Text Size:

What is Intelligence?

There are different ways to define intelligence. Scientific American points out that intelligence quotient (IQ) tests might measure a person’s analytical and verbal skills, but they do not include other skills like creativity, intuition and communication. This type of intelligence is often called emotional intelligence, and you might hear people refer to their EQ. Everyone has their own unique qualities of intelligence that they can use in their lives to help them make good decisions based on their strengths. You can also improve different types of intelligence through the proper exercises.
Scientific American: Intelligence Considered
Measure Your Intelligence?

Since there are many different types of intelligence, there are many different types of tests that you can use to measure it.
The Hi IQ Society has two challenging quizzes designed to test your ability to answer questions about general knowledge and problem solving.
International High IQ Society: Professional IQ Tests
This test from the Institute for Health and Human Potential measures your emotional intelligence.

Institute for Health and Human Potential: IHHP Testing Centre
12 Quick Ways to Boost Your Intelligence

There are a lot of organizations that offer services that can help you improve your IQ and EQ. These are advantageous for those who can pay for them, but there are also some general tips that you can use for free. Improve Human Intelligence and About Intelligence include many ways to boost your intelligence, including the following:

1. Getting enough sleep improves almost all of your mental and emotional intelligence skills.
2. Eating a well balanced diet not only contributes to your general health, it improves your brain health as well. If your diet does not include plenty of protein, fruits, vegetables and grains, then eating better food can improve your intelligence.
3. Improve your communication skills by talking to new people and sharing your ideas.
4. Think of your intelligence training in the same way that you would think of a physical training regimen. Exercising your brain will make you more intelligent.
5. Start a journal. Keep track of your thoughts and experiences. This not only teaches you how to express yourself, but gives insight into your own life.
6. Play pattern games that challenge you to determine what the next stage in a sequence should be. This improves your analytic skills.
7. Play games that challenge your mind. Crossword puzzles, chess, Sudoku and Scrabble are great mental workouts.
8. Read. Few things boost your IQ and EQ as well as reading. If you are not much of a reader, start out with something light. But choose something challenging form time to time. Eventually, you will find that you get more out of books that you once thought were over your head.
9. Improve your memory by challenging yourself to memorize things. This is also a good way to use downtime. For instance, try memorizing license plates while you are stuck in traffic.
10. Get regular exercise. You cannot think well if your body is sick.
11. Pay attention to smells. Your olfactory glands are important links to your life experiences. Paying attention to scents invigorates your brain and boosts alertness.
12. Turn off the TV. Watching TV can be fun, but do not let it dominate your life. Instead, spend time doing things that are physically and mentally active.

• About Intelligence: Ways to Improve Intelligence
• Self Growth: Improve Human Intelligence

How to be an Intelligent Caregiver or Co-Survivor

One of the most difficult communication skills for many people to learn is how to address their audience. Often you will need to interact with those who have different intelligence skills than you, so it is important for you to consider your communication intelligence so that they understand what you are trying to tell them.
Famous People Who Are Intelligent

Of all the people who are well known for their intelligence, Albert Einstein is certainly the most famous. Not only did he display his IQ by redefining physics, he also showed his wisdom by opposing nuclear weaponry and participating in philosophical debates.
Henry Louis Gates, JR has spent his life writing, editing, teaching and, perhaps most importantly, thinking. This Harvard professor has written more than a dozen books, many of which focus on race relations, and has won him an American Book Award.
Recommended Online Intelligence Training Programs

The Emotional Intelligence Institute
Recommended Books

• What is Intelligence?: Beyond the Flynn Effect, by James R. Flynn
• Working with Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman
• Mozart's Brain and the Fighter Pilot: Unleashing Your Brain's Potential, by Richard Restak

Comments / Post a comment