How to become brilliant?

[Syandan21]

I am tired of seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc and me being absolutely dumb. I am tired of having a low IQ. Please help me. How can I become more brilliant at everything and get into a good school? How can I be successful in life? How can I get better at physics?

How can I increase my IQ?

 

[Baluncore]

Demonstrate wisdom by being yourself, and stop competing with others.

 

[berkeman]

I am tired of seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc and me being absolutely dumb.

But in your previous thread, you said this:

I am good at math and logic

Well which is it?

 

[Lnewqban]

How can I increase my IQ?

Perhaps is not your IQ what needs improvement.

It is not possible to learn much while being distracted by so much time and energy and emotional distress invested in "seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc.", and who knows how many other self-defeating activities.

You may need to dedicate more time to sleep, and to do physical exercise, and to have positive socialization, and to learn about yourself.
Most healthy brains work very well, and become genuinely receptive and curious, when calmed, and rested, and in peace.

 

[Syandan21]

@berkeman I am good at math, but not good at word problems (MathCounts-related stuff). I should have clarified. I don't want to be good, I want to be the best.

 

[berkeman]

Well, the best suggestion I can offer for anything you want to get better at is practice a lot, get some coaching/instruction, practice a lot more and use competitions to help motivate you to get better and to keep measuring yourself against others.

If you want to get better at a sport like running, baseball, basketball, etc., you practice and get coaching and practice more and run races / play games to measure your progress.

If you want to get better at math, you study a lot, do lots of problems, get coaching/quality instruction and tutoring, and enter some math competitions to help motivate your studies and measure yourself against others.

Same deal for chess and many other mental activities. Just because they are mainly mental activities doesn't mean that the same approach as physical activities will not work.

 

[erobz]

I don't want to be good, I want to be the best.

How old are you?

 

[berkeman]

How old are you?

In his previous thread, he said he's in middle school (so not yet in high school I think):

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...chooler-interested-in-majoring-in-cs.1062078/

 

[Bystander]

@berkeman I am good at math, but not good at word problems (MathCounts-related stuff). I should have clarified. I don't want to be good, I want to be the best.

Well-written? Or, poorly-written? Just because something's printed/published doesn't mean it's well-edited.

 

[erobz]

In his previous thread, he said he's in middle school (so not yet in high school I think):

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...chooler-interested-in-majoring-in-cs.1062078/

I was hoping that was the case. My 8 yr old and I were just having a similar conversation when she didn’t win our games of chess today. I explained how much she learned in our game without winning (“being the best”), she begrudgingly accepted those facts, (with some whining).

Don’t hold your breath kid, you’re not going to be the best at everything…but you can do your best at everything. That’s the only outcome you can control.

Also, if you think something isn’t worth doing because you won’t “be the best” at it, you are setting yourself up for failure.

You need to correct your attitude a.s.a.p.

 

[bob012345]

I am tired of seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc and me being absolutely dumb. I am tired of having a low IQ. Please help me. How can I become more brilliant at everything and get into a good school? How can I be successful in life? How can I get better at physics?

How can I increase my IQ?

One can always learn to be more effective at studying. Consider getting a private tutor for a few sessions to help you learn how to do that.

 

[erobz]

One can always learn to be more effective at studying. Consider getting a private tutor for a few sessions to help you learn how to do that.

Do you honestly think the attitude of”I don’t want to be good, I want to be the best” can be fixed by a paid tutor?

The kid need someone to talk to, like his parents before going completely off the rails in his journey to become godlike.

 

[bob012345]

Do you honestly think the attitude of”I don’t want to be good, I want to be the best” can be fixed by a paid tutor?

I don't think it's our job to 'fix' people's attitudes but offer help and advice. In this case, a tutor may help the student learn how to learn better and the student can push that skill as far as it will go.

