People with high IQs are considered intelligent. But others need not be disappointed.

There are ways to develop your intelligence through some simple actions, and thereby become smarter.

Here are 11 of them, which have worked for me:

• Exercise, and consume a healthy diet – In your busy lives, a simple exercise like walking boosts your energy and pumps more blood in the brain. This in turn improves your performance. Take the stairs whenever you can. Try headstand. Consume foods that are good for your brain like nuts, bananas, eggs, whole grains, greens etc. Do not overeat and limit your alcohol consumption.
• Play ‘smart’ games – like chess, Scrabble, Sudoku, vocabulary and math games. These exercise the brain muscles to perform better in real-life situations. Challenge yourself by not using the help of a dictionary or calculator. Mobile phones today come equipped with such games.
• Learn a new skill – like painting, singing, a new language or playing an instrument. Besides acting as stress busters, these constantly engage your brain.
• Network with interesting people, even strangers – Quite often, one learns from people one barely knows. Be bold and approach them with a positive intent. You will be reciprocated.
• Do not stop reading – Whether newspapers or magazines, reading improves your awareness of the surroundings and the world events, which in turn will help you strike a conversation with strangers and friends at parties and networking events.
• Brainstorm at least 5 ideas in a day – Think about solving a daily problem you face like commuting, or how to save water and electricity, or anything. Work your brain muscles. Who knows, your idea could lead to a startup venture.
• Don’t be complacent; rock your boat – Push yourself daily to do something new and get out of the comfort zone. From small things like doing work with your wrong hand to volunteering for office projects and public speaking, do something to get rid of your fears.
• Enroll for online courses – Take up one or two professional courses and commit to them. This way, you will have a fixed schedule of new lectures and assignments to keep you on track.
• Share what you learn from others – You will also gain when others share with you…ideas, perspectives, knowledge. It is only when you have mastered something that you can share the same with someone. This is why people write blogs.
• Be curious – Dig deep, probe and don’t stop till you get the answer.
• Learn a new word daily – and use it in your conversations. It could be from a new language also.

These are the 11 habits, which have become second nature to me. I will be glad to know about yours?