{"id":10312,"date":"2025-03-23T15:28:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T19:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/what-it-is-how-to-improve-it-in-6-steps\/"},"modified":"2025-03-23T15:28:19","modified_gmt":"2025-03-23T19:28:19","slug":"what-it-is-how-to-improve-it-in-6-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/what-it-is-how-to-improve-it-in-6-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"What It Is & How to Improve It in 6 Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
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Imagine you\u2019re traveling in a country where you don\u2019t speak the language. You\u2019re lost. You\u2019re tired. And, not to add salt to the wound, but your phone\u2019s completely dead<\/em>.<\/p>\n

What do you do? Resign yourself to fate and start mentally drafting your Lost Abroad <\/em>memoir? Or channel your inner MacGyver and start problem-solving?<\/p>\n

Someone with practical intelligence<\/strong> would do the latter\u2014by observing their surroundings, looking for familiar landmarks, maybe finding a local who seems approachable, and using gestures or drawings to communicate. A real \u201ckeep calm and carry on\u201d persona, if you will.<\/p>\n

And if you can think on your feet like that, you\u2019ll be able to turn any dead end into a new route forward.<\/p>\n

What is practical intelligence?<\/h2>\n

The \u201cpractical intelligence\u201d definition, in a nutshell, is the kind of smarts that help you navigate real-world situations. Think street smarts, social skills, and the ability to read a room.<\/p>\n

It helps you out of a sticky situation, helps you negotiate a better deal, or lets you charm your way into an opportunity. Long story short, it\u2019s less about knowing everything and more about knowing what to do with what you know.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are individuals that like to learn but they like to implement what they learned<\/em>,\u201d explains Jim Kwik<\/strong>, a brain performance expert and trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Superbrain<\/em><\/strong> program. \u201cThey take that knowledge and turn it into power through application, through execution, through implementation<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what one study from rural Kenya found. Researchers discovered that children who had high tacit knowledge\u2014like identifying medicinal herbs\u2014excelled at real-world problem-solving<\/a>, even though they didn\u2019t always score well in school.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose with high practical intelligence tend to develop useful knowledge by doing and learning, not by watching or reading<\/em>,\u201d says J. Robert Baum, Director of Entrepreneurship Research at the University of Maryland, in Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In fact, his research found that using this know-how, combined with strong growth goals, predicted entrepreneurial success 27% of the time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Clearly, having this know-how plays a major role in real-world success. For years, we\u2019ve measured intelligence with test scores. But if you\u2019ve ever met someone who\u2019s all theory and no execution, you know IQ isn\u2019t the whole picture.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where psychologist and psychometrician Robert Sternberg changed the game.<\/p>\n

Sternberg\u2019s theory of intelligence<\/h3>\n

Back in the 1900s, scientists tried to boil down intelligence to a single number: the G Factor. And thanks to that, we got modern IQ tests.<\/p>\n

But slapping a number on someone\u2019s intellect is like judging a fish on its tree-climbing skills. Intelligence is way more nuanced than that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly why Sternberg came up with an entirely different approach: the triarchic theory of intelligence<\/a>. And he breaks it down into three categories:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Type of intelligence<\/strong><\/td>\nWhat it focuses on<\/strong><\/td>\nHow it shows up in real life<\/strong><\/td>\nKey strengths<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Analytical intellig<\/a><\/strong>ence<\/strong><\/a> (book smarts)<\/td>\nLogical reasoning, critical thinking<\/a>, and problem-solving in structured settings<\/td>\nExcelling in academic tests, analyzing data, breaking down complex problems<\/td>\nLogical thinking, reasoning, pattern recognition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Creative intelligence<\/strong><\/a> (original thinking)<\/td>\nGenerating new ideas, seeing possibilities, innovating<\/td>\nFinding creative solutions, thinking in new ways, and doing well in artistic or non-traditional fields<\/td>\nImagination, innovation, cognitive flexibility<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Practical intelligence<\/strong> (street smarts)<\/td>\nApplying knowledge to real-world situations<\/td>\nAdapting to new environments, handling unexpected challenges, making things work without clear instructions<\/td>\nProblem-solving, adaptability, social awareness<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

Look at it this way: If analytical intelligence is Sheldon Cooper (from The Big Bang Theory<\/em>), then creative intelligence is Howard Wolowitz, and practical intelligence? That\u2019s Penny.<\/p>\n

But in real life, most of us juggle all three. Take a great entrepreneur, for example. They need analytical intelligence (to make smart business decisions), creative intelligence (to innovate), and<\/em> practical intelligence (to navigate real-world challenges).<\/p>\n

However, Sternberg\u2019s practical intelligence view is just as important as analytical and creative\u2014sometimes more\u2014because it determines how well a person functions in everyday life. A meta-analysis of his intelligence training model found, specifically, that students who develop these skills through hands-on learning and problem-solving improve both academically and socially<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So while having the highest IQ possible<\/a> is an awesome flex, people who are street smart have that magic touch to turn obstacles into opportunities.<\/p>\n

\"Triarchic