becoming smart is easy

Summary

This video script offers practical advice on building true intelligence beyond generic tips. It emphasizes three key principles: tutoring what you learn to refine thinking and identify core concepts, aligning intelligence with your environment to leverage your strengths, and engaging in 'knowledge campaigns'—focused periods of learning on specific subjects to foster intellectual growth. The speaker shares personal experiences and encourages viewers to apply these principles to enhance their lives.

Takeaways

• 🤓 Intelligence can be built with simple principles, not just through hard work or fancy schools.
• 🧑‍🏫 Tutoring helps refine your thinking process by forcing you to identify and teach the most important parts of a topic.
• 🧠 Teaching or applying what you learn improves your ability to retain and understand new information.
• 🌍 Align your intelligence with your environment to feel and be perceived as smarter.
• 🏫 Your surroundings can influence how smart you feel; different environments value different types of intelligence.
• 🧩 Cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner defines eight types of intelligence, highlighting that intelligence is multifaceted.
• 🎮 You can choose what type of intelligence to improve based on your interests and environment.
• 🎯 Accept that you can't be good at everything and focus on improving the intelligences that matter to you.
• 📅 Go on knowledge campaigns: dedicate 2-3 months to focus on and improve a specific subject or skill.
• 🔄 Diversify your knowledge campaigns to gain deep knowledge in various subjects and see connections between them.

Q & A

What is the main idea of the video?

The video emphasizes that intelligence can be developed through simple principles rather than being an innate gift or something that requires extensive effort or education.

Why does the video suggest tutoring what you want to learn?

Tutoring helps refine your thinking process by forcing you to identify the most important parts of the information and discard the less essential details, thus improving your fluid intelligence.

How does the video define 'fluid intelligence'?

Fluid intelligence is the ability to reason and think logically in novel situations, which is honed by practices like tutoring where you need to quickly grasp and convey essential information.

What is the significance of explaining complicated topics in a simple way according to the video?

The ability to explain complex subjects simply is seen as a key indicator of intelligence, as it demonstrates a deep understanding and the ability to distill information to its core elements.

Why does the video recommend aligning your intelligence with your environment?

Aligning intelligence with the environment ensures that you are developing the type of intelligence that is valued and rewarded in your surroundings, which can boost your confidence and effectiveness.

What is the role of the environment in determining how smart someone is perceived to be?

The environment sets the metrics for intelligence, and what is considered smart in one context might be seen as less valuable in another, affecting how individuals perceive their own intelligence.

How does the video relate to Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences?

The video references Howard Gardner's theory to illustrate that there are different types of intelligence and that recognizing and developing your strengths in certain areas can make you seem smarter in those contexts.

What is the concept of 'knowledge campaigns' introduced in the video?

Knowledge campaigns are focused periods of 2 to 3 months where you concentrate on learning and practicing a specific subject to make significant gains in both fluid and crystallized intelligence.

Why is consistency important in knowledge campaigns according to the video?

Consistency in daily attention and practice during knowledge campaigns allows the brain to encounter and overcome intellectual challenges, leading to the development of both types of intelligence.

What is the advice for diversifying knowledge campaigns?

The video suggests engaging in various knowledge campaigns to gain deep knowledge in different subjects, which can help in seeing connections and similarities between them, ultimately enhancing overall intelligence.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Building Intelligence Through Tutoring

The first paragraph emphasizes the misconception that intelligence is an innate trait or something that requires immense effort to acquire. The speaker introduces the idea that true intelligence can be developed through simple principles. The key principle discussed here is the act of tutoring, which involves learning something and then teaching it to others. This method is highlighted as an effective way to refine thinking and identify essential information. The speaker shares personal experiences from college, where they found teaching peers to be a more enjoyable and effective way to learn. The act of tutoring not only tests one's knowledge but also helps in identifying gaps in understanding. The speaker suggests dedicating specific days to learning and practicing what has been learned, applying this principle to adult life.

05:01

🌐 Aligning Intelligence with Environment

The second paragraph delves into the influence of the environment on perceived intelligence. The speaker shares a story about a friend who excelled in a video game but felt unintelligent in school, illustrating how intelligence can be context-dependent. The speaker introduces Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, suggesting that everyone has strengths and weaknesses in different areas. The importance of choosing an environment that rewards the type of intelligence one wishes to develop is emphasized. The speaker also discusses the idea of choosing to work on certain types of intelligence based on personal interests and the rewards of the environment. The concept of a 'knowledge campaign' is introduced, suggesting a focused period of learning on a specific subject to make significant progress in intelligence. The speaker encourages viewers to apply the principles discussed in the video to their own lives and to take action.

Keywords

💡Intelligence

Intelligence in the video is portrayed as a set of skills and abilities that can be developed rather than an innate trait. It is closely tied to the video's theme of self-improvement and learning. The speaker emphasizes that intelligence can be built through simple principles and practices, such as teaching what you learn and aligning your environment with your intellectual goals.

