Everyone wants to be smart. But in reality, everyone is actually mediocre. If you're worried that people think you're not that smart, there are ways to help you improve their view of you. Here are some steps that will make you appear smarter in front of other people's eyes.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Mastering Conversational Skills
Step 1. Talk less and listen more
If you want to look smart, keep your mouth shut. Reduce the frequency of your speech and only speak when you really need to, and say something that really means being said.
Roughly speaking, intelligent people are generally considered introverts. This means that if you do this, not only will you appear smarter, you will also be perceived as an introvert
Step 2. Use proper grammar
If you speak very non-standard grammar, then you won't sound like a smart person. Improve your grammar and word choice.
“Exactly” means using the language that is used conventionally in the place or area where you live
Step 3. State the word or expression completely
In this day and age, there are many words that are abbreviations of certain words or expressions. If you want to look smart, stop using those abbreviations. You won't lose time if you say the words in full.
Step 4. Do not take the words of the short message verbally
If you want to look smart, don't use words like “so”, abbreviations, or other words you use frequently in text messages. If you laugh, laugh, not say "lol".
Also, speak fluently and don't sound like you don't know what you're saying
Step 5. Follow the discussion you know
Regardless of how smart you are, if you don't know anything about the topic at hand, you certainly can't look smart. Follow the discussion you know. Don't force yourself into a chat about a topic you don't know or like. No one can provide interesting input or ideas on all topics of discussion.
If you want, you can steer the conversation in the direction you want and know. Look for loopholes to change the direction of the conversation in the middle of an ongoing conversation, and take control of the conversation
Step 6. Cite something
Quoting something famous or wise is not 100 percent proof that you are a smart person, but at least it will make you look smart in front of people who hear the quote you say.
Today there are many great quotes on the internet. Look for it often and use it appropriately
Step 7. Use “smart” words
Using a word or two that is “smart” will make you sound smart in front of other people. But again, make sure you use it at the right time and portion. If you use it incorrectly, you'll end up looking stupid.
Step 8. Express yourself non-verbally
Don't know what to say? Don't say anything. Let your face say what you think. There are many expressions you can use to accurately describe what's on your mind without having to say anything.
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For example, for a confused expression, you can slightly frown, squint, and place your hand on your chin. Your interlocutor must be thinking about re-explaining what he said more thoroughly.
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Step 9. Don't be ignorant
If you always say something before people have finished, you will come across as annoying and unintelligent. Even if you think you know what he's saying, at least wait until he's done talking. Don't let what you want to say turns out to be wrong and make you embarrassed and look stupid.
- Take comfort in your knowledge and your ignorance. Not knowing a thing or two doesn't mean you're not smart. That means there is something you don't know yet and you can learn and find out later.
- Ask if there's anything you don't know, but don't ask too many questions. Intelligent people know some things, but also don't know some other things and become smarter by learning new things. So if there's something you don't know, ask.
Part 2 of 3: Think Smart
Step 1. Believe in yourself
The hebta politicians out there are not geniuses. They have experience, intelligence, confidence and charisma. They also speak with conviction and passion and one will not doubt their decisions. Confidence can make other people believe more in what you say. But this certainly won't work if what you're saying is false or a lie and will make you look stupid.
- Imagine this: if there are two people who have the same argument, but one person conveys it hesitantly and doesn't make eye contact with you, while the other uses hand gestures, and conveys it clearly and convincingly, you will naturally have more confidence in the second person., no?
- If what you say is true, don't let doubts build up in you and make what you say seem unconvincing.
Step 2. Recognize that intelligence is different
Just because you haven't read one book or aren't good at one area doesn't mean you're not smart. You can still be considered smart if you are good at something else. Most people have at least one type of intelligence that they can be proud of. Find out what intelligence you have.
You can get smart about music, nature, repairing cars, cooking, crunching numbers, or much more. If you've never thought about it, you'll probably find it soon
Step 3. Know that a lot of people pretend to be smart
Recent research shows that most people pretend to look smart in front of other people. That means the people you're trying to impress aren't actually as smart as you think they are. They also want to impress you.
This means that the argument from your interlocutor may not be as perfect as you think and they are only conveying it more convincingly. If you feel your argument is more appropriate, present it with more confidence
Step 4. Question the existing status quo
People who are experts in questioning many things. When someone shows or says something in front of you, ask questions. Why is that true? Is that rational? Why do people believe those words if they turn out to be wrong? Was the word good or bad? True or false? If you question it, besides making you look smart, you can build your argument from there.
