120WaystoBoostYourBrainPower

Published by Luciano Passuello on August 26, 2008 in Brainpower . 133 Comments Tags: Brainpower, Genius.

Here are 120 things you can do starting today to help you think faster, improve memory, comprehend information better and unleash your brains full potential. 1. Solve puzzles and brainteasers. 2. Cultivate ambidexterity. Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair or use the mouse. Write with both hands simultaneously. Switch hands for knife and fork. 3. Embrace ambiguity. Learn to enjoy things like paradoxes and optical illusions. 4. Learn mind mapping. 5. Block one or more senses. Eat blindfolded, wear earplugs, shower with your eyes closed. 6. Develop comparative tasting. Learn to properly taste wine, chocolate, beer, cheese or anything else. 7. Find intersections between seemingly unrelated topics. 8. Learn to use different keyboard layouts. Try Colemak or Dvorak for a full mind twist!

9. Find novel uses for common objects. How many different uses can you find for a nail? 10? 100? 10. Reverse your assumptions. 11. Learn creativity techniques. 12. Go beyond the first, right answer. 13. Transpose reality. Ask What if? questions. 14. SCAMPER! 15. Turn pictures or the desktop wallpaper upside down. 16. Become a critical thinker. Learn to spot common fallacies. 17. Learn logic. Solve logic puzzles. 18. Get familiar with the scientific method. 19. Draw. Doodle. You dont need to be an artist. 20.Think positive. 21. Engage in arts sculpt, paint, play music or any other artistic endeavor. 22. Learn to juggle. 23. Eat brain foods. 24. Be slightly hungry. 25. Exercise! 26.Sit up straight. 27.Drink lots of water. 28.Deep-breathe. 29. Laugh! 30.Vary activities. Get a hobby. 31. Sleep well. 32. Power nap. 33.Listen to music. 34. Conquer procrastination. 35.Go technology-less. 36. Look for brain resources in the web. 37.Change clothes. Go barefoot. 38.Master self-talk. 39. Simplify! 40. Play chess or other board games. Play via Internet (particularly interesting is to play an ongoing game by e-mail). 41. Play brain games. Sudoku, crossword puzzles or countless others. 42.Be childish! 43. Play video games.

44.Be humorous! Write or create a joke. 45. Create a List of 100. 46. Have an Idea Quota. 47. Capture every idea. Keep an idea bank. 48.Incubate ideas. Let ideas percolate. Return to them at regular intervals. 49.Engage in theme observation. Try to spot the color red as many times as possible in a day. Find cars of a particular make. Invent a theme and focus on it. 50. Keep a journal. 51. Learn a foreign language. 52.Eat at different restaurants ethnic restaurants specially. 53. Learn how to program a computer. 54.Spell long words backwards. !gnignellahC 55.Change your environment. Change the placement of objects or furniture or go somewhere else. 56.Write! Write a story, poetry, start a blog. 57. Learn sign language. 58.Learn a musical instrument. 59.Visit a museum. 60.Study how the brain works. 61. Learn to speed-read. 62.Find out your learning style. 63. Dump the calendar! 64.Try to mentally estimate the passage of time. 65. Guesstimate. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer). 66.Make friends with math. Fight innumeracy. 67. Build a Memory Palace. 68. Learn a peg system for memory. 69. Have sex! (sorry, no links for this one! ) 70. Memorize peoples names. 71. Meditate. Cultivate mindfulness and an empty mind. 72.Watch movies from different genres. 73. Turn off the TV. 74. Improve your concentration. 75.Get in touch with nature. 76. Do mental math.

77.Have a half-speed day. 78.Change the speed of certain activities. Go either super-slow or superfast deliberately. 79. Do one thing at a time. 80. Be aware of cognitive biases. 81. Put yourself in someone elses shoes. How would different people think or solve your problems? How would a fool tackle it? 82.Adopt an attitude of contemplation. 83.Take time for solitude and relaxation. 84.Commit yourself to lifelong learning. 85.Travel abroad. Learn about different lifestyles. 86. Adopt a genius. (Leonardo is excellent company!) 87. Have a network of supportive friends. 88. Get competitive. 89.Dont stick with only like-minded people. Have people around that disagree with you. 90. Brainstorm! 91. Change your perspective. Short/long-term, individual/collective. 92. Go to the root of the problems. 93. Collect quotes. 94.Change the media youre working on. Use paper instead of the computer; voice recording instead of writing. 95. Read the classics. 96. Develop your reading skill. Reading effectively is a skill. Master it. 97. Summarize books. 98.Develop self-awareness. 99. Say your problems out loud. 100. Describe one experience in painstaking detail. 101. Learn Braille. You can start learning the floor numbers while going up or down the elevator. 102. Buy a piece of art that disturbs you. Stimulate your senses in thought-provoking ways. 103. Try different perfumes and scents. 104. Mix your senses. How much does the color pink weigh? How does lavender scent sound? 105. Debate! Defend an argument. Try taking the opposite side, too. 106. Use time boxing. 107. Allocate time for brain development.

