The Science Of Smart People: 10 Simple Traits Of People Who Outperform Everyone Else
SHOTPRIME | Canva What does it mean to be smart? A smart person is simply someone knowledgeable in one or more areas. When we think of smart people, we normally picture those who excel academically, like valedictorians or STEM prodigies.
But there are different types of "smart," and no one should feel inferior if they weren't a straight-A student. When it comes to how to be smart, or improve your intelligence, know that this can be displayed in many different ways, including through music, nature, and even interpersonal relationships.
Intelligent people are often underestimated or dismissed. Little comments like "they're a know-it-all" or "they're so intense" are subtle digs at a person's confidence in their own abilities. Sometimes, smart people even feel the need to downplay their intelligence to fit in or avoid making others uncomfortable.
But here's the truth: being intelligent is attractive. It's what allows us to innovate, create change, and excel in whatever areas we choose. And that is something worth celebrating. Being smart has nothing to do with anyone else's approval. It's about deciding to apply what you know to reach your goals. Embrace your intelligence, because it's something that is uniquely yours.
Here are 10 simple traits of people who outperform everyone else:
1. They are self-aware
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With intelligence comes self-awareness. Smart people are aware of their goals and the areas in which they need to improve. Their intelligence allows them to see things for what they truly are. Research from Cornell University found that high self-awareness was actually the strongest predictor of overall success, beating out other leadership qualities. Truly smart people are skilled at recognizing their strengths and maximizing them while also acknowledging their weaknesses and finding ways to compensate. It's this honest internal audit that separates those who simply have potential from those who actually realize it.
2. They are ambitious
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Smart individuals have plans and goals, and they'll accomplish them no matter what anyone says. They're clever enough to know that to achieve anything, they have to be motivated to do so, and their drive speaks to their intelligence.
Research on achievement motivation backs this up: Students who have a drive to succeed tend to maintain better grades, enjoy school and academic challenges more, and show greater persistence than students with lower motivation. Even more interesting, the combination of high cognitive ability and drive is significantly associated with early career success.
3. They're confident
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Smart people are aware of their intelligence, so this translates into their work ethic. They trust themselves to do well and don't doubt their abilities. This is what allows them to be confident. According to an overview of more than 100 studies, belief in one's academic ability was the strongest single predictor of college students' academic achievement out of nine commonly researched factors.
A person with high belief in themselves views challenges as things that are supposed to be mastered rather than threats to avoid, and people who have a solid sense of self-esteem bounce back from failure and approach things in terms of how to handle them rather than worrying about what can go wrong.
4. They are visionaries
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People who see a problem are the ones who can make a change. They tend to be more in tune with injustices and inequalities. When they notice that something is unjust, they use their brain as a way to evoke change through executing a vision.
Research on visionary strategists found that visionary leaders may think at higher levels of abstraction, and this enables them to see bigger pictures and patterns that others miss. When someone notices an injustice or inefficiency that everyone else has accepted as normal, they've already taken the first step toward meaningful change.
5. They aren't afraid to speak up
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Smart individuals know that their voice is important, and they don’t shy away from speaking up. Their extent of being outspoken can range from speaking up to answer a question, all the way to presenting new ideas to their boss.
Research from the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that employees who consistently speak up with thoughtful ideas are viewed as more capable and worthy of promotion by both peers and managers. This is not to be confused with being the loudest person in the room, but about recognizing that your unique perspective has value — so share it.
6. They're adaptable
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In general, people understand that everything doesn't always go according to plan. The difference is that smart people plan for failure. Their back-up plan even has a back-up plan, so there's no room for backing down. They know change is inevitable, so they're always ready to roll with the punches.
7. They are curious
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The reason smart people know so much is that they ask questions. Their curiosity allows them to learn more because they're searching for an answer. Their curiosity is part of the reason why they're so smart.
Research from the University of Edinburgh, drawing on roughly 50,000 students, found that intellectual curiosity had just as strong an effect on academic performance as conscientiousness. When the researchers combined the effects of curiosity and effort, they rivaled the influence of raw intelligence itself.
8. They are realistically optimistic
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They're optimistic, but their head isn’t fully in the clouds. Smart individuals know it’s important to have dreams, and they make them a reality by breaking them down into steps so they’re more attainable. Pure positive thinking can actually work against you. What works better is what researchers call "mental contrasting," where you imagine a desired future and then reflect on the possible hurdles and difficulties you may face along the way. This grounds you and your goals in reality.
9. They're witty
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Smart people are really good with words. Not all smart individuals master humor, but they are great at using words to their advantage. And it goes far beyond just puns and sarcasm; they can change an entire situation when they speak.
The ability to make clever connections between ideas was the single best predictor of humor ability, with intelligence explaining a whopping 68 percent of the difference in how funny kids could be, a Turkish study found. People with a knack for humor have higher scores in both verbal and non-verbal intelligence, and also tend to be more even-tempered.
10. They treat their time as valuable
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Smart individuals value their time because they know you can't get it back when it's gone. Lots of people view time as money, and they take it seriously, prioritizing and delegating their time to make the most of it. A 2021 study found that time management has a moderate influence on job performance, academic achievement, and well-being. This confirms that treating time as a precious resource really does pay off across multiple areas of life.
The research also revealed that the link between time management and job performance seems to grow stronger over the years, possibly because today's more flexible jobs demand even better time management skills.
Tamara Sanon is a writer and editor with a passion for covering health and wellness, relationships, astrology, and lifestyle topics. Her bylines have appeared on Unwritten, NSM Today, and Orlando Weekly, among others.
