How To Upgrade Your Friends

They say that if you hang out with five millionaires, you will be the sixth. But this is also true when it comes to surrounding yourself with intelligent people. Whether we accept it or not, we are the average of the five people we spend most of our time with. Since you're a true Alexa, you probably don't enjoy being or thinking average. Most of us know the theory, the hard part is putting it into practice. But it's time for a change.

So how can you actually surround yourself with more intelligent people? Well, there are a few things we need to clarify first. You have to embark on the journey of becoming a high-value individual and accept you need to improve. Second, you need to go to places where like-minded individuals go. That should provide you with enough context for this discussion.

With all that being said, it's time to answer this question, Alexa. So grab a drink, open up your notebook, and let's dive in, shall we? Welcome to Alux.

Now, a great place to start is to join a professional organization or association. Professional organizations, associations, and clubs are the best places to find like-minded and smart individuals. There's a simple reason behind this: most of them have meaningful goals that can only be achieved through the cooperation of like-minded or hard-working individuals. But there's one thing you have to absolutely know before taking this step.

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the mission and values the organization is built upon are solid, and most importantly, they need to resonate with you. Because look, you don't want to waste your time pursuing something you're not truly interested in. By choosing an organization based on this simple rule of thumb, you'll basically guarantee you'll surround yourself with intelligent people.

Getting involved and working on different projects using your expertise to provide value will simply make you magnetic. You want to keep this group for the long haul and ensure that you can establish a solid bond with the people you meet. And that's the case because these connections can, over time, turn into opportunities. But there's a catch: you can't do that unless people respect and admire you for who you are.

So make sure to work on yourself first. Then you'll have no trouble fitting in. You should also attend some lectures or seminars. Intelligent people usually hang around in places where individuals come together in order to have meaningful discussions. And if you want to meet some, it might be a good idea to attend lectures, seminars, or even local TEDx talks.

Now you might be wondering, "Okay, but how do I interact with anyone there?" Well, lectures or seminars usually have networking breaks before, in between, and after the talks. Those periods can create the perfect context to cold approach someone and start a discussion. You can also scan the room for groups of people exchanging ideas or having debates and use that opportunity to add something valuable to the conversation.

Seminars tend to attract a diverse group of attendees from different backgrounds with different levels of experience. This diversity can lead to interesting and enlightening conversations and can also expose attendees to new perspectives and ideas. Besides that, these kinds of events often encourage active participation and engagement, whether through Q&A sessions, group discussions, or hands-on activities.

And if that wasn't good enough, many of them focus on professional development as well, providing attendees with the opportunity to learn new skills and grasp knowledge that can be applied in their careers. This can be a great way to stay current in your field and learn about the new trends and developments on the horizon. Plus, seminars often feature guest speakers who are experts in their field and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

Attending these seminars is a great way to learn from these experts and make some new connections while you're at it. Well, something a little closer to home: you could join a local book club. Because there are a few ways joining a book club can help you surround yourself with more intelligent people. Let's take a look at them one by one.

First up, book clubs bring together people who enjoy reading and discussing literature. This common interest can foster meaningful conversations and connections while also creating a sense of community. Secondly, members of book clubs can participate in thoughtful and intellectual discussions like public book reviews and debates. These discussions can be stimulating and enlightening, exposing participants to new ideas and perspectives.

Thirdly, members of book clubs frequently come from diverse backgrounds, ages, and professions. This diversity is key because the mark of a truly intelligent individual is adaptability and the adaptability to discuss almost any subject. Variety can lead to stimulating and insightful discussions as well as exposing members to new perspectives and ways of thinking.

Additionally, reading and discussing literature can be an excellent way to test one's own beliefs and perspectives while also broadening one's understanding of the world. This personal development can be aided further by the book club members' insights and perspectives. All in all, joining a book club is a great way to develop yourself and make new and more intelligent friends. There's simply no disadvantage to this one.