108. Have your own mental sanctuary. 109. Be curious! 110. Challenge yourself. 111. Develop your visualization skills. Use it at least 5 minutes a day. 112. Take notes of your dreams. Keep a notebook by your bedside and record your dreams first thing in the morning or as you wake up from them. 113. Learn to lucid dream. 114. Keep a lexicon of interesting words. Invent your own words. 115. Find metaphors. Connect abstract and specific concepts. 116. Manage stress. 117. Get random input. Write about a random word in a magazine. Read random sites using StumbleUpon or Wikipedia. 118. Take different routes each day. Change the streets you follow to work, jog or go back home. 119. Install a different operating system on your computer. 120. Improve your vocabulary. 121. Deliver more than whats expected.

ReadersContributions
Dance! (by Shanel Yang) Study Philoshophy and the writings of great thinkers. (by ZHereford) Be around people that are smarter than you. (by Angel Cuala) Use brain fitness software. (by Eric Blue) Read text upside down (the text, not you well, you can try that, too). (by Thales) 6. Act in a stageplay. (by Thales) 7. Practice environmental creativity. Keep asking yourself questions like What does this mean? and How can I use this?. (by Chuck Frey) 8. Use a reverse clock. You can buy one or make your own. (by Brendan Dunphy) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

9. Take an improvisation class. (by Patricia Ryan Madson) 10. Pun! Play with words. (by David Lurey) 11. Do It Yourself: Create or repair things without the aid of paid professionals. Repair, sew, cook, build, weave, paint, etc. (by b.honey) 12. Teach someone something you know. (by Usiku) 13. Help a child with their homework. (by Usiku) 14. Provide thoughtful comments on blogs and websites. (by Usiku) 15. Discuss religion and politics, even with friends. (by Usiku) 16. Teach yourself origami. (by Pamela) 17. Learn to knit or crochet. (by Pamela) 18. Shop at a market different from the usual. (by Pamela) 19. Think of something you fear. Work to conquer it. (by Pamela) 20.Play bridge (or other card games). (by millie) 21. Practice Yoga. (by Rajesh) 22.Learn martial arts. (by Chirou) 23. Study the concepts of Relativity (both General and Special). (by Tim) 24. Practice echolocation (sense objects by hearing echoes from those objects). (by Tim) 25. Help and immigrant learn your language. (by Ray) 26. Translate articles (by Remigiusz Durka). Note: Thanks to everybody who translated this article! Caruso (Spanish), Tommaso (Italian), Eylos (Turkish) and Remigiusz (Polish). (Anyone else Im missing?) 27. Eat raw foods. (by Carlos Caridad) 28. Remember childhood and imagine living it with your current experience. (by Janine) 29. Imagine how would you survice in a different epoch (say, 5000 years go). (by Mel Smith) 30.Play role-playing games (RPG) (by FreeMasons) 31. Treat lifes challenges as social experiments (by Michael Gaudet) 32. Face your fears! (by John) 33. Eat with chopsticks. (by Tore)

Contributeyourowntip!
There are many, many ways to keep our brains sharp. Im sure you have your own personal favorite, so please share it in the comments! Ill regularly compile the best tips and add them to this list (giving full credit, with a link to your site, if you have one). Thanks! To receive further articles for free in your inbox, type your email: Send to a friend | Delicious | Stumble | Twitter Related Articles:

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Brainwriting is Brainstorming on Steroids How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci 133 Responses to 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power Feed for this Entry Trackback Address

Shanel Yang August 26, 2008 at 5:32 pm

One great, fun way to improve your brain power is to dance! Scientists have proven it actually helps prolong life and prevent Alzheimers and Dementia. I wrote a post about it: Wanna Live Longer? Dance! at http://shanelyang.com/2008/05/.....ger-dance/ Reply

Jess August 26, 2008 at 8:33 pm

This list is awesome. I love that you mentioned Dvorak- Im using a dvorak keyboard typing this comment right now Thanks! Reply

Anonymous August 26, 2008 at 10:03 pm

122. Fap to self-improvement lists Reply

Wayne John August 26, 2008 at 10:05 pm

As yes, #1 Solve puzzles and brainteasers. I do this all day long, thats why I like alcohol. It brings me down from the torments of logic and constant hmm and huh? you might do while solving brainteasers. Excellent list, you have listed many good things to consider for personal use, very nice indeed. Reply

Key Reviews August 26, 2008 at 10:42 pm

Really great tips to boost your brains memory. Thanks for posting this, I really need it. God bless hosting reviews Reply

Al at 7P August 27, 2008 at 1:04 am

Hi Luciano, This is a very impressive list! A lot of the suggestions on the list are ones I really enjoy. In particular I like the guesstimate one. Google uses guesstimates as part of their interview process just to see how people can think through a problem on the spot with little or no

information. I remember in a job interview (not Google) I had to guess how many vending machines there are in Japan. Reply

Glen Allsopp August 27, 2008 at 3:58 am

Great work Luciano, must have taken you ages to put together. Dugg and stumbled! Reply

Samantha August 27, 2008 at 6:28 am

Great post. http://www.subconscious-mind.org has great tips and guides on improving your brain power. You can give your brain power a boost just by follwing the tips that http://www.subconsciousmind.org has got to offer. Reply

