People Who Are Legitimate Geniuses Usually Have These 11 Strange Habits
The most unexpected habits can be the ones that reflect intelligence the most.
AboutLife - Raev Denis / Shutterstock People who are legitimate geniuses usually have some strange habits that are often misunderstood or looked down on by others. While they may seem unusual, these habits are a direct result of the way their high-powered brains function, contributing to their profound knowledge and creativity.
Many of these habits seem as though they should actually make it more difficult for their brains to function effectively, but instead, they create space for ideas to flourish and for deep, outside-the-box thinking to occur.
People who are legitimate geniuses usually have these 11 strange habits
1. They enjoy being a night owl
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Someone who is legitimately a genius will typically stay up very late often. By being a night owl, they can increase their creativity and productivity in a quiet environment free from distractions.
A study from Imperial College London found that those who are more active throughout the evening tend to score higher on cognitive tests than those who are more productive in the morning. Ideally, individuals who sleep anywhere from seven to nine hours a night have the best brain function, while those who sleep more or less may struggle to function at their optimal capability.
2. They keep a cluttered workspace
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Legitimately intelligent people will typically work in a cluttered and messy environment. These individuals are more concerned with engaging in deep thinking and creativity than with maintaining tidiness.
Additionally, from an outsider’s perspective, their workspace may appear disorganized, but geniuses often thrive in a cluttered environment. They are aware of where things are, even if it seems impossible that they do. This clutter is conducive to helping their brain think differently.
“Those working in messy rooms came up with more original and unconventional ideas than those in tidy ones. This might be because mess helps to disrupt routine patterns. When your environment is in slight disarray, your brain doesn’t necessarily feel pressure to color inside the lines,” explains Calm, a platform dedicated to increasing the overall well-being of individuals.
3. They talk to themselves
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A person who is a genius will likely talk to themselves often. Talking to themselves allows them to verbalize their thoughts and vocalize any issues or problems that they are trying to solve.
A research paper published by the National Library of Medicine mentions that, “The self-talk we engage in may be overt or covert, and is associated with a variety of higher mental functions, including reasoning, problem solving, planning and plan execution, attention, and motivation.”
When a person actively practices self-talk, they are able to organize their thoughts, which will help their brain to function at a higher level.
4. They take unusually long pauses before speaking
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Legitimate geniuses will typically take unusually long pauses before they speak when having a conversation with someone. While this may seem like their mind is working more slowly, it is actually a sign that they are thinking at a higher cognitive rate.
Their brains are at work curating the most precise response to what has been said to them. They are taking this pause to deeply consider the conversation and take in all the information that they need to mentally filter their thoughts and generate a response.
5. They dislike small talk
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Someone who is a legitimate genius will likely dislike small talk. These people usually prefer to have deep and meaningful conversations that go way beyond just the everyday small talk. They require greater mental stimulation.
Highly intelligent individuals understand that small talk makes it very difficult to actually form a deep connection with another person. They realize that deeper conversations would actually feel less awkward than small talk and would result in both people feeling happier and more heard. Due to this, they tend to have conversations that do not leave them feeling mentally fatigued but instead increase their dopamine and stimulate their brain.
6. They often look like they're daydreaming
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People who are legitimate geniuses will often appear to be daydreaming. While it may look like they are lost and probably have nothing going on in their mind that is productive, their brains are actually being highly efficient in these moments.
A person with an efficient mind can afford to let their mind wander due to the spare capacity within their brain. While allowing it to wander, they can be more creative and effectively multitask by focusing on their task at hand while also developing other ideas in the background.
7. They question everything
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People who are legitimate geniuses have a deep desire for intellectual stimulation and typically possess a deep curiosity about everything. This causes them to question everything.
These individuals are also not afraid to ask even the simplest of questions, despite already having such vast knowledge. They understand that the only way they can truly grow their knowledge is by asking questions and not being concerned with how it makes them appear in the moment. They are more concerned with the positive impact it will have on their mind in the long run.
8. They are forgetful
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While it may be hard to believe, individuals who are especially forgetful are often super intelligent. Although it may seem like a negative habit to be forgetful about certain things, those who forget details actually have great memories.
Their brain and memory are functioning in a way that prioritizes information that is actually being used and is needed. If they held on to all of the extra information that blocks their ability to remember more significant details, they would find themselves struggling to focus and make decisions. Forgetting things is actually beneficial for helping the brain function properly and building intelligence.
9. They enjoy spending time alone
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Highly intelligent people tend to thrive when spending time alone. They use this solitude as an opportunity to be productive, take a mental break from social overload, and promote their intellectual stimulation.
As deep thinkers who spend a lot of time reflecting, intelligent individuals also use their time alone to develop a better understanding of themselves through self-reflection. They would rather spend alone time devoting themselves to these things than seeking external validation and participating in interactions that lack substance and deep meaning.
10. They learn unusual skills
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Someone who is a legitimate genius usually has a deep passion for learning. They will want to fill their time learning new skills and developing themselves in rare and valuable ways.
These people usually stay very true to themselves and are not afraid to do things that are out of the norm. Their independent way of thinking and their longing for intellectual stimulation drive them to develop a habit of learning unusual skills.
11. They overthink
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A person who is quietly a genius will typically overthink a lot. Their intelligence enables them to analyze situations from multiple angles and in a nuanced manner, causing one to think deeply about things.
This is actually a habit that many intelligent people have, which does not always benefit them. Allowing themselves to overthink too often can make it difficult for them to be decisive, it can hinder their ability to move on from certain things, and make them create too high standards for themselves and others. While not all geniuses will find themselves developing these habits, they are typical for brilliant people to do, and despite how odd or unexpected they may seem, they can greatly impact the mind.
Kamryn Idol is a writer with a bachelor's degree in media and journalism who covers lifestyle, relationship, family, and wellness topics.