So what are you waiting for? And how similar to the book club, you could also join a debate team or a club. Now depending on what type of person you are, you might enjoy debates a lot or straight-up hate them because of their conflicting nature. But here's the truth: you will never see a smart individual engaged in a heated or impolite debate. That's a sign of emotional immaturity and toxic attachment towards one's beliefs above all else.

Debate teams and groups bring together people who enjoy critical thinking and persuasive arguments. So in the right setting, you shouldn't have to worry about people getting nasty. What's so cool about debate clubs is the platform for personal growth they offer. That's because members are often challenged to critically examine their own beliefs and perspectives. The point isn't to say, "Hey, look, I'm smart and I was right," but to improve our capacity to think critically and seek out the best answers and perspectives.

This process can lead to the formation of strong connections with individuals who possess similar intellectual curiosity. So if you're a debater and you like engaging in meaningful conversations, a debate group or club is the right place for you to meet intelligent people. Just as an aside here, if you're an introverted person and love having those debates online, we can suggest you join the "Change My View" subreddit instead. You'll find someone in there eager to challenge your worldview. You can thank us later.

We would also like to suggest you volunteer for a cause you believe in. Most people think happiness is about achieving your personal goals. And while that's partly true, once we're done completing goals we find true happiness and meaning in helping others. One of the signs of an intelligent person is their desire to leave a positive mark on the world and to show gratefulness by giving back. Joining a group of volunteers is a great way to find purpose and surround yourself with people who care about something more than their own persona.

Intelligence isn't just IQ; it comes in many forms. Here's something to be aware of while we're on this subject, though: remember that surrounding yourself with intelligent individuals isn't just about personal and professional development, it's also about the joy of learning and growing with others. Joining a community of intelligent and empathetic individuals can be a fulfilling and enriching experience and can provide a sense of belonging and purpose.

Never lose track of this on your path to success. In a world where every human interaction is transactional, it's important to not forget about giving back and expecting nothing in return. That's what volunteering is all about. The famous writer Paulo Coelho said it better than anyone ever could: "The reward of our work is not what we get, but what we become."

Another avenue to surround yourself with more intelligent people is to connect with folks on LinkedIn. For those of you unaware, which I imagine the list is pretty small by this point, LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that can help you connect with people in your field of interest. Many people use LinkedIn to stay up to date with new developments and trends in their field. Connecting with experts in your industry can provide you with valuable information and resources to help you expand your knowledge and skills.

It's a great way to meet new people and get in touch with the latest trends and developments in the work sector. Besides that, LinkedIn has groups where people can connect and discuss a variety of topics, which can be a great way to engage in meaningful discussions. This is more suited to people who prefer working remotely or just spending more time online.

All in all, connecting with people on LinkedIn can help you surround yourself with smarter individuals because, well, that's what the platform was built for. So if you don't have an account yet, it might be a good idea to sign up. And while you're online, follow thought leaders in your field on social media. Let's face it: most of what we know represents the accumulated knowledge of thousands of generations that lived before us.

Most of us aren't as smart as we like to think, but we're pretty good at adopting habits. Following and listening to the right people is a hard task, especially in the internet age where anyone can give advice and pretend to be an expert. The fact is, though, if you want to surround yourself with more intelligent people, you need to get good at filtering out all of the posers.

By no means is this an easy task, but it's important to have this realization as early as possible. By following thought leaders, even on social media, you will in time adopt their mindset and make it easy to find like-minded individuals. Now more than ever, it's easy to make friends online and share your wisdom with each other. Don't limit yourself to only in-person interactions; leverage the power of the internet to your advantage and see the compounding effects for yourself.

Your vibe attracts your tribe, Luxor. So make sure you join a thriving community that can keep your values intact even when you're behind the screen. And that's all for today. How do you surround yourself with intelligent people on a daily basis? We would love to hear your answers in the comments below.

When we started Alux, building a thriving community of smart individuals was one of our primary goals. So we're happy that we made it possible, and you guys are here supporting and learning from each other, motivating us to keep putting out more content. If you found the information in this video valuable, don't forget to show us appreciation by tipping us with a like. And as always, thanks for watching, and if you're hungry for more knowledge, check out this video next.