How to become smarter and increase your intelligence level: tips and exercises for developing IQ

Is it possible to develop intelligence?

The human brain is a complex system of nerve cells (neurons). Information from one neuron to another is transmitted through chemical transmitters - neurotransmitters (in particular, endorphins, dopamine, etc.). There is an erroneous assertion that only a small part of the human brain is involved in the functioning of the human brain.

In reality, everyone's brain always works fully, but this does not mean that the limit has been reached and the brain cannot be developed. A person engaged in self-development develops new neurons and new connections between them - this will be the development of intelligence.

Modern science says that a person’s thinking abilities are 50% dependent on the genetic factor, that is, half of the potential of intelligence is laid down by parents - this is a type of character, a set of neurons, neurotransmitters. At the age of 5, a child has already formed a set of neurons and connections between them, most of which will remain with him for life. And then a lot depends on how his parents develop him, and when he grows up, on himself.

The goal of many people who want to become successful is to fully realize their inherent abilities and their potential. And the surest way to achieve this goal is to never stop working on improving your intelligence. Anyone who actively works to develop their thinking abilities will be able to radically change themselves intellectually within a year.

So how can you get your brain to work at its full potential? Indeed, in our world, where competition reigns, it is not the strongest who wins, but the most intelligent, enterprising and resourceful.

Improving your mental abilities is not a problem - if only you have the desire and patience. Of course, we are unlikely to become the next Einstein, Tesla, Edison or Elon Musk - these are exceptional personalities-nuggets. But, having engaged in self-development, we will be convinced that our brain has such capabilities that we did not even suspect.

Of course, many people would like to become a genius easily and quickly, without spending much effort. Now there are many books on the development of thinking abilities, for example Stanislav Muller’s “Become a Genius! Secrets of Super Thinking" from the series "Yourself a Psychologist", but most people are too lazy to even read them.

For them, the solution would be a magic pill like the one that, by chance, went to the main character of the American film “Dark Areas” (2011) starring Bradley Cooper. Thanks to this pill, the brain of a failed New York writer begins to work with incredible power, and the depressed hero turns into a brilliant stock player with great prospects. But without a pill he is nothing. In addition, it turned out that the wonderful pills that improve brain function have serious side effects.

Although the hero finds a way out of the difficult situation in which he finds himself, it is better for us to use common sense and engage in exercises to develop the intellect. For the brain to work, it needs to be loaded, but the exercises should be interesting and not monotonous. Otherwise, we will subconsciously avoid them by procrastinating. And exercise will only give results when it becomes a habit.

Why do I need this?

The brain is still an organ that has not been fully studied. Some scientists claim that we use only 10% of the entire brain, others increase this figure, but one thing is clear - the main organ has unlimited work capabilities.

It is generally accepted that the brain is the laziest organ. If it is not developed, it will degrade. If you constantly load him with work, new neural connections will appear, and the person will become more flexible and adaptive in life.

These neural connections tend to disappear as quickly as they appear. Therefore, it is important to consolidate them. Developing intelligence does just that—it strengthens educated connections. With the help of this consolidation, memory, attention, thinking and other processes of our psyche develop.

What is thinking?

Thinking is what makes us human. It is the ability to think analytically, compare facts and expand our picture of the world through logical conclusions that distinguishes us from animals. There are several types of thinking that differ in how a person analyzes information and draws conclusions. The most common types of thinking are:

• analytical – the ability to analyze a large number of facts, find complex relationships between various phenomena;
• logical – the ability to correctly compare facts, determine their significance and reliability, and make correct conclusions;
• deductive - the ability to draw the right conclusions in a specific situation, based on general knowledge (the principle of “from general to specific”);
• inductive – the ability to draw correct general conclusions based on a particular case (the principle “from the particular to the general”);
• systemic - a special approach to understanding the world around us, aimed at organizing and optimizing available knowledge;
• creative is a special type of thinking that allows you to generate new ideas, find non-standard solutions, and make discoveries.

All types of thinking can work with varying degrees of effectiveness. The good news is that they can be developed, the main thing is to know how to do it. But before moving on to specific exercises, let’s take a closer look at how thought processes work.

IQ tests

IQ tests are a snapshot of your current knowledge from different areas. Experts in the functioning of mental processes have developed tests for different age groups. You can find techniques for preschoolers, schoolchildren, teenagers and adults. Let's look at the most popular methods.

1. “Is your IQ above average?” A method for determining your IQ level with pictures. A simple test that gives quick results.
2. “IQ Test.” A very revealing test, since not only correct answers are taken into account, but calculation speed, analytics and other indicators are taken into account.
3. "IQ test". Taking the test does not take much time, it is convenient to give answers and determine your development.
4. “Eysenck's IQ test.” You have to answer 40 questions. This method in psychology is considered one of the best and most revealing.

