Geniuses are different for a reason. They think and act differently and create some of the most amazing, life changing inventions.

Come with me as we explore the eccentric habits of 10 geniuses and see how their habits can make you smarter.

1) Shigeru Miyamoto: Analyze your world

Shigeru Miyamoto is the video game director for Nintendo. He is credited with creating games such as Donkey Kong and Mario. Miyamoto is reported to carry a measuring tape with him and enjoys measuring things at every opportunity, as well as guessing people’s weight.

How This Can Make You Smarter

This habit demonstrates Miyamoto’s thirst to learn and understand the environment around him. If you apply a similar habit and better understand your environment, not only will you become smarter in the process, you become more aware of the world around you.

2) Nikola Tesla: Stimulate your brain cells

According to Wikipedia, Tesla is best known for “his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.” This genius, who also held over 100 patents, including the electric motor, had a habit of squishing his toes every night. According to Marc Seifer’s book, Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla, toe exercises helped to stimulate his brain cells.

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How This Can Make You Smarter

While there is no known scientific evidence that shows that the squishing of your toes will stimulate your brain cells, there is evidence within the reflexology community that your big toe has a direct line to your brain. According to this system of belief, the rubbing of your big can help relax your brain and increase concentration. Perhaps Tesla habit was performed while wearing shoes, causing his big toe to rub against the bottom of his shoes and thus stimulating his brain cells?

3) Amadeus Mozart: Be structured

This genius composer was reported to have ADD-like symptoms. In order to overcome this he had a habit of doing things in a very structured manner. His daily routine was broken into time composing, giving lessons, time with friends, and sleep.

How This Can Make You Smarter

Structure and routine can help you become smarter by creating strong healthy habits. For example, if you structure your day to read an article that helps you learn something new, over the course of a year you will have learned 365 new things. Imagine what this equates to over a lifetime. Add more books, articles or podcasts to your day and your knowledge and intellect will grow exponentially.

4) Thomas Edison: Change your relationship to failure

Where would we be today without the inventions of Thomas Edison. With over 2000 patents and having reported to have failed on 10,000 experiments, Edison stated “I have not failed, I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” What was his habit? Always trying new things and never giving up. Without his relentless efforts, you may not be reading this article in electronic form.

How This Can Make You Smarter

Failure is a fact of life, but it is not who you are, nor is it permanent. You can follow Edison’s lead by not being afraid to try new things. Many don’t try because they fear failure. The only way you can fail is if you give up. If things don’t work out the way you expect, you have just learned a way of not doing it correctly – thus making you that much smarter. Keep trying and never give up.

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5) Sir Isaac Newton: Get a different point of view

It is well known that this genius authored the laws of motion and gravity. What is less well known is the habit he had for coming up with his discoveries. Newton believed in looking at a problem from many different angles and he had a habit of taking a problem and restructuring it. This gave him every opportunity to see the many different ways in which to solve the problem.

How This Can Make You Smarter

If you are presented with a problem, take the time to see how many ways there are to solve the issue. Sometimes the most obvious answer is not the best answer. By restructuring the problem you will increase your problem solving skills and in the process, become smarter.

6) Mark Zuckerberg: Limit daily choices

With over 1 Billion users, Facebook is one of the most recognized brands in the world. Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has created a way for people to connect and build relationships from all over the world. Zuckerberg takes his responsibility to serve his community very seriously, so much so, that one of his habits allows him to better serve them. What is this habit? If you google pictures of him you will likely see him wearing a grey t-shirt. He wears the same version of that grey t-shirt every day. Why, you ask? According to Zuckerberg, he wants to clear his life to make as few decisions as possible to best serve his Facebook community. He feels he is not doing his job if he spends his time and energy on any small, frivolous, or silly decisions, such as choosing what to wear.

How This Can Make You Smarter

We are distracted by so many things during the day- ironically, for many Facebook is one of them- that our minds get cluttered and can render us less effective. Simplifying your life, like Zuckerberg has done, can give your brain room to grow and focus on things that can increase your intellect and add value to your life. See what you can do to limit your distractions and make your life simpler.

