How Can I Improve My Intelligence and Speed of Thought?

[Rocket_guy]

I still think goals do more bad then good. It is far too easy for even the most dedicated person to set unrealistic goals. I think it is unrealistic to expect people to be able to set realistic goals but it is assumed that they can or should be able to do that when we are told to set realistic goals. How do we do that exactly? It's devoid of content. It tells people what to do but not how to do it, and I think that can be belittling because someone who doesn't know what goals are realistic will surely feel inferior at the suggestion that that is what is required.

Surely a better way is to focus on the method; goals presuppose a workable method and a very good understanding of the execution of such a method. The method must come first. Only once we have reached a consistent level of performance can we then set targets.

Imagine a racing driver who decides to set a 2-minute lap time but has never driven that particular car before. They should not worry about goals but should focus on the method, which would be learning to drive that car in a consistent way. When they can drive consistently well, then only should they start to set targets.

As I said before, evolution of technique requires 3 things: a consistent level of performance, acute awareness and motivation. The consistent level of performance must come first and that is a methodological matter. We must first come to a method and a consistent level of performance of that method.

I think education typically has put the cart before the horse because they don't emphasize the consistent level of performance, which is probably because it is not a great concern of educators if people progress educationally in the future after they have left that institution.

If we do these things in the proper order and develop a method and a consistent level of performance before setting targets or goals, then I think almost anyone can become educated.

I assume yoou took be wrong pal! Wen I say "setting targets" it means having a particular goal you want to achieve .. a destination you want to reach! How many times have u stepped out of ur home just to explore and not knowing where to go? No-one ever thinks "Lemme move over to three blocks and then I will see where I can go." When you step out,you know where you have to go. That is your goal. You set your goal, for instance, going to office, then you decide how can u be there in time .. this is the planning part, then you chose a path .. this is choosing a strategy, and finally .. you drive at no less than 60mph to get there in time .. that's consistency! If one gets late everyday, he often plans to leave early every morning .. now its not an impossible target .. but still the person gets late .. he's not wrong on planning .. the only way where he is wrong is his "effort".

Even the driver who want to do a lap in two minutes, must know that one day he want to accomplish that feat. Only then he will get into the car, only then he will try to work up his way of learning and only then he will try to be consistent.

I completely agree with you on the three things you said long back 1)consistent performance,2)awareness,3)motivation. Motivation comes only wen u have a desire to achieve something .. that achievement is called "goal" or "Target". Without a target in life .. its like moving on without knowing where to go exactly and believe me my friend .. even after going ahead we are yet not satisfied with ourselves or our lives becoz we don't get what we really wanted ( our goals!) becoz we never knew what we wanted! At then we start to compromise ( Oh! my life's gud, I have a family, kids and maybe some money .. ) but still deep inside we feel we are missing something .. just becoz we didnt knew "what we wanted"!

Edison's example again // he had a target that gave him motivation .. that made him consistent on his performance .. even if he didnt suceeded becosz his "plans" didnt worked .. he tried new ones that led towards his goal. How come he could survuve after failing a thousand times? That's motivation .. which come from goals! The driver's example .. what if that guy learns to drive a new car, drives very well .. and does a nice lap .. and this takes him one year( suppose) .. I don't think that he will stick to a car to do only some good on the track. But he will definitely spend five years of his life mastering his technique if he want to do a lap in two minutes!

the guy without a target is not an explorer .. he is a wanderer!