We all actually have this habit since we were born, but over time this habit fades in some people. Always be open to the possibility that the person you admire may be mistaken. Always consider whether there are other points of view. This will make you sound more confident in what you believe and explain why
Step 5. Be open minded
Indifference is a bad thing. If you're closed-minded, you won't be able to understand what a difference of opinion is and don't know why people have opinions that differ from yours. In the end, you'll have a hard time understanding other people, and that's certainly not smart at all.
An open-minded person is someone who can question the existing status quo and is willing to make the environment around him move forward. If no one was open-minded, we would still be in primitive times and be content with what we have today, and that's not a good thing. After all, you don't have to be super smart to be open-minded
Step 6. Cultivate curiosity
You don't have to know everything about a topic to have an interesting and intelligent chat. All you need to do is ask the right questions. In addition to digging deeper into the topics discussed, you also ask questions to make yourself look smarter. Did your friend mention about his trip to Antarctica for scientific research? Of course, you can't just talk about the topic other than opening it with a question to show your curiosity.
While you can't ask the person you're talking to a thing or two, if you're still curious, you can look it up on the internet when you get home. Is there a word you've never heard? Find out. Is there a political concept that you just heard? Find out. If there's something you don't know, find a way to find out
Step 7. Pay attention to everything
You can always pay attention to the little things in another person to impress that person. Make a few comments about something she briefly mentioned or something in her house that you noticed and found interesting. Everything we say and do usually indicates our opinion.
Step 8. Form an opinion on the topic discussed
When you start a debate about something like the economic crisis, for example, the only thing you can do to get a voice is to have an opinion. There is no right or wrong about such a topic (as well as other topics like religion, politics, and so on). All you need to do is do a little research then make your own opinion from there.
An intelligent person usually wouldn't be so interested in making an opinion on something as trivial as a celebrity scandal or something
Part 3 of 3: Increase Intelligence
Step 1. Look “smart”
While this has nothing to do with acting or being smart, there are still people who can be fooled by appearances. Wear clothes that make you look smarter to make people think you are.
This is indeed the impression of targeting stereotypes. But it can also make you indeed become smarter. If you wear clothes that make you feel confident, you will certainly be more confident than usual
Step 2. Always up-to-date
This is an easy thing. Just watch or read the news. The atmosphere in the office is quiet and awkward? Start discussing the latest news on TV or newspapers.
This can be done simply by opening a website, TV show, or newspaper that contains the latest news. But if you're too lazy, just take a look at your Facebook timeline and see what people are talking about. The point is, you should always know what's going on around you
Step 3. Expand your vocabulary
Learn new words. The more vocabulary you know, the easier it will be for you to express yourself. The more words you know, the higher the chance that people won't know or hear them less often. Look for words that you think are smart and can be used in everyday conversation.
Each language has an enormous amount of vocabulary that you may rarely hear but that is still relevant to use. Just search the internet or read through various books to find it
Step 4. Learn English
In big cities, using a few expressions in a foreign language especially English is common and can make you look smart. Learn a foreign language and use short phrases that you might use in everyday conversation.
Step 5. Learn something out of the ordinary
Even though it's impossible to talk about it in everyday conversation, it's always helpful to learn something in depth. When you have a chance to talk about something you rarely get to talk about, everyone will remember you as the person who knows best about it. So, look for something that interests you and delve deeply into it. No one will think you're stupid for knowing something they don't.
Learn something you've heard of but don't know much about. Maybe there's something in history class you'd like to find out more about because you're interested?
Step 6. Take advantage of the internet
You are now, are using the internet, so take advantage of it even more. Take your time on the internet to learn new things that you have never seen or heard of.
Step 7. Search and find your favorite book/author/artist
If you don't know much about culture and art, you just have to look for sources from culture and art. Look for people who are known for their paintings and catch your eye. Read famous novels. The point is, find a creative person you like and study their work. As long as you know what you like, you will know what you are going to study and find out.
Again, use the internet to find out what creatives and works you think will catch your eye
Step 8. Remember
The people who tell you the most are the ones who say what they've read or heard from other people and remember it. So, start remembering. Pay close attention to what others say and teach. When you pay close attention to it, you will remember it better.
When you spend time on wikiHow or other websites studying, write down what you learn so that you remember it better
Tips
- Wear clothes that show that you are clean and polite, because that can bring out your aura of intelligence.
- Again, expand your vocabulary.
- Always curious. Intelligent people never stop learning after graduating from school. They are always learning new things because they are always curious.
