Who doesn’t want to be smarter? Learning is a powerful tool to help us grow. Being smart isn’t a one size fits all term because people are smart in different ways. There are mathematicians, wordsmiths, entrepreneurs, communicators, artists, and more! Acknowledging in what ways we are smart is the first step. The next is to grow in those areas.
Here are six habits to become smarter:
1. Participate in online learning.
There are endless possibilities to continue learning outside of school. The online world is the best place to find learning resources. Sign up for courses on topics that interest you, or take a chance and learn something completely new! When you are tempted to turn on Netflix to shut off your mind (which is still good to do sometimes), choose to invest in yourself instead and learn new things!
2. Get a mentor.
One of the best ways to learn is to surround yourself with people who have more experience in the areas where you want to grow. A mentorship is a great way to do this because it is an intentional learning relationship. Sit with a mentor and explain what you hope to gain from their expertise and soak in all the knowledge you can.
3. Become curious.
Walking through life asking questions like the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, why) will help you become a seeker of knowledge. Instead of just accepting things the way they are, get curious! There’s always more than what you see on the surface. As kids, we are little detectives. We go through life noticing things and practice asking questions to further our understanding. We must carry that curiosity into adulthood so we can increase our intelligence.
4. Stay healthy.
Making time to exercise and eat right equips our bodies for growth. When we don’t take care of ourselves from the inside out, we aren’t able to focus or open our minds to new learning. We need to work on feeling good so we can spend our time developing our minds and keeping them sharp and healthy as well.
5. Read.
There is endless reading material available, but it’s important to choose wisely. Scrolling through your social media newsfeed is much different than immersing yourself in classic literature, poetry or other intellectual reads. Make the time to fill your mind with deep and diverse reading material.
6. Travel.
Seeing the world and dipping your toes in new cultures activates your mind, increases your tolerance, changes your perspective, makes you more self-aware, and ultimately makes you smarter! Immersion in travel is key to experience the most learning.
What habit are you going to start today to make you smarter?
