How to Be Smarter

I've had this post kicking around in my head for some time now, but put it off.

Just how arrogant do you have to be to write a post on being smarter, right? 

This arrogant apparently, because I feel like the following ideas and tricks can help everyone become a better version of themselves.

The Car

Imagine for a moment a world where every single person was born with a car. We use it to get around from point A-B. It is with us our entire lives. It is an amazing tool that helps us do literally every task we have.

Some people see it as a magic box that will take them where they need to go, and stop there. They don't know - nor care - how it works, they just care that it does. When there's a problem, they will go to a mechanic and have to try to play catch-up with repairs. 

For ease of use, it's worth it for them.

There's a second group, who know a little bit about how their vehicle works, pay attention to proper maintenance schedules. To them, it's not a magic box, but it is something that they think is far beyond their control to tamper with. Just make sure things are going smoothly, why mess with something that works?

The third and final group are car enthusiasts. They know the ins-and-outs of the vehicle. They know it well because they've tweaked a piece here, and tested a part there. They didn't start knowing all that they did about their bonded automotive - they dared to read about it and tried things. Through small experiments, they have found what works best for them. Their cars not only work as advertised - theirs works even better.

Law of Diminishing Returns

I'm going to drop the analogy there. Continuing with it would be heavy handed. The car, of course, is your brain/body.

So, how can we get the most out of our brain?

If you look at how we pick up new information and skills, you'll see that we learn in a logarithmic curve. That is, we learn a large amount of information or skills at the very beginning of development. As we gain skill, it takes more and more effort to get less and less advances - returns.

In other words, it could be in your best interest to expand your hobbies or expertise out into dissimilar areas instead of always doubling-down on your favourite.

Instead, we find people sticking to their "comfort zone" with regards to information. They study only the things they already know well, and ignore what could greatly benefit them.

Yes, this means that you can't just keep doing only Sudoku and expect it to keep you sharp. If you want a brain exercise, do anything that's uncomfortable - even silly things. Examples: learning to read upside down, writing with your off-hand, or tying your shoes without using your thumbs. It's all ridiculous, but it's forcing your brain to work, which is what you want to stay mentally aware.

The Beauty, The Jock, and The Nerd

Let's walk down memory lane and talk about high school stereotypes. There's the Beauty, the Jock, and the Nerd. Each clearly focuses heavily on one area of expertise. The Beauty attempts to focus on everything to do with appearance, the Jock is all about physical performance, and the Nerd is focused on knowledge.

Where can these lead us? Well, the beauty could be a vapid idiot; The jock can be a smelly dummy; and the Nerd might be a gross uggo. Yet, each will focus entirely on their area, stubbornly refusing to branch out.

Let's Consider:

  • How much would the Beauty or Jock gain from reading even a single book?
  • How much would the Jock or Nerd gain from paying just a tiny bit more attention to their appearance?
  • How much would the Beauty or Nerd gain from regular exercise?
The answer should be clear: Each would improve by leaps and bounds.

The Hedgehog and The Fox

In an essay written by Isaiah Berlin back in the 50's, he described two approaches to knowledge. While it may be interesting to read, the essay's "big idea" can be summed up like this:

  • Hedgehogs know a lot about one important area and tend to view the world through the lens of one main idea.
  • Foxes know a something about a large number of topics, and are hard to pin down with one major theme.

Both clearly have their merits, and I wouldn't suggest that everyone should become a fox. 

Instead, I am merely suggesting that hedgehogs should introduce information or skills from seemingly random fields. A little bit of perspective from another field could help you view your own work in a completely different light. You never know what will help with your next breakthrough!

Wrapping Up

To wrap up, let's review:

  • The Car is your Brain
  • You can do things to improve your brain in massive ways through minimal effort
  • Knowing a lot about one thing is helpful, but putting time into areas you don't know can help your main area in huge ways.
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Editing Music
Drop The Game
Flume & Chet Faker

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