©Ralph Jean-Paul

If you are reading this than chances are you believe that it is possible to be smarter in a month. Fortunately for you, it is possible. The amount of progress that you make in the time you dedicate to this is determined by how well you can execute the practices that will help you become smarter. In other words, if you do these things you will see a difference, if you cheat you won’t. When I say that you can become smarter, I am referring to an increase of concentration, focus, productivity, understanding and overall intellectual knowledge. Professor Howard Gardner who studied human intelligence believed that intelligence is not a single trait. Rather human intelligence is split in to seven or eight different intelligences. 

This is understandable because that would explain why some people are good at art and music, and others are good at math and science. Dr. Karl Albrecht the writer of Social Intelligence: The New Science of Success took Gardner’s finding and separated them into six categories. The debate is still out on how much adults can increase a specific intelligence. I personally believe that all of the intelligences can be increased with time and discipline. I also think that it is possible to improve certain intelligences in a short period of time. As a matter of fact, you can see some improve in a month. Here are the intelligences that you can increase in 30 days.

Abstract Intelligence- Symbolic reasoning

Social Intelligence - Dealing with people

Practical Intelligence- Getting things done

Emotional Intelligence-Self Awareness and Self Management

The reason I think these can be improved is because I’ve done it. This past summer I went through one of the hardest challenges in years. I decided to finish my degree by taking six classes, keep my full time job, and build this site all within about 90 days. The experience was amazing because it was almost like I flipped a switch in my brain and activated it. Having so much to do in a little amount of time forced my mind to do things that I never allowed it to do. The truth is that many people are not allowing themselves to do the things their minds were created to do. If you want to increase your intelligences and become smarter, there are some things that you will have to remove in order to fully allow the learning and growth to begin.

Start Being Smart

In order to maximize the potential to become smarter you have to better your chances of success. Like I mentioned before, you may have to eliminate the things that are impeding your intellectual growth. Our everyday lives are filled with things that we accept as normal that are actually disabling our mind’s ability to grow. Since we only have 30 days to see some improvement we will try to address the major distractions and disablers (D&D).

Television- I’d say the biggest distraction and disabler.

Procrastination-Learn to control this and your progress will double.

Stress- A major disabler to the entire body not just the brain.

Lack of exposure- The more you are exposed to, the more you’ll learn.

People- Your surroundings and environment sustains you.

Take a good look at the list above and identify which one you think is a distraction or a disabler in your life.

Removing these distractions permanently may be a long-term goal for you depending on how severe your attachment to it may be. But I truly believe that a reduction to your dependence to procrastination or television for a few weeks is absolutely possible. In order to remove a D&D you will have to replace it with something. This is where the opportunity to become smarter is. Just like getting over an addiction, it’s never a good idea to go cold turkey. Let’s say that television is a major D&D for you. You may get home from work or school and instinctively turn on the TV even if you don’t watch it. You may even do the same thing in the morning before you leave the house. Trying to stop altogether will go against a habit you may have had all of your life. Trying to eliminate that in four weeks is a task in itself. However, reduction is a lot more practical and possible. I will be writing an entire section called “How I Turned off the TV” soon along with a section on procrastination. But for right now I’ll give you some quick tips on reducing the D&Ds in your life.

Television

The left side of your brain is the critical thinking side. It is responsible for making judgments and coming to conclusions. Those conclusions are activated by beta brain waves. Researchers have found that when a person sits in front of the TV the left side of the brain tends to fall asleep and so do all its functions. Reduce your television viewing to one hour per day by planning a designated time for TV watching. Pick one show you’d like to watch per day and watch it.

Procrastination

I don’t think I need to tell many of you out there how much of a burden procrastination is. To begin to beat procrastination, you should first identify what you are procrastinating and then identify why you are procrastinating. Once you’ve identified those two, commit to start whatever it is you are procrastinating and do it for at least ten minutes. Then decide if you want to continue. Chances are you will start and then want to finish if you are half way through.

Stress

When stress occupies your mind there is little interest in learning. In order to reduce stress set aside 1-2 hours a week to be alone. Go to a park, a lake or any place where you can relax. During your time only concentrate on the positive things in your life and think about learning and becoming smarter. This will raise your awareness of the things around you that can raise your chosen intelligence and should relieve some stress.

Lack of exposure

If you live in a bubble then you will only know what is inside that bubble. Before you begin, make a list of new things you’d like to try and new places you’d like to go. The exposure to something new will give your brain more information to digest and may raise your critical thinking. It is very important that you go into these experiences with a willingness to learn. Avoid prejudging whether or not you will like the experience.

People

Limit your exposure to or remove any and all people that may hinder your learning. Your atmosphere is vital to your intellectual growth. You are only going to get as smart as your environment allows you to get. Anyone who tells you that you shouldn’t do the things that are beneficial to you should be avoided for 30 days.

Be Smarter

Now that those things are out of the way it’s time to become smarter. Here is a list of things that you can do that should stimulate your brain and activate beta brain waves.

Read for comprehension

It is no secret that there are many learning benefits that you can gain from reading. But there is a difference between just reading and reading for comprehension. Read books, magazines, and articles from the newspaper, with topics you are not familiar with. While you are reading stop periodically to make sure you understand what you’ve just read. If you finish reading something that you do not understand then read it again until you get it. Use a dictionary if you come across a word you do not know. You will know that you fully understand something if you can clearly explain what you’ve read to someone else. Do not just memorize phrases and points instead let what you’ve read run through your mind so that the critical thinking side of your brain can come to a conclusion. This may be difficult at first but if you do this several times a week you should see some improvement in your ability to comprehend within two weeks.

Converse for understanding

Talking with others is one of the fastest ways to gain knowledge. Since the idea here is to expand your knowledge, you should engage in conversations whose topics are beneficial to your growth. I suggest starting and maintaining conversations with people who you would not usually talk to. If you go to a bookstore or café, strike up a conversation with someone who is much older or younger than you, different race or sex, or maybe a person who absolutely looks like someone you would never usually converse with. Keep the conversations going by asking questions. During and after your conversations, try to understand why the person answered a question one way and another person answered another way. As time goes by you will be able to connect with different types of people better because of your exposure to them and also your understanding of them.

Get Organized

Almost everything in life works in patterns and structure. In this growth process, it is best to keep your atmosphere organized and your priorities organized as well. Everything has its place so make sure everything is in its place. If you don’t already have one, I suggest you get a planner. Use this planner to list your priorities and goals for the month. Be detailed when writing them down and make sure that you fully understand what you want the outcome to be. There should be a structure in your planning so that you know what you expect of yourself in the next 30 days. I recommend a FranklinCovey organizer or planner. I think they make some of better planners around.

Experience the Unknown

Well at least what is unknown to you. Being a part of something new can open up your thinking. Whenever I’m stuck for an article idea or speech topic I’ll try something new. I may go to a cooking class or maybe attend an event at a museum. The most important thing is to gain an experience that can stimulate your mind and enhance your knowledge. This will also come in handy when you are conversing with new people because you will have a new experience to talk about. One of the most intelligent people I know has experienced so much in his life that whenever he meets someone new he never lacks conversation topics.

Dedicating a month to your intellectual growth can be the start to a better you. At first the changes may be difficult to adjust to but in time you will get accustomed to them. If you want to be smarter then you must devote yourself to doing the things that will get you there.

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