9 Curious Habits That Make You Smarter Than Most
Up your intelligence with these tricks.
ภาพของtridsanu Thophet, Dean Drobot | Canva Changing habits can be difficult, but implementing these nine into your life will increase your intelligence in ways you have never imagined.
Here are 9 curious habits that make you smarter than most:
1. Be a ‘top-level asker’
Most people are too scared to ask important, higher-status people for things. They don’t want to feel the sting of rejection, and they don’t believe they’ll get a yes. But those that go far know that to get a ‘no’ doesn’t cost them anything if they can be okay with the no. And so they ask thirty people who are ‘out of their league’ and get one "yes" that propels them.
2. Presuppose greatness
Here’s how 99% of the planet views success: "I have this thing I’d like to accomplish, and so I will set targets so I can work my way towards getting what I want." But the kings of this world know that goals are not places to get to. They are places to come from. They act the part the moment they get out of bed. They act like they already have what they want. This will immediately propel you into the 1%.
3. Simplify daily
A super-effective way to make life ten times harder for yourself is by adding unnecessary layers of complexity. Collecting crap is the default for most, so you set yourself apart by bringing attention to simplicity as a daily habit — and ruthlessly cutting the fat every day. Edit, edit, and edit some more. Apply this thinking to every aspect of your life. Now you’re in an easy race with people carrying all their luggage, while you wear only Speedos.
4. Prioritise uncomfortable conversations
People who stay stuck avoid saying what needs to be said. This is most people. Your inability to communicate keeps you imprisoned. If you want to gain an unfair advantage, you must be willing to say awkward things. Reality rewards courageous communicators, whether it’s in a sales call, sharing honest online writing, making the bold ask, or telling someone they need to hit the road.
5. Be aggressively countercultural
Those who have any intimacy with the science of success know that people who leave significant legacies never follow the crowd. Be proactive in asking what the majority suggests is best — this is extremely useful information for you. Now do the exact opposite.
6. Choose bigger problems
You don’t get fewer problems when you rise in the hierarchy. Problems just become seemingly ‘larger.’ Whatever you decide to do with your life, you will face challenges. So you might as well have bigger problems. Why? Because the size of a problem reflects the size of the game you’re playing. The 2% know that problems are all in the mind anyway, so they are okay with going big.
7. Create mystery
Those who attract large followers and make a huge impact on the world are rarely predictable. They incorporate the art of mystery into their public brand and persona. They never give it all away and surprise everyone at every turn. No one can guess what they will do next. This is hugely seductive.
8. Commit to becoming elite in one thing
This seems like heresy in a world with endless options, but it's also why so many people are stuck and miserable. They can’t decide, get bored too quickly, and never get great at any one thing to enjoy its fruits. Choose something and hammer away at it with an ‘unreasonable’ and obsessive drive.
9. Be ruthlessly aware of what’s working
It may seem obvious, but barely anyone does this. Be ruthlessly aware of the things that work in your life, and find a way to maximize those things. If an article you wrote did exceptionally well, find a way to emulate more of that magic in future posts. If your talents are being realized through public interviews and you stink at writing, do more interviews and put down the pen. When you operate through the paradigm of: ‘Triple down on what works, what enlivens me, and what I do well at,’ your next steps become obvious. This is how you win.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient.