If These 11 Habits Drive You Crazy, You’re Probably More Intelligent Than Most People
ShotPrime Studio / Shutterstock There are definitely situations that would make anyone feel frustrated, but if certain habits drive you absolutely crazy, you're probably more intelligent than most people you know. Even if you would normally consider yourself a relatively patient person, you might not be able to control how irritated you get the moment someone interrupts you or if they leave things a mess after you've taken the time to tidy up.
While some people assume anger is a destructive emotion, that's not always the case. When something bugs you more than it seems it should, it could be because of how tuned in your mind is to small details.
If these 11 habits drive you crazy, you're probably more intelligent than most people
1. Spreading gossip
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Gossip tends to just feel a bit tedious and even shallow at times for you. You're just someone who's more interested in having meaningful discussions than engaging in gossiping and tearing other people down. You're rooted in getting to the facts rather than playing a trivial game of telephone about the inner-workings of someone else's life.
"When we gossip, we are fertilizing our minds with toxicity and judgment. We are much more likely to scrutinize ourselves when we are busy scrutinizing others. We are significantly more susceptible to self-centered fear and the obsession that others are going to gossip about us," explained therapist Hannah Rose.
Idle gossip is just hard for intelligent people to really sit through. While most people enjoy gossiping with their friends, intelligent people question whether the information is even accurate in the first place. They would much rather engage in a conversation that matters to them than add fuel to the fire.
2. Complaining without taking action
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You might often find yourself frustrated by people who focus solely on the problem rather than seeking solutions. It's because your mind is wired to jump into problem-solving mode in the middle of any crisis. Whereas some people tend to harp on what has gone wrong rather than jump into what they can do to improve their situation.
"Complaining reinforces negativity; focus on proactive change for personal growth and well-being," said wellness expert Susanna Wu-Pong Calvert about taking action rather than complaining. "Shifting focus to personal contribution enhances life satisfaction and emotional resilience."
It's not that you're trying to make the other person feel bad by being as irritated as you are. It's just that you're someone who focuses more on progress than anything else. In your mind, it feels like wasted energy to complain rather than going out and fixing the issue in the first place. It just feels like a lack of accountability in your mind, which can be exhausting to listen to and be a part of.
3. Not keeping promises
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Broken commitments bother intelligent people immensely. If you're more intelligent than most people, you likely understand the importance of sticking to your word and making what you promised happen. You look for how consistent people can really be, because that's what shows their true colors. For most people, it might not even be a big deal.
"In fast-changing and uncertain situations, avoiding vague language in making commitments can prevent overpromising and becoming overwhelmed," encouraged Val Walker, MS.
Sure, it will annoy them in the moment, but they'll eventually get over it. It's not that you're holding a grudge, but it does warp your perception of someone and maybe even makes you question whether you can even trust them. Without trust, relationships tend to just fall apart. You don't tend to want to interact with someone who you don't think is reliable at all.
4. Never saying thank you
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Intelligent people can immediately spot a lack of gratitude. It drives them crazy when other people can't simply take the time to feel and show appreciation.
Smart individuals tend to be quite sensitive to fairness and don't like to see someone being taken advantage of. It doesn't take much effort to say those two words as well. It might be a tiny action, but it definitely has a huge impact. In your mind, it doesn't take much to let someone know just how much you appreciate their presence and efforts.
5. Never learning from mistakes
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If you are more intelligent than most people, your brain might not be able to comprehend why anyone wouldn't try to better themselves by learning from the mistakes they've made in their past. Smart people thrive on reflecting and growing, so repeated errors feel so frustrating to them. Learning from mistakes is just second nature for you. Your brain can immediately clock what has gone wrong and figure out the best way to move forward so that it never happens again.
You make sure to adjust your behavior accordingly after a mishap, so when someone is either incapable or unwilling to act the same way, you find it quite baffling. You would just rather not be dragged down by someone who can't learn from their mistakes. Things like that tend to have a ripple effect, you're well aware of. It can quickly become your problem when someone can't anticipate the consequences of their own actions.
6. Never returning borrowed items
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Intelligent people tend to value responsibility in others. You might be someone who doesn't tend to let it slide when people borrow an item of yours and then don't care enough to return it. In your mind, it's a blatant disregard for someone's personal things, and by extension, a sign of disrespect.
It just feels illogical to you that someone can't just write down a reminder in their phone to make sure they return something they've borrowed. It's equally frustrating because you know you would never have gotten into this habit in the first place. You're someone who cares deeply about treating other people's things with the same respect you give them.
7. Being easily distracted
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Intelligent people often can't help but feel like they're going crazy when they interact with someone who can't seem to focus their attention on a single thing. The people who get sidetracked the second they start a task or tend to drift off mid-conversation because something else has captured their attention.
Watching someone constantly lose focus like that can be so irritating because of how your brain works. You're naturally able to organize and prioritize what needs to be prioritized. You're not someone who gets easily distracted. Which just makes it hard not to get frustrated when it happens right in front of your face.
8. Not listening to instructions
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It's quite exhausting to be around people who can't seem to follow the clear steps of any process. These are the people who prefer to go with the flow rather than follow the instructions, which would help things move quickly and smoothly. Considering your brain is wired to notice patterns and follow them accordingly, it's a bit absurd to you when people just choose to do their own thing.
To you, following instructions isn't only a suggestion, but also an obvious step to ensure that things don't go haywire. You're never trying to cause any unnecessary stress in your life and in the lives of those around you.
9. Avoiding reading
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When someone dismisses the power of reading, it can't help but drive intelligent people crazy. Your brain is always hungry to learn more about any topic. Intelligent people see reading as a gift that shouldn't ever be taken for granted. So when people are so quick to disregard the power of a book and admit that they never read, it can grate on your nerves. There are also just so many benefits to reading, including improving your memory, expanding your vocabulary, and greatly improving your mental well-being.
It feels as if they're just getting in their own way by denying how much their lives will change from simply reading more books. It's one of the fastest ways for a person to improve their intelligence. Highly intelligent people notice this and can't help but feel irritated when others think reading is beneath them or even just a waste of time.
10. Not being able to handle constructive criticism
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There's something exhausting about dealing with people who habitually become defensive or make excuses when they receive gentle feedback. They immediately turn it into some kind of personal attack, even though the person giving them the feedback is only trying to help. There's no malice in their words at all.
"You can begin to work on thinking of criticism in a new way: like someone’s opinion, which may or may not be true, and may or may not be useful to you. You can realize that criticism is often a useful and valuable way to become a stronger and better person," explained psychologist Jonice Webb.
But rather than actually being able to self-reflect, they take it as a slight. Highly intelligent people can view constructive criticism as information rather than an insult. Your mind automatically can take emotion out of it. It's because you know that it's only being given to improve, and that's how they take it.
11. Talking over others in group settings
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There's nothing that annoys you more than trying to share your thoughts only to be immediately shut down by someone talking over you. Being someone of high intelligence means you're all about paying attention to the ideas others share in a group setting. You simply find it disrespectful when others can't extend that same grace when you're talking.
"People tend to over-talk when they’re hungry for attention and validation. Interrupt with compassion," said psychology expert Gregg Levoy. "Avoidance and excuses may get you out of over-talking situations, but don’t solve the deeper issue — self-care."
The interruption also just disrupts the flow that you're in. The thought that you were carefully forming usually ends up leaving your mind the instant that someone starts speaking over you. It's also just not how a conversation should transpire. It's about taking turns and actively listening to the person who's talking.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
