Intelligence isn’t set in stone – It’s fluid. The way we live our lives shapes our minds – in very interesting ways.

Drake Baer, of Fast Company, wrote an article illustrating science-backed methods of expanding your intelligence. Here are some of the points we found most intriguing:

Your mind-set makes you smarter:

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, believing that intelligence is not static and that you have the power to develop your thinking abilities is called a “growth mind-set”. This represents a shift in your response as challenges come your way. The only way to develop a growth mindset is to mindfully practice it, until you adopt it as your own response.

Your concentration makes you smarter:

If intelligence is our ability to solve complex tasks – then improving our sustained focus to deal with such tasks is an increase in functional intelligence. Try shutting out distractions and nurturing your willpower; these actions lead to improved concentration.

Your relationships make you smarter:

When you have a support network which naturally expands your skill sets, this is called “transactive memory” and it makes you smarter than if you were on your own. For example, if your spouse is great at making repairs around the house, then, by proxy, you are better, since that functional need is being met. Also, when you have many diverse friends and connections, you will naturally have better ideas.

Learn how to apply the skills of expanding your intelligence to other areas of your life by following Building Your Leadership Skills Checklist.