Navi August 27, 2008 at 9:19 am

Now thats an impressive list. It can be really useful for students. Thanks Reply

Ram August 27, 2008 at 9:47 am

Ha Ha How can do all these 121 ways in a day. I need more than 24hrs Reply

ZHereford August 27, 2008 at 10:25 am

Super job Luciano! One of my favorites is to read philosophy and the writings of great thinkers! It not only exercises your brain, it makes you think about the timeless concepts that make us human. http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/philosophy.html Reply

soultravelers3 August 27, 2008 at 10:47 am

Wonderful post and list! We are starting our 3rd year of traveling the world as a family & find extended travel keeps are brains sharp because we are always in new environments. So one more for your list. lol! Reply

Chris - The Rotater August 27, 2008 at 11:22 am

Hi Luciano, This has got to be one of your best posts ever. Youve listed so many great techiniques itll take years to try them all. Great job! Reply

Jordan Cheng August 27, 2008 at 11:24 am

Congrats Luciano! This is a valuable list for reference. You could develop this list into a mini ebook. Thanks for sharing! Reply

Vered - MomGrind August 27, 2008 at 12:53 pm

I like the idea of going technology-less Im guessing you mean for a while, not forever. I try to do this once a week, on the weekend. Havent been able to go a full day, but a few hours without technology are great too. Reply

barak August 27, 2008 at 1:06 pm

about number 63, 67, 68, 70 and some more, you should read Super power memory by Harry Lorayne. one of the greatest books I have ever read. It teaches you for example to memorize a deck of cards (which I learned in ridiculously short period of time after mastering the main technique in the book), and some really impressive memory stuns. If you are serious about boosting your brain power, this is where to start!!! Reply

K-Lynn August 27, 2008 at 1:32 pm

Kudos to this list! Very awesome indeed. I found myself reading it and clicking on all the links instead of washing the car like i was supposed to for over an hour. Fantastic! Waitdidnt it say to stop procrastinating? Reply

Kristi August 27, 2008 at 4:26 pm

I was going to add dance, like Shanel Yang did above. I am taking ballroom dance lessons now, and it is amazing how your mind and body have to connect with each other in order to be able to move. Reply

acecampillo August 27, 2008 at 8:03 pm

This is really great because I really need some brain boosting right now. Good article from a good writer.

Reply

Eric Blue August 27, 2008 at 9:31 pm

Luciano, Fantastic post! Ill admit that I havent quite done all of these yet, but the ones that I have done have proved to be valuable. One particular brain booster that I thought youd find interesting is brain fitness software. Ive used a couple different products through the years, and recently discovered a number of web-based solutions out there. Ive personally tried out MyBrainTrainer (former PC Product was ThinkFast), and have been happy with the results. Heres a tiny mindmap that lists a few other sites as well: (Using MindMapViewer) http://tinyurl.com/5q9jyz I plan on posting a detailed article on this topic in the near future. Reply

McCow August 28, 2008 at 12:00 am

Ya forgot..smoke pot & eat schrooms Reply

Lolita August 28, 2008 at 12:12 am

Thank you for this fantastic list of tips! xoxo Reply

Angel Cuala August 28, 2008 at 12:37 am

This is such a very useful list. Cant help myself but to be the 245th Digger. But among them, I like the # 42 the most be childish. This is because children have lesser things to think and therefore their minds are always fresh. By the way, does have sex really fell on #69 by accident? Now, I am boosting my brain power. lol! Kidding aside, I think you should add talking to smart people. I repeat, smart not bright nor intelligent. Smart people can survive wherever they go.

Thanks! Reply

Thales August 28, 2008 at 2:10 am

Thats an awesome list, full of great tips. Thanks for it, LP! Ill print it out and hang on the wall of my office. The few additional suggestions I have: - Question authority (well, this is critical thinking anyways) - Read text upside down (the text, not you well, you can try that too) - Buy a pack of wiggly eyes and go out putting them on things, its fun - Read articles about economics, or from economists (they have an unusual and unprejudiced way to look at things) - Act in a stageplay (or direct one) - Try to bring surrealism to someone elses day - Be more empiricist and less platonist Reply

Scott August 28, 2008 at 9:57 am

I love how 121 says to deliver more than expected, since I only expected 120 ways to boost my brain power. Then 69 was about sex.

