conventional, can lead to a deeper and more unique understanding of the world.
Einstein's principle of learning emphasizes that true understanding comes from the ability to explain concepts simply to others.
Surrounding oneself with intelligent people can elevate one's thinking and intellectual development.
Reflective writing helps process complex ideas and problems, transforming thought patterns over time.
Reinventing distractions with mentally stimulating activities can turn time-wasters into learning opportunities.
Playing a musical instrument enhances various brain functions, improving memory, motor skills, and inter-hemispheric communication.
Bite-sized reading, such as reading two pages a day, can significantly enhance brain performance and connectivity.
Reducing screen time can improve attention span, memory, and imagination, boosting cognitive performance.
Developing creativity through activities like writing or painting can enhance cognitive performance and foster new ideas.
Albert Einstein was initially considered a slow learner but went on to win a Nobel Prize, demonstrating that intelligence can be developed over time.
The greatest minds in history, including artists, philosophers, scientists, and engineers, changed the world through discipline and courage in using their intelligence.
Intelligence is not fixed; anyone can train themselves to think and create like the smartest people in history with the right habits.
Transcripts
Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we will learn about twelve everyday habits
that make you smarter. Now, let’s begin.
Few traits are more personally, professionally, and socially valuable than intelligence.
In simple terms, intelligence is the ability to understand knowledge, solve problems,
generate ideas, and think critically about the world around you. In all its forms,
intelligence has been the subject of hundreds, if not thousands, of psychological studies. Time and
time again, it’s been proven to positively influence almost every aspect of our lives.
The most intelligent people tend to climb higher on the professional ladder and are more likely to
achieve meaningful, long-term goals. They tend to find more success in relationships and earn
more respect from the people they meet. On a grander scale, highly intelligent people
are mainly responsible for the development of our society. Creative innovators like Steve
Jobs laid the foundations for generations of human progress. Geniuses like Albert
Einstein and Stephen Hawking transformed how we understand the world, even the entire universe.
From artists and philosophers to scientists and engineers, the greatest minds through history
were able to change the world forever because they had the discipline and courage to use their
intelligence to the fullest. They learned, worked, and experimented day in and day out,
constantly searching for inspiration and questioning everything they knew.
Some of these people were naturally gifted, but others were average thinkers, just like
anyone else; yet they climbed to the top of their fields and eventually changed the world. How? By
expanding their intelligence each and every day. Most people don’t realize that intelligence isn’t
set in stone. For instance, Albert Einstein was called a “slow learner” by one of his teachers,
yet he won a Nobel Prize in Physics and became one of the most renowned geniuses in history. In other
words, high intelligence isn’t something you’re necessarily born with. Instead, you can develop
your intelligence by stimulating your mind and consistently pushing your intellectual limits.
With hard work and the right habits, anyone can make intelligence their superpower. Anyone can
train themselves to think and create like the smartest people to ever live. In this video,
we’re going to explore the many powerful ways you can expand your mind. Whether you’re naturally
gifted or just average, these twelve everyday habits can make you smarter than you think.
1. Meditation Increases IQ For thousands of years, people from
around the world have used one simple exercise to increase their intelligence. The ancient practice
of meditation has been scientifically proven to enhance your memory, improve concentration,
and even raise your intelligence quotient, or IQ. In one study, avid meditators were asked to take
an IQ test, and their scores were compared to people who never meditated before. On average,
meditators scored 20% higher than non-meditators. They were also more creative and performed better
under pressure, staying calm and focused when others began to waver. Meditate for
a few minutes every day, and you may think, concentrate, and solve problems like never before.
2. The High-Exposure Method
According to billionaire Warren Buffet, it’s possible to rapidly expand our intelligence every
single day. Using the so-called high-exposure method, many ultra-successful people like Buffet
were able to climb to the top of their fields. Here’s how it works. Every day, they flood their
brains with as many productive materials as possible. They read about current events,
talk to interesting people, and keep tabs on their industries. They’re constantly encountering
new information, which inspires innovative ideas and reveals opportunities for growth.
While you can’t possibly know everything, that doesn’t mean you can’t try. Expose your brain to
all kinds of inspiring materials every day, and you’ll start generating more ideas than ever.
3. Make Your Neurons Powerful Reading and studying aren’t the
only ways to grow your intelligence. Studies have also shown a strong correlation between
intellectual performance and physical exercise. Activities like cardio and strength training
promote the growth of cells called neurons, which transmit signals within your brain. Growing new
neurons expands and complexifies your brain, literally increasing your brainpower every day.
