How to Act Like Sherlock Holmes
Develop your intellect., Be observant., Filter out unnecessary information., Study forensic science., Act smart., Respond quickly., Appear neutral at all times., Don't show any signs of caring too much., Show people what you know., Have your own...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Develop your intellect.
While Sherlock Holmes is a lot of things, he is nothing without his mind (the rest is merely appendix).
If you are going to be Sherlock Holmes, you're going to need an IQ roughly over twice your height in inches, and you're going to need to know how to use this intellect.
It's all well and fair to be smart, but being intelligent (that is, the ability to process information, not just random factoids you've kept around for no reason) is key.
But don't worry, you can build this up... it simply takes practice.
The brain is a muscle: exercise it. -
Step 2: Be observant.
Notice small details, because those all lead to the bigger picture.
Details are what tie together people's lives.
So, if you want to have a little fun with it, maybe bring up the question of "How's your dog?" to a person who you noticed has obvious dog hairs left on their clothing. (This only works the way you want it if you haven't ever been to this person's house, because then it just seems like you genuinely want to know about how their dog is doing since you've actually seen the dog.) The other half of Holmes' utter genius (apart from actually being a genius) is his ability to pick up details, and then transpose fact into conjecture, using the science of deduction.
Learn to spot these details which become facts, and use intellect to narrow down possible causes until you've extrapolated something about that person which you didn't previously know. , Some may think that mostly all information is necessary but Sherlock would disagree.
He needs room for the important stuff, so he "deletes" or "filters out" the rest.
So if someone is talking to you, you can listen but you don't have to remember every. single. thing. they say to you.
Remember:
Leave room for the important things.
Remember only that which matters. , If you really want to be a hardcore clone to Sherlock, then look into that.
But basically it's a study of information from the past that ties together a crime that took place.
That's the field that Sherlock studied so that's a big part of "being like Sherlock".
The subject is fascinating.
Acquire some chemistry lab supplies, or access, and of course some knowledge of chemistry.
Chemistry is utterly important to Holmes, and now especially in this day and age when chemistry can be used to analyze blood, soil, pollen, et cetera, it is imperative to have an excellent grasp of all things chemical, to aid in you in crime solving. , This is as simple as it sounds.
It works in literally any case scenario, even in group discussions.
Act like the smartest person in the room.
People will either admire you or flat out hate you.
If this sounds like the life you want, then go for it.
Use sophisticated sounding responses and big words all in a monotone voice and you're guaranteed to sound smart. , Sherlock's responses are always fast yet perfect, because he tends to add a tad of his personality into every one of them.
They're usually all in a monotone voice, so showing hardly any emotion in conversations is kind of his style. , Avoid extreme facial expressions.
You don't necessarily need to keep a poker face 24/7, just maybe... 23/7? Keeping a poker face most of the time causes people to actually want to get a reaction out of you.
It keeps them guessing.
It makes you unreadable.
Plus, when you finally do act surprised or shocked, it balances out the blank expressions and highlights the fact that you are, overall, confident in the way you think.
Therefore, making you seem smarter.
And so you can easily perpetuate the illusion. , This may sound apathetic and uninvolved and that's because it is.
Sherlock hardly takes consideration into people's lives unless it is dire.
So maybe use phrases such as "I see"
"That's nice"
"Splendid"
but all with a touch of distraction––avoid appearing overly interested or enthusiastic.
This technique helps you to maintain a clinical distance from the subjects being studied, to avoid subjectivity which could spoil examination of the facts. , Being a genius and highly skilled is only half the fun.
The most important part, and what really makes Holmes, well, Holmes, is the fact that he knows just how to go about showing it.
It's not what a man has done, but a man can make you think he has done, that truly matters.
Learn the art of showing what you know... without making it obvious that you are insecure about yourself and are showing off to gain approval from others.
This is key. , You may be wondering how you can have your own style and also copy what Sherlock wears.
That's easy.
Sherlock wears mostly darker colours, a dark scarf, long, dark coat, etc.
But if you want to sort of make it your own, then you can maybe throw in a signature colour or accessory that's outside of Sherlock's wardrobe.
Or you can just copy exactly what Sherlock wears. -
Step 3: Filter out unnecessary information.