Very nice subtle subconscious additives. But I must say, this list is fake. It was obviously made in space. Reply

TryerLuck August 28, 2008 at 1:33 pm

Hi there. What a great list. Ive just had a baby boy, and have been thinking about games I could play with him to stimulate mental development. Its opened up a whole bunch of new ideas I would like to try out with him. Thanks! Reply

Chuck Frey August 28, 2008 at 2:07 pm

I practice whats been called environmental creativity in my daily life. In other words, as I encounter people, situations and bits and pieces of information throughout the day, Im always asking myself questions like What does this mean? and How can I use this? Inevitably, I come across a wealth of random ideas, some of which may be adapted to some of the things Im trying to accomplish. Its

good to always be aware of the existing ideas all around us that may be creativity adapted to the challenges at hand! Reply

Luciano Passuello August 28, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Thanks everybody for the comments you readers are awesome! A special thanks goes to those who contributed additional tips. I am taking some of the suggestions and adding to the list in the post. I wont add all of them, as there are some suggestions that are a bit, er, controversial: I dont feel comfortable at all adding smoke pot to the list, for example Please keep the ideas coming! We can build a great resource here. If you have any brain tips to share, dont hesitate to contribute (if you a have a link to include with your suggestion, thats even better)! There are already many great reader-suggested ideas here. Im also pretty excited about the positive feedback I got regarding this post. That made me think that we could create some sort of challenge or contest based on it. I am just not sure what to do Maybe allowing reader-submitted entries to be voted on or something like that? If you have any ideas to suggest, please let me know! Thanks again! Did I mention you people are awesome? Reply

Loring Parks

August 29, 2008 at 1:53 am

Wow what an impressive and might I say mind-expanding list of exercises! Ive printed them off and added them one a day to my daily to-do list for the next mm 120 days. Im feeling smarter already! Loring Parks at More Fun Than A Silk Teddy From Problogger btw Reply

Brendan Dunphy August 29, 2008 at 8:07 am

Purchase a clock or watch with a reverse face and hands that rotate anti-clockwise (yes they do exist!). A great way to pause for thought. Reply

Martin Walker - brain exercises August 29, 2008 at 9:43 am

Id like to add to Eric Blues brain fitness comment by mentioning Susanne Jaeggi and Martin Buschkuehls study on Improving Fluid Intelligence by Training Working Memory (PNAS April 2008) which

recorded increases in mental agility (fluid intelligence) of more than 40% after 19 days of focused brain training. The only training ever to show a general intelligence improvement. I was so impressed that I contacted the research team and developed a commercial software program using the same training method. Mind Sparke Brain Fitness Pro Martin Walker mind evolve, llc Reply

oshkosh August 29, 2008 at 2:58 pm

Hi Luciano, Just found out about your blogs,love it. What a great site you have. Thanks! Since my son is following the Shichida Method (Right brain development program), I get to know a few things about these brain stuffs. I think Speed listening can really boost your brain power. One of the training example is by listening to a classical music, first you enjoy it as normal, than go on to the speed of x2, then x4, then x8, then go back to x4, then x2 (by this time you should be able to enjoy at this x2 speed)..and again you go up to x4,x8, and down x4,x2..Some people can even listen to x16 or x32. Another way you can also listen to a story telling or news at normail rate then at x2 speed. Thanks again for this wonderful site. Now I have a year of archives to catch up..

Cheers! Reply

Kiefer August 29, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Great website, i loved the brain food section. But there are other foods that effect your body and brain that need to be avoided, and are hidden in the foods we eat. One Example is Nitrates; they can trigger fatigue, blue moods, and brain fog. Reply

Jason August 29, 2008 at 7:54 pm

Thanks Luciano! Im adding your blog to Google reader right now. Your posts are great for getting people thinking. Reply

zzz

August 30, 2008 at 8:49 am

Log off. Stop reading pre-prepared lists. Reply

Patricia Ryan Madson August 31, 2008 at 1:33 am

Take an improvisation class. Shout the wrong name for things. Read the book, Improv Wisdom: Dont Prepare, Just Show Up. Thanks for a great list. Reply

Arrica Lee August 31, 2008 at 8:30 am

Laugh out laud! Interestingly, I eat to boost brain power. Whenever I am studying or solving puzzles or even a game of Scrabble, I will eat no matter what. The good thing is, it helps mewhile the bad thing is.you gain weight(though I dont know why I cant seem to gain any kilos). =] Reply

David Lurey August 31, 2008 at 9:24 am

PUN! This simple style of humor will really get the wheels turning and the synapses firing at an alarming rate. Using words in as many ways as possible is true example of a creative mind. Reply

Luciano Passuello August 31, 2008 at 11:01 am

@barak: Thanks for the book suggestion. Some readers have already suggested Harry Lorraines books, so Ill definitely take a look at it when I have the chance. Thanks! @Thales: Would you please take a picture of the printout in your office wall and send me? Collecting examples of my articles actually being used by readers always motivates me! @oshkosh: Your suggestion Speed listening is really intriguing. Do you have any resources (URLs, books) to point out? Im interested in checking it out further. Thanks! Thanks again everybody for the contributions and awesome feedback! Reply

b.honey August 31, 2008 at 2:40 pm

D.I.Y Do It Yerself! sew, cook, build, write, create, sing, weave, paint, staple, glue, cut, paste, etc. etc. etc. bonus points awarded to those who spend as little money as possible! Reply

TheWebpreneur.ca August 31, 2008 at 8:16 pm

Good stuff Reply

Caruso August 31, 2008 at 8:55 pm

Hi,

I liked your article, i want you know I have translated to the Spanish your article (With its respective credits) for that more people read your post. The translation is here: 106 formas de aumentar tu poder mental. A greeting y gracias. Reply

Lover of People September 1, 2008 at 2:17 am

I am always sure to take a few minutes each day (I personally take around ten to fifteen) to meditate, pray, just speak out loud about all of my worries, hopes, and dreamswhen Im alone, of course. I feel as though someone is listening, and although no physical being is around, I am confident a spiritual being is near who understands me even better than I understand myself. Reply

Usiku September 1, 2008 at 12:19 pm

Yes! This is the stuff of life in all of its aspects. This should be made into a calendar, a book or sent out as thought for the day.

