The n-back game challenges participants to keep track of spoken words or locations on a grid, and identify when a letter or grid location is repeated. N-back training, which is available for free online, can help improve memory and problem-solving skills. 2. Open Yourself To New Points of View Another way to increase your intelligence is to expand your network and consider other people's points of view. The exercise will open your mind to new opportunities and promote cognitive growth. Learning is the act of exposing yourself to new information, and meeting new people facilitates the process, especially when the viewpoints conflict with your own. "Open your mind and listen to arguments that make no sense to you–and try to find some sense in them, " writes Roche. 3. Find Motivation Uncommon achievement takes a source of motivation, says Shenk. "You have to want it, want it so bad you will never give up, so bad that you are ready to sacrifice time, money, sleep, friendships, even your reputation, " he writes in The Genius in All of Us.
"After the first few months, " my friend said, "it is as easy to be a saint as to be a sinner; it becomes a habit. " "I know, " I interrupted, "it is as easy to jump out of bed early in the morning as to say 'All Right, ' and turn over for another five minutes of sleep, when you have got the habit. Not to swear is as easy as to swear, if you make a custom of it. A piece of bread and water is as delicious as champagne, when you got used to its taste. It is only a question of making your choice and getting used it. " He agreed with me. "Now take one of my cigars, " he said, pushing his open cigar case to me. "Thank you, " I replied quickly, "I'm not smoking during this trip. " "Don't be afraid, " he answered, "It was just an argument. One of these cigars would make you ill for a week. " I agreed. "Very well, " he continued. "As you know, I smoke them all day long, and enjoy them. Why? Because that is my habit. Many years ago, when I was a young man, I smoked very expensive Havanas. It was necessary for me to buy cheaper tobacco.
"He was born in the town, and for forty-seven years he never slept a night outside it. He was a respectable man – a merchant from nine to four, and a religious man in his free time. He said that a good life meant good habits. He got up at seven, had family prayer at seven-thirty, had breakfast at eight, got to his business at nine, had his horse brought to the office at four, and rode for an hour, reached home at five, had a bath and a cup of tea, played with children and read to them till half-past six, dressed and dined at seven, went to the club and played whist till quarter after ten, returned home to evening prayer at ten-thirty, and went to bed at eleven. For twenty-five years he lived that life without any variations. He was used by the local astronomers to check the sun. One day his business partner in London, an East Indian merchant and an ex-Lord Mayor died, and our man was his only heir. The business was complicated and needed management. He decided to leave his son, a young man of twenty-four, as a manager of his business at Jefferson, and to go to his second family in England, to look after the East Indian business.