How To Increase Your Intelligence and Become A Deep Thinker

5 practices to adopt and 3 bad habits to avoid to improve mental clarity and decision-making. This episode covers some of the best lessons from Cal Newport's writing on Deep Work and Slow Productivity. We focus on becoming deeper thinkers who question easy answers and build opinions from a place of deep understanding. Top lessons: How to avoid shallow thinking traps Understand where your opinions come from Interval Training for concentration Ways to think like an intellectual Increase your working memory Understand ideas from multiple perspectives Enjoy slower and more purposeful progress This episode is a blueprint for building wisdom and clarity of thought and we can't recommend Cal Newport's work enough and his ideas shared in this episode. Upgrade to Premium: 🏖️ Ad-free listening 🤘 Support the show 🔓 Exclusive AMAs and bonus content 💬 Community Discord GrowthMindset.Supercast.com Sponsors 🥙 Hello Fresh - America's #1 meal kit provider 10 free meals across 7 boxes HelloFresh.com/FreeGrowthMindset Cal Newport Links Website - https://calnewport.com/ Deep Questions podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/deep-questions-with-cal-newport/id1515786216 Deep Work - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25744928-deep-work Slow Productivity - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195889760-slow-productivity Get in Touch 👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset 📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - GrowthMindsetPodcast.com Chapters: 00:00 The Erosion of Deep Thinking 01:46 Using Charlie Mungers Inversion Approach for deep thinking 02:22 [Bad Habit #1] - Outsourcing Our Thinking 03:25 [Bad Habit #2] - Prioritizing Fast Emotional Hits 04:19 [Bad Habit #3] - Checklist Mentality 05:02 System One vs. System Two Thinking 06:13 [Deep Habit #1] - Improving Information Quality + Reducing Quantity 07:46 Cal Newport's Timescales of Consumption 09:34 [Deep Habit #2] - Comfort with Boredom 11:03 Sanitizing Your Phone & Building Phone-Free Activities 13:35 [Deep Habit #3] - Cultivating Attention 16:23 Tracking Your Progress 18:00 [Deep Habit #4] - Increasing Working Memory 21:47 [Deep Habit #5] - Practice Being Intellectual 22:13 Pairing Primary and Secondary Sources 23:02 Richard Feynman's Idea Documents 25:46 Adopting Intellectual Curiosity 27:38 Benjamin Franklin's Deep Thinkers Club 28:12 Launching a Book Club 29:02 Rebranding the Podcast to Psychology Vs. 30:15 Starting a Second Podcast - History of Innovation 31:56 Episode Summary and Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Most self-help advice is guesswork dressed up as wisdom. We dig into psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science to find what actually changes lives. WHY LISTEN? Over 8 million downloads because we answer the questions that matter: How do I build mental strength? What creates lasting motivation? How can I understand my own mind well enough to work with it, not against it? This podcast is for curious skeptics who want frameworks backed by psychology studies, not Instagram quotes. Whether you're navigating procrastination, building self-discipline, or designing your own philosophy for a life well lived—we explore the hidden psychology behind real change. WHAT YOU'LL GET Mental models and simple techniques from cognitive psychology, positive psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions like Stoicism and Buddhism. Being a human can be confusing, learning about it doesn’t have to be. We cover everything from emotional intelligence and habit formation to brain health and the nervous system. WHAT YOU DON’T GET No pseudoscience. No oversimplified "hacks." No hustle porn. Just practical insights on mindset improvement, self-development, and human psychology that respect your intelligence and mental health. THE APPROACH Instead of telling you what to think, we explore how thinking works. Armed with psychology studies, social science research, and relentless curiosity, we uncover the mechanics of belief change, attitude change, and personal development. Success is personal. You might want to leverage your neurodiverse strengths, build a business, or simply discover how to be happier. We provide the mental frameworks to pursue your definition of success with mental strength and self-care that fits your life. YOUR HOST I'm Sam Webster Harris—a lifelong learner with ADHD and an obsession with finding answers to hard questions. After launching businesses, traveling the world, and nearly dying a few times, I concluded that psychology and science are where real wisdom lives. This show is my excuse to dive deep into health and fitness research, behavioral psychology, and cool science while helping you build genuine self-discipline and motivation. PREMIUM Go ad-free and access exclusive content, AMAs, and our community Discord. Growth Mindset Premium PAST SERIES Previous guests include Olympians, Scientists, Billionaires, and Sam's Mum. Past series: — Psychology vs Stoicism — Time Management for Busy Mortals — Independence and Knowing Yourself — Cognitive Biases and Rational Thinking — Psychology of Connection and Relationships — Carol Dweck and the Multiverse of Mindsets — Addiction and Behaviour Change — Nervous System Mastery and Polyvagal Theory — Mental Strength and Self-Discipline