1. Teach someone something you know. 2. Help a child with their homework. 3. Provide thoughtful comments on blogs and websites. 4. Discuss religion and politics, even with friends. 5. Wonder about anything and everything. http://writerswhirlpool.blogspot.com http://usikueloquence.livejournal.com http://www.usiku.net Reply

Pamela September 2, 2008 at 1:40 am

Thanks for the tips! Here are my contributions: 1. Teach yourself origami. 2. Learn to knit or crochet. 3. Break with routine drive or walk a different route. Rearrange your cupboards/closet/furniture. Shop at a different market than usual. 4. Write a Letter to the Editor. 5. Think of something you fear. Work to conquer it. Reply

millie September 2, 2008 at 2:07 pm

play bridge! it may take a while to pick up the basics, and of course a lifetime to learn to play it well, but nothing is more rewarding! it also provides a lifetime of fun. it is a social game, and playing duplicate bridge especially (www.acbl.org) can get you out of the house and provide a way to meet tons of new people. Reply

gkhn September 3, 2008 at 4:43 am

great list everybody must see this.. Reply

Christie September 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

Great points. I always say that if you dont use it you will eventually lose it. This definitley includes the brain. Reply

eylos September 6, 2008 at 9:55 am

Your post trasnlation turkish. Thanks. Reply

Terry Finley September 6, 2008 at 8:45 pm

Thanks for the time and energy you spent putting this together. Reply

pokoje Zakopane September 8, 2008 at 8:27 am

Turn of the TV It should be first! Reply

Ruth September 8, 2008 at 10:52 pm

WOW! Thats a lot of ways. It seems that you forgot about Omega 3?

Nice informative article. Reply

Play Risk Game September 9, 2008 at 3:19 am

Play Risk Game as much as you can. It will boost your brain to all sorts of new limits Very good list. Well done. Reply

nafnosseb September 9, 2008 at 4:48 pm

This is the most awesome list of all time. Reply

AJR September 9, 2008 at 9:56 pm

Learn archery Study neuroscience Camp in the fall Reply

Last of the Gray September 10, 2008 at 9:42 pm

Id suggest people try to figure out and practice Paradigm Piracy. If they become adept at that enough they may want to check out chaos magic. Reply

Rajesh September 12, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Stay healthy by doing Yoga which includes Yog asanas, Pranayama, Meditation, Yama and Niyamas to keep brain healty, intelligent and fully fuctional. Reply

Deni hurst

September 13, 2008 at 5:07 pm

Relate to your grandchild on his/her level..get down on the floor..listen..and see the world through their amazing eyes.. by Grammy Reply

lilbob15 September 13, 2008 at 10:24 pm

As my life gets busier and busier, these ideas are a great reality check to keep everything in balance and change gears from time to time. Reply

Chirou September 13, 2008 at 11:09 pm

Thanks great list. Here are some more Ideas: Go out into the woods meditate and open your mind for the wonders of nature.

Another important point to become a quick thinker: Learn martial arts like aikido or kung fu. Not to use for fight, but to get to know your body so that you can react quicker in uncommon situations and to improve your self-confidence. And for those who never have time: You only have time if you take your time. Write a diary. With a diary you will get to know yourself better. With a diary you will easier see if you waste your time because you have to many aims at once or if you do to many useless stuff like watching to much TV.With a diary you will think about many problems more intense and so you will in general find a better solution to those problems. Enjoy your Day Reply

alex September 15, 2008 at 12:43 am

great post i would recommend thinkertoys by michael michalko that is if you have not read it yet. Reply

Steven September 15, 2008 at 2:40 am

Learn to tickle. Or giggle. Reply

Luciano Passuello September 15, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Thanks all for the insightful suggestions and comments! I love how you keep pouring great ideas in this thread! @Alex: Thanks for the recommendation. Thinkertoys is one of the greatest creativity books Ive ever read, and one that I recommend to everyone. Reply

Tim September 15, 2008 at 5:40 pm

This is really cool stuff. Signifies a new awareness of a new generation. Id recommend Eckhart Tolles A New Earth to anyone here. Great stuff. Heres another one: Study the concepts of Special and General Relativity. Reply

Tim September 15, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Heres a link to the book too: Eckhart Tolle A New Earth Reply

wiLLY September 16, 2008 at 6:31 am

Very good list Stop talking too is a good way to be clever Reply

Andrei - Cure Your Eyes September 16, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Excellent article! Very valuable! One other thing that it missed though and that Ive learnt recently is that improving vision to see naturally also benefits A LOT to our brains and how we think and how we see the world. After ive restoed

my own eyesight, I can say that what I experienced is quite amazing! I satrted understanding the situations that Im in during the day quicker, Im feeling younger, more connected to the world around me, thinking and responding quicker than before. Id even go as far as saying that my intellectual level had raised. Its quiet incredible, and quiet underrated ad unresearched. As a result of all of the baove, you also become more content, and feeling more harmonious with the world. It may be immeasurable (or hard to measure), but it exists. Reply

