How to be smart.

Jason Clarke

Everybody wants to be smart (which is why there’s all sorts of exercises, diets, products and services that claim to boost your brainpower) but no-one’s really sure what works… because so far, most of it doesn’t.

On the other hand we know for sure what makes us stupid and the good news is a lot of it is under our control. Sleep deprivation makes us dumb, as does stress, social isolation, dehydration, poor diet and lack of exercise… and these are things we can do something about.

In fact, most of the really big brain-dimmers are self-inflicted. Alcohol and recreational drugs make us stupid, after all that’s what they’re for. And the same might be said for gambling, TV, marketing, popular culture and gossip; things that are so determined to dull our brains that no amount of fish oil or Mozart will get your smarts back again.

be stupid

 Case in point. Can the advertiser’s message be any clearer?

But the greatest IQ killers are the ones that come from within us: powerful emotions such as fear, greed, anger, guilt, jealousy, lust, panic and paranoia make idiots of even the smartest people, which might explain the bizarre behaviour of otherwise brilliant politicians.

Want to be smart?

Forget about the latest brain training miracle; get more rest, water, friends and exercise. Reduce your exposure to pop culture and marketing, drugs and alcohol, avoid anything that stirs up strong negative emotions, switch off the TV and step away from the poker machine.

Get control of the things that make you stupid.

That’s smart.

Want to keep reading?

More Articles about Decision Making

Weapons of Mass Distraction.

Common reasoning errors known as ‘fallacies’ can be easy to spot.

True or False?

There will always be more stories but there is only ever one truth. Let’s find it.

Passion victims.

I used to stage operas for a living. It taught me a lot about passion. Every night we told stories […]

Uninformed decision.

Why do we feel capable of making important decisions about complex issues with little or no knowledge?

Return of the Zombie.

Every institution has at least one zombie: a project that never quite got up but never really went away either.

Hazard ahead.

It’s always the things we didn’t imagine that are our undoing.