4. The Illusion of Knowledge Most people don’t question the
world around them. They take things at face value and believe whatever they’re told, but simply
asking more questions can make you smarter. Get in the habit of questioning everything,
no matter how popular or conventional something seems. Be curious every day
and ask as many questions as you can. Even if it sounds stupid, every question you ask gives you a
deeper and more unique point of view. 5. Einstein’s Principle of Learning
Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain something simply, you probably don’t understand it
well enough.” When we learn new things, we tend to paint in broad strokes, learning enough to answer
questions or get good grades but not enough to understand or master each concept fully.
Without mastery, we struggle to retain our knowledge or create new and bigger connections.
That’s why Einstein developed this simple test. To figure out whether you’ve mastered a concept,
explain it to another person in as simple terms as possible. If they
don’t understand what you’re saying, you may need to refresh your memory or expand
your understanding. Because the person who can explain something simply... is the wisest of all.
6. Intelligence Is Contagious You’re only as intelligent as the people you
surround yourself with. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, but your social groups do have a significant
impact on your intellectual development. If you surround yourself with people who
aren’t particularly smart, you may not feel challenged or learn anything new.
On the other hand, if you spend time with people who are as smart or smarter than you,
one conversation can elevate your thinking. Talking to brilliant people isn’t always
easy — sometimes, it’s downright intimidating — but intelligence is contagious. Make friends
with the smartest person you know, and their intelligence will rub off on you.
7. The Power of Reflective Writing Our thoughts are fleeting and limited. We
can only juggle so much information in our heads, so it’s often difficult to mentally process big
ideas or work through complicated problems. This is especially true in our personal lives. We can
think about what direction we’re headed or the sources of our anxiety, but these problems are
often too complex to resolve by thinking alone. That’s why many people journal or write about
their lives. In writing, we can express our ideas concretely, making sense of all
the thoughts swirling around our heads. In a sense, you’re problem-solving every time you
put pen to paper, pursuing new conclusions, and gradually transforming how you think.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be a talented writer to write
every day. Feel free to express your ideas in whatever way makes sense to you. Every day,
write just one paragraph about your life, and you may start to see things in a whole new way.
8. Reinvent Your Distractions Our lives are full of distractions
and time-wasters, but these mind-numbing activities don’t have to stifle your
intelligence. If you want to become smarter, make your distractions work for you. In other words,
substitute common time-wasters for activities that challenge your mind or teach you something new.
For example, instead of watching a mindless TV show, turn on a thought-provoking documentary.
You’re still avoiding your work, but at least you’re learning something in the process.
9. Activate Your Musical Brain Studies show that playing an instrument,
like a piano or guitar, has an incredible effect on the human brain. In one study,
researchers scanned the brains of musicians as they played. Turns out that playing an instrument
is like giving your brain a full-body workout. The music itself triggers emotional responses in
the amygdala and cerebellum. At the same time, activity skyrockets in your motor, auditory,
and visual cortexes — but that’s not all. Learning an instrument also improves communication between
the hemispheres of your brain while enhancing your memory and sharpening your motor skills.
The list goes on and on, so if you want to get smarter, start learning an instrument.
Whether you’re an amateur or professional, playing music can train your brain like never before.
10. Bite-sized Reading
Few activities enhance your intelligence, like reading a book. Not only is reading
an incredible way to accrue knowledge, but it actually changes the structure of your brain.
MRI scans showed increases in brain performance and connectivity after reading a single book.
The problem for many people is motivating themselves to sit down and read, but it doesn't
have to be a time-consuming chore. To experience the many rewards of this healthy habit, all you
need to do is read just two pages a day. It may not sound like much, but this bite-sized habit can
expand your knowledge and change your brain. 11. Outsmart Your Devices
How many hours do you spend staring at a screen each day? Spending too much time
on your devices can have a negative impact on your cognitive performance. Too much screen
time shortens your attention span, worsens your memory, and even dulls your imagination.
So, try stepping away from your devices for at least a few hours daily. Lowering your screen time
by as little as 20% may give you a much-needed boost of energy and concentration. You’ll not
only feel more focused, but you’ll have more motivation to learn, grow, and expand your mind.
12. Unlock Your Imagination Often the most intelligent people
are also the most creative. Creativity allows us to generate new ideas, think outside the box,
and solve problems in ways others might not. So, if you want to be more intelligent,
spend some time exploring and developing the free-thinking and innovative side of your brain.
For example, take up a creative hobby like writing, painting, or crafting with your hands.
Studies have shown that these activities enhance cognitive performance and nurture new
and interesting ideas. So, let your creative mind wander and explore for at least fifteen
minutes each day. Unlock your imagination, and you might learn to think in a new way.
Thank you for watching TopThink and be sure to subscribe because
more incredible content is on the way.
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