Ashesh September 16, 2008 at 2:21 pm

Great list! Will surely give a try to a maximum of them in order to have a boosted brain Reply

Sonia September 17, 2008 at 3:04 am

Read or Listen to spiritual things Reply

Tim September 17, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Try echolocation. This is recognizing objects by the sound they reflect and not by looking at them. Imagine if we could all do this. Reply

Gavin September 17, 2008 at 3:41 pm

Very interesting although n3 of readers contributions will be difficult Reply

Darlene Newell September 19, 2008 at 8:52 am

Learn how to ride a horse or learn a different riding style. Reply

Tia September 19, 2008 at 10:42 am

This is great! My favorite is the one do one thing at a time. Many of us are always doing at least two things. Were often doing something and thinking about something else, which is still two things. Ive found that when I focus on doing one thing and thinking about that same thing and only that, it really increases focus, creativity, and my ability to solve the problem. Reply

Alex September 22, 2008 at 7:29 am

I love the 113, learn to lucid dream. I do lucid dream since about 9 months now, and I must say, it really helps memorising (dream recall. I found it may be a good way to make memory improve a bit), paying attention to details and your surroundings (When doing reality check. There are certain things you can do to verify wether you are dreaming or not, and if so, it causes lucid dreaming.) There is a really good forum and guide about lucid dream : LD4ALL.com, enjoy About the rest of the list, well, I will probably give a try to many of these. Pretty interesting. Thanks, Im sure it took ages to make. Reply

devilblogger September 22, 2008 at 12:18 pm

i thank brain booster no. 117 really worked. jaja thanks stumbleupon for letting me stumble on this site. this is what i really need. jaja thanks! Reply

Luciano Passuello September 23, 2008 at 3:33 pm

@Tim: I havent read A New Earth (as I havent read any of Eckhart Tolles books). His books have been recommended to me more than once will keep your recommendation in mind. Thanks for it and for the brain tips! Reply

Eric Xiang September 24, 2008 at 12:26 am

Excellent article, i really enjoyed it. Some of them are fragements in my mind and i do not know how to organize them and then found this article, so that i can know better of self-improvement. Good Job. Reply

ZERO September 24, 2008 at 1:23 am

Ok, some other good tips: 1.Think of the amazing universe. 2.Answer this question: If I do not know if the eternity really exists, Why do I still think that the eternal love I feel for my beloved ones is timeless? Hope you add themsee you Reply

Dictrix September 24, 2008 at 6:02 pm

While walking down a street, consider yourself a robot for a few seconds and try identifying the sensors you are using for: Balance, motion, avoidance, sight, hearing, touch, musculature and so on Now ask yourself why its taking so long to create a humanoid robot! Do this often enough and your mind warps trying to grasp the concept. Reply

izzy_dizzy September 26, 2008 at 3:06 am

Have sex all the time! This will enhance your mind skills by concentration. Reply

Pawan September 26, 2008 at 10:32 am

Thanks, Above total point is really helpful for every one, Many of us are always doing at least two things. Reply

devil blogger September 28, 2008 at 10:52 am

reallly nice post. Cant help myself but come back and reread, speed reading. haha! might as well include walking with blindfolds, it

increases your spatial intelligence, as well as taking the wrong route to work or school. have a nice day! Reply

Andy Smith October 2, 2008 at 6:25 am

Use peripheral vision to relax rapidly and calm internal dialogue Reply

Georg Scholz October 5, 2008 at 12:16 pm

Thank you for this great list! Here is another one (I m almost surprised that is not already on your list): USE YOUR OTHER HAND! It will stimulate the other side of your brain. For a start, take your mouse in your your other hand right now! Eat with your other hand, brush your teeth with your other hand, etc. Try to PAINT or even to WRITE with your other hand. You need some time, but you will be amazed about that new feeling that arises in your body and your mind.

Actually, try to be both-sided as much as possible (e.g. when playing soccer, poass the ball with your other foot, etc ) Reply

Kevin October 5, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Throw out your TV or cancel your subscription for a week, you wouldnt believe the amount of things youll find to do when you dont have a TV to veg out on Reply

Eva October 5, 2008 at 6:56 pm

..interesting Reply

THANKS!

keng October 7, 2008 at 7:28 am

Go technology-less >> very unacceptable to me. Thanks for your awesome contents. Reply

DougBuchanan.com October 8, 2008 at 1:30 am

1. Use words that hold their meanings. Do not seek brain power. Seek to improve your thinking effectiveness. 2. Actually answer every question you encounter. Ask a question of your answer. Do not stop there. May you learn the most knowledge of the most concepts, most efficiently. DougBuchanan.com Reply

Karmush October 12, 2008 at 10:52 am

Hi all, Luciano, indeed, a very innovative and useful techniques to have a great brain power. I can add the following ideas: - Worship God, creator of the brain, and ask him to bless you with a

powerful brain. - Memorize Quran. - Contemplate in space and read and watch more about it Thanx a million, Karmush Reply

