Before you sell yourself short, think twice. Despite what they say, you are smarter than people think. There are signs that prove this.
Did you ever consider that you are smarter than people think? You could actually be smarter than you give yourself credit for as well.
Those who are truly intelligent are the ones who question themselves. The ones who think they know it all, on the other hand, never stop to ask many questions, now do they?
You are smarter than people think
It’s an inner struggle, a torment that makes us question our own intellect. And with these questions, we stay quiet, afraid to share knowledge and offer insight.
Some of us will never speak up because we fear looking dumb. Chances are, we probably aren’t dumb at all. Guess what? You actually may be much smarter than you think.
Some people may see you as ordinary or average. They may even assume your IQ isn’t all that high. But here are a few signs that you are smarter than people think you are.
1. You’re curious
When you think of the word “curious”, you probably think about someone asking loads of questions, being nosey, or listening to conversations. Just because you want to know things doesn’t always mean you’re getting into other people’s business.
No, curious people do this, and it doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent. It means the opposite. Curiosity is the mind seeking more information. Sometimes you genuinely crave learning new things. And while there are nosey people who are up to no good, not all curious people fall into this category.
2. You’re rather introverted
There’s this misconception that introverted people may not be that intelligent. Well, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, introverts feel confident doing many things on their own. This includes eating alone at restaurants, reading at home, and just sitting in silence.
Unlike many others who cram their schedules to always be around people, introverts feel just fine with free time. So, if you are introverted and you love being alone, you’re probably pretty intelligent.
3. High level of self-awareness
How aware of yourself are you? I mean, obviously, you exist, but that’s not what I mean. Self-awareness is the ability to understand your strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and motivations. If you have a strong sense of who you are, then you are aware of your intellectual limitations.
This makes you humble, and, thus, smarter. However, others may not be so aware of how smart you really are, and that’s okay. This is also a strength.
4. You do not mind ambiguity
Not everything has a clear answer, and this drives most people crazy. Yes, for the most part, we want to know how to do something and want all the details. But the most intelligent of us can deal with ambiguity and explore creativity within this state of being.
Let’s say you are at work and you receive vague details about a task that needs to be done. Do you panic, or do you simply figure it out on your own? If you can pivot well in your unsure circumstances and still be at peace, you are smarter than people think.
5. You don’t follow trends
While it may seem smart to keep up with the latest trends, it really doesn’t gauge your intelligence. Even though influencers make large amounts of money doing this, it still doesn’t make them more intelligent. In fact, setting trends is more of an indicator of smarts than following them.
If the skinny jeans craze did not impress you or you never felt pressured to wear pearls last year, then you feel comfortable being yourself. That’s my take on that, anyway. You will find that the most intelligent people gravitate toward more classic styles and fashions when they aren’t creating their own.
6. You’re open-minded
Being set in your ways may seem honorable. And yes, this has been me many times. However, being more open-minded equals a healthier brain.
You are smarter than people think when you can see various perspectives and have a high tolerance for differences. You are able to consider other ideas that starkly contrast your own, and these ideas do not offend you, either.
7. You’re a cat person
This one may be a bit questionable, but it’s a common assumption. It seems that more introverted people have cats as pets, while more extroverted people prefer dogs. And what have we learned about introverts?
Well, considering introverts tend to be quite intelligent, this makes complete sense. Is it true? Do cat people possess more intelligence?
After surveying over 600 college students, researchers found feline lovers score higher on intelligence tests. They analyzed results in the Association for Psychological Science. Researchers also found that cat owners are more open-minded and introverted.
8. You’re messy
Neatness doesn’t always equal intelligence. I’m sure this has been an assumption before. If you’re messy or disorganized, it’s possible that you’re smarter than people think. You see, when you’re focusing on tasks; you realize that neatness is not a top priority.
Take Einstein, for instance. In those pictures of him, you can clearly see a highly unorganized desk and surroundings. So, don’t be too hard on yourself for falling behind on organizing. It could be that your intellect is working full force.
9. You are funny
People who are smart tend to have a great sense of humor. They can come up with jokes quickly and easily make others laugh. Sometimes they don’t even have to think of a joke. They just say the first thing that comes to mind, and many times, it’s hilarious.
Even though you may be an introvert, you still have an ingrained sense of good verbal communication, which is odd. With this verbal communication ability, you are naturally funny, and you are smarter than people think.
10. You’re intuitive
Intuition can sometimes be more powerful than other forms of intellect. The ability to know something doesn’t feel right is a great survival tactic. If you have great intuition, you’re more in tune with the emotions of others around you.
This also means you can help people quickly and form strong relationships with others. Even if you aren’t really a people person, your intuition will push you to help when it’s needed.
Intelligence isn’t always obvious
There are many people in this world who profess to be highly intelligent. Unfortunately, some of these people are quite the opposite. You will know them by their inability to say, “I don’t know”. It’s true. Being able to admit that you don’t know something is much more intelligent than pretending that you do.
So, remember this: You are smarter than people think. Never let them convince you otherwise. Always be willing to learn new things and continue to be open-minded. If others cannot see your intellect, then that’s your secret weapon. Let them keep wondering.