Check out 15 more IQ tests.

If your results are less than expected, don't be discouraged! After all, any test assesses your preparedness for certain logical problems, but not your ingenuity, rationality and life wisdom, which determine your success. And self-development can be achieved not only with the help of IQ, but also with the help of books on personal growth.

How does thinking work?

Every thought that exists in our minds represents an associative connection between several images and concepts. Individual images that appear in our thoughts seem to pull invisible strings, forcing us to remember other concepts associated with them. As a result, a kind of cause-and-effect relationship arises, provoking an endless process of replacing some concepts and images with others.

By studying how the thought process works, scientists found that it consists of several key components:

1. Analysis
   . Dividing a complex essence into simplest images.
2. Synthesis
   . Combining the simplest components interconnected into complex objects and phenomena.
3. Comparison
   . Comparison of individual entities, search for similarities and differences.
4. Classification
   . Distribution of objects into categories based on the presence of certain characteristics.
5. Abstraction
   . Isolating the most important features while ignoring other characteristics.
6. Generalization
   . Grouping of disparate objects based on the presence of similar characteristics.
7. Concretization
   . Identification of one object with clarification of its distinctive characteristics.

All these processes serve one purpose - to help us make the right decisions based on the available data. As a result of cognitive and mental activity, complex connections are formed in our minds between various images, from which the overall picture of the world is formed. And the decision made in each specific situation is the result of processing all the information we have ever received.

Adviсe

So, we have decided that you need to give your brain rest only during sleep, the rest of the time it needs to be more loaded with different tasks. Let's look at how you can develop your IQ.

Wake up your logic

Logical thinking is an important component of intelligence. Therefore, you need to not let logic fall asleep in the everyday hustle and bustle. To do this, solve logical riddles. There are many books for developing logic starting from the age of 3. Train yourself and with your children by solving interesting tasks.

Remember and don't forget

In other words, try to train your memory - this is the best way to increase your intellectual abilities. To do this, look for tasks to remember the location of figures, points, words and phrases. Then check yourself immediately, after a certain time. There are other ways to develop memory.

Communicate while answering tough questions

In formulating answers to complex questions, you develop analytics. For example, among your like-minded people you can organize a discussion on the topic “why do people need 2 eyes” or “how to start a business with small capital.” Many people consider this to be empty chatter, but, as practice shows, people find a lot of useful things in such chatter and still actually start a business from scratch!

Love math

What really helps develop IQ is doing math. comparing numbers, understanding digital combinations, solving various problems develops strategy, analytics and logic.

There are many rules of mathematics that apply in everyday life, but we are not aware of them. For example, the “optimal stopping” rule is applicable when you need to make a choice from several quantities (objects, people, etc.). According to this rule, you should immediately consider 36.8% of the presented values, reject them and choose the first one that seems better than the rejected ones.

Mathematics for the development of intelligence

Playing a musical instrument

Many studies have been conducted on how music affects the brain and develops intelligence. In addition to the fact that a person who listens to and plays classical music becomes kind and calm, he also develops.

IQ is developed not by listening to music, but by playing an instrument. Especially on instruments such as piano, violin, guitar, accordion, bandura and others, where the hands perform different movements.

Get creative

Creative, creative thinking is now at a premium. Try to approach different problems creatively. For example, when making a decision, draw a picture of the problem, study every squiggle, and write down all the associations you have. Then match all the words, find a solution, a new approach to the problem.

This method is not new. This is how Leonardo da Vinci acted. It was he who began sketching his world-famous works this way.

Start learning foreign languages

You need to do this not only to be educated, but also to develop your brain and intellect. Read books in a foreign language, try to speak in the simplest phrases. Ideally, if you find a native speaker.

It's simple - get enough sleep

It has long been known that for the brain to function well, it needs to rest and have time to process information. Brain studies have shown that during the slow-wave sleep phase the organ masters the tasks of factual memory: dates, definitions and other educational issues. In the REM sleep phase, the brain masters human actions and behaviors stored in memory.

These methods will help you easily develop IQ if you set a goal. So don’t waste time and start improving your cognitive abilities!

Lifestyle

The most important factor, without which it is impossible to increase intelligence, is a person’s lifestyle. If it is incorrect, then it will be very difficult to develop the brain, and it will not be possible to acquire a strong mind. Therefore, you should pay attention specifically to your lifestyle, change it if necessary, and only then engage in the development of intelligence and erudition.

Sleep quality

Lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep has a direct impact on a person's life. Lack of sleep leads to decreased brain activity, memory loss and attentiveness. Good sleep is the main condition for achieving goals in life, as well as brain development. What do you need:

• Go to bed before 00:00;
• Get up no later than 08:00;
• Sleep duration – at least 8 hours;
• Short sleep breaks during the day.