Tabraiz October 13, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Learn techniques of your favourite sports from Tv or from outdoor areas , and try to apply them by Yourself Reply

kaycee October 16, 2008 at 8:29 am

great list.. that is very helpful. there are actually a lot of ways, your list are effective. thanks! kaycee Reply

sw October 16, 2008 at 12:42 pm

You have a long list there. reading them is giving my brain the exercise it needs. Reply

fith October 21, 2008 at 8:00 am

play rubiks cube! and sudoku Reply

Eduardo October 23, 2008 at 9:52 pm

Great content, very thought provoking! Reply

happyhappy October 25, 2008 at 11:13 pm

I totally love stuff like this! I cant believe I havent found this place before, but Im so unbelievably happy I did. Thanks for all the great stuff! Reply

Mel Smith October 27, 2008 at 3:05 am

Great stuff, Think, how would you survive, if you were born 5,000 years ago. Reply

Janine October 29, 2008 at 6:57 am

great ideas. heres something I enjoy, choose an age of your childhood, and go back to that age and relive your life again, only this time, with the memories you have now. what would you change? how

would you do it? who would you save? who could you save? who would not exist because of your choices? Reply

Answer My Health Question October 29, 2008 at 6:54 pm

Very good idea.. I will do some of your advice to improve my brain activity!! Reply

Carlos Caridad November 2, 2008 at 2:55 am

Great article!!! A suggestion, following the Be slightly hungry concept, in my own experience, eating more raw food improves memory, gives you more mental clarity, improves creativity, slows down aging, gives you more energy (cocked food takes an enormous amount of energy to digest it in comparison to raw food) Reply

Marsha

November 2, 2008 at 8:50 pm

When youre talking to yourself inside, try to form the same sentence in each language you speak. This can be a mind-blower. Reply

Tony November 5, 2008 at 10:55 pm

Study how electrons transfer and move throughout matter. Reply

Kelly November 6, 2008 at 11:47 pm

I love this. Reply

akanksha November 7, 2008 at 12:03 pm

talk more to strangers.have conversations. dance sober and alone go watch a movie all by urself Reply

Tamara November 10, 2008 at 6:50 am

Start learning a foreign language, that is by far the most complex human creation, and the dividends on your investment are huge you can travel (or surf) and get to know more people from different cultures. Reply

Arswino November 14, 2008 at 7:18 am

Hi Luciano, this is my first time I come to your blog. I am interested about the title 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power so I click that. After read your article, just one word to say : Amazing ! Reply

Angel November 23, 2008 at 11:36 am

Start an enterprise, you will use all the ideas in this post when you start new business. Have a nice day! Reply

FreeMasons November 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm

Hi. I know its been quite a while since anyone added anything in the comments, but if your new to this site and have just found this article, I would suggest playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). It sharpens your mind and improves your memory, though, like most other things it takes time to master and get good at it. Reply

Giedre K December 2, 2008 at 9:58 am

Nice collection ! worth of try~ Reply

Luciano Passuello December 4, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Hi all! (especially FreeMasons) I always keep an eye here in the comments. If you have any further suggestions of ways to boost ones brain power, dont hesitate to drop a comment. I will keep updating the list for as long as it takes! Reply

Ajay Kumar December 6, 2008 at 5:10 am

Excellent ideas really love ur collections .awesome one more i wud like to add Switch the side of your mouse-pad Reply

Derek December 8, 2008 at 6:51 pm

You know, another great way to boost your brain power is to buy a writing desk. A desk that has absolutely nothing on it other than a Lucky Bamboo plant, a pen, and a piece of paper. Reply

Arvind Kumar December 16, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Hello! I am contributing some of my tips. 1) Leaving every day as the last day of life. 2) Work on the ideas coming into mind, go ahead. 3) Start a small business for somebody else to boost creativity. 4) BE social, visit people in village. 5) Enjoy nature. 6) Have open mind ready to accept each and every idea. 7) Never complain about others and circumtances. Reply

suru

December 28, 2008 at 1:06 am

great work buddy d list is mindblowingits just awesome thankzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Reply

Lulu December 31, 2008 at 5:21 pm

Write the alphabet backwards. 50 times Reply

stef January 21, 2009 at 9:59 pm

know yourself! and smoking pot really helps Reply

Diamond

January 23, 2009 at 2:58 pm

great list thank you playing RTS(real-time strategy) video games in particular can be very stimulating as you need to analyze tons of different situations Reply