💡Tutoring

Tutoring is presented as a method to enhance learning and understanding. The video suggests that by teaching a subject, one can better grasp and simplify complex topics. This process not only tests one's knowledge but also refines the ability to identify and convey the most important information, which is crucial for developing fluid intelligence.

💡Fluid Intelligence

Fluid intelligence refers to the ability to think logically and solve problems in novel situations. In the video, it is linked to the process of tutoring, where the act of teaching forces one to focus on the essential elements of a subject, thereby improving one's ability to think critically and adapt to new information.

💡Crystallized Intelligence

Crystallized intelligence is the accumulation of knowledge, facts, and skills that are acquired throughout life. The video implies that engaging in focused learning campaigns can help in developing both fluid and crystallized intelligence, as consistent exposure to a subject over time leads to deeper understanding and mastery.

💡Environment

The environment is highlighted as a significant factor in how intelligence is perceived and developed. The video argues that being in an environment that rewards certain types of intelligence can influence one's intellectual growth. It suggests aligning one's intellectual pursuits with the environment to maximize the potential for growth.

💡Knowledge Campaigns

Knowledge campaigns are periods of focused learning on a specific subject, akin to a fitness regimen. The video recommends dedicating consistent time over several months to a particular area of interest to make substantial progress in intelligence. This approach is likened to the gradual progress seen in physical fitness training.

💡Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is mentioned in the context of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The video uses this concept to illustrate that intelligence is multifaceted and that individuals can excel in different areas depending on their environment and personal interests.

💡Academic Environment

The academic environment is depicted as a setting that rewards certain types of intelligence, such as test-taking skills. The video suggests that one can choose to develop intelligence in areas that are valued in their environment, which can lead to success in academic and professional settings.

💡Interpersonal Intelligence

Interpersonal intelligence is one of the types of intelligence mentioned by Howard Gardner and is highlighted in the video as a skill that can be developed and valued in certain environments, such as sales. It refers to the ability to understand and manage social relationships, which can be crucial in careers that require strong social skills.

💡Logical Jump

A logical jump is a term used in the video to describe a leap in reasoning that may not be justified. It is mentioned in the context of explaining concepts out loud, where one might realize they have made an unsupported assumption or skipped steps in their reasoning.

💡Multiple Intelligences

Multiple intelligences is a concept introduced by Howard Gardner, suggesting that there are various types of intelligence beyond just academic or logical-mathematical skills. The video uses this concept to encourage viewers to identify and develop their strengths in different areas of intelligence.

Highlights

Being smart is not just a gift or something that requires extreme effort; it can be built with simple principles.

Intelligence should be a means to better your life, not just an abstract goal.

The first principle is to tutor what you want to learn, which helps refine your thinking process.

Tutoring helps identify the most important parts of the subject and improves your ability to explain complex topics simply.

Tutoring also tests your knowledge by forcing you to explain concepts out loud, which can reveal gaps in understanding.

Applying what you learn is crucial, and can be done by dedicating specific days to reading and practicing.

The second principle is aligning your intelligence with your environment, as intelligence can be relative to the context.

Different environments value different types of intelligence, and you may feel smart or dumb depending on the context.

Cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner defines eight types of intelligence, suggesting everyone has strengths and weaknesses in different areas.

It's important to choose what type of intelligence you want to improve and ideally be in an environment that rewards that type.

Accepting that you won't be good at everything is key to focusing on areas where you can excel.

Einstein's quote emphasizes that everyone is a genius in their own way, but societal judgments can mislead us.

The third principle is to go on knowledge campaigns, focusing on a particular subject for 2 to 3 months to make true gains.

Consistent daily attention to a subject is more important than sporadic intense study.

Diversifying your knowledge campaigns by focusing on different subjects in different periods can deepen your understanding and make you more intelligent.

Applying what you learn from the video to your own life and acting on it is encouraged for real impact.

The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of taking action on the principles discussed.

