Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today,
we are going to learn about 12 odd habits of highly intelligent people.
Now, let’s begin 1. Unattainable Goals
Highly intelligent people may enjoy the pursuit of knowledge more than the knowledge itself. They are
relentlessly curious, which motivates them to pursue the unattainable, seek the unknowable,
and demand the impossible. It’s common for intelligent people to spend their lives fiercely
chasing something they know they cannot have. This is true in their personal, professional,
and social lives. If you are a highly intelligent person, you may research unknowable subjects,
pursue unavailable people, and ask for more than anyone can reasonably give.
In other words, intelligent people may lose interest in things they already know
or understand. They ignore all the great things sitting right in front of them,
even if those things may lead to health, happiness, and success. Call it naive or
self-destructive, but many of the smartest people are only interested in what they can’t have.
2. Mindless Creativity Unsurprisingly, highly intelligent people
have a lot on their minds. But those thoughts swirling around their heads aren’t always useful,
practical, or easy to understand. That’s why intelligent people like to keep their
brains busy with mindless creative habits Among those habits, doodling is the most common.
Intelligent people frequently channel their attention into this simple creative exercise,
drawing whatever is on their minds. Whether it’s shapes or cartoon people, doodling
distracts your consciousness and unlocks the problem-solving power of your unconscious brain.
In other words, when you doodle, you don’t actively think about your problems.
Your conscious mind is focused on this simple creative exercise, while your unconscious mind
passively mulls over your problems. This is a common practice for highly intelligent
people, even though most people don’t realize what they’re doing or why they’re doing it.
Not only is doodling a fun creative outlet, but it’s a powerful thinking technique that smart
people consistently use to their advantage. 3. Stubborn Problems
For highly intelligent people, there is no such thing as pushing too hard.
The smartest people will overexert and overinvest themselves, simply because they struggle to let
go of problems they cannot solve. When a smart person becomes invested in something,
they will push and push until they find an answer. In some environments, this is a fantastic
personality trait. It’s one of the many reasons why intelligent people accomplish great things.
But it also motivates unhealthy lifestyle choices and self-destructive habits. Letting go is hard
enough for regular people, but for the smartest people in the world… it can be nearly impossible.
4. Disorganized Routines
Keeping a clean and tidy space is proven to cultivate a more productive lifestyle.
So, why do the most intelligent people struggle to keep their workspaces clean?
Some of the smartest individuals are also some of the messiest.
Their desks, offices, and studios are littered with a week or even a month’s worth of junk.
But, as strange as it sounds, your messy habits may be related to your heightened intelligence.
Being messy doesn’t make you smarter, but it may facilitate more creative thinking.
Studies have shown that messy people may find inspiration and insight
in their disorganized spaces. It’s also common for hyper-intelligent
people to consider organization a low priority in their life. You may never
clean up your messes because your brain is distracted by larger, more important problems.
That doesn’t mean you, or anyone else, should use intelligence to justify your messy lifestyle.
But if you’re messier than most, it may have something to do with your high IQ.
5. Staring into Space Have you seen someone staring into
space for minutes or even hours at a time? This is surprisingly common for highly intelligent people.
Many of the smartest people get lost in their thoughts for long stretches of time.
During these quiet periods, they plan, create, and daydream. They solve problems and reflect on
their experiences. On the surface, it may look like they’re doing absolutely nothing. But for
a highly intelligent person, staring into space can be a productive and illuminating experience.
6. Freezing Showers Most people take warm showers to
kick off their mornings, but the most intelligent people do things a little differently. Instead of
steaming hot water, some of the smartest people prefer to start their days with a freezing shower.
Turns out, cold water gives your brain a huge boost of energy and alertness in the morning.
When that cold water hits your skin, it shocks you awake, like a jolt of electricity. Not only does
it make you more alert, but it can also increase your concentration and improve your mood. For many
of the smartest people, there’s no better way to start your morning than a freezing cold shower.
7. Lively Debates Highly intelligent people like to argue, not
because they’re naturally combative, but because they enjoy exploring all sides of a discussion.