Carlos January 23, 2009 at 8:37 pm

Certainly smoking pot might help you to boot your brain power temporarily; then a period of depression comes and we need to smoke more pot. A grater depression comes, like the one we are experiencing in our country, and we need more pot (credit, easy money); we want and need more pot, and down the spiral we go. It keeps going down until we hit the bottom. At that precise moment we are left without any money in the bank, just like know, probably without family and friends, and on the street. Our brain damaged by the pot and the depression, just like the economic depression we have right now. I rather boost the power of my brain in a safer and more lasting way that the one you suggested, like the smart ones we see above. May be you were just kidding, and Im wasting my time here. Reply

cris@MiamiLifeCoach

January 29, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Wow Luciano, everything under the sun was here. Add up a Bible then we are all over complete. CHANGE is a big word. I believe, If a man doesnt make amend on things that are not worth living for, then all these stuffs are but chasing in the wind. Solomon is the wisest man ever lived on earth, yet he considered his wisdom a null without God. But these 120 amenities really help boost mans totality. I guess the sluggard and the fools would not want this idea because it entails a lot of discipline. But this is where wise men are seeking out and make abode. I am very grateful to my mentor at life coaching kamja where it almost rocketboost my mind to think into a new dimension of life, over an ordinary old ways thoughts, and power to live triumphantly and extra-ordinarily. Reply

Maureen McCarthy February 10, 2009 at 8:41 pm

Create a State of Grace Document (www.stateofgracedocument.com) with one or more people in your business or personal life. They help create more effortless day-to-day interactions with people. It requires you to employ a more balanced brain, which helps improve your relationships at work and at home. Reply

Michael Gaudet

February 17, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Great list, funny but pertinent! Also enjoy all the creative comments. I would add this: treat lifes challenges (ie: tough things like sales, marketing, r&d ) as a social experiment; in other words, detach from the result and enjoy the process. No matter what you end up with it will be a very useful learning experience. Maybe a huge breakthrough, maybe a rationale for trying something totally different. Reply

Zoltan - Self-esteem wizard March 27, 2009 at 4:28 am

Awesome list of our brain power. Just to read it through is a mental challenge. Hundreds of ideas, creative, spontaneous, colorful, unique, unmatched. These words come to my mind by reading them. My own tip: Doing silly things. Thinking about something unusual always train the mind to think differently. Strange correlation between things and events can create something new, something has never done before. I like playing with my mind and discover the enormous human potential. Great article. Congratulation. Reply

Student of life April 6, 2009 at 4:14 am

I find it interesting that no one seemed to care about the comment made about enjoying alcohol, but the pot comment was immediately jumped upon. Alcohol is the worlds deadliest drug. Alcohol permanently damages your brain cells. Alcohol is physically addicting, pot is not. I know that this is not the point, but pot CAN give your mind a fresh perspective. Yes, it can also be abused like anything else in life. I think the whole point of this list was that your brain needs a continuous variety of stimulation and environments to function at its best. Its dissapointing when comments are made that compare the use of pot to our country going into recession. The truth is that this country would save billions of dollars by legalizing marijuana. Ironically enough this would end the recession in a much more responsible manner. As opposed to giving trillions of dollars to the same people that got us into this mess. Oh, and to add to the list: start a debate :> Reply

Luciano Passuello April 6, 2009 at 2:52 pm

I think the whole point of this list was that your brain needs a continuous variety of stimulation and environments to function at its best

Yep, thats the whole point. If I would condense all these 120+ items in just one, that would be it. And, of course, thanks for sharing your viewpoints with us! Reply

John April 7, 2009 at 5:02 am

Ive found that Im often more productive/creative after Ive faced a fear (job interview, for example). I like to write jokes and, after I attended a job interview recently, I found I was churning out ideas easily when I got home. Reply

celine April 26, 2009 at 4:34 am

very nice! I love reading the tips.. keep them comin! Reply

Tore

April 28, 2009 at 8:00 am

This list is very nice. Heres my contribution: Eat with chopsticks! Reply

Perspective Shift Chris May 2, 2009 at 1:49 pm

Interesting post Reply

Thanks, a great list of resources.

mohan raj May 17, 2009 at 12:23 pm

Wow, Very useful ideas for young generation.. And very easy to follow for intelligents guys and girls .. really use ful Reply

Nicolas Gibson June 1, 2009 at 5:41 pm

My brother turned me on to this link, and it is pretty interesting. Although I have done about 80 percent of these activities for my whole life. Example: Taking showers with my eyes closed. I thought I was just wierd for doing this, but in my head it was a learning experiment. As i read this article, I found myself laughing because ive done most of the things listed on here my entire life. Im 25 now. My mind is nuro-netted with and entanglement of many different possibilities that can be made into reality. I guess i always thought if something happened to one of my limbs, I would be able to use the other limb fluently and with no hesitation. Also i play guitar, You must use both sides of your brain for insturments. Thanks for the great Read! Reply

Kell E June 2, 2009 at 1:51 am

Listen to Binaural Beats, alpha frequency Remaining in the intuitive alpha state for extended periods is the key to increasing your creativity 30min+ a day iphone has many apps for brain wave entertainment Reply

Kell E June 2, 2009 at 1:53 am

on IPHONE! tip #2 get an IPhone theres tons of brain stimulating Apps tip#3 learn anatomy and physiology -(iphone is also useful in doing that) Reply

Aziz M. Tehrani June 28, 2009 at 10:53 pm

Think of the whole universe without any barriers or walls,comparing with your brain. Reply

Dan Murray July 5, 2009 at 10:13 am

Learn to read music and play the piano.

Reply