Transcripts

if you clicked on this video it means

you want to be smart most people think

being smart is some gift you're born

with or something you can only become if

you work super hard or go to some fancy

school but in reality true intelligence

can be built with a few simple

principles I'll be going over in the

next few minutes most YouTube videos

will give you some extremely generic

advice like read a book a week or eat

blueberries and exercise and while those

aren't necessarily bad pieces of advice

they miss the fundamental point of why

you should become smart and that's that

intelligence should be a means to better

your life and the principles I'll go

over have all helped me better my life

in some way way whether that's getting

into and graduating from an IV league

university with an engineering degree

reaching a high rank in a video game or

navigating my career path so the first

principle is to tutor what you want to

learn I know that sounds weird because

how can you teach something you haven't

learned but what I propose is instead of

spending 2 hours trying to study

something simply spend 1 hour studying

it and another hour trying to teach it

my personal number one indicator that

someone is smart is their ability to

explain complicated Topics in a simple

way so what better way to do that than

explicitly practicing it and this isn't

some party trick just to make you seem

smart tutoring challenging things helps

refine your thinking process by

improving your ability to get rid of

useless information when you tutor you

quickly find out you have to identify

what the most important parts of what

you're teaching are in a limited session

it's useless trying to cover every

single detail or else you'll just end up

confusing the student instead you pull

out the most important pieces of what

the student needs to learn and make sure

those are highlighted and by getting

used to that process you're honing your

fluid intelligence because now when you

encounter new information and you have

the intention of teaching it your brain

will automatically pick up the important

pieces you need to know and this is not

to mention how tutoring just simply

helps test your knowledge either the

person that you're tutoring will have a

follow-up question that you don't have

the answer to or a gap in your knowledge

will simply come out when you're

explaining something out loud because

sometimes things make sense in your head

but when you actually say it out you

realize you may have made a logical jump

or misunderstood some concept when I was

in college instead of studying by myself

for hours in the library I would try to

briefly comprehend the material as best

as possible which would help with my

processing ability and then teach to

some of my peers so I would learn the

actual content improve my thinking

process and not to mention have more fun

learning things because I always find

pursuing a goal is more enjoyable if

you're doing it with other people and if

you're not in a position to teach I

would generalize this whole principle to

applying what you learn how I implement

this into my life now as an adult is I

have specific days that I dedicate to

reading and absorbing information and

other days where I dedicate time to

practicing what I've learned all right

moving on to the second principle which

is aligning your intelligence and your

environment because here's a secret you

might already be smart but you're just

made to feel dumb because of your

surroundings when I was a kid I knew

someone who was top 500 in the country

and an extremely popular video game

League of Legends and to those of you

who play you'll know that this requires

a ton of hard work and both fluid and

crystallized intelligence when you

talked about the state of the game or

made extremely nuanced in-game decisions

I couldn't help but admire how smart he

was yet he was terrible at school and

always told me how dumb he felt the

point of the story is that being smart

also depends on your environment someone

who's considered Ed super smart in the

math club could be considered super dumb

in a debate Club someone who's a super

smart academic could be viewed as an

idiot in the business World fun fact did

you know that Isaac Newton greatest

physicist of all time lost a huge

fortune in the stock market what an

idiot if my friend had gone to video

game high school he probably would have

been viewed as one of the smartest kids

there yet he was made to feel dumb

because our school had extremely

different metrics for intelligence

cognitive psychologist Howard Gardner

defines eight types of intelligence and

when you view yourself objectively

you'll definitely find some you're good

at and some you're not so good at now to

be smart you have to make an active

decision on what type of intelligence

you want to improve and then ideally

being in an environment that rewards

that type of intelligence I personally

chose to work on my intelligence in a

way that suited my environment I became

good at test taking because that's

something the academic environment I

grew up rewarded I became good at some

video games because that's something my

friend Circle rewarded but almost more

importantly I accepted that I wasn't

going to be good at certain things I'm

pretty much a dumbass when it comes to

politics current events music Sports and

countless other things a lot of people

have plenty of intelligence

and while I chose what I worked on based

on my environment you could also choose

your environment based on what you like

to work on if you're extremely sociable

person that's constantly building that

interpersonal intelligence you will be

highlighted as smart in a career like

sales and maybe not so much in a career

like software engineering Einstein has a

very good quote around this everybody is

a genius but if you judge a fish by its

ability to climb a tree it will live its

whole life thinking that it's stupid

finally the last principle I have is to

go on knowledge campaigns so what is a

knowledge campaign just just like it

takes 2 to 3 months to see any weight

loss or muscle gain progress I think the

same principle can be applied to the

brain and intelligence you need two to

three months of focus on a particular

subject to make true gains on your fluid

and crystallized intelligence a lot of

you now do this passively with school

being like a semester long but I would

encourage you do this actively and

choose what you're going to work on and

I'm not saying you have to grind it out

24/7 all you think about by any means

but something that draws your consistent

ideally daily attention study and

practice be a video game academic

subjects making YouTube videos writing a

book making music learning chess reading

up on Politics as long as you learn

about it and touch it every day because

during that 2 to three months if you're

consistent at it you will encounter

intellectual challenges and to overcome

them your brain will probably need to

develop both fluid and crystallized

intelligence and I also believe unless

you're super passionate about one

subject you should go on a variety of

different campaigns try to get good at

chess for 3 months then try to get good

at job interviewing for another 3 months

then practice improving your finances

for another 3 months by diversifying

your campaigns not only do you get deep

knowledge about several different

subjects but eventually you'll start

seeing similarities and connections

between the different subjects which

will further deepen your understanding

of all of them and make you more

intelligent all right if you've gotten

to this point in the video you're

already headed in the right direction

but in the spirit of applying what you

learn think about how you can use the

principles covered in this video to

affect your own life and most

importantly act on them all right so

thanks for watching and I will see you

in the next one bye