The 3 Types of Intelligence You NEED To Master Life

The most influential people of all time weren’t necessarily “book smart,”

but they shared a common thread:

the triarchic theory of intelligence.

According to American psychologist Robert Sternberg,

there are three major types of intelligence you must master

to reach your goals.

Understanding these can bridge the gap

between where you are and where you want to be.

1. Practical Intelligence (Street Smarts)

Practical intelligence is the ability to adapt to, shape,

or select environments to suit your needs.

A classic example is Victor Lustig, the 19th-century scammer

who successfully “sold” the Eiffel Tower.

He understood that Andre Poisson, a scrap metal dealer,

was desperate for status.

Lustig used his judgment to identify a special deal

that Poisson couldn’t resist.

Mastering Judgment through Heuristics

Judgment is a core component of practical intelligence.

You can improve it by becoming aware of heuristics—mental shortcuts

your brain uses to make quick decisions.

Anchoring Heuristic: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information given. For example, a salesman shows an expensive item first so that subsequent items seem cheaper.

Availability Heuristic: Overweighting information that is easy to remember. News of a shark attack may stop people from swimming, even though statistically, cows are more dangerous.
Representativeness Heuristic: Judging things based on how closely they match a stereotype, such as assuming someone in a leather jacket with tattoos is dangerous.
Effect Heuristic: Allowing current emotions to control judgment. People often rate risky activities as safer if they are currently enjoying themselves.

The Power of Adaptability

The second half of practical intelligence is adaptability.

To excel here, you can use the OODA Loop,

a system designed for high-stakes combat situations:

Observe: Analyze what is happening in the moment.
Orient: Figure out what the situation means for you.
Decide: Think about the best move you can make.

Act: Move without hesitation.

2. Creative Intelligence

Creative intelligence involves going beyond

what is given to generate novel and interesting ideas.

In the 1990s, Japanese engineers solved the problem

of “sonic booms” from bullet trains by looking at nature.

Agari Nakatsu observed the kingfisher bird,

which enters water with minimal splash,

and redesigned the train’s nose to mimic the bird’s beak.

Steel Like an Artist

Creativity often involves taking inspiration from nature, art,

or other domains and applying it to your own.

This is known as the “steal like an artist” concept.

Cross-Domain Inspiration: Da Vinci studied bird biology for flight, and Samuel Morse used his artistic background to develop Morse code.
Copy with Taste: Don’t just copy and paste; add your own unique touch.

Learn from the Source: To master a skill, study the domain it originated from. For instance, a YouTuber might study filmmaking to improve their content.
Bonus Fact: Creative intelligence often spikes when we are slightly tired because the brain is less focused, allowing it to form more unexpected and creative connections.

3. Analytical Intelligence

Analytical intelligence is the ability to evaluate information

and solve problems.

This is often the type of intelligence measured by standard IQ tests,

but it can be trained and sharpened

through specific techniques and exercises.

First Principles Thinking

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett

use a technique called “first principles thinking”

to solve complex problems.

It consists of three steps:

Break It Down: Identify the core components of a problem. If you want to improve restaurants, define what a restaurant truly is (a kitchen, ingredients, a way to get food to people).
Challenge Assumptions: Ask if the current way of doing things is necessary. Do people actually need to sit in a restaurant to eat?

Rebuild from Scratch: Create a new solution based on the core components. This is how Cloud Kitchens was born—optimizing for online delivery by removing the dining area entirely.

Cognitive Training: Dual N-Back

Research shows that cognitive exercises can

improve fluid intelligence and problem-solving abilities.

The Exercise: Dual N-Back involves seeing a square on a grid and hearing a letter simultaneously. You must remember the position and the letter from “n” steps back.
Why it Works: The game forces you to hold, update, and manipulate multiple streams of information at once.
Proven Results: Training for just 8 to 19 days has been shown to significantly improve analytical intelligence.

Conclusion

Mastering life requires a balance of all three:

the street smarts to navigate the world,

the creativity to find new solutions,

and the analytical power to break down complex challenges.

By consciously training these areas,

you move from just surviving to truly thriving.