Being clever and linked to intelligence isn't the same thing.Cleverness is how you come across to other people, how quick you are at analyzing and acting in situations, and how creative your ideas are.Polyphemus wouldn't be able to tell anyone who blinded him because Odysseus told him his name was Nobody.You can work on developing cleverness even though you won't defeat any mythical creatures.
Step 1: Speak at the end.
If you wait during a conversation and listen to the different participants, you'll appear more clever, because you have more time to evaluate these opinions before giving your own.Say you're talking to your cousin Bob, your aunt Milly, and your sister Sarah about the best way to cook a turkey.While you listen and evaluate the effectiveness of each side of the argument, let the other three work on it.Once the argument is over, make your own idea for basting the turkey.If you agree with one of the others, offer a more convincing argument than Aunt Milly has, or give a reason for that option that the other might not have considered.This is a great way to avoid looking like a clever person by not opening your mouth first.The person who speaks last is less likely to point out the obvious.They usually come up with something more original, and people are more likely to remember it.
Step 2: There are "pocket" facts.
These are the types of facts that can be used in an argument.Pick the ones that are most important to you, because chances are you're not going to be able to have facts for every argument.If you're really passionate about global climate change, you should make sure to have statistics that show the difference between weather and climate in the past few years, and how that is linked to things like carbon dioxide.It's good to gather facts for things that people assume are true.You can make yourself appear clever by blowing assumptions out of the water.
Step 3: It's a good idea to learn the appropriate words.
Every workplace has a lingo that goes along with it.This can include abbreviations, or even nicknames for certain things.It will make you seem knowledgeable if you learn these for the places that you visit.When you're a beginner in fly-fishing, you have to learn a lot of different words and phrases.It will make you seem like you don't know what you're talking about.If you don't know the meaning of a word, pay attention to its context.It's usually possible to figure out the basic meaning from that.If you don't understand everything they're saying, ask someone in private.
Step 4: You should be persuasive.
People's minds are linked to persuasiveness and cleverness.People will correlate it with the other if they do the one.A few things can help you be persuasive, such as having your "pocket" facts and speaking last.Persuade is getting people to do something that is in their best interest while also benefiting you.Being persuasive depends on context and timing.When your sister loses her job, don't try to get your parents to give her money.She will be more concerned with money.Wait until she finds a new job or gets a raise.Speak concisely.If you put a problem to someone quickly and clearly, they are more likely to help you out.People prefer a straightforward tactic over beating about the bush.Special words and expressions used by a particular group make it difficult for others to understand them.Law jargon.If you can't get your point across, people will not listen to you.Unless you're speaking to people who understand the same technical terms as you, don't use them.
Step 5: Simple solutions are offered.
Sometimes a problem doesn't need a complex solution.The simplest solution is often the most useful one, as well as the one that others don't think of.Humans try to find the most difficult and complex way to do things.It will make you stand out if you don't fall into that trap.When looking for a solution, it's a good idea to ask what you can do less of.Some of the less productive options can be weeded out.Ask yourself and others questions.Don't ask how can we build better time management.You'll usually get answers that are too big if the question is too large.If we spent 2 hours on a particular project instead of 4 hours, how might we work more quickly to achieve the same results?
Step 6: Be confident.
If you are confident about yourself and your work, you will be seen as cleverer than someone who is not.Even though there isn't much to back it up, people still believe in confidence.The cleverness will follow if you present as confident.If you don't feel confident, use your body language to trick your brain into thinking so.Stand tall.Like you belong wherever you are, walk with a confident stride.Open body language is important.Don't look at people in the eye or cross your arms.Think in a positive or neutral way about yourself.If a thought like "I am a loser, but I have a really good job, or I am stupid, and I just got the coveted worker of the year award" comes into your head, think about it.Don't compare yourself to others.Don't get into a cleverness competition with other people and start comparing your smartness with theirs.Intelligence isn't a competition and if you turn it into one, you'll feel worse about yourself as you drive away other people with your need to be the best.
Step 7: It's a good idea to not always go by the book.
