Intelligence
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Buy old college textbooks to use as primers for subjects you want to learn.
They serve as great primers even if slightly out of date.
- Textbooks may be slightly out of date.
one person who lived it
Master your willpower.
IQ is nothing in front of willpower.
one person who lived it
Ensure you are getting enough sleep, as deprivation can cause cognitive issues.
One person found that more sleep fixed their similar issue.
- Based on one person's experience
one person who lived it
Consider trade jobs or skilled craftsmanship as viable career paths if you enjoy making things with your hands.
Trade jobs are vital and can be enjoyable and worthwhile.
one person who lived it
Read 'Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It' by Kamal Ravikant for concise instructions on self-love.
It offers simple insights and instructions.
2 people, independently
subjects, history, books, understanding17
Use audiobooks if traditional reading is tiring or difficult.
Normalize feeling dumb and continue learning despite these feelings.
Feeling dumb does not mean you should stop learning.
one person who lived it
Talk to a friend who shares your interest in the subject.
It really helps.
one person who lived it
Start a daily reading habit with books like 'The Compound Effect' by Darren Hardy and 'Leading an Inspired Life' by Jim Rohn.
These books helped one person jump-start their life and direction.
one person who lived it
Accept your current state and simply learn specific tasks you don't know, recognizing that not knowing something doesn't mean you are stupid.
Not knowing how to do something just means you haven't done it before.
one person who lived it
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Look up the definition of every word you encounter that you do not know.
Words represent concepts you may not understand.
one person who lived it
Study material multiple times to reinforce connections and improve recall.
Connections form with each review, leading to insight and recall.
one person who lived it
Ask others to explain concepts simply, as if to a child, to understand the basics before tackling complex topics.
Understanding the basics helps you grasp the entire picture.
one person who lived it
Overcome fear of driving by taking lessons in dual-control vehicles where an instructor has controls and starts with small, quiet environments.
You are not solely driving, and instructors start in empty, silent roads or car parks.
one person who lived it
Read history, philosophy, and science books, and practice math to expose yourself to abstract ideas.
Exposure to these subjects improves your ability to think abstractly.
one person who lived it
Read novels, journalistic investigations, politics, and history books for self-improvement rather than relying on self-help books.
Self-help books are considered low value compared to these other genres.
one person who lived it
Study history and sociology to develop reasoning and understanding skills.
These subjects require and thereby build necessary skills in reasoning and understanding.
one person who lived it
Try brain games and puzzles to intentionally build neural plasticity and critical thinking skills.
The brain is a muscle that benefits from intentional exercise through specialized games.
one person who lived it
Focus on retaining information that is useful or interesting to you, accepting that you will not retain facts in subjects you find uninteresting.
You generally won't retain information you don't find useful or interesting.
one person who lived it
Recognize that people who appear 'naturally' smart have likely spent unnoticed time studying the subject.
one person who lived it
Take up regular daily practice of difficult subjects like math or programming to gradually improve understanding.
one person who lived it
Listen to podcasts on topics of interest while commuting, exercising, or tidying the house.
4 people, independently
Use audiobooks if traditional reading is tiring or difficult.
6 people, independently
social, enjoy, think18
Record your daily reflections on what makes you proud and areas you want to improve.
Make yourself spend more time with others to practice social skills.
3 people, independently
Work with your emotions rather than trying to ignore them.
Understanding and working with emotions can get you closer to your goals.
one person who lived it
Remove negative content from your social media feeds, such as news or platforms that do not serve a specific hobby.
Your online consumption affects you just like your diet does.
one person who lived it
Look up growth mindset and watch the TED Talk by psychologist Carol Dweck.
3 people, independently
14 more on this
Choose jobs that align with your talents to struggle less, last longer, and potentially make more money.
Self-analysis helps identify roles where you will struggle less.
one person who lived it
Find something you actually enjoy knowing more about, regardless of whether it impresses anyone.
Knowing you can do this or know this new thing is enough.
one person who lived it
Defeat laziness by doing small things consistently, starting with simple tasks but still doing them.
3 people, independently
Learn things because you genuinely want to, focusing on your natural interests rather than forcing yourself to learn what you think you should.
Learning from desire aligns with your natural self.
one person who lived it
Rely on grit, character, work ethic, determination, resilience, and commitment rather than innate intelligence, as hardworking people often outperform lazy smart people in the long run.
Accomplishment and degrees do not need intelligence; they just need hard work. Very few things in life require an above average IQ.
one person who lived it
Read and think critically about what you have read rather than accepting it as absolute truth.
This exercises your critical thinking.
one person who lived it
Study neuroplasticity to realize your brain is capable of much greater change than you think.
3 people, independently
Ask for specific instructions and repeat them back in your own words to ensure understanding.
Asking for clarification is better than misunderstanding what someone is saying.
one person who lived it
Stop comparing yourself to others and set your own path, as differences in variables and factors create massive differences in outcomes.
Comparing yourself to others leads to feeling dumber, uglier, or less fit, while ignoring the massive differences in outcome caused by varying variables and factors.
2 people, independently
Record your daily reflections on what makes you proud and areas you want to improve.
4 people, independently
Stop intensely monitoring others' reactions during social interactions; instead, focus on being present to potentially quicken your own reaction speed.
Watching others closely distracts from your own timing, whereas being present may help you react faster.
one person who lived it
Give your brain time to process information instead of asking for repetition immediately.
Sometimes there is just a delay.
one person who lived it
Focus on courage, integrity, and resilience as more important virtues.
one person who lived it
Ask many questions, as people enjoy discussing themselves.
3 people, independently