-
Step 4: Study forensic science.
-
Step 5: Act smart.
-
Step 6: Respond quickly.
-
Step 7: Appear neutral at all times.
-
Step 8: Don't show any signs of caring too much.
-
Step 9: Show people what you know.
-
Step 10: Have your own sense of style.
Detailed Guide
While Sherlock Holmes is a lot of things, he is nothing without his mind (the rest is merely appendix).
If you are going to be Sherlock Holmes, you're going to need an IQ roughly over twice your height in inches, and you're going to need to know how to use this intellect.
It's all well and fair to be smart, but being intelligent (that is, the ability to process information, not just random factoids you've kept around for no reason) is key.
But don't worry, you can build this up... it simply takes practice.
The brain is a muscle: exercise it.
Notice small details, because those all lead to the bigger picture.
Details are what tie together people's lives.
So, if you want to have a little fun with it, maybe bring up the question of "How's your dog?" to a person who you noticed has obvious dog hairs left on their clothing. (This only works the way you want it if you haven't ever been to this person's house, because then it just seems like you genuinely want to know about how their dog is doing since you've actually seen the dog.) The other half of Holmes' utter genius (apart from actually being a genius) is his ability to pick up details, and then transpose fact into conjecture, using the science of deduction.
Learn to spot these details which become facts, and use intellect to narrow down possible causes until you've extrapolated something about that person which you didn't previously know. , Some may think that mostly all information is necessary but Sherlock would disagree.
He needs room for the important stuff, so he "deletes" or "filters out" the rest.
So if someone is talking to you, you can listen but you don't have to remember every. single. thing. they say to you.
Remember:
Leave room for the important things.
Remember only that which matters. , If you really want to be a hardcore clone to Sherlock, then look into that.
But basically it's a study of information from the past that ties together a crime that took place.
That's the field that Sherlock studied so that's a big part of "being like Sherlock".
The subject is fascinating.
Acquire some chemistry lab supplies, or access, and of course some knowledge of chemistry.
Chemistry is utterly important to Holmes, and now especially in this day and age when chemistry can be used to analyze blood, soil, pollen, et cetera, it is imperative to have an excellent grasp of all things chemical, to aid in you in crime solving. , This is as simple as it sounds.
It works in literally any case scenario, even in group discussions.
Act like the smartest person in the room.
People will either admire you or flat out hate you.
If this sounds like the life you want, then go for it.
Use sophisticated sounding responses and big words all in a monotone voice and you're guaranteed to sound smart. , Sherlock's responses are always fast yet perfect, because he tends to add a tad of his personality into every one of them.
They're usually all in a monotone voice, so showing hardly any emotion in conversations is kind of his style. , Avoid extreme facial expressions.
You don't necessarily need to keep a poker face 24/7, just maybe... 23/7? Keeping a poker face most of the time causes people to actually want to get a reaction out of you.
It keeps them guessing.
It makes you unreadable.
Plus, when you finally do act surprised or shocked, it balances out the blank expressions and highlights the fact that you are, overall, confident in the way you think.
Therefore, making you seem smarter.
And so you can easily perpetuate the illusion. , This may sound apathetic and uninvolved and that's because it is.
Sherlock hardly takes consideration into people's lives unless it is dire.
So maybe use phrases such as "I see"
"That's nice"
"Splendid"
but all with a touch of distraction––avoid appearing overly interested or enthusiastic.
This technique helps you to maintain a clinical distance from the subjects being studied, to avoid subjectivity which could spoil examination of the facts. , Being a genius and highly skilled is only half the fun.
The most important part, and what really makes Holmes, well, Holmes, is the fact that he knows just how to go about showing it.
It's not what a man has done, but a man can make you think he has done, that truly matters.
Learn the art of showing what you know... without making it obvious that you are insecure about yourself and are showing off to gain approval from others.
This is key. , You may be wondering how you can have your own style and also copy what Sherlock wears.
That's easy.
Sherlock wears mostly darker colours, a dark scarf, long, dark coat, etc.
But if you want to sort of make it your own, then you can maybe throw in a signature colour or accessory that's outside of Sherlock's wardrobe.
Or you can just copy exactly what Sherlock wears.
About the Author
Sharon Lee
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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