10 Ways To Make Yourself Smarter

If any of you out there think that once you become successful, you can stop learning, let me put that misconception to rest immediately. To get to the top and stay there, we must constantly improve ourselves.

If we rest on our laurels or assume that we know enough, we will quickly realize that this is not the case. Thus, I've compiled 10 easy ways to make yourself smarter and stay on the cutting edge. Follow these tips and you'll never feel duller than a spoon.

the top ten list

10. Review all options

This is one of the best ways to remain sharp. Each day you will be faced with many decisions that require thought if you are to make the best choice.

There are often many solutions to a problem, but there is usually only one that is best. To get to this solution, you will need to list all the possible options and explore them in depth.

You must be able to incorporate complex "if this, then that" types of reasoning into your decision-making process to account for all possibilities. Once you train yourself to do this, you'll find that your decisions will be of better quality. Remember: sloppy thinking leads to sloppy results.

9. Read

Reading is perhaps one of the easiest ways to keep your brain on its toes. Read daily newspapers and web sites to stay up-to-date on current events. Read a business magazine during your lunch hour to learn more about general business trends. Finally, you can relax at night with a good book or general interest magazine. It never hurts to know more of what is going on in the world.

8. Hang around winners

Stimulating conversation doesn't need to involve debates or formal talks. Any social gathering will do as well as a phone call or even an online chat. Associate with smart people and you will become smarter, and gain knowledge and insight from them. So don't be afraid to throw in your two cents.

7. Get a hobby

Hobbies are not only relaxing, they can stimulate the mind in different ways. Hobbies often force the mind to build new mental patterns in order to accomplish certain tasks. Think of it as light exercise for the brain. Learn to dance or play a musical instrument -- anything to get the other areas of your brain working.

6. Keep a personal diary

It has happened to all of us at some point in life -- we connect an event from our past to something in the present and exclaim, "Now I get it, boy was I dumb." Ensure that you're learning from experiences by writing them down in a daily (or weekly) journal. It is fascinating to look back on your thinking process. In doing so, you can often make connections that you had missed the first time around.

5. Memorize

I remember having to memorize poems and quotes all through grade school. At the time, I didn't see the use of committing these things to memory. After all, what did the ant and the cockroach have to do with real life? The point was to give the mind a good workout.

Start by memorizing the names and occupations of people you meet. You can then move on to phone numbers and even baseball statistics, if you like. This way, if you lose your Palm Pilot, you can still contact your associates and bet with them about who won the American League Batting Title in 2000 (Nomar Garciaparra with a batting average of .372).

4. Try new things

The brain can easily fall into a rut. If you do the same things day in and day out, you will lull your brain into a deep sleep. This is why many production line workers of the early automobile industry went stir crazy -- they would beat their brains into boredom.

Take a different route to work sometimes, eat at a different restaurant and walk down an unknown street. They don't have to be big things, but try to vary your routine a little to keep things fresh and allow your brain to make new neural connections.

3. Job hop

Humans usually learn best in bits and pieces. The best approach for solving large problems is to break them down into a series of smaller problems. A job works in the same manner. If you are doing the same work for 20 years, your brain will shift to cruise control.

Take a risk and try your hand at something new. You don't necessarily have to leave your current job, but don't be afraid to venture into the unknown at work. Take initiative and revamp your distribution channel.

2. Travel
We have become so accustomed to our own environment that we assume that this is the way life for everyone. Well, I've got news for you -- that's not the case. Sure, just about every country in the world is capitalistic, but the similarities often end there. Just think of the different mentality of someone living on the East Coast versus West Coast.

Now take a little trip to Italy or Spain and you'll quickly realize that you are in a completely different world with tons of fresh things to learn and enjoy. And all this keeps your mind working in different ways.

1. Don't be afraid to fail
Sometimes we don't realize our strengths until we've experienced failure doing something we are terrible at. Don't be afraid to try something you know you're not good at, even if only to reinforce how you feel about the things you are good at. Being the Jack of all trades is a little harder than it sounds, but well worth the effort.

Remember, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. So go out and try news things, think them through, master them, and have fun in the process. If you follow these guidelines, you'll always be on the edge, exactly where you should be, waiting to pounce.