Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Deepening your intellect in a meaningful way
• Method 2 of 2: Appear more intelligent

Do you wish you were a bit smarter? Would you like other people to think you are smarter? The latter may be simpler than the former, but whether you actually want to increase your intellectual ability, or just want to reap the benefits of a more intelligent appearance, there are a number of concrete steps you can take to achieve your goal.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Deepening your intellect in a meaningful way

1. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. People used to think that intelligence was immutable and could not be improved by exercise. Today there is evidence that this is not the case, however; while an unintelligent person may never become a genius, it increasingly appears that everyone has the ability to increase his or her intellect to some degree. However, this process is not as easy as just learning a few new words. It takes time and effort to learn how to deal more deeply and critically with the world around you.
2. Follow your passions. People learn most effectively when they are passionate about the subject. If you are passionate about something, you have an ardent desire to understand it more deeply; it is this kind of attentive, persistent inquiry that leads to an increase in intellect. Real intelligence involves mastery in a few subjects rather than superficial knowledge in a broad field. Was Albert Einstein as gifted in physics as in anthropology, linguistics, geology, animal behavior and literature? Of course not. Wanting to be the proverbial jack of all trades means that you are not really in control; if you try to know about everything, the end result will be that you know a lot about nothing.
3. Challenge yourself. If it is all easy, then you are not pushing yourself enough. Learning doesn't have to be torture. However, it should involve a reward, which probably won't be the case if you don't have to do anything for it. Challenge yourself to fathom new ideas and venture into uncharted intellectual territory.
4. Think about how you think. This is also called “metacognition,” and is something that intelligent people excel at. Metacognition allows you to understand how you learn and apply those strategies from one context to another. When you realize that you learn most effectively when you study on your own, for example, you know that there is no point in joining a study group to prepare for a final exam.
5. Take care of your body. People sometimes forget that the brain is an organ, just like any other. Just as your skin is healthier when you keep it clean and your lungs are cleaner when you don't smoke, a physically healthy brain will function at a higher level than a brain that is neglected. You will be surprised how more effectively you process information when you get enough sleep, exercise, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
6. Learn a language. This forces your brain to negotiate new ways of constructing meaning and increases your intuition and conscious understanding of language systems. Thinking more about language also has the added benefit of increasing mastery of your native language, and learning all those new words will train your memory as well.
7. Learn to play a musical instrument. With this you will practice those parts of your brain that are used for many types of cognitive processing, and you will learn new ways of receiving and transmitting information. It also improves your memory and reduces stress, which can play an important factor in inhibiting intellectual growth.
8. Read the news. While keeping up-to-date doesn't necessarily increase your intellectual capabilities, a truly intelligent, curious person will blend in with the world around them. New ideas often build on existing ones, so it's always wise to understand as much as you can about the problems the world faces and the way people are trying to solve those problems. Remember that all news sources are biased in some way; make sure you get news from a variety of sources, and never accept anything as absolute truth just because it's in the newspaper.
9. Rely less on technology. The ease with which we obtain information today makes our lives a lot easier, but it can also make us dumber. The neural pathways involved in card reading, for example, are probably much weaker in millennials 'brains than in their parents' brains. This is because most millennials rely heavily on GPS navigation to navigate their way, while older generations had to rely on an atlas when lost. In the same context, if the current generation no longer knows what a word means, then many people will quickly reach out to Google instead of focusing on remembering the word. Rather than enhancing their ability to remember information, they can obtain the information effortlessly, almost without even thinking about it. Try to rely less on your phone and more on your brain.
10. Be open minded. Don't write off new ideas because they are scary, confusing, or jeopardize the way you are used to thinking about the world - this natural hesitation of the human mind to consider two opposing points of view at the same time is called "Cognitive Dissonance." Be open to changing your perspective. The ability to admit when you are wrong is a mark of a great mind.
11. Dare to be "stupid". Curiosity is not the same as ignorance; truly intelligent people are constantly asking questions. This is because a wise woman knows she doesn't know everything. When you start learning a new skill, you won't be very good at it. That makes sense. However, if you do something that you are bad at often enough, you will eventually become good at it. Embrace the gaps in your knowledge as portals to new discoveries and growth.

Method 2 of 2: Appear more intelligent

1. Use complex words. You don't have to be a genius to learn new vocabulary, but a few impressive words and grammatical embellishments can give you the appearance of an intellectual. Download a word-a-day app, or just make some flashcards yourself. Learn to recognize and correct common grammar mistakes in your speech. You can even look up some clever-sounding literary quotes to add weight to conversations. Remember, impressive words are only impressive if you use them correctly - using a word like "coordinating" will not earn you points if you don't understand what it means or how it is pronounced.
2. Be humble and reserved. The same way everyone starts to suspect that that guy who keeps calling out not to be racist might be racist after all, people can question it if you're constantly trying to impress everyone with your intelligence. If instead you are taciturn and humble, people may conclude that you have deep thoughts. A good opportunity to turn this into action is when someone else makes a stupid comment in a group conversation. If you then jump on it to correct or mock them, you run the risk of appearing mean instead of intelligent. Instead, let them do the work for you - just pause for a moment to let the comment sink in, and only when it starts to feel uncomfortable will you redirect the conversation. It gives the impression that you just couldn't find a way to respond to such a ridiculous comment, and decided to leave it at that so as not to embarrass that person further.
3. Present yourself as best you can. People tend to assume that those who dress well and are articulate are more intelligent than those who dress sloppily and mumble all the time. You can also consider wearing glasses. It sounds a bit silly, but if your concern is for other people to think you are intelligent, then four eyes are better than two.
4. Use your middle initial. Again, it sounds a bit strange and it actually is, but nonetheless, there is actual evidence that calling yourself Frank R. Miller instead of Frank Reginald Miller will make you appear smarter to other people. If you want to take advantage of this effect even more, just add another initial, because yes, it apparently works like that.