Is it possible to improve one’s intelligence?
Our society values intelligence over nearly all other traits. One way to get ahead in life is to be smarter than average.
Personally, I feel smarter than average, but when I look at my life, I don’t see much evidence that I actually am. Therefore, I try to take active steps toward improving my intelligence.
As a sidenote, when I was a younger man, I took an online IQ test and was very happy with the result. Thinking about it now, there’s a very good chance the IQ test wasn’t credible. Today I refuse to take one, for fear of damaging my self esteem.
However smart one is, as measured by IQ, they can at least improve their executive function, their vocabulary, and their overall knowledge by adopting good habits.
From what I can tell, doing the following will help a bit, but big swings in intelligence are unlikely. As an adult a person may be able to improve their IQ by 5-ish points, but definitely not 20-30 points. Furthermore, gains tend to be temporary. 1 (Adolescents can improve more dramatically and permanatly. 2)
Still, even a five point swing could be enough to take a below-average intelligence to an above average one.
Habits that improve knowledge, wisdom and/or intelligence
Read every day
Pick books that challenge you. Read fiction and non-fiction. Don’t just stick to your comfort zone. Reading improves knowledge, vocabulary, and emotional intelligence.
Ask more questions
Be curious. Be honest with yourself about things you don’t understand. Ask why and how. Keep digging.
Questioning builds metacognition (thinking about your thinking). It boosts working memory, flexibility, and monitoring. Though direct studies are rare, this practice aligns with core EF frameworks. It improves oversight over your own learning and decision-making processes.
Write to think
Writing forces you to slow down and think clearly. Try journaling your thoughts or writing short summaries of what you read or learn.
Spend time with smart people
Talk with people who are sharper than you. Listen more than you speak. Ask questions. Take notes if you have to.
Get feedback and use it
When someone points out a mistake or gives you a better way to do something, don’t get defensive. Learn from it.
Teach what you know
If you can explain something in simple terms, you understand it. If you can’t, go back and learn it better.
Cut junk input
Stop wasting time on low-value content (social media noise, clickbait, and outrage-driven news). Swap it for books, articles, or podcasts.
Sleep, exercise, and eat well
Your brain needs sleep, exercise, and good food. Poor health kills your focus and memory.
Practice thinking
Solve problems. Do logic puzzles. Work through hard questions. Think before you speak. Don’t always go for the fast answer.