People With High-IQ, Non-Linear Brains Usually Say 9 Things In Casual Conversation
Yan Krukau | Pexels Highly intelligent people are often painted as logical thinkers, but for someone who thinks in a multi-dimensional way, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Rather than going from point A to point B, people with high-IQ, non-linear brains think in more ambiguous ways. Even in casual conversations, the things they say remind people that they're thoughtful, not just interested in proving facts and using rigid intelligence.
Things people with high-IQ, non-linear brains say casually
1. 'Hear me out on this'
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When a person with a non-linear, creative mind says "hear me out," they're not trying to dominate a conversation or take center stage. They're asking people to trust that they'll get to a topic that feels important, because the connections and random topics that come to mind don't always seem unrelated to an untrained mind.
They're used to going down abstract rabbit holes and using all sorts of creative connections to solve a problem or work through a complicated situation. It's just everyone else who can get a little bit lost on the way there.
2. 'This might seem weird...'
Rather than using language or connecting topics that make people feel confused, the smartest people nudge others into their thinking style before diving deeper. To make better use of their own energy and ensure conversations are still productive, they say "this might be weird" or "stick with me here" to bring people in.
Even if they wouldn't have brought up the same experiences, high-IQ people can make someone feel more important by making them feel comfortable first. They bridge the gap to make sure everyone plays a part in the conversation.
3. 'This feels important'
While we often consider intuition to exist outside conversations of intelligence, the truth is that non-linear thinking, high-IQ people actually rely on gut instincts and feelings quite often. It's one of the many dimensions that influences their thought processes, alongside emotions, helping to create a more thoughtful picture.
It's not necessarily about instantly knowing how to solve a problem, but instead understanding what's important and relevant, hence this conversational phrase. Intelligence and intuition might not be correlated, but there's no denying that traits like openness influence someone's ability to tap into their intuition on a daily basis.
4. 'I got lost in my head there'
Even when it tends to be misunderstood and misperceived as boredom in conversations, non-linear thinkers can't help but daydream.
It might seem like they're not interested, but they're exercising one of the most foundational parts of their thinking process: imagination. If they tend to have a million thoughts in their heads all the time, they may also be creating space to be present and actively engaged.
Daydreaming and zoning out are the brain's way of hitting the "reset" button, and clearing out mental space for newness. Without these small habits, even if they do sometimes happen in the wrong settings, these intelligent people wouldn't have much attention or focus to offer anyone.
5. 'Why do you believe that?'
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Metacognition, or questioning why you think the way that you do, is a common process for people with high IQs. But someone who also has a non-linear brain may also challenge other people's opinions in similar ways to understand the values behind their thoughts.
They aren't just thinking about how to solve a problem on paper or piece together rigid facts to come to a conclusion. All the nuanced parts of someone's perspective and experience also play a role.
So, a question like "Why do you believe that?" might come across as pointed or defensive in the wrong conversations, but it's usually a smart person's way of diving deeper and really making space to understand a differing opinion.
6. 'This reminds me of...'
Around someone who's not interested in having a deep conversation or breaking past the surface, a phrase like this might garner an eye roll or two. But for truly smart people who think outside of the box, making patterns is in their DNA.
They're always connecting the dots between things that don't obviously go together. Random topics quickly spiral into old memories and experiences, some of which don't make sense to ordinary people.
"This reminds me of" and "What if this is related?" are just examples of a high-IQ person truly using their non-linear brain, whether they realize it or not.
7. 'I have a theory'
Making unnecessary assumptions and clinging too hard to rigid constraints when trying to solve a problem hinder someone's ability to think outside of the box. In fact, these barriers and limitations are the box.
But someone with a non-linear mind naturally overlooks these barriers. And it allows them to make connections and think in truly abstract ways about seemingly mundane things.
They always have a theory or a new way of looking at something, because they're not limited to facts and logical thinking patterns. They can get creative and formulate new ways of approaching a topic that most people assume are completely fixed.
8. 'I'm curious about that'
Curiosity is a natural trait for most intelligent people, but those with non-linear brains practice it daily.
When they don't understand something or have questions, they don't tally them up for a later date. They make the space to consider and talk about them in the moment.
They ask thoughtful questions and use their imagination to go deeper, often saying "I'm curious about that" instead of just "I don't know" or "I don't understand."
9. 'I don't have an answer yet'
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Many rigid thinkers are always in pursuit of a solution. Non-linear thinkers are intelligent enough to solve problems, but they're not only interested in putting a neat bow on an issue without diving deeper.
They're not afraid to say "I don't have an answer yet," because they're not trying to prove intelligence to anyone. It takes them longer to brainstorm because they think about things in creative, flexible ways that a closed-minded thinker can't even begin to process.
Even in simple, seemingly casual conversations, they're the first people to take their time with problems before immediately assuming they know the answer.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
