Earlier when I covered talent, I transformed all of you commoners into virtuosos of all arts. Since I’m on a roll, it’s about time I tackled intelligence. Fascinating research publish by Dr. Carol Dweck in 2007 draws a clear distinction between the mindset that makes a person ’smart’ or ‘dumb’ backed by strong evidence. It’s a pattern I’ve noticed again and again, so I’m really glad to see my suspicions confirmed. I must be ’smart.’ (Yes! I got the label! Haha).
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/bingschool/rsrchart/dweck.htm
So please, avoid the trap of a false dichotomy between ’smart’ and ‘dumb’ people. You can conquer the world. Whether you actually do is entirely up to you.
Thoughts?
Programming
When my friend Steven Johnson was telling me about speed reading recently, I was skeptical. I assumed as conventional wisdom goes, that the faster you read the less you retain. Interestingly, research says the exact opposite. In general, the faster you read the higher your comprehension. This is because we have a limited short-term memory, and words have little meaning in isolation. When you read fast you can better access the full meaning of the sentence or paragraph.
So, I decided to do a speed reading test. I got 240 WPM at 80% comprehension. I’m only slightly above average. “Excellent” readers can read 7 times that speed with the same or better comprehension! Needless to say, I have a ways to go. I’m considering using zealog.com to track my reading speed daily. Improvement takes deliberate, sustained practice. I think measuring progress would help keep me on track. I need to practice perseverance, too, plus I would be learning whatever material I choose to use, so 3 birds with one stone. Perfect!
Programming
goals, personal development, reading, test results