Highly Intelligent People Have 11 Daily Habits Average Thinkers Prefer To Avoid
Noland Live | Pexels Most people would admit to wishing they had a higher IQ. And while it may seem like there are endless upsides to being intelligent, average thinkers don't see it that way. In fact, they actively avoid the habits of intelligent people at all costs, seeing their routines as unfulfilling.
As psychology educator Kendra Cherry noted, "High-IQ people are flexible and willing to try new things, and explore different ways of approaching a problem." This kind of flexibility may not be something that comes naturally to the average person, and may even make them uncomfortable.
Average thinkers avoid these habits that highly intelligent people have
1. Reading things that are hard to understand
fizkes | Shutterstock
Anyone can enjoy reading something that makes them think. Highly intelligent people take this to the next level, though. They'll opt for really challenging reads, whether it's a book that causes them to think or even a research article in an academic journal.
Best-selling author Peter Economy shared his thoughts on the link between reading and intelligence. "Reading boosts our ability to understand new concepts — such as when one encounters a scenario, setting or people they haven't yet had exposure to — and our capacity to incorporate these new ideas in our existing everyday lives," he explained.
By reading something that's a bit more difficult to comprehend, these smart people are expanding their minds. Instead of just reading for enjoyment, they're making the active choice to learn on a near-daily basis. But for average thinkers, they'd prefer to read something not as challenging.
2. Debating others
Pormezz | Shutterstock
A lot of people would probably say that they prefer to stay out of arguments. But for very intelligent people, a debate isn't the same thing as an argument.
They understand the value in hearing opposing viewpoints and remaining open-minded. They would never want to just stick to what they know because it's easier, when there are better views out there.
While debates can happen between anyone in everyday life, they're a particularly present part of life for students. According to the American Debate League, students who participate in debates are more likely to graduate and excel more in school when they reach the college level.
Average thinkers, on the other hand, don't want to dig as deep. They may also be stuck in their ways and unwilling to budge by hearing another opinion that goes against their beliefs.
3. Spending time alone to solve problems
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock
Spending time in solitude and silence isn't the average person's idea of a good time. But for intellectuals, it's essential.
When they have a problem they want to work through or something they need to devote real thought to, they're likely to spend time on their own. This doesn't mean they're lonely, though. They're just making the most of their alone time and using it to their advantage.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Lori Lawrenz explained that not spending time alone can actually be detrimental to your mental and physical health. Not only that, but it can also have a negative effect on productivity and performance, especially for creative people.
Alone time may feel uncomfortable to normal people who are used to always being around others, but high-IQ folks want to be alone so they can work through complex problems. Someone with that much intelligence is bound to have a lot going through their mind, and trying to work through it with the help of someone else isn't always best.
4. Reconsidering their own beliefs
fizkes | Shutterstock
The average person takes no pride in questioning what they believe in. After all, who wants to face the possibility that their deeply held beliefs might be wrong? But for highly intelligent people, it's a daily habit.
They find it necessary to constantly take stock of their own beliefs and possibly reconsider and question them. It's important to them to know what's right, even if it doesn't line up with their own opinions.
According to psychotherapist Denise Fournier, this all comes back to confirmation bias. "Whatever we believe about ourselves, other people, the world and life in general shapes what we see," she revealed. "And it gets trickier. According to the psychological principle of confirmation bias, we are skewed to notice things that confirm our beliefs and ignore things that contradict them."
This means that it takes work to truly question your beliefs. We're all hardwired to pick up on the things that confirm what we already believe to be true, but smart people are willing to put in the effort it takes to wonder if they're wrong.
5. Mastering their skills
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock
It's easy to think that once you're good enough at something, that's all you need to worry about. You don't have to truly master a skill when you can just perform it adequately and move on to the next thing.
But for intelligent people, they understand the value of actually mastering something and working to get better at it, even though they might have reached a point of being acceptable. They don't just want to be passable, they want to be the best.
As psychology researcher Alice Boyes pointed out, there are two facets to this. "When you're both a fast and deep learner, that's a combination that can help you achieve phenomenal success," she revealed. "Being a master learner isn't just about learning fast. That will tend to only make you a good technician. When you're a deep learner, that will open up worlds of creativity, innovation and profound personal growth and satisfaction."
6. Learning from mistakes
TetianaKtv | Shutterstock
The easiest thing to do when you make a mistake is to ignore it. That's exactly what the average person likely does. After all, no one likes to shine a spotlight on their failures.
But for highly intelligent people, they truly understand that there is much to be learned from the times things didn't go according to plan. Mistakes are like personal workshops for improving and becoming a better person.
"It's not the end of the world if you mess up, as long as you learn from your mistakes and don't make the same ones repeatedly," leadership coach Dede Henley explained.
People like this know the value of focusing on their mistakes so they can learn from them. Avoiding them doesn't do anything except stuff down feelings of shame, and that's not what they want.
7. Being unafraid to ask questions
Ruslan Shugushev | Shutterstock
Some people are afraid of asking questions because they think it will make them look too needy or nosy. But very smart people know there's no way to continue learning without actually inquiring about a subject and pushing to learn as much as possible.
Asking questions is valuable. It's a way to learn more and develop deeper intelligence. Intelligent folks understand that asking questions is the only way to deepen their knowledge. It's not a sign of weakness, it just shows that they care and want to know more.
8. Delaying instant gratification
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
We're used to getting exactly what we want, when we want it. You can type a question into an internet search engine and get results in seconds. Whatever you want to watch or listen to is available with just a few taps.
While average thinkers are all about instant gratification, highly intelligent folks make it a daily habit to avoid it. They realize there's power in waiting for something, rather than getting it right away. In fact, people who give into delayed gratification have good emotional regulation skills and make better decisions.
Not getting what you want immediately can lead to getting something even better in the long run. Smart folks understand this and are willing to do what it takes to get there.
9. Embracing boredom
Pheelings media | Shutterstock
There are so many things that compete for our attention and can distract us, and normal people tend to give into them. They're unable to sit with their boredom, even for a short period of time. But the same can't be said for smart people. To them, boredom can lead to some of the most powerful breakthroughs.
Taking some time to actually be bored and let your mind wander can cause amazing things to happen. People usually aren't bored when they're in the middle of something big that requires a lot of brain power. While this may seem preferable because it means there's no boredom, it does take up a lot of energy.
By constantly moving from one thing to another, you're not giving your brain any time to do this, which means there's no chance for it to process what it's been through. In other words, everyone needs to be bored from time to time.
10. Questioning the status quo
GalacticDreamer | Shutterstock
Average thinkers don't typically question the status quo. Instead, they just stick to it. Whatever everyone else is doing is what they go along with. They may even claim that going against the grain is above their paygrade. On the other hand, highly intelligent people regularly question the way in which society is working and wonder how it could become better.
"Challenging the status quo is a critical component of continuous improvement," experts from the University of Virginia explained. "It starts with recognizing that the way something has 'always [been] done' may not be the best approach for the future, even if it made perfect sense for 'x' years."
11. Reflecting before reacting
fizkes | Shutterstock
Some people don't stop to think. They just act without truly thinking it through and considering the consequences. While average people won't take the time to stop and reflect, high-IQ folks do it daily. They truly think about the impact their words and actions have on others.
It's always a good idea to give serious thought to what you're going to do or say next. Intellectuals understand this and live it out in their everyday lives and daily habits. Meanwhile, average thinkers would rather just get through interactions quickly, and think the best way to do that is to not really give much thought to what they say and do.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
