Daily blogging requires self-control. It’s not as difficult as it seems. You wait to get up from your computer until your post is live. Yes, there are a few nuances, but that’s not the challenging part. Making an effort to be helpful is difficult. And that’s not even the most difficult aspect. Thinking clearly is the hardest part. possessing a particular concept that you wish to impart while also being useful. I have been spending this year doing just that. And it will just be ten days away!

But when I considered all of that, I considered the relationship between coherence and clarity of ideas. I also want to share with you today the five behaviors that will increase your intelligence. Naturally, this is my take on the subject. You may have a different five.

Anyway, let’s get into it….

First, Read Books & Articles

I developed the first habit a long time ago. It was more difficult then because it took some preparation to always have a book or two with you. You may now take an infinite number of articles and digital books with you everywhere you go thanks to your phone.

I had to wait for my turn to get poked when I went to get my booster shot today. Ideal time to finish reading a book I’m currently enjoying.

Reading allows you to see the genius of others. By reading, you can open your eyes to a new perspective on the world. Reading has the power to challenge and transform you like few other things. Thus, repeat it frequently.

Second, Write Blog Posts

Ideas will enter your head through reading. Moving ideas from inside your head to the outside is then the tricky part. That’s the purpose of blog entries. Even if no one else reads what you write, writing will improve your clarity of thought.

[Tweet] “Writing clarifies your thoughts even if no one else reads it.”

We are able to skip steps mentally. Even if we make a logical mistake, we are still able to go from one notion to another. since we are not required to “display our work.”

My wife thinks my son is crazy as he enjoys mentally performing math problems. She is only asking that he display his efforts. It facilitates our ability to identify the areas in which he erred. Additionally it makes him better at math.

This also applies to clear thinking and efficient communication. Learning to write helps us get better at all of that (and write more often).

Third, Present in Public

This is the habit that most people are most afraid of out of the five that will make you smarter. I understand that it can be intimidating to speak in front of a big group of people. However, you don’t have to begin with a 3,000-person crowd.

Begin by taking the risk to speak up and present at any meeting, even if there are only four of you there. Present your case. Create a pitch and deliver it.

It’s more of the same thing I’ve already written about: it promotes mental clarity.

Usually, we begin by stating a point and then get distracted. That distracts others and we never get to the end. Sometimes we even say, “What was my point?”

In my view, becoming smarter has nothing to do with IQ or natural aptitude. It’s all about developing habits that anyone can acquire. And the first three—speaking, writing, and reading—are all essential practices that will advance your intelligence.

Next, Connect with Community

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” as Mike Tyson famously quipped. When he was interviewed years later, he went into further detail on the famous phrase.

The same, in my opinion, holds true for our concepts. We think they sound amazing. However, you won’t be able to tell if they’re any good until you introduce them into a community, where the concepts must withstand the criticism of others and their obstacles.

Learning how to present your case, how to structure your presentation, and how to refute or strengthen your argument are all related to presenting ideas in a setting where you can get constructive criticism.

You’ll become wiser, I promise.

Finally, Guide & Educate Others

The greatest was reserved for last. Seeking for routines that will improve your intelligence? There’s nothing that will accelerate your learning more than teaching it. It’s one of those things that sounds like I’m saying the same thing over and over again.

[Tweet] “Teaching someone something is the best way to help them learn it.”

Being “in our heads” all the time does not make us any smarter. The concepts must be communicated, and we must put them into a form for someone else so they can consume it.

Most importantly, we get to discover if our idea is better applied elsewhere or if it works best in our own particular context when we assist someone else in learning something. Sharing it is a lot of fun once you figure it out.

One of my favorite aspects of coaching is this. I can tell when someone has a “aha” moment when I give them a framework to think through an issue.

Additionally, I get to experiment with the concept, idea, and presentation style while creating a new framework.

These Five Habits Will Make You Smarter

You can adopt these five different behaviors to improve your intelligence. All of this, however, really boils down to one fundamental idea: your ideas will develop when they are tested in the actual world.

As I conclude my year of daily writing and continue to plan for the upcoming year, I sincerely hope that some of these suggestions have significantly increased your intelligence.