This disappointingly reads more like motivational speaker pseudoscience. It also isn't clear what "smart" means here. "Reading and learning are important, but people learn by doing, by tinkering." Doing and tinkering are aspects of learning. Smartness follows learning.

Here's from one of the "smartest" people in the world: "Continually aim just beyond your current range"

http://terrytao.wordpress.com/career-advice/continually-aim-...

That concept has a name, the "zone of proximal development", which is "the level of difficulty ... that is neither too hard nor too easy, and is the level at which optimal learning takes place":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development

Here I thought it had something to do with learning to ask the right questions. Turns out I just needed Omega-3, a PDA, and some random Jack Handey thoughts.

How I Want to Be Remembered by Jack Handey http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2008/03/31/080331sh_shouts_ha...

Thanks. I owe you six minutes.

Omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits but overeating fish these days will lead to excessive mercury in your system. Also many of the Omega-3 pills are of low quality. Note that men are probably best off taking the oil with more DHA than EPA, while the inverse applies to women. That said, if most of your protein is coming from seafood, you should be well ahead of the health curve.

I find that frequent eating helps me survive extended programming sessions. Anecdotally, meaty pasta seems to be one of the best foods when I need to pull an all nighter.

Here's a very interesting article in Scientific American about how how you think about intelligence and what it means to be smart affects your performance. And it's actually based on science:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-sm...

"Omega-3 is good for you and might make you smarter."

There might be other, scientific studies but see:

http://www.badscience.net/?cat=66&paged=2

"Drink a lot of water: after all, your brain is mostly water."

I used to think this was a good idea, but I spent so much time errrmmm ... getting rid of the water that I don't think it helped much. But he's right about laying off the coffee; tea is much better ;)

Other than the diet advice, it all leads to one grand conclusion... start a startup! Actually, though, it IS interesting how much of this is discussed on HN anyway. And the 'talk with smart people' part of it is, AFAIC, the whole point oh HN.

Eat clean non/less pesticide non genetic experiment (local farm) food. Shit-can the cellphone, the wifi, and the microwave. And don't take anything a doctor would proscribe. More living braincells == smarter.

A somewhat different perspective here --> http://www.life2point0.com/2007/01/so_you_want_to_.html

I find that the articles linked in the comments are a lot more interesting than the actual article - which seems a little thin.

that's a lot of diet advice. i think the key factor is actually your approach to thinking.

The most important advice is to constantly challenge your mind, but diet and sleep are extremely important in making your body and brain operate efficiently.

Yea, seemed a little fishy. OP needs to lay off the Omega 3.