 

[berkeman]

@Syandan21 -- One other suggestion would be for you to join in on any Physics Club or Math Club or similar in your middle school or your upcoming high school. That will help to link you up with other like-minded students who have similar interests and are interested in getting better in their skills.

Also make it a point to participate in any Science Fairs in your area, and to do the research and hard work to do well in them.

 

[berkeman]

Do you honestly think the attitude of”I don’t want to be good, I want to be the best” can be fixed by a paid tutor?

A tutor or coach is not sufficient, but probably necessary to reach higher levels. See my reply #6 above.

 

[Math100]

Seek academic help by going to tutoring after school and ask questions to your teachers. Find some STEM books in your local library and find practice problems, then study them in order to improve.

 

[erobz]

I don't think it's our job to 'fix' people's attitudes but offer help and advice. In this case, a tutor may help the student learn how to learn better and the student can push that skill as far as it will go.

Thats fine, but they are also saying "How can I be successful in life?". No one knows the answer to that question...except for maybe biologically. Making them "brilliant" or being "intelligent" doesn't guarantee any of that. I think it's actually detrimental. People should just stop selling a false bill of goods that being a "genius" will make you satisfied/happy/successful in life.

Perhaps people shouldn't care so much about getting into a prestigious university at such a young age. They should be finding an interest, that can develop into a passion as they mature into adulthood. They are already suffering under low self-esteem, probably anxiety/depression. These problems are only ever going to get worse unless they talk to somebody that doesn't say "just do more math and physics" ...I know the feeling.

 

[erobz]

A tutor or coach is not sufficient, but probably necessary to reach higher levels. See my reply #6 above.

My uncle has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering( semi retired now)...As far as I know he's complained about it ever since. Piled higher and Deeper.

To get there...sure, but this kid needs to know that if you don't get there you might not be missing as much in life as you think.

I (obviously no PhD) myself am still waiting for the day I randomly come across a can rolling down an incline without slipping while the incline is sliding in an ice rink so I can dazzle all my friends by computing the Lagrangian! .

Maybe I can do the act as a street performer…how much do you think I can make in a day?

 

[Drakkith]

How can I become more brilliant at everything and get into a good school? How can I be successful in life? How can I get better at physics?

You can start by setting tangible, specific goals. Everything you've listed is intangible and unquantifiable. Choose a specific school you want to get into. Choose a career you want to aim for. Choose goals and milestones that you can easily recognize when they've been completed. Don't aim to 'be smarter', aim for a specific grade.

I am tired of seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc and me being absolutely dumb. I am tired of having a low IQ.

Okay, so people are better than you at some things. So what? Stop trying to be 'the best' and just 'be'. Set yourself some realistic, specific goals and as long as you are completing them, who cares if other people are doing it better/faster than you?

 

[sbrothy]

I suspect we're born with what we've got. On the other hands there are lots of different kinds of brilliance - social, analytic, music etc.

I also suspect that what an IQ test measures is how good you're at taking an IQ test.

 

[docnet]

I'm a firm believer that your IQ isn't an indicator of your success in college or school. Your work ethic and personality are far more predictive of success and happiness. What I mean is that it's important to have a good work ethic and enjoy thinking mathematically and outside of the box, but knowing how to score high on an IQ test won't bring food on the table or help you build relationships with great people in life.

Unless one is in the rare and elite .001% of the population for whom math and physics seems to be relatively effortless, most of us have to constantly acknowledge our shortcomings and grapple with our personal shortcomings. It's how we improve and develop as human beings. I saw a video of Richard Feynman saying he feels 'like a big dumb ape, trying to figure out how to rub two sticks to make a fire' when he's doing physics. So if you're not too smart for Feynman, you're not too smart to never admit you're dumb.

It's true that some people are called prodigies for a reason, but no one is born with all the secrets of the universe in their minds. And furthermore, even a 'mathematical genius' like Terrance Tao is woefully ignorant of subjects outside of his specialty.

