The intelligence It is important, but sometimes it is very difficult to define it. There are times when it is just as important to see how an intelligent person behaves as it is to identify their thought process. Then, how can you look smarter?
Believe it or not, intelligence only explains 20% of your actions; Much of the remaining 80% comes from emotional intelligence (IE). It is so important that 90% of the best professionals have a very high emotional quotient (EQ) (and have more attractive salaries).
The greatest sample of emotional intelligence is self-knowledge, which is mastering who you are and what others perceive of you. People with high emotional intelligence are masters of influence, that is, they can alter their behavior to make the best of each situation.
You may not be able to change your genetics, but there are some proven strategies that will make you look smarter. Some of these methods seem arbitrary, but they are backed by serious research and can make big differences in how people see you. These are good weapons that you can use when you need to persuade someone else.
I eat to see you smartest?
1. Use an initial in the middle of your name
John F. Kennedy. Franklin D Roosevelt. Turns out, there’s a good reason people with an initial in the middle of their name are prominent in history. Not only does it increase your perceived social status, it also increases the expectations of your performance. In one study, participants were asked to rate an essay on relativity by Albert Einstein that was signed by David Clark, David F. Clark, David FP Clark, or David FPR Clark. The text supposedly written by David FPR Clark was the one that received the best score. In another analysis, participants formed teams. People with an initial in their name were more chosen than those without.
2. Believe in yourself
Nothing projects intelligence like confidence. When you believe in yourself, it shows. One study showed that confidence improves performance on cognitive tasks. Doubt, on the contrary, harms performance. What’s worse, other people notice these doubts, something that makes you look less intelligent. If you want people to believe in you, you must first believe in yourself.
3. Write simply
Really smart people don’t need to flaunt a complicated vocabulary to prove it. True intelligence speaks for itself, so you don’t need to brag about all the words you know. Also, you can always be wrong. Using a word “big” the wrong way makes you look, well, not very smart. So if you want to look smart, stop memorizing the dictionary and focus on learning how to communicate effectively.
4. Be expressive
Communications expert Leonard Mlodinow says that even when two people are saying the same thing, if one says it more expressively, he or she will be identified as the smarter individual. “If a person speaks louder, faster, using few pauses and good volume variation, they will be perceived as more energetic, knowledgeable, and intelligent,” says Mlodinow. If you want to look smarter, modulate your voice, your energy, speed and speech.
5. Look people in the eye
You have to do this every time, it’s a matter of good manners. Plus, it makes you look smarter. A Loyola University study found that people who intentionally managed their eye contact with other people were rated extremely smart.
6. Wear “nerdy” glasses
Have you ever heard the saying that you have to be nice to nerds because you might end up working for one? Indeed, research found that people who wear glasses (especially those with thick frames) are seen as more intelligent. So if you need to look smarter one day (like when you’re giving a presentation), remove your contacts and opt for plastic ones.
7. Dress for success
This point should not come as a surprise. Much research has shown how clothing influences people’s perception. Dressing well makes you look smarter, while showing off too much distracts your mind and focuses attention on your body. But did you know that how you dress also influences how you perform? A Northwestern University study found that having people wear lab coats increases their concentration. 10. Dress for success. This point should not come as a surprise. Much research has shown how clothing influences people’s perception. Dressing well makes you look smarter, while showing off too much distracts your mind and focuses attention on your body.
You may not be able to change your IQ, but you can definitely alter how other people see you. Remember, in the real world, perception is half the battle.