Jordan Ogren

May 10, 2022

Writing won't improve your IQ, but it will do this...

Growing up with two older brothers was wonderful. 

I wore their shoes, learned from their mistakes, and had an easier time with my parents as they were worn out.

But it wasn't all roses and sunshine. I've struggled with insecurity as the youngest child (I know, we all do to some extent).

But specifically around intelligence. 

As the youngest, I was never the smartest. And boy, would my brothers let me have it when I said some foolish things.

This made me hyper-vigilant in ensuring I never made a fool of myself. I never wanted to appear stupid, as my brothers told me many times.

This resulted in a few bad habits:
  • Not speaking up as much or asking rudimentary questions
  • Prioritizing intelligence and seeking it at any cost
  • Flaunting my smarts and ability to be articulate

The final one has resulted in me being a complete ass to the people around me on many occasions. So please forgive me if you've ever been one of those people. I'm sorry.

All that to say, striving to be smarter is not a bad thing. It's all about how you do it and convey your smarts.

One thing I've found that exponentially improves my ability to think better is writing more. It's hard to increase your IQ. But it's easier to think with clarity.

And how you do that is through writing. And once you can think more precisely, you can communicate with greater clarity which provides an illusion of being smart.

"You can't double your intelligence in one hour, but you can use one hour to write something twice as clear. And ideas that are easy to read and easy to understand will make you seem smarter. The better you communicate, the more intelligent you appear." – James Clear.

My IQ is probably average at best. I don't know that much.

But I know how to gain clarity on my ideas and beliefs through writing to communicate them better, thus making me appear intelligent.

I've been doing this for as long as I can remember, likely as a survival tool. But now I'm aware of its immense benefit.

I can't guarantee your IQ will go up by writing.

But I can promise you will appear more intelligent. 

And in the process, you will likely, at a minimum, improve your critical thinking, which is as important as IQ.

🧠 + ❤️ // JO