Becoming a genius in your spare travel time sounds a little grandiose. And, of course, it is. But if you want to try it, nothing is stopping you. Gaining a few IQ points could have profound effects on your life and the overall course it takes.
So, what can you do to become a genius in your spare time?
Keep Asking “Why”
Children will sometimes ask the question “why” over and over again, especially on long journeys in the car. However, geniuses do this, too. The only difference is that they annoy themselves with these questions, not other people.
Curiosity is part of being a genius, so constantly asking yourself questions can be an excellent way to explore it. Once you get the ball rolling, you soon discover things that you never thought you’d unearth.
Develop A Unique Perspective
Geniuses often see the world from unique perspectives, often differently from regular people. They have a knack for combining knowledge from multiple fields and connecting what seem like unrelated ideas together.
This ability and intention are often what they use to challenge conventional wisdom. They’re able to do and see things that others can’t.
Therefore, think through your ideas. See if you can change the way you perceive them or whether they make sense as systems for you.
Engage With Brain Games
Another thing you could do is engage in brain games. Chess, solitaire, Go, Sudoku, and puzzles are all examples of activities that can enhance the intellect. These games create new circuits in the brain, priming it for additional processing and efficiency.
Optimize Your Environment
Another clever approach is to simply optimize your environment for learning. Setting everything up so that it supports you can be a fantastic way to move forward and optimize the pedagogic experience.
For example, you could start using AI-assisted research. These tools are becoming profoundly more powerful, allowing you to go through dozens of papers looking for answers without having to spend hours searching through them.
You could also use audiobooks, allowing you to learn while you do the chores. This reduces the amount of “dead time” you experience during the day.
Teach What You Can Learn
Explaining ideas to others also forces you to learn them in depth. When you have to explain something to someone else, it makes it even more critical that you understand the underlying material and can answer all their questions.
One way to do this might be to go into teaching, but that wouldn’t be your “spare time.” Another approach is to start a blog where you can put your ideas down on paper. You could also mentor someone or create videos explaining your ideas and why they are so valuable.
Exercise And Eat Well
Exercising and eating well can also have profound effects on cognitive performance. Getting your biology right allows the brain to work more efficiently and effectively, allowing you to concentrate more.
The best diets have lots of nutrients and come rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They also have plenty of antioxidants to keep the brain healthy and prevent free radicals from causing damage.
Proper sleep also matters for cognitive function. You’re much more likely to be at your best when you’re firing on all cylinders.
Master Focus
Becoming a genius in your spare time also requires mastering focus. You need to concentrate for long periods on your intellectual projects to make the breakthroughs you want to make.
One of the best methods is the Pomodoro approach. This requires you to work hard for a set period, take a break, and then go back to it again, giving your brain a chance to rest.
Another approach is to engage in deep work sessions. These are usually 1 to 4 hours long and require you to concentrate intensely and get into a flow state where the rest of the world disappears from view and all that’s with you is the task in front of you.
Learn A New Skill Every Month
Finally, you can improve your chances of becoming a genius in your spare time by learning a new skill every month. Geniuses are well-known for their neural plasticity and ability to switch between topics with relative ease.
For example, you could start by learning to play a musical instrument. Then, you could add some languages to the mix and put your mind to learning a new life skill, like cooking. The more you can probe these disciplines, the more you can boost your cognitive capacity and what you’re able to achieve.
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