My message is that if you want to be happy, try not to compare yourself to other people and run your own race. Chances are that your life circumstances and other inherent differences set your apart from others, and you should embrace them while working hard to make yourself better, smarter, faster, kinder, and etc.

 

[gleem]

Patience. Believe in yourself. You are still developing. Concentrate on your own work, effort, and accomplishments Set reachable goals to build confidence. You have a lot of time to develop your skills before you need to prove yourself to others. Be satisfied with your accomplishments when you have done all that you could. Enjoy the "ride" of learning. I think you will be surprised at how far you will get.

 

[Mayhem]

There is obviously a hard limit to everyone's cognition ability. But I'll argue that very few ever find that limit. We got what we got - but using these tools efficiently is a skill, and can produce significant results. Logical structured thinking, for one, is a skill that nearly everyone can learn and will make you "smarter".

 

[sbrothy]

I'm a firm believer that your IQ isn't an indicator of your success in college or school. Your work ethic and personality are far more predictive of success and happiness. What I mean is that it's important to have a good work ethic and enjoy thinking mathematically and outside of the box, but knowing how to score high on an IQ test won't bring food on the table or help you build relationships with great people in life.

Unless one is in the rare and elite .001% of the population for whom math and physics seems to be relatively effortless, most of us have to constantly acknowledge our shortcomings and grapple with our personal shortcomings. It's how we improve and develop as human beings. I saw a video of Richard Feynman saying he feels 'like a big dumb ape, trying to figure out how to rub two sticks to make a fire' when he's doing physics. So if you're not too smart for Feynman, you're not too smart to never admit you're dumb.

It's true that some people are called prodigies for a reason, but no one is born with all the secrets of the universe in their minds. And furthermore, even a 'mathematical genius' like Terrance Tao is woefully ignorant of subjects outside of his specialty.

My message is that if you want to be happy, try not to compare yourself to other people and run your own race. Chances are that your life circumstances and other inherent differences set your apart from others, and you should embrace them while working hard to make yourself better, smarter, faster, kinder, and etc.

I recognize this. In (what I guess translates to then end of ) high school there was this girl who obviously wasn't the fastest animal in the forest but she persevered, took elaborate notes and asked questions to the point of general annoyance amongst other pupils.

I'm not a note guy. Things come easily to me. But at the end of the semester she was at the absolute top of the class. The last laugh was clearly hers.

 

[symbolipoint]

I am tired of seeing people better than me at math, science, chess, mathcounts, etc and me being absolutely dumb. I am tired of having a low IQ. Please help me. How can I become more brilliant at everything and get into a good school? How can I be successful in life? How can I get better at physics?

How can I increase my IQ?

So many posts on this topic already!
If you want to be "brilliant", it is not usually done overnight. Effort and Preparation! Repeated study, and repeated practice; and taking steps to progress. Some people want to place too much focus on Brilliant while they really should put their focus on Effort.

 

[symbolipoint]

@berkeman I am good at math, but not good at word problems (MathCounts-related stuff). I should have clarified. I don't want to be good, I want to be the best.

So as I suggested, more and repeated effort is necessary.

 

[symbolipoint]

In his previous thread, he said he's in middle school (so not yet in high school I think):

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...chooler-interested-in-majoring-in-cs.1062078/

That is interesting and it means he has plenty of time to relearn and progress and then to relearn that too. Repetition can be a good thing!

 

[Vanadium 50]

So as I suggested, more and repeated effort is necessary.

Such as returning to this thread. That might be a good start.

 

[Uri Zlatnik]

Many times I wish I was more intelligent and that my brain was healthier and sharper.

There are so many things you can do with high intelligence like becoming an successful electrical engineer or even understanding general relativity and superstring theory. You could even beat Gary Kasparov at chess or become a world chess champion.

My brain failed me completely and my life suffers considerably because of it.

 

[berkeman]

My brain failed me completely and my life suffers considerably because of it.

Never give up, there are always alternatives.