{"id":8937,"date":"2020-07-16T07:37:11","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T07:37:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/?p=8937"},"modified":"2023-11-28T13:42:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T13:42:10","slug":"3-important-skills-for-people-who-value-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/future-of-work\/3-important-skills-for-people-who-value-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Important Skills For People Who Value Intelligence"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n

Leaning to maximise our cognitive potential<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

We all differ in our abilities to solve problems, learn, think rationally, acquire new knowledge and integrate existing and new ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you can improve your ability to function at your cognitive best in all areas of your life \u2014 you can significantly improve how you think \u2014 given the right tools<\/a>, methods and mental models.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Intelligence is always work in progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Andrea Kuszewski, a Cog scientist, behaviour therapist, science writer, artist\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0intelligence is, \u201c\u2026about being able to approach a new problem, recognize its important components, and solve it \u2014 then take that knowledge gained and put it towards solving the next, more complex problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

The good news is, you don\u2019t have to learn everything in hours, days or even months. The focus should always be on progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Getting smarter takes genuine commitment. You need to work hard at it. Knowledge builds up, like compound interest says Warren Buffett.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

If you value intelligence, some of these skills can help you improve your capacity to learn\u00a0new<\/em>\u00a0information, retain it, then use that new knowledge to solve your next problem, or learn the next new skill, and so on.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The ability to challenge received knowledge<\/h2><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

The smartest people never stop challenging received wisdom, no matter how many years they\u2019ve been passed down from history. They don\u2019t stop questioning the obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cUnthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.\u201d Albert Einstein said that.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Scientists are great at asking questions, verifying \u201ctruth\u201d and building on received theories. Newton discovered a lot of scientific knowledge but Einstein still questioned his discoveries and came up with new theories. Today scientists are still building on what they already know.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Conventional wisdom can breed a fear of change. Sometimes it fosters an over-reliance on old knowledge, tools, principles that may not be as relevant as they once were. People who value improved knowledge don\u2019t stop questioning the obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cLearn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning,\u201d says Einstein.<\/mark><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re human, and we see the world with our strong bias \u2014 our own experiences and curiosities. We see only patterns that fit with our existing knowledge and strong beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

It pays to challenge \u2018assumed truths\u2019 \u2014 it\u2019s one of the best ways to think more broadly about topics you care about their impact on your life and career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intelligent people constantly think of and ask better questions, and they tolerate their own mistakes as they move up the learning curve.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Learning how to learn well<\/h2><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n
\n

Arie de Geus, a business theorist once said, \u201cThe ability to learn faster than your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

An important step in learning and improving our perspectives is knowing how to learn. Most people\u2019s ability to learn better shuts down when they become good at what they do \u2014 precisely at the moment they need it the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many professionals tend to behave defensively when it becomes to improving their knowledge \u2014 they tend to defend their own reasoning and styles of learning without making room for new approaches.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

There is no single method of learning \u2014 smart people know that. They apply\u00a0different methods and tools<\/a>\u00a0to retain more of what they learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe ability to acquire new skills and knowledge quickly and continually is crucial to success in a world of rapid change,\u201d\u00a0writes<\/a>\u00a0Erika Andersen, the author of\u00a0Growing Great Employees<\/em>,\u00a0Being Strategic<\/em>,\u00a0Leading So People Will Follow.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to learn is also a great way to resist the bias against doing new things or improving our mental models.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Success in any field depends on better learning \u2014 yet most people don\u2019t know how to learn. To improve our retention rate, we need to\u00a0reflect on your personality<\/a>\u00a0and know what works better for you.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The ability to consider problems from multiple perspectives<\/h2><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Smart people see value in all types of knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201c\u2026intelligent people are \u201cwilling to accept and consider other views with value and broad-mindedness,\u201d and that they are \u201copen to alternative solutions, \u201d\u00a0writes<\/a>\u00a0Donna Hammett, former librarian, newspaper editor.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Many people often feel threatened when their ideas are opposed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

While smart people adopt new beliefs when presented with evidence of their blindspots, others reject different perceptions that challenge what they\u2019ve been taught to be the conventional wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An openness to new ideas can help you understand things better and have a better chance to find multiple valid solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cThe test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

F. Scott Fitzgerald, a writer and best known for\u00a0The Great Gatsby<\/em>\u00a0said that. You can use this philosophy to gain a fresh perspective on ideas and existing problems and to power breakthrough thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever your position, opinion or belief about specific issues or ideas in life and career, ask yourself \u201cWhat if\u201d I consider another perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cYou\u2019re acting mindfully when you don\u2019t simply dismiss activities and thoughts because they seem unappealing or even silly at first,\u201d says Ellen Langer, Ph.D., a Harvard psychologist.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

You don\u2019t even have to immediately change your perception. You are just opening yourself up for new experiences before jumping to conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWhen two people believe opposite things, chances are that one of them is wrong. It pays to find out if that someone is you. That\u2019s why I believe you must appreciate and develop the art of thoughtful disagreement\u2026\u201dwrites Ray Dalio, a self-made billionaire, in his book Principles.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The smartest people analyze what they\u2019re told, what they read, or hear (either immediately or over time) and assemble a raft of truth that they can justify intellectually.<\/p>\n\n\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

You are constantly changing, for better or worse \u2014 you won\u2019t be the same person tomorrow, so why try to shove yourself in a single box. Improve your ability to reason at your highest human potential every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give yourself the chance to become a better version of yourself \u2014 challenge your brain every day to achieve your full cognitive potential.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You are constantly changing, for better or worse. You won\u2019t be the same person tomorrow, so why try to shove yourself in a single box. Improve your ability to reason at your highest human potential every day. Challenge your brain every day to achieve your full cognitive potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":864,"featured_media":8938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[182],"tags":[461,460,427],"ppma_author":[3955],"class_list":["post-8937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-future-of-work","tag-cognitive-potential","tag-intelligent","tag-skills"],"authors":[{"term_id":3955,"user_id":864,"is_guest":0,"slug":"thomas-oppong","display_name":"Thomas Oppong","avatar_url":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Thomas-Oppong-150x150.jpg","user_url":"https:\/\/alltopstartups.com\/","last_name":"Oppong","first_name":"Thomas","job_title":"","description":"Thomas Oppong is the Founding Editor at Alltopstartups where he shares startup resources. He is the Curator of the Postanly Weekly newsletter, a free digest of the best productivity and self-improvement posts. He is also a Columnist at Inc. Magazine. His work has been featured at HuffingtonPost, Business Insider, Quartz, CNBC, Entrepreneur, The Muse, Thought Catalog, Time Magazine, and Pocket Hits."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/864"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8937"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34448,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8937\/revisions\/34448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8937"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.experfy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=8937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}