High-Level Thinkers Get Excited By 11 Things That Bore Average Minds
Lamorenitaestudio | Shutterstock Being extremely smart might sound enviable, it has its drawbacks. Often, you get excited by things that other people find boring or don't even understand.
That's why so many high-level thinkers lean into the activities that make them happy, no matter what average-minded people think. These examples are just a few of the hobbies that keep brilliant people learning.
Here are 11 things extremely smart people love that seem boring to everyone else
1. Reading complex texts or doing deep-dives into studies
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It's true that almost anyone can enjoy reading in some form, including audiobooks. However, extremely smart people don't limit themselves to novels or the occasional self-help book.
Instead, you can find them reading everything from dense research articles to instruction manuals. For them, it's all about better understanding the world around them.
The fact that reading boosts intelligence is not a secret, but extremely smart people seem to have taken this concept to the next level. Instead of sticking with things someone might read for enjoyment, they truly read to learn and have a good time doing so. For them, reading for pleasure is reading complex texts that broaden their knowledge.
2. Learning how complicated systems work
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It might bore other people out of their minds, but highly intelligent people love learning how things work, and the more complicated, the better. Whether this means taking something apart so they can see how to put it back together or doing intensive research, learning how something works satisfies a deep curiosity within them.
While the average person may never consider the actual machinations of something, it's natural for high-level thinkers to want to know more about all sorts of things. It all feeds into their love of learning and understanding the world around them.
3. Taking classes, even ones they don't need for school
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Like reading, many people who have more average minds do enjoy school. However, no one loves going to class quite like the extremely smart.
They live to learn and expand their minds, which is what school is all about. The thought of going to one place almost daily where they can be instructed in a variety of subjects is basically a dream come true.
However, there is a flip side to this coin. Some extremely smart students actually struggle in school or find themselves feeling bored with the curriculum because they are so far ahead of the curve. They're just not at the same level as their classmates and can learn at a much faster pace. There's also the possibility that they don't do as well on tests or other graded assignments despite being geniuses.
This is typically where gifted programs come in. According to the National Association for Gifted Children, highly gifted students need programs that will challenge them in regular classroom settings, along with accelerated and enrichment programs to make continuous progress in school.
For adults high-level thinkers, taking foreign language courses or even auto mechanics and other practical skills can keep life fun and exciting.
4. Solving math problems
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Solving math problems is not exactly the average person's idea of a good time, especially once they are out of school and don't have to do so anymore to complete their assignments. But high-level thinkers relish any opportunity to flex their brain cells, so to speak.
There is a satisfaction that comes with solving a complex math problem that extremely smart people just love. It's even better when that equation solves a real-world problem and not just a theoretical one.
Education resource provider 98th Percentile explained that math is not just about solving problems, but also involves creativity. By looking beyond the numbers for real-world examples and even using games or puzzles, math transforms from something that can be frustrating into something that is enjoyable.
Math isn't a burden for high-level thinkers or just something to check off their to-do list. Instead, it is a fun and engaging activity. They might even be less likely to pull out a calculator because they know they can solve the problem themselves and even have a bit of fun doing so.
5. Learning a new language
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Lots of people try to learn a new language, but extremely smart people stick with it and truly enjoy it.
They don't just want to learn the basics to get through a class. Instead, they want to immerse themselves in the words and culture and become fluent. They see learning a new language as a window to truly understanding a different group of people better and seeing life through their eyes.
Language-learning service Babbel surveyed 5,000 of their users to see what their motivations for learning a new language were. Among the top three responses was genuine interest in the language and a desire to remain mentally sharp.
Based on these results, many people who learn a new language do it just because they have an interest in doing so. This could certainly be true for extremely smart people, who want to broaden their horizons and sharpen their minds. Some people just want to learn a language for the fun of it.
6. Playing difficult games or solving hard puzzles
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Pretty much anyone can enjoys putting a puzzle together or sending their Wordle score to friends. But what about a chess tournament, or the highest level of Pips or another complex math puzzle? Those aren't usually associated with a laidback game night, but high-level thinkers take the opportunity to let their brains focus on just one thing and be quiet in all the other ways.
A study from Michigan State University found that a propensity for chess is actually linked to intelligence. Instead of chess skills coming from plenty of time spent carefully practicing, it turns out that people who are good at the game might just be smarter.
7. Good-natured debate
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Most people either avoid debating others at all costs, or they debate far too frequently, and for very shallow or unhealthy reasons.
High-level thinkers know the value of debating in a healthy way, and only do it when everyone is enjoying it or when there's a much higher purpose. For them, it's not about winning an argument, it's about hearing opposing viewpoints and learning from one another.
The Stanford National Forensic Institute shared that debating is not just good for students, but for people in any stage of life. "Debaters flex their analytical muscles, learning to find the weak points in opponents' arguments," they said. "They learn to explain their own ideas and assess different viewpoints, whether in a debate round, a political discussion, a classroom or a written essay."
Highly intelligent people know that they'll never expand their knowledge if they just stick with their own views, and debating enriches their lives.
8. Doing deep-dives into history
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You don't have to be highly intelligent to be a history buff, but these super IQ people are more likely to find random facts and tidbits interesting. Then, they dive deep into history to find their origin or the true story behind them.
Learning about history is about much more than collecting interesting factoids one can mention at dinner parties, though. History is something we can learn from, not just about. Seeing how someone else lived in a different era and understanding the choices they made can help us make better informed decisions now and avoid repeating past mistakes.
High-level thinkers know the value of this and won't let that opportunity pass them by.
9. Writing computer code
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Coding isn't something you like just a little bit. You either love doing it or you hate it (or have no interest in finding out if you hate it!).
The people in the former category have a tendency to be extremely smart. These people have a desire to learn about technology and be an active part of its advancements. They recognize how invaluable technology is and they want to be on the cutting edge.
Coding is also something that's hard to truly master. There's always a new problem to be solved, an new challenge to overcome. Some of these people become "hackers for good", helping protect people by planning ahead for ways bad people will get into their private accounts and systems.
High-level thinkers love a challenge that offers endless opportunities to grow and improve, which is why so many of the learn and practice coding.
10. Obsessively following the stock market
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Many would shudder at the very mention of the stock market. Even extremely wealthy people prefer to hand their portfolios over to a certified fiduciary than try to figure out what in the heck is happening.
There are so many numbers, abbreviations and symbols that don't make a lot of sense to the average person, not to mention all of the trends that make those numbers go up and down. High-level thinkers aren't intimidated, they're inspired. It's just another fascinating thing to learn, even if they never invest (or only invest a little).
While this may sound overwhelming to some, and they would think it's easier to just forgo it entirely, extremely smart people see the stock market as a chance to learn more about the economy and increase their financial literacy. They enjoy having the opportunity to be a part of something so big and complex.
11. Trivia games
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We all know someone who loves Trivial Pursuit, competing in a trivia league or even just shouting answers at the TV while "Jeopardy!" is on, extremely smart people love to participate in any situation that involves trivia.
This isn't just a chance for them to flex their impressive knowledge. But even more than that, it's just genuinely fun for them to draw on everything they know to play a game that's fun for them. Even better, they learn from each trivia experience exactly how much they still have to learn.
There is some debate over whether being good at trivia really does mean one is conventionally smart. As GQ writer Jaya Saxena said, "We all know something about something. We all have one area where we feel we know too much, and when that question comes, we finally get our moment to prove ourselves. For a moment, we're useful."
Regardless of what type of intelligence your trivia-loving friends have, it's a sign they're curious, which is one of the best traits to have.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
