How Did You Get To Be So Smart?

Question

No need to humble, when in the company of good friends...

Please share...

Answer 1

Fun question. There are many different kinds of "smart". Gardner has identified at least eight, and we all have different amounts of intelligence on each scale. I've identified those that I'm weakest at and actively seek out people who are better at it than I am.

From my perspective, the key to becoming more intelligence has several foundations.

1. There is no useless information. Cultivating an interest in all information is important because we don't absorb things that are uninteresting. If you perpetually find the world dull, then you won't learn much. There are no dull topics, only dull people.

2. Don't specialize. Learning is all about pattern matching. The same patterns that are used in computer's firewalls are used in our immune systems, and are used by our minds to filter out bad ideas. You can find the Golden Ratio in outer space, biology, engineering and most artistic endeavors. Learning about well understood phenomena in some fields will give you insight into poorly understood phenomena in others. By focusing on a single field, you miss a lot of far reaching patterns.

3. Be honest with yourself about how much you know. Start by admitting that you know very little about topics that you know very little about. Be willing to admit your own ignorance (but not to people you don't know very well). Never be afraid to ask people for more information if you don't understand.

4. Never, ever come to conclusions because this prevents you from incorporating new information. Just determine what your current beliefs are.

5. Try very hard to remember where you got every piece of information you learn. This sounds excessive, but it's not as difficult as it sounds. Information has varying levels of reliability, and knowing the reliability of your sources allows you to weigh the strength of what you know against new information.

6. Learn how to look things up. The internet is AMAZING with the information that it holds, but there are still a lot of things that you won't be able to find there, especially if the information is recent. Take time to follow your curiosity - it's generally an awesome guide to finding new and interesting pieces of knowledge.

Answer 2

I can't claim much responsibility for what smarts I have. My mommy and daddy were sharp as a tack, and presumably passed on some smart genes to me and my sis.

As a child, I enjoyed reading the dictionary, and I think I read it start to finish. How's that for nerdy for a 10 year-old? As a teenager, I would read, under the covers, with a flashlight, when I was supposed to be sleeping. I was determined to read the classics. Again, pretty nerdy, and challenging, and somehow interesting.

I was always very competitive and tried to be the best that I could in school. I loved getting those encouraging comments from teachers and the reward of an A at the end of the term.

I have always been extremely inquisitive, which has led me to learn something about a lot of stuff. I try to keep an open mind, so I can drink in new information rather than filter it out or distort it to fit my current beliefs.

I have a lot of advanced education; I can't believe I actually went to school for 22 years of my life. Some of what I Iearned was even useful.

I try to be a very good listener, including what people are saying between the lines.

I believe that learning is literally a lifelong experience, if we allow it to be. I still enjoy learning from a variety of sources, including new people, my friends, my personal reflections, and especially the WWW.

When I write, I try to make sure my thoughts are well and accurately expressed. It not only aids in communication, but it clarifies my thoughts to myself.

BTW, thanks for the opportunity to share!

Answer 3

i'm the two. i've got had stable circumstances and undesirable circumstances. i've got discovered a thank you to stay to tell the story the streets and the thank you to stay to tell the story the college existence. I choose the latter. have faith it or no longer, it somewhat is extra elementary to be a pupil than it somewhat is to be homeless. Being highway clever does not propose having elementary experience. It skill; in case you have been dropped interior the process Compton, could desire to you get out devoid of being shot, robed, or raped?

Answer 4

Listening. Reading. Applying critical thinking skills that I learned in 10th before forming an opinion. Listening.

Answer 5

Life experiences teach one so much more than any book.
I learned and am still learning from my mistakes and my fortunes. They are not all life experiences gone bad, for me.
My parents told me that in the presence of the elderly to shut up and listen and that I would learn a lot. I did!

Answer 6

i don't think i'm smart. i just think most material is easy enough to understand

but outside of academics and "brain smarts," , i became smart in areas like empathy, loyalty, etc through experiences that taught me endurance of hardships and an open mind to what people can feel in certain situations, and a patient attitude to complete the "setting"

Answer 7

Got hit by a pine cone when I was 5 while walking under a Ponderosa Pine!

Answer 8

I sucked it all out of your brain with a bendy straw.


Yeah, THAT'S what that hole on the top of your head is!

Oh, I forgot. I sucked out your skills at speech and listening skills. I might have to sign to you.

Ugh, this is such an inconviencence. I might as well kill you. *sucks out stomach, rest of brain, liver, kidney, and heart.*

Your organs taste like crap. Do you eat a lot of garlic or something?

Answer 9

Just very inquisitive, that's all. I have always had lots of questions and was always determined to get the answers.

I am still learning something new everyday.

Answer 10

I'm not really that smart, I just have a lot of common sense and experience.