Being regarded as an intellectual boosts your confidence and makes you feel more attractive. Here are 20 tips for how to become an intellectual.
While not all of us can be straight A students, or be able to hold our own when it comes to discussing the finer details of world politics, there are certainly lots of things we can do, both physically and mentally to look and feel smarter.
How to become an intellectual – 20 ways to grow your intelligence
The benefits of appearing intellectual can lead to getting better, higher-paid jobs, being more attractive to the opposite sex, and having deeper, more meaningful conversations.
Of course, there is a difference between faking intelligence and actually being intelligent. And it depends how much you care about being one or the other that will determine how much time and effort you are willing to put into changing the way people see you.
Either way, to get you started, here are 20 tips for how to become an intellectual.
#1 Wear glasses. It may seem silly, but people who wear glasses are naturally regarded as more intelligent than those who don’t. So, if you want a quick fix then get a pair of glasses *even if you don’t need them* and you’ll immediately start to rock that intellectual look. [Read: All the reasons why girls go ga-ga for guys with glasses]
#2 Watch the news. Knowing what is going on in the world is really important, so watch the news regularly to make sure that you are caught up in all the most important events, and can hold your own in a conversation about them.
#3 Read newspapers. The same goes for reading newspapers, not only will this make you physically look more intelligent – if you’re reading them in a cafe or on a train for example, but will also further your knowledge and understanding of key world events and politics too.
#4 Read books. Reading lots of different books will broaden your literary horizons, give you lots to talk about, and definitely make you feel and appear more intellectual. Reading is a great pleasure for many people too, so this one you can just do for fun! It’s a great tip for how to become an intellectual. [Read: Reinvent your life – 12 must-read books to read in your 20s]
#5 Speak with confidence. Speak slowly, clearly and with confidence. Doing so shows that you are in control of your feelings and that you are self-assured and believe in what you are saying.
If you mutter, stutter, or stumble over your words, you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone that you really know what you are talking about!
#6 Be opinionated. Having strong opinions is often thought of as a good indicator that someone is intelligent, so think about the way you feel about certain topics, form opinions, and stick to your guns.
Of course, being smart is also about being open-minded and listening to what other people have to say, so don’t be too stubborn. Also, if you are going to be opinionated, make sure you have strong arguments as to why you have these opinions, otherwise you’ll quickly get caught! [Read: 15 highs and lows of dating someone smarter than you]
#7 Dress smartly. Being a snappy, smart dresser means you will ooze confidence, and people will naturally assume you are a clever clog. Scruffy dressing is often associated with immaturity, carelessness, and youth, so if you want to appear smart, rock that business suit and you’ll certainly look the part.
#8 Stand tall. Appearing clever goes hand in hand with appearing confident, so push your shoulders back and stand tall and proud! [Read: How to build self-confidence – 16 ways to realize you’re worth it]
#9 Mix with lots of different people. If you only hang out with people your own age, who have similar tastes and interests to you, you are confining yourself to a small pool when it comes to conversation and culture.
Join different groups, widen your interests, talk to people from all backgrounds, and of all ages. This way, you’ll have a far more interesting perspective on the world and feel as though you can confidently talk to just about anyone.
#10 Learn a language. If you really want to challenge yourself, why not try to master a new language? Being bilingual is really attractive and makes you seem super smart – it also keeps your brain in good working order too! [Read: The 26 naughtiest things you can say in a foreign language]
#11 Learn how to cook. Being smart doesn’t have to just be about academia. If you have a great skill, people will think you are more intelligent. So, if studying has never been your strong point, learn something else, like cooking instead.
#12 Get qualifications. Let’s face it, lots of people still judge how smart you are on the grades you achieved at school or university. If you want to know how to be an intellectual and be considered indisputably smart, get some qualifications under your belt, and then you can really show off!
#13 Follow your dreams and passions. It’s better to have great knowledge in one subject that you love and are passionate about than not really knowing anything about anything. So, whatever it is you love to do or want to be, stick to that and people will still see you are being smart.
Remember, people are always impressed when someone can do something well that they can’t, no matter what it is. [Read: Follow your dreams – All the amazing reasons why it’s totally worth it]
#14 Set yourself challenges. Keep challenging yourself and never stop. This way, you are always striving to improve and better yourself, expand your knowledge, and learn more. If you always have a new challenge or goal in mind, you’ll come across as driven and impressive too.
#15 Get lots of sleep. Getting lots of rest also helps let your brain have some down time, and it stops you from feeling groggy and looking drowsy too! Make sure you get plenty of rest, and you’ll be sharp and raring to go each and every morning!
#16 Ask questions. Being curious and interested is different than asking repetitive, stupid questions because you just don’t ‘get’ something. So, make sure you know the difference. However, when you do ask questions, make sure they are well considered and then listen carefully to the answers. This way, you’ll not only learn more but be thought of as a good conversationalist too. [Read: 12 meaningful topics that ignite intellectual conversation]
#17 Use big words. Expand your knowledge of the English language. Buy a dictionary and learn some fancy words to impress! Having a great vocabulary and using it well will definitely a great idea if you want to know how to become an intellectual.
#18 Use your middle initial. This may seem like ridiculous tip for how to become an intellectual, but using your middle initial on emails or letters, for example, can make you seem smarter than you really are!
#19 Don’t gossip. Idle gossip about others never make people seem very clever, instead they come across as vacuous and quite judgmental too. If all your conversation is just bitching about other people, you won’t be seen as very smart, so try to rise above gossip and talk about creative, cultured, fascinating subjects instead!
#20 Don’t be afraid to be wrong. Even the smartest people get things wrong from time to time, so if someone corrects you or provides a different point of view, learn how to be gracious about it. Being sulky or wildly sticking to your point even though you know it’s wrong will just make you seem stubborn and stupid, which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
[Read: Are you attracted to intelligence? All the signs you may be a sapiosexual]
Try all these 20 tips for how to become an intellectual, and you’ll soon feel, look and be regarded as a super intelligent person! Of course, most people won’t want to do them all, but just by picking a few you can appear smarter and more impressive to others, and you’ll feel great too!