As far as education system is concerned .. a guy at ten looks up at his teacher .. as the most knowledgeable person .. he wants to learn .. he has his wildest imagination running through his head .. he walks upto the teacher with a technical drawing of a car that works on water .. its just a scribbled drawing on the torn paper sheet ... its techically incorrect .. the concept is not feasible .. but to whatever he has learned at the age ten .. he has applied all to the best of his knowledge .. while the rest of the class is chatting like a chatterbox .. this guy had a desire to not waste his time in stupid talks but do something worthwile .. but this teacher ..( Look at the teacher .. he has family .. he has kids .. he has to earn .. he has to do a second job after school .. ) so instead of telling this kid the mistakes in drawing .. or looking at the ability of the child .. or even saying a motivating word .. or even saying 'good' .. this guy says "That's crap. Better study for ur tests .. becoz u are 'weak'.". Now that's our excellent education system .. study study study .. score 100% marks .. be a machine and not a human .. this guy goes back to his seat .. and the top student of his class makes fun of him ..! Imagine what will this guy think .. ?? He can't tell his teachers "Hell .. no ..! Look what you are doing .. you are ignoring my talent .." Hell no .. becoz this will insult them .. they have to give the grades to this kid, and this kid knows that! So, he's already "weak" and can't take low grades anymore .. so he keeps shut .. he has to .. they are 'teachers' .. the one in power!
Later on in his high school .. this guy gets kicked off becoz he has just scored 70% or even a bit less .. he's kicked of a gud school .. so, to complete his education he goes to a school that can accept those less marks and meet those teachers again! He's human .. he thinks .. he can't shut off the voice in his head that asks "WHY?" and that doesn't let's him be a machine .. again in high school .. again .. he kept thinking and wondering about the mystifying principles of science .. trying to think .. but no enough time .. the other guy cramms up .. gets a top score .. and off to a top college .. and this poor lil guy still with 68% this time .. Gets kicked off at every college ..
At college .. this guy's excietd .. "Oh my Holy Lord .. Engineering .. the power to create .. something for the world .. Look at the amazing science .. a chance to study .. and ponder ... !" He keeps on pondering and doing his sort of research .. makes a few flying machines at the backyard .. without the help of his "teachers". During his engineering .. he had to choose .. either to cram up or really learn .. he takes the "human" choice .. to learn .. fails in certain exams .. and GPA dips .. but he's gud at doing stuff on his own .. at the backyard .. without any budget or support. This guy has to do a job after college to make his "projects at the backyard" happen .. Exams again .. he can't cram up .. but one thing is gud .. he had taken his mind to a stage that he can do gud on exams now .. he gets an A+ now .. without cramming ofcourse .. he has passed all the pending exams .. but still his GPA dips .. becoz of his history .. he's a human .. not a machine .. but wen he want to study further to quench his thirst for the science .. he will be kicked again .. deprived of his right to learn .. at some gud universtity .. becoz he has not 'scored' a 100% GPA .. the top scorer gets to MS .. crams up again .. and off to work .. while this guy sits by the window everynight cursing him .. why he didnt crammed up like others .. why did he tried to be "human" .. why did he tried to believe in "failures make a man" while all these university looks at "failures" ( low GPA or re-appears in exams ..!) as a "Failure" .. How could he trust it wen it was said .. "Failures are the stepping stones to success" .. but then he remembers .. his "teacher" said that! It was obviously his own fault .. he believed in his "teachers"! "failures are ofourse a stepping stone .. but they are taking him to Hell ... "
Ofcouse this top scorer deserves a gud university .. becoz he doesn't "thinks" .. he never "thought" .. and most probably he will never "think" ...

The Scores count everywhere and no one ever sees what a guy can do! Our teachers don't understand this! How often they neglect the talented students .. how often they don't act like "teachers" but "preachers" .. but our education system .. incapable to do anything about this .. looses several talented people every year .. but these people in authorities have no fault .. just look at them .. they have families .. they have kids .. they have other .. more serious jobs to do!
It may seem too offensive to some teachers or top students or authorities in our system .. but am not sorry .. becoz I am that guy!

 

[hamid]

what would i say about this?

 

[verty]

I don't think that he will stick to a car to do only some good on the track. But he will definitely spend five years of his life mastering his technique if he want to do a lap in two minutes!

But this is not a time-oriented goal. The goals that I think we are told to set are like milestones in time because we are asked things like "where do you want to be in 5 years?". This 'mastering technique' goal is not time-oriented because it is that I will "master my technique (until it is mastered)". This concerns method, not performance. It is that the driver will develop their method first before expecting to perform. This is in line with what I have said.

So let me rephrase it. Goals that are anchored in time seem to me to be more bad than good and should only be set once a consistent level of performance is reached. Otherwise, vague aims are okay but they should remain vague while one develops one's method.

 

[Rocket_guy]

But this is not a time-oriented goal. The goals that I think we are told to set are like milestones in time because we are asked things like "where do you want to be in 5 years?". This 'mastering technique' goal is not time-oriented because it is that I will "master my technique (until it is mastered)". This concerns method, not performance. It is that the driver will develop their method first before expecting to perform. This is in line with what I have said.

So let me rephrase it. Goals that are anchored in time seem to me to be more bad than good and should only be set once a consistent level of performance is reached. Otherwise, vague aims are okay but they should remain vague while one develops one's method.

Ofcourse .. even I will say "time oriented goals" don't do any good rather than making you feel bad .. they are helpful only if you set them within a very less period of time .. say a day or two ... with some realistic goals! Otherwise they turn out to be crap! How come anyone know where he will be after five years?? unless he doesn't works and bums around ... becoz then he will be at the same place after five years!