It’s true that IQ is a relatively fixed trait, which means our intellectual horsepower doesn’t change much over our lifespans. A Fiat cannot magically turn into a Ferrari. But how you maintain and operate the incredible machine that is your brain makes a tremendous difference in how far and fast it can take you.  Which is why I’ve always kept an eye out for advice from neuroscientists, writers, and coaches on how to make the most of your brain. There are lots of good tips on how to be smarter out there. But a recent LinkedIn post by star psychologist and best-selling author Adam Grant boiled down much of this wisdom into just a few actionable words.  You can think of Grant’s actionable idea as the 10 percent principle. How to be smarter: Be less dumb If you want to figure out how to be smarter, it can help to start by turning the question on its head. Instead ask, what makes people dumb? When we make short-sighted decisions, fail to consider crucial information, or blindly repeat mistakes of the past, what drives us to this kind of stupidity?  There is no shortage of answers to these questions, of course. Sometimes it’s one of the human brain’s many well-documented biases making fools of us. […]