Contemplative Intelligence: A Daily Reflection Time Can Make You Smarter

When we think of intelligence, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a book-smart person who can ace an IQ test. But what if being intelligent was much more than being good at solving logic problems?

Researchers, psychologists, and sociologists have studied intelligence from many different angles for decades. And in all of these fields, one thing is clear: If you want to be more intelligent, you need to make time for contemplation, among other things.

People who can reflect on their thoughts and actions tend to build better pattern recognition skills. Even simple activities like reading or pondering over ideas can give you a noticeable boost in intelligence.

Being smart has little to do with what you know and everything to do with how often you stop to ponder what you know, think about your thinking and how much time you observe your surroundings.

“Thinking: the talking of the soul with itself.,” Plato said.

Einstein was a prolific thinker. His thought experiments changed our perception of the world. While Einstein was clearly driven by passion, he also made time for contemplation.

“I find that ideas sleep best when I am not doing anything else,” Einstein wrote in an essay. “I can work for days without interruption, but if I sit down to read or write, I feel drowsy almost immediately. So I go for a walk, or ride my bicycle.”

Modern life is increasingly fast-paced. We lead busy, jam-packed days, with our time fragmented across various activities and responsibilities.

This constant state of “go” leaves little time for quiet contemplation or reflection — two activities that are shown to have measurable benefits in terms of increased intelligence.

Many people hardly step back and take stock of their lives; to think about their place in the world and how they are spending their lives.

A heightened awareness of one’s thoughts, known as ‘meta cognition’ — the ability to contemplate your thinking processes, can help you think clearly.

The benefits of metacognition are numerous, including improved focus and concentration, an increased sense of self-efficacy (self-belief), and enhanced mental resilience in response to stressors.

In other words, making time for contemplation techniques will make you smarter and improve your effectiveness at work and home.

People who make time to contemplate learn new things quickly and adapt to changing circumstances easier.

They can pick up on subtle cues from people in your life and notice patterns in what they like and what bores them. They can see the big picture and focus on the details to make sense of any situation.

Intelligence is not just about the ability to remember facts and figures but also about being able to see patterns and think critically.

Even so, it is surprising how often people underestimate the importance of intellect in our day-to-day life.

The art of thinking is critical to so much of what we value in life: the ability to solve problems, come up with new ideas, and understand complex concepts. And yet most of us spend very little time actively engaging our own minds.

Whether you call it reflection, contemplation, mindfulness, or some other words, the benefits of giving your brain time to be and think are numerous.

Make time to think about your thinking

“It takes an extraordinary intelligence to contemplate the obvious.” — Alfred North Whitehead

Build a few minutes of daily reflection into your life. Allow your brain to make better connections: your intellectual growth depends on it.

Allow yourself 10 to 15 minutes daily to contemplate. A daily contemplation habit makes you smarter and more resilient.

Over time, it builds mental flexibility, allowing you to see and interpret new information in new ways.

It helps you stay curious and open-minded, which is essential in a rapidly changing world. It also enables you to maintain perspective, which is crucial when things get tough.

In short, it makes you a better thinker overall. So why not make it part of your routine? Start with 10 minutes every morning before you start your day.

Sit comfortably somewhere quiet and still — away from distractions like the TV or music — and think, reflect or observe your surroundings.

Ask yourself some questions: What am I feeling right now? What do I need right now? What’s going on inside me right now?

What’s happening outside me right now? Where do I want to go next? What would make my life better right now? Once you’ve had a chance to answer these questions, open your eyes and take action accordingly.

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This post was previously published on Thomas Oppong’s blog.

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