Routine: The enemy of intelligence

Again, routine is the enemy of intelligence. Going through the same morning ritual, working at the same place, doing the same type of work, interacting with the same people, eating the same foods, watching the same TV shows, and otherwise subscribing to the same predictable patterns will in fact make you less intelligent. Routine is important for providing stability and security, but it should only provide the outer shell for tackling novel challenges each day. Push yourself to take in new input, the likes of which you’ve never previously experienced, and you will become smarter. Ideally you’ll want to tackle something new and non-routine at least once a day. Read a new book, listen to a new song, walk around a new location, meet a new person, eat at a new restaurant, play a new game, install new software – do something that provides fresh, new input to your mind.

Most of us go through life with routines. We wake up every day, go to school/work and do the same mundane things over and over that we’re expected/told to do. It gives us a sense of certainty, it’s less risky, it’s what’s expected of us. But I think it’s something we have to break out of in order to improve ourselves. We need to break out of our comfort zone. And that’s how you’ll become smarter.

The whole article is an interesting read, that I highly recommend.

Derrick Kwa

Routine: The enemy of intelligence

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