Welcome back to the Santa Clara Meditation blog! π
What does it mean to be ‘smart’? Some say it is a person with a well-balanced intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ). Others say a smart person is someone equipped not just with knowledge, but with wisdom. The dictionary defines it as, “A person who can distinguish reason well, possesses good comprehension of situations and problem-solving skills, and knows how to clearly express their intentions through words and actions.”
Whatever the definition and meaning may be, what matters to you is probably the moment you think to yourself, “I want to be smarter.” When and why you feel that way will become your own standard for smartness. Is it to study well? To make good judgments? To always have brilliant ideas? Just like that person who looks smart, you too can become just as smart!
First, feel free to jot down when you think you want to become smarter. Then, try practicing the methods that suit you best right away from the 11 ways to get smarter below. β¨
π‘ Part 1: Knock Knock! Wake Up Your Brain
Our brain is similar to a computer. Just as you install necessary programs, upgrade, and use a newly bought computer with its basic programs, brain function also changes depending on the experiences you give it.
1. Read Books Aloud π
Try reading a book out loud. When you read aloud, your ears and eyes work together, increasing concentration and allowing your brain to absorb information in a more diverse way. At this time, try speed-reading the same content first, then read it slowly and carefully, and then speed-read it one more time. This stimulates the brain and speeds up comprehension.
2. Writing and Drawing βοΈ
Writing helps the brain store information more effectively and develop better memory. Studies show that students who take notes by hand get better grades. Furthermore, writing develops the brain’s function of paying attention to one’s own memories, experiences, and conversations, as well as the ability to use a rich vocabulary and appropriate sentences.
Drawing is also considered one of the healthiest brain activities. It not only develops hand-eye coordination but also stimulates the brain with unfamiliar textures and colors.
3. Try New Experiences π¦
New experiences strengthen the brain. Break away from the same repetitive daily routine and easy methods, and put yourself in new situations. Take an unfamiliar road without a GPS, calculate by hand without a calculator, or challenge yourself to a new menu item you’ve never eaten before. Make your brain work to respond and adapt to new elements without relying on the power of technology.
4. Create Your Own Schedule β°
If you look at the daily routines of geniuses, the times they concentrated on their work varied greatly. In other words, some worked well at dawn, some at night, and some during the day. However, the common trait among geniuses is that they knew when they worked best. They knew, “My brain runs well at this time,” and made an effort to do creative work during those hours. So, when is your time? Create your own personal schedule.
5. Work with Others π€
To become smarter, not only logical intelligence but also emotional intelligence must develop together. Therefore, it is very important to work with people, listen to their thoughts, and change your perspective. Being with a variety of people develops your ability to communicate and empathize. Encountering fresh faces, new ideas, and environments where cooperation is mandatory stimulates and improves your brain.
6. Discuss and Converse β
Surround yourself with people you consider smarter than you, and people who are interesting. And frequently create opportunities for discussion and conversation. Because everyone interprets and stores the same information differently, your logic will naturally develop during conversations with them. Moreover, if it is a conversation with people you feel you can learn from, you will also learn the attitude of active listening.
βοΈ Part 2: Blank Out! Let Your Brain Rest
To become a smart person, your brain must maintain peak condition. If the brain is not given proper nutrition and rest, you won’t be able to put them into practice even if you know 100 ways to get smarter. A tired brain leads to a loss of motivation and a drop in concentration. A healthy brain makes a smart person.
1. Spacing Out and Taking Walks πΆββοΈ
Have you ever lamented wasting time while just staring blankly into space? However, there were probably many times when a good idea popped up after spending such time.
Research shows that there is no specific area in our brain that generates creative ideas. Creativity is unleashed not because a specific spot is developed, but because various parts of the brain are activatedβmeaning, various concepts classified as unrelated freely connect with each other. This is why good ideas suddenly pop up when you are spacing out during a walk, in the restroom, or in bed. It is the moment your brain escapes from rigid frameworks of thought.
2. Eat Well, Sleep Well, Exercise π₯
A brain in good condition absorbs information well and is active. To be in good condition, you must be healthy, and fortunately, the method is not difficult. Our bodies are very honest and accurate, clearly reflecting what we eat, how we sleep, and what lifestyle habits we have. Stick this formula on your desk: “Sleep well, eat well, exercise = the path to getting smarter.”
3. Rescue Your Brain from Digital Fatigue π±
Thanks to the digital world, we can easily access all kinds of information. As a result, there are many things we want to see and many fun things to doβare you perhaps living as a slave to the algorithm? Are you wandering pointlessly through electromagnetic waves, skimming through meaningless content without substance? If you acknowledge this, you should set a time limit or try to use only the parts you appropriately need.
4. ‘Let’s Do That in 10 Minutes’ to Increase Concentration β±οΈ
Is your concentration at rock bottom? Are you distracted, unable to sit still because you keep thinking about other things? Nir Eyal, author of Indistractable, said, “When you want to do something else, you just have to hold back for 10 minutes.”
If you continue doing what you planned or what you were originally doing for those 10 minutes, the urge will disappear and you will no longer want it. Want to check your phone? Wait 10 minutes. Want to eat something sweet? Wait 10 minutes. Whenever you want to get distracted like this, shout to yourself, “Let’s do that in 10 minutes.” You will feel proud of yourself for focusing solely on your work for quite a long time.
5. Care for Your Mental Condition with Meditation π§ββοΈ
Dr. Richard Davidson from the University of Wisconsin researched what happens in the brain during meditation. The research revealed that meditation eliminates fear, anxiety, and depression, and provides psychological stability.
In particular, Mind Subtraction meditation, which makes you discard all kinds of accumulated minds like random thoughts, inferiority complexes, and judgments of right and wrong, brings your mental condition to its peak. When you have a positive and comfortable mind, you accumulate knowledge well and can use that knowledge wisely.
Our brains are ever-changing. Depending on what they absorb and how they are used, they fundamentally cause changes in their very structure. It might be difficult, or it might be easy, but how about consistently practicing just a few of these? In a month or three months, you will be much closer to the smart version of yourself you desire! πΈ
