Fascinating Brain Facts That Will Keep You Awake: A Summary for Busy People

The content introduced here is a portion of "Fascinating Brain Facts That Will Keep You Awake" by brain scientist Kenichiro Mogi.

▪︎What does it mean to have natural intelligence?

Having natural intelligence refers to a person's inherent mental sharpness, which points to logical thinking and communication skills rather than the amount of knowledge they possess.

Being able to flexibly take action by applying knowledge and experience to questions like "How should this be solved?" or "What is the best answer?" is proof of natural intelligence.

To train your natural intelligence, you need to strengthen the part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex.

It is said that people with a well-developed prefrontal cortex are better at socializing and can make choices that are advantageous in the long term without being caught up in immediate gains.

As a result, they tend to have higher social and economic status.

Now, let's introduce the characteristics of people with natural intelligence.

▪︎Characteristics of people with natural intelligence

People with natural intelligence have a broad perspective and are able to repeat trial and error from various angles.

Furthermore, they have a strong interest in others and can tailor their conversation to the person they are talking to. By letting the other person take full control of the conversation, they can quickly build rapport and easily gain trust from others.

They are also flexible regarding new things and values, and because they are eager to take in new information, they have a habit of reading.

We humans are creatures influenced by the evaluations and rumors of those around us, and we tend to be swayed by the opinions of the majority. However, people with high innate intelligence are not misled by superficial information; they are excellent at grasping the essence of things because they make judgments only after thinking deeply and thoroughly.

Now, I will introduce ways to train your innate intelligence.

▪︎ Ways to train your innate intelligence

・Try concentrating amidst noise ・Concentrate by setting a time limit

By concentrating on studies or tasks in noisy places, challenging yourself to finish within a set time limit, trying sports you have never done before, visiting art museums, or intentionally doing things you don't usually do like taking walks or reading, you place a load on your brain, which trains the prefrontal cortex.

・Practice mindfulness

People who practice mindfulness daily develop their prefrontal cortex, which improves concentration, memory, and work efficiency.

・Consume nutrients good for the brain

DHA, found in blue-backed fish like sardines and mackerel as well as avocados, improves memory and concentration. Tyrosine, found in almonds, bananas, chicken, chocolate, coffee, eggs, and yogurt, is a raw material for dopamine. Additionally, tryptophan, found in pork, beef, tofu, natto, miso, sesame, and dairy products, is a raw material for serotonin. Furthermore, vitamin B6, found in vegetables and nuts, plays a role in helping the brain absorb energy. Actively consuming these foods ensures that sufficient nutrients reach the brain.

・Create a state of psychological safety

Stabilizing your life, having a certain amount of savings, and regulating your daily rhythm to create a psychologically safe state is a very good environment for the brain and helps develop the prefrontal cortex.

• Eliminate negative assumptions

Living by your own standards instead of comparing yourself to others, honing what you love and what you are good at, and understanding your positive aspects and strengths will help eliminate negative assumptions, which leads to improved brain performance.

▪︎ [Conclusion] You can improve your innate intelligence by training your prefrontal cortex

To improve your innate intelligence, you must train the prefrontal cortex of your brain.

Investing in your brain is an asset that no one can take away from you.

People who acquire logical thinking skills and the ability to think things through for themselves will be able to pave their own way no matter what happens in the future.

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▪︎ If you want to read on your smartphone, try "Kindle Unlimited"

We live in an era where you can read on your smartphone without having to carry books around with you.

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For those who struggle with reading text or want to make effective use of spare time like during commutes, I recommend Amazon Audible.

You can make productive use of time that you previously spent just zoning out, and it can be used on trains, buses, or even while walking.

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Click the image below to go to the Amazon Audible page.