Let me show you some daily habits to look smarter
“What would you do to be a little smarter every single day?”
I tell you some simple actions to become a smarter person.
Have 10 ideas every day!
You can think about how to,
· You can contribute in reducing poverty
· Solve your daily problem
· You can think of interesting movie ideas, or anything that comes to your mind
Sounds crazy? Isn’t it?
It doesn’t matter what subject your ideas fall into. What I want is to make you work your brain and your idea muscles. I can tell you will be amazed that your list might even lead to a new startup idea or writing a subject.
1] I want you to read the newspaper
It will help you become more aware of the important things happening around the word.
· You’ll learn to form your own opinions and connect the dots between seemingly unrelated things.
· You’ll also have a lot more to talk about at parties or with friends.
2] Though strange, I want you to play devil’s advocate
· Take something you recently learned and generate a unique opinion on it that may not immediately come to mind.
· Try to support it with evidence. I caution you to be open to the idea that new evidence will change your opinion.
Repeat this every day, and you’ll become much better at thinking outside the box.
I know, you may feel stuck in the beginning. I suggest you try reading and critically evaluating the editorial section of papers.
They will help you understand how other people form arguments and express their opinions.
3] Watch educational videos
You very well know Picture tells thousand words. Sometimes, it’s more fun to watch things about a subject you love than to read about it. Learn from other people’s experiences.
Let me give you the resources where you can find fun, educational videos,
· Khan Academy
· TED talks
· Tubex channel ‘’SmarterEveryDay’’
In these videos, the information is often presented in a digestible, memorable way, so you can be assured they’ll stick.
4] I suggest you subscribe to feeds of interesting information
· I want you to follow interesting voices on Facebook and Twitter, so you’ll always learn something new when you look at your newsfeed or dashboard.
· For example, if you want to keep up with the latest news in science and technology, subscribe to the “I F—— Love Science” page on Facebook.
· You can also follow email newsletters – i) Cal Newport’s Study Hacks ii) Today I Found Out.
I assure you this is an extremely easy habit, because other users are curating the content for you. Follow the ones who write about topics interesting to you.
5] Share what you learn with other people
· Find someone to debate and analyze ideas with. You can thus add to each other’s knowledge and gain new perspectives.
· See yourself, when you can explain ideas to someone else, you’ve definitely mastered the concept.
· You can now share what you learn without directly talking to someone.
6] I like you to start write blogs for engaging others in online dialogue.
7] I want you to make two “To Do” lists:
1. Work-related skills you want to learn now
2. Things you want to achieve in the future
If you work in a computer-science related field, your first list might suggest you learn something new in Python one day or that you try using MongoDB another day.
For your second list, I want you to think about long-term goals, such as whether you want to go into marketing or architecture. You should write down the small steps you need to take to reach that goal, whether it’s by reading the experts in those fields or taking classes at a local college.
8] You haven’t done this – I suggest you should write an “I Did” list – your actions
· At the end of each day, you should write down what you completed.
Believe me, this will help you feel better about all the things you accomplished, especially when you’re feeling discouraged.
· It will also help you reflect on how productive (or otherwise) you were and how you can re-structure your to-do lists for the next day.
9] A surprise for you – I suggest you should initiate a “Stop Doing” list
I want you to clear out the mental clutter. Take note of the mindless ways you spend your time (procrastination).
Break old habits, and make time for new, better ones.
You know perhaps, Warren Buffett says, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful say ‘no’ to almost everything.”
10] Write down what you learn (or, unlearn)
· You can start a blog or use an app like ‘’Inkpad’’ to help you keep track of everything you learn. This is a great way to keep a record of everything you’re doing. You will find a good source of motivation to keep you accountable.
· I promise, you will want to learn more if you know that at the end of the day you’ll have to write about it.
11] Do not ignore your questions
When you see or hear about something cool, don’t just let the moment pass.
Follow up — pursue your curiosity and find the answer to your question. Keep your curiosity alive by asking ‘’What and Why’’
12] I want you to exercise and eat a healthy diet
· Fuel your thinking by otpting for brain foods
· I request you to minimize alcohol and heavy meals that will make you sluggish.
· I suggest you to take a walk, when your energy dips.
“The more blood flowing into your brain, the better your performance.
Great thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi and Charles Darwin were famous for their long walks.”
Your business coach, Suresh Shah