This even applies to weekends. If you break the regime once a week, the body will experience unnecessary stress.

Physical activity

When walking in the fresh air and playing active sports, the brain receives a large amount of oxygen, which is necessary for proper blood circulation and the ability to think clearly. A person involved in sports is calmer, more reasonable, and easily copes with difficulties. The following types of physical activity are great:

• Walks;
• Sports or Nordic walking;
• Yoga;
• Run.

People who play sports are much more likely to realize themselves in life and achieve success.

Bad habits

If you have bad habits, you will not be able to achieve high intelligence. Regular drinking or smoking significantly slows down all processes in the human brain, which becomes critical for the development of the mind. Nicotine and alcohol penetrate into the blood, which is why such a negative effect occurs. It is no less harmful to watch programs on TV for hours or play computer games that do not require serious use of the intellect. You need to expand your mental abilities only after giving up bad habits.

Communication

The right environment will tell you how to increase your intelligence. Therefore, you need to try to communicate only with smart and educated people, while trying to become better than them. Good people always pull up, and bad people always pull down. Therefore, the issue of communication and environment is very important for a person who wants to achieve mental development. There should always be people nearby who have more developed intelligence. They will help you move towards the better.

Meditation

Rest allows the brain to relax and prepare for work, training, and new challenges. This has a beneficial effect on brain activity, the ability to improve intelligence and strengthen memory. It is enough to practice meditation for 20 minutes daily to achieve success in developing the mind. A person will see additional benefits in organizing thoughts, clarifying the mind, and increasing creative skills. This effect occurs after just a few days of meditation.

A proper lifestyle not only makes it possible to broaden one’s horizons and improve the quality of one’s intellect, but also gives a person good health for many years.

Exercises to increase intelligence

Below I will outline several exercises to increase IQ so that you can develop your intelligence throughout the day in any activity.

1. Try to write more with your hand rather than typing letters on the keyboard.
2. Walk around familiar places with your eyes closed.
3. Go to work and school in different ways.
4. Practice mental arithmetic.
5. Read aloud sometimes, this is how different analyzers work.
6. Buy yourself crossword puzzles occasionally.
7. Learn to answer trivial questions in an original way.

Memory training

By training your brain, you develop your various abilities, including memory. The following describes very effective exercises for memory development .

Game "2 back"

To train your memory, we recommend an exercise like the “2 Back” game. A sequence of numbers will be displayed on the screen that you will need to remember, and then compare the number of the last card with the previous one. This is a powerful brain workout , this exercise is available immediately after registration, are you ready? Then go ahead, train your brain !

Play now

Memory comparison game

Another game that can be classified as an exercise for memory development is “Comparison by Memory”. A good exercise for memorizing numbers and speed of thought. At the beginning, a number is given that you should remember, then a second one is given, and you will need to answer the question that the game asks. A great game for training your brain . Try to improve your memory with us!

Play now

Train your brain with us and you will experience life in a new way. We also recommend fitness for the brain.

Trainings

To pump up your brain and develop your intelligence, it’s not always enough to just read books or watch movies. I recommend taking the course “Development of Creative Thinking” on the Vikium website.

Over the course of 16 lessons, you will work with a Trainer with a capital T - Sofia Kosyak, who has enormous experience in developing thinking. The course will help develop creativity, memory and attention.

After watching the video, you will learn how to increase creativity and develop intelligence.

How to develop thinking?

In order to develop your thinking, you need to systematically work through each of the components listed above, improving in such areas as:

• critical thinking (the ability to analyze a situation, breaking it down into individual facts, comparing and contrasting them, determining their plausibility and reliability);
• ability to synthesize (the ability to combine a large number of facts into one complex entity, object or process);
• the ability to compare events and facts, finding significant differences and similarities;
• ability to classify (an important skill necessary for remembering new information);
• abstraction (highlighting key characteristics and discarding irrelevant ones);
• the ability to generalize (collect disparate objects into groups, combining them according to common characteristics);
• the ability to specify (concentrate attention on a specific image).

By developing in all of these directions, you can significantly improve the quality of tactical and strategic thinking, which will allow you to better plan your actions on the way to your goal in the future. There are a wide variety of exercises for this. We will look at 10 of them, which do not require special skills or special tools - just your desire and determination.

Levels

Levels:

1. Stimulating and productive. The mental activity of an individual depends on the manifestations of external factors. At this level, intellectual activity is limited to the path initially found or set by someone. A person can solve problems, but they are not connected.
2. Heuristic level. Spontaneous cognitive activity, with the help of which various patterns are discovered. At this level, a person can create a single picture from disparate problems and phenomena, find commonality in them in order to identify unknown patterns.
3. Creative. This is the highest level of intellectual activity. Finding connections in different phenomena becomes a big problem that requires deep analysis to establish the essence of things.