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Too many people think that intelligence is a gift of nature and that there is little anyone can do to improve theirs. IQ tests have managed to confuse many of us, leading us to believe that intelligence is largely fixed. It is not.
很多人認為智力是天生的，以至于很少有人能通過后天來提高自己地智力。IQ測試讓我們一直以為智力基本上是一定的。實則不然。
Just like swimming, cooking, dancing, and just about anything else, being smart is a skill that requires training. Unfortunately, our schools neglect to give us some of the most essential tools for being smart.
就拿游泳，烹飪，跳舞等技能來說吧，要想無所不能是需要一步步訓練的。很遺憾，我們的學校恰巧沒有給我們開發智力的工具。
So how did I discover these tools? It happened when I started working on my PhD. I didn’t just want to do just any kind of research, I wanted to do research that mattered. The problem was that I had no idea how to do research, never mind research that mattered. So, I decided to try and understand professors that did important work. For years, I watched and I learned, and I am proud to say that I figured it out – and it wasn’t what I expected. I will now share with you some of what I learned.
那么，我該如何找到這些工具？剛開始我的博士生涯時，我找到了。我不僅想做任何門類的研究，還想做有重要意義的研究。問題是，我根本不知道怎么去做研究，更別說重要研究了。于是，我決定去深入了解做過重要建樹的教授們。很多年以后，我學到了很多，并且我很欣慰我弄清楚了事實并非我之前預料的那樣。我很樂意將我所學告訴大家。
Practice Self-Critical Thinking
學會自我批判
We are all familiar with critical thinking, the act of questioning the assumptions of arguments that are put before us. Critical thinking is an invaluable skill – without it, we all become gullible and easily manipulated. The problems is that, we usually only apply critical thinking to other people’s ideas. When we apply critical thinking to our own ideas, its power reaches a whole new level. I call this self-critical thinking. Once you find a flaw with your argument, see if you can come up with a better idea. If you practice self-critical thinking, then you will find flaws in your arguments before anyone else. By practicing self-critical thinking, your intellect will amaze you.
對于批判性思維，我們耳熟能詳，就是對我們面前的論點提出質疑。批判性思維是一種寶貴的技能，沒有它，我們會變得輕信，容易被操縱。問題是，我們通常在別人的想法上大膽的用自己的批判性思維去分析。我們要是能把這種思維用在自己的想法上，它會讓我們全新的認識自己。這就是我所謂的批判性思維。一旦發現你的論據不足，那么就要想想更好的論據了。如果你用批判性思維去思考問題，你會先于其他人發現自己的論據不足。通過對批判性思維的練習，你會發現你的智力一鳴驚人。
Be Persistent
學會堅持不懈
Smart, successful people don’t give up. They believe that they can do it, and so they keep trying until, finally, they succeed. You might know that Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he succeeded. What you might not know is that just about all scientists experience failure on a regular basis. They spend months, even years, trying to find answers, until finally something works out. So if you want to be smart, be persistent.
聰明的成功人士有著永不放棄的精神。他們堅信自己可以做到，并且會鍥而不舍，知道他們真的做到了。你也許知道偉大的發明家托馬斯•愛迪生就是在屢次失敗后成功發明了電燈，但你可能不知道幾乎所有的科學家都會在發明中有過失敗的經歷。他們夜以繼日，年復一年直到最終的成功。因此，想聰明，就要堅持不懈。
Learn to Present Your Ideas
學會表達自己
Two people can have the same ideas, and the same views and opinions, and yet only one of them might be considered smart. We often forget that everyone is busy with their own lives; they don’t have time to think about and analyze everything we say. If we don’t sell our ideas,virtually no one will recognize their merit. So, if you want others to know that you’re smart, learn how to present your ideas. Speak clearly, articulate your words, and most importantly, let your enthusiasm about your ideas shine through. Enthusiasm is highly contagious. Some of the most brilliant scientists spend half, yes, half, their time on presentation. If they find it worthwhile, so should you. Finally, learning to sell your ideas is not only good for your reputation, but it also can help others. If you have something to say, say it well, so that others can benefit from your message.
兩個人可以有相同的思想,相同的觀點和意見,但只有其中一個會被認為是聰明的。我們常常忘了,每個人都忙于自己的生活,他們沒有時間來思考和分析我們說了什么。如果我們不去展示我們的想法，就不會有人能認識到這些想法的價值。因此，如果你想讓別人知道你是一個充滿智慧的人，你就該學會表達自己。表達要口齒清晰，準確有力，還有最重要的是要激情澎湃。熱情是極具傳染性的。偉大的科學家們基本上要花一半的時間來闡述他們的發明。既然他們都覺得這些解說是必要的，那么我們也該這么認為。最后，學會詮釋自己不僅對你的名譽有好處而且也可以幫助別人。如果你有話要說，就有條不紊地說，這樣聽者也會受益匪淺的。
Finally, let me add that in order to be smart, you must also believe in yourself. We are all a lot more similar than we appear. Those who appear smarter than you simply had the rights tools and used these tools to exercise their minds.
最后，我要補充一點，那就是要聰明，你必須要相信自己。我們都看起來無異于別人。但那些看起來比你聰明的人卻手握有用的工具不斷地鍛煉著他們的思維。
You are smarter than you think.
要相信，你比你認為的還要聰明。