It’s common for intelligent people to argue both sides of every argument. In their mind,
it’s more valuable to know both sides than to agree with either one.
If you’re a highly intelligent person, you may pose questions, challenge ideas,
and prod people for answers in order to expand your own understanding of
a subject. Unlike most people, you don’t view arguing as a negative experience. Instead, you
treat an argument or debate as an opportunity to expand your perspective and learn something new.
8. Sedentary Habits Most people associate high
intelligence with productive routines and active lifestyles, but the truth is… intelligent people
can be very sedentary. You may be aware of your sedentary habits, but you still have a hard time
tearing themselves away from your desk. You may be fascinated by all kinds of creative and
intellectual projects, and most of those projects require you to stay in one place for hours on end.
While you may be more productive than most, it’s common for smart people like you to
spend most of their time sitting. After all, most intellectual pursuits are sedentary activities.
If those are the things you find fulfilling, you may have a hard time getting on your feet.
9. Unrealistic Preparation Intelligent people over-prepare
for everything they do. They sit back, assess all possible options, and design a foolproof
plan that will help them achieve their goals. Let’s say an intelligent person wants to try a
new hobby, like dancing. Some people may jump in front of the crowd and dance like nobody’s
watching. They don’t care how badly they perform so long as they enjoy themselves.
Intelligent people are unwilling to take the same risks. Instead of getting on stage, they
will watch from the crowd, collecting information, and troubleshooting potential problems. Because
intelligent people aren’t satisfied with mediocrity. They refuse to be careless or “bad” at
anything. In other words, they consistently expect themselves to perform at a high level,
even if they’re trying something new. Whether it’s a hobby, a job, or a new
relationship, intelligent people rarely take action until they are 100% ready. As a result,
many of the smartest people never take risks. Yes, hyper intelligent people are smart,
capable, and high performing, but they often stagnate on their goals.
They want to be 100% prepared for everything, even if 100% isn’t a realistic goal.
10. Creating Problems Intelligent people are fantastic problem-solvers,
but they have a strange habit of tackling problems that don’t exist. For a smart person, it’s easy
to think of reasons not to do something. If an intelligent individual needs a problem to exist,
they may create one out of thin air, which can trigger a malicious cycle.
Some of the smartest people never make any progress because they’re too busy with
problems that don’t need to be solved. That’s the trouble with being a highly intelligent person.
If you want to be distracted by something, no one can justify your distractions better than you.
11. Repetitive Failures Many intelligent people
learn early in life that they can solve problems on their own. They get in the habit of rapidly
thinking their way out of every situation. They’re accustomed to knowing the right thing,
even when everyone else struggles or fails. Even the smartest people will eventually run
into problems too challenging for their brains to handle. When that happens, intelligent people have
a strange habit of doing the same things over and over again, expecting different results.
They’ll stick to what they’re good at, trust their gut, and lean into their strengths,
only to fall flat on their face. You might see a very smart person
failing in an almost idiotic way. Why? Because they are accustomed to being right.
Many smart people don’t know how to ask for help or change their approach, because
they’ve always found success all on their own. Luckily, there is always room to learn and expand,
no matter how many times you’ve failed. But you must be open to trying new things. Otherwise,
you’ll never overcome the greatest problems in your life, no matter how intelligent you are.
12. Solitary Conversations Have you ever caught yourself
muttering under your breath? Highly intelligent people have an odd habit of talking to themselves.
It may even be something you’re embarrassed to admit, but there’s no reason to be embarrassed.
Talking to yourself is a common sign of an active mind. People who talk to themselves use self-talk
to channel complex thoughts. They talk softly to themselves, make up songs, or narrate what’s
happening around them, because their brains are often overflowing with ideas. They find it
stimulating to engage with their own brains, even if that means carrying on a solitary conversation.
If you’re a highly intelligent person, don’t silence your own voice.
You may talk to yourself more than the average person, but self-talk is one of the many
reasons you are smarter than most. Thank you for watching TopThink,
and be sure to subscribe, because more incredible content is on the way.