11 Strange Signs Of A Super Smart Person Who Thinks Faster Than They Speak
They've already thought out your entire conversation in their head, but they haven't had time to say any of it.
Max4e Photo / Shutterstock Not all signs of intelligence are obvious, and some of the brightest minds exhibit behaviors that seem quirky, awkward, or downright strange to the casual observer. One of the most fascinating traits of a highly intelligent person is the tendency to think significantly faster than they can articulate their thoughts. This can lead to unexpected gaffes during conversations or shifting to other topics without warning.
These quirks are proof that their mind is working at a rapid speed and that they need to slow down so that their mouth can catch up. While people may think that they are distracted or zoning out, what is actually happening is that they are thinking too fast before they speak. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Here are 11 strange signs of a super smart person who thinks faster than they speak
1. Pausing mid-sentence to rephrase what they are saying
Amnaj Khetsamtip | Shutterstock
A super smart person will pause mid-sentence, not because they lost their train of thought, but because they are mentally rephrasing what they just said in real time. Their brains are several steps ahead of their mouth. Pauses help people understand what is being said. According to research, when speakers pause between parts of a sentence, listeners understand and remember the information better, but if the pause happens in the middle of the phrase, it makes it harder to understand.
These mid-sentence pauses are a clue that the speaker values precision over time. They want to get the right information out rather than blurt out half-formed ideas. To onlookers, this behavior can be seen as hesitation, but it is actually the opposite. This is someone who is aware of how their words land and is carefully calibrating their message.
2. Struggling to find the right words
fizkes | Shutterstock
Some of the most intelligent people have a difficult time articulating themselves because their minds are juggling several complex ideas at once. It's natural for someone to mess up what they are trying to say out of nervousness or because they are speaking quickly. According to a study published in Child Development, people don't speak faster because their mouth moves quicker, but because their brain and language skills get better as they age.
That's right, the older you get, the less you'll struggle to find the right words. This takes the pressure off you, and you will feel more at ease when speaking to others. It's like the older you get, the less you care about tiptoeing around someone else's feelings and begin to confidently enforce how you really feel to others. Finding the right words just comes naturally to you.
3. Finishing other people's sentences
Rawpixel.com | Shutterstock
A fascinating trait of a super smart individual is their ability to finish your sentences. It might seem supernatural, but it actually has to do with pattern recognition in speech and their basic knowledge of vocabulary. According to a study published by PNAS, when participants heard incomplete sentences, their hippocampus showed activity similar to when they were recalling information. This suggests that our brains use stored knowledge to predict and complete sentences during conversations.
People who think faster than they speak have already had the conversation between the two of you in their head. They are just now vocalizing it. To you, it might seem odd how they knew, but to them, it may seem like they are repeating an exchange they just had in their head with you a couple of minutes ago. This is their brain working overtime, and it can be scary to people who may think something mystical is occurring.
4. Has an inconsistent speaking pace
pics five | Shutterstock
People who think faster than they speak frequently juggle multiple ideas, which can cause them to speak at an inconsistent pace. Sometimes they'll speak too slow or super quickly, depending on the topic the two of you are discussing. It may seem like a flaw in communication, but what they are really doing is mental agility between their thoughts and the topic.
The change of tempo is obvious when they are talking about topics that interest them versus topics that they don't really know much about. Intelligent people don't know everything, so when they stumble across a topic that they are unaware of, they immediately want to research it some more. This will allow them to weigh in on different angles of a concept and break it down even further at their own pace.
5. Making unexpected analogies
SG SHOT | Shutterstock
People who think faster than they speak tend to surprise others with the analogies that they create. These analogies make you think by weaving connections between unrelated things together in a way that reveals deep and esoteric thinking. Smart people do this to keep the conversation lively and interesting.
Our ability to do this lies in how we choose to pay attention. A study published in Neuroscience Bulletin found that training people to better control their attention spans could help them get better at problem-solving and analogical reasoning. This could involve spotting similarities between things. Listeners are often in awe and take what they say as bits of wisdom.
6. Talking to themselves
Hitdelight | Shutterstock
Talking to oneself is not a sign of insanity, but a signal that an individual has high intelligence. This is often a result of our minds racing with so many thoughts that they spill over out loud. Speaking aloud helps you process the information that was given to you. It also allows you to rehearse a conversation in your head before you have that discussion or argument.
For fast thinkers, inner monologues are sometimes not enough, so they begin to say them aloud. It's giving their ideas or frustrations room to breathe. This kind of self-directed dialogue emerges in private settings, like when they drive, walk, or clean their homes. Speaking to yourself is about sharpening focus and letting off some steam.
7. Laughing before the punchline
Peopleimages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock
When telling jokes, a smart person might laugh before they've reached their punchline, because they have already anticipated the joke or seen the humor in a new way. This quick mental thinking doesn't just show up in their wit. They may do this with other aspects of their lives, like trying to problem-solve. Their thoughts race through multiple different possibilities and outcomes before anyone else gets the chance to speak.
This can make them feel out of sync socially and may make others seem odd. There's also the other end of it, which is laughing at someone else's joke before they finish it because you already know what the joke will be. This is rare, but it does happen, and those who have this ability are truly smart people.
8. Unusual sleep patterns
Pormezz | Shutterstock
Many super smart people have unusual sleep patterns due to their minds constantly being active, even if they should be resting. This mental hyperactivity can make it difficult for them to fall asleep at a regular time. People who slept nine hours or more had lower global cognitive function, memory, and flexibility compared to those who slept seven to eight hours.
These irregular periods of sleep can cause all sorts of physical and mental health problems. Without proper rest, the body and brain don't have enough time to fully recover. The way they solve this is by creating certain schedules and bedtime routines to help them relax. Some even read to force themselves to go to bed.
9. Inventing words or phrases
Antonio Guillem | Shutterstock
Rapid mental flow can do some remarkable things to our language skills. It can allow for the invention of new words or phrases that, when used, grow a meaning over time. When someone invents words, it's often because their brain is racing ahead and trying to capture complex ideas before they vanish. Inventing words is a natural thing that smart people do.
We normally see this in children when they are young. Adolescents whose brains are still developing and are highly flexible can generate novel ideas, which include words and expressions. They may sound like they are speaking gibberish, but what they're saying has meaning that only they can understand.
10. Overanalyzing simple questions
fizkes | Shutterstock
While most people answer a question quickly, a smart person breaks down the question from every angle. They consider the nuances and hidden meanings before responding. To the other person, this is over-analytical when the question was simple to answer, but to a person who can't turn their brain off, it's not odd at all.
Complex ideas can't be solved so easily in their view. Their brain won't allow them to simply take the question and give the answer without examining it to the highest degree. This can make social interactions challenging for them, but worth it as long as their mind is put at ease. This trait can also lead to impressive problem-solving and a love of curiosity.
11. Awkward social timing
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock
Thinking ahead before everyone else can lead to having some awkward social timing during interactions. This delay sometimes causes you to respond late or jump into conversations at unexpected moments. This mismatch between rapid thinking and slower speech can make for awkward situations.
The last thing that you want is to remember the secondhand embarrassment from a social interaction weeks down the line. In many cases, this awkward timing reveals a deeply reflective and intelligent person who just simply can't articulate well enough. There's nothing wrong with being a smart person who is just socially awkward.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author who has over a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