You can subvert that thinking if you know how to do things in the typical way.Other people don't expect you to think on your feet by doing things in a certain way.People seem to judge cleverness by that.Ask your professor if you could do a creative option on the essay assignment.While going above and beyond, demonstrate how your option fulfilled the requirements.If you're taking a class on short stories, ask if you could try your hand at writing a short story of your own using what you have learned in class, and write a follow-up piece examining your work.It's also about doing the unexpected.People aren't going to see you as smart if you always follow the rules or do things exactly as you learned them.Don't rely on your intelligence and typical ways of doing things.
Step 8: Think outside the box.
This step ties into not always going by the book, because a lot of times you need to think outside the box to do that.Creative solutions to problems are needed to be clever.The problem should be re-conceptualized.People who use creative solutions are able to re-imagine a problem.To practice this skill, take an obvious choice, like writing a plain old essay, and re-imagine how else you might approach the essay so that you still get the same information across, but in a different, more engaging way.It's a good idea to daydream.It turns out that daydreaming is beneficial to problem-solving.The process of daydreaming can help you form connections.A lot of your best ideas can come out during the shower or before you go to bed.Take a moment to daydream if you're having difficulty with something.You'll come up with something creative if you relax and let your brain roam free.In a group, brainstorming is a great way to foster creativity.If you present the problem, have people give whatever ideas come to mind without judgement.People can add to the ideas.As long as you keep judgement out of the process, you can do this on your own.
Step 9: Consider the worst that could happen.
One aspect of cleverness is fear, which is one of the biggest obstacles to creative thinking.People will believe in your abilities if you are more creative and workable.Do you know what will happen if you lose your job?If you lose your best customer, what do you do?If you fail your class, what do you do?If the publisher doesn't buy your book, what do you do?The answer to any of these questions can either free you up from fear or show where you need to work on your solutions, which in turn will open up opportunities and further ideas.When you're coming up with ideas, don't allow them to be critiqued until they are more formed.The fear of criticism can be a big killer of creativity.When you're able to evaluate the ideas better and get feedback, that's when you get criticism.
Step 10: Set parameters.
It's incredibly difficult to come up with creative solutions and ideas when there are problems and opportunities that are very vague.If you need to deal with issues without parameters, set some for yourself.Setting "imaginary" or "pretend" parameters can foster your ideas.How do you accomplish your task without money if you're working on a project for work?How would you do things differently if you were told you couldn't follow the rules?Pretend there's a fast time limit on coming up with a solution.What can you come up with in a short period of time?Green Eggs and Ham was written by Dr. Seuss because of a challenge from his editor to come up with a full book in less than 50 words.He came up with one of the best known Dr. Seuss books.
Step 11: Look at people who are clever.
Don't think you've reached a peak of cleverness.There is no such thing.Studying people who you or others find to be clever is a good way to learn.Do they have a pithy comment about everything?Is it possible to come up with facts and figures on the spot?Is it possible that they present creative solutions?Pick out some of the smartest people you know and incorporate them into your life and work.
Step 12: You should keep up to date on world events.
A lot of clever people keep up with the latest developments in the world.They pay attention to what's happening and can talk knowledgeably about current affairs.You aren't just getting information from one source if you get multiple points of view.Instead of only getting news from Fox, check out other news stations.The information, statistics, and "facts" that each news station presents should be researched.This will help you to discuss the news in a more knowledgeable way and will give a better, more balanced view.
Step 13: Don't be shy on wordplay.
Words and the way they act together can make you sound more clever.Wordplay includes things like puns, and simply using language in a way that opens up sensory details that other people might not have noticed.It's a good idea to practice describing things in unusual ways.Coming up with a way to describe the sound of the waves on the shore is an example.It's a good idea to add a pun or two into your words.If you notice them in other people's speech, point them out.
Step 14: Remember the information.
One way to seem clever is to memorize facts and information so that you can remember them easily.There are ways to make fact recall easier.First time around, pay attention to the information.Make sure you get the right information.In cases of illness or injury, you don't lose information, so you want to make sure that the information you're putting in is correct.Things should be written down several times.Writing down facts or information you want to remember helps you to recall it more easily, and it makes it stick in your brain.It will be easier to remember if you practice writing it down.Carefully choose.He once said that his mind was like an attic.Pick the facts and information that interest you and will serve you well, instead of storing everything you come across, right or wrong.Try to raise your hand in class.