Get Smarter or Appear Smarter

Of course you would like to get smarter, but wouldn't you also like to appear to be more intelligent? Whether you want to get a promotion at work or just impress your friends and others, here are some tricks that will help. Fortunately, a few of these may actually improve your thinking skills as well.

1. Talk about what you know. You will always appear smarter if you stick to topics you know something about. In fact, if there are areas in which you are very knowledgeable, try to steer the conversation in that direction.

2. Ask the right questions. Specifically, ask questions you know the answer to. Then, when you add to the answer with a clarification or another question, you'll appear to have understood the issue very quickly.

3. Brush up on a current topic. People have opinions about everything going on in the news, but usually without actually knowing much about each topic. Pick one and learn more than the usual. Have a well-thought-out alternate view and you'll definitely look smarter. If people are debating tax issues, for example, few will know what the "Laffer Curve" is, and why it is so important.

4. Associate with intelligent people. People will notice if you hang out with geniuses. Also, you can learn a lot from people who are smarter than you. But it's better not to say much, except for asking an occasional smart question.

5. Learn new words. You can read the "Enrich Your Vocabulary" section of Reader's Digest or just open the dictionary and choose a word to learn each day. Expanding your vocabulary can be a way to impress others, but you'll get smarter as well, because language is a big part of functional intelligence. But see the warning below.

6. Use words correctly. Yes, you can look smarter with a better vocabulary. On the other hand, using a word incorrectly makes you immediately look less intelligent. Learn new words, but use them only when you know them well.

7. Specialize in some obscure area. If you know even a little bit about the history of the Inuit people or the origin of gold mining, you'll likely be the only one in the room who does. Not only does this set you apart, but any errors you make will go undetected. Of course, while talking a bit about your "specialty" may impress, you might also bore your audience with too much, so take it easy.

8. Compliment others ideas. Compliment people's great ideas or their unique understanding of an issue. Oddly enough, when you recognize their intelligence, they'll think you are more intelligent (okay, it isn't that odd - just basic psychology). In any case, we should give credit where credit is due, right?

9. Know a little about many things. The next time you're in a waiting room, instead of picking up the usual magazines that interest you, browse several that cover subjects you're not familiar with. Learn a little about many things and you'll not only seem knowledgeable, but you might get smarter too. When someone brings up their favorite topic, you can ask an intelligent question and learn more. Just being familiar enough with the topic to know what to ask will impress people.

10. Play intelligent games. Chess is a good game to play if you want to impress people. The brain exercise it provides might also help you get smarter. Learn how to play Scrabble and you'll also get a better vocabulary. Of course following the tips here also means playing an intelligent game.

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