7) Leonardo Da Vinci: Study widely

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Da Vinci is best known as an artist. However, this “Renaissance Man” had a habit you will do well do follow. He had a child-like curiosity and was in the habit of learning everything he could whenever he could. His curiosity led him beyond art. He studied mechanics, aeronautics, and anatomy – all things scientific.

How This Can Make You Smarter

It’s probably quite obvious that the more you learn the smarter you’ll get. However, what many don’t think about is how learning a variety of subjects opens up insights into the inter-workings and relationships different subjects have. For instance, if you are an artist and also study chemistry, you can understand how chemical compounds work together and perhaps create mastery because of your knowledge of how oils can be blended together. This type of study can give you the opportunity to look beyond the obvious and enter a world that only few dare to venture into.

8) Wayne Gretzky: Become a student to become a master

Gretzky, The Great One, is one of the best, if not the best hockey player of all time. How did he get there? It wasn’t because of his size or his natural athletic ability. He became great, and a genius on the ice, because of his work ethic. From a young age, Gretzky would watch hockey games and trace the path of the puck. He’d then study where the puck would go the most and it’s movement throughout a game. His study of the game, and on and off the ice physical training, created a combination that would put him in the Hall of Fame with records that are yet to be broken. It is fair to say that he is one of the most intelligent hockey players that ever lived.

How This Can Make You Smarter

You don’t have to be the best or the greatest to benefit from Gretzky’s example. Pick one area of your life you’d like to improve and become a student. Learn everything you can about the subject – and related subjects. Then make a plan and work as hard as you can to become the best you can at that subject or talent. Oh, and don’t worry about failing. Like you learned from Edison, if you don’t succeed the first time you will have grown smarter because you’ll now know how not to do something the next time.

9) Benjamin Franklin: Utilize cold temperatures

Nothing says relaxation like soaking in a hot tub or warm bath. However, Benjamin Franklin chose to take a daily swim in frigid waters of the river Thames in London. Why would he do such an act when he could find a warm local pool to get his morning workout in? The reason is that subjecting your body to extreme cold temperatures, for short periods of time, will cause your blood to be drawn to your core to keep you alive. As you warm your body temperature back to normal, your body will be replenished with fresh blood. I don’t suggested jumping in a freezing lake due to risk of hypothermia, but you can take a cold shower or have a go at Cryotherapy.

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How This Can Make You Smarter

When your body, and brain, are flushed with fresh blood there is a mental and physical acuity that is gained for a short period of time that is like no other. Personally, I experienced this after trying a session of Cryotherapy. I entered a chamber for 3 min at extreme freezing temperatures. When I emerged, the physical energy and mental sharpness I experience was amazing. You might want to trade in that comfortable warm bed for a cold awakening and see where your limits can take you.

10) Dr. Maya Angelou: Find the best place to work

Dr. Angelou was an award winning writer, poet, and civil rights activist. She made a significant contribution to our world in a masterful way. In order to create her inspiring musings, Dr. Angelou would go to a local hotel/motel in order to write in solitude. She could have chosen to write in the peace and quiet of her own home. In Mason Currey’s book Daily Rituals: How Artists Work, he documents a 1983 interview where Dr. Angelou states, “I keep a hotel room in which I do my work—a tiny, mean room with just a bed, and sometimes, if I can find it, a face basin. I keep a dictionary, a Bible, a deck of cards and a bottle of sherry in the room. I try to get there around 7, and I work until 2 in the afternoon. If the work is going badly, I stay until 12:30. If it’s going well, I’ll stay as long as it’s going well. It’s lonely, and it’s marvelous.”

How This Can Make You Smarter

Many geniuses have their one place where they think and work best. It may be a room or it could be an outside bench with a beautiful mountain or ocean view. By doing this, you give your mind an opportunity to reach levels you otherwise would not reach. Find that place that inspires you and allows your mind to grow and expand beyond its current capabilities.

Conclusion

This is just a small sampling of the many habits that geniuses throughout history have used to achieve extraordinary feats and make their mark on society. If you take just one of these habits and apply them to your life, you may just be on your way to becoming the next Great One or famous inventor.

What is your favorite habit from the list above and how do you think you can apply it to your life? I look forward to hearing from you.

Featured photo credit: right brain/Allan Ajifo via media.lifehack.org