{"id":37066,"date":"2015-11-26T21:39:20","date_gmt":"2015-11-27T05:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=37066"},"modified":"2018-06-22T13:17:54","modified_gmt":"2018-06-22T21:17:54","slug":"4-timeless-ways-boost-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/4-timeless-ways-boost-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Timeless Ways to Boost Your Intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

Although intelligence means something different to everyone, psychologists and scientists have tried to pin it down to just our IQ, as if a number can be representative of our entire mind. They used to believe that intelligence is entirely inherited, that it is something everyone is born with and can\u2019t be changed or improved upon.<\/p>\n

These geniuses were thought to be able to learn French<\/a> in months, without even needing a French tutor<\/a> to help them.<\/p>\n

Today we understand that intelligence is a much more abstract concept. It is not set in stone. It can be influenced by our environment, our mindsets, and our commitment to constantly improve ourselves.<\/p>\n

There are two key factors over which we have control if we want to get smarter.<\/p>\n

1. The environment we choose<\/b><\/b><\/h1>\n

This is the classic Nature vs Nurture debate.<\/p>\n

Nature:<\/b> our genetic makeup.<\/p>\n

Nurture:<\/b> the environmental factors which influence our development.<\/p>\n

Turns out it is not so much Nature vs.<\/i> Nurture as it is Nature and <\/i>Nurture\u2013 they interact. Intelligence is only partially inherited. The full potential of our intelligence is determined by the environment we set it in. This means the people we surround ourselves with, the new challenges we give ourselves, and the shows we choose to watch, are just a few examples of factors that influence our intelligence. Nature and nurture interact together to create intelligence. Even though we can\u2019t (yet) change our genes, we are in control of many factors in your own environment.<\/p>\n

2. The mindset we choose<\/b><\/b><\/h1>\n

What about when things do happen in our environment, which we have no control over?<\/p>\n

It comes down to our mindset.<\/p>\n

Current research<\/a> indicates that the only limit to one\u2019s intelligence is what the individual believes is possible and how his or her behaviors either foster or limit his or her intelligence.<\/p>\n

What does this mean?<\/p>\n

If you have always been told you are unintelligent by your teachers or your family members you are likely to have set a mental limit for yourself and what you can achieve, thus preventing you from reaching your full potential.<\/p>\n

Michael Strasner<\/a>, personal and professional coach for over thirty years, says our beliefs come from our past experiences and the interpretations we make from those events.<\/p>\n

When we make the effort to identify the negative beliefs we have about ourselves and remove them from our thoughts then we are truly free to become anything we want, including more intelligent.<\/p>\n

Choose the growth mindset<\/b><\/p>\n

The growth mindset, a concept founded by psychologist Carol Dweck<\/a>, perfectly describes the qualities, which are essential to developing our intelligence.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The qualities are:<\/p>\n