Being smart can be a great asset, or it can be a tremendous burden. Unfortunately, intelligent people are often looked to as leaders or have a loathing for the general public.
Your origin of being smart doesn’t come from one place but several. So am I so smart? Read on and learn everything you need to know about smarts and their origins.
Why Am I So Smart?
1. Genetics
A lot of your knowledge is based on your genetics. Who your parents are sets the tone for things like your memory and ability to concentrate.
If you have a family who are mathematicians, it is a good bet that your brain is hardwired the same way.
2. Education
It goes without saying that people who receive a better education will be more intelligent. Their school went out of its way to ensure students got everything they needed to thrive.
Getting a good education isn’t just about the books and the teachers. Good schools know how to create an atmosphere of support alongside a strong work ethic.
3. Memory
If you have a strong memory, you could be brighter than others. Being able to recall facts, no matter how minute, is a big sign of intelligence.
Your memory is vital to your smarts. If you could not remember the third stanza of the Declaration of Independence, you might have been able to train your brain to do so.
4. Work Ethic
Sometimes loving to give your best can impact your smarts. Being more intelligent than others will require you to do extra work on weekends and the free time you have.
Having a good work ethic means that you might not be genetically perfect or have a photographic memory, but you work hard to offset those shortcomings.
5. Passion
Being passionate about learning is another way you might be so smart. Caring about your job or subject could make you understand things better.
Passion should not be understated in how it drives the person beyond what they thought was capable and into new and fantastic territory.
6. Thoughtful
Being thoughtful isn’t just about thinking. Being thoughtful means being reflective and respectful about positions and problems others are not.
Thoughtful people have a way of understanding emotional problems that defy logic. By putting themselves in others’ shoes, they see the situation from another angle and gain perspective.
7. Know Your Limits
Knowing what you are capable of enables you to learn more while still being rested and in your prime.
Limitations aren’t often seen as an asset, but knowing when to stop studying or push yourself to continue your work is valuable and will make you smarter.
8. Self Control
Having self-control is another reason you are so bright. Self-control is essential because it keeps you on task.
Keeping your mind clear of distractions that could take you away from reading and studying is worth all other attributes. Combine self-control with passion for improved results.
9. Observant
Being observant is another thing that could make you smarter than the average bear. Noticing differences in situations is a trait that ensures you know more about what is going on.
Observant people have a sixth sense of situations. They know from details in the setting and with the people that something is off or not working correctly.
10. Empathetic
Being able to empathize shows a high level of intelligence. Like thoughtfulness, empathy is a trait that requires you to see situations from all angles and not just from your point of view.
Empathy allows people to walk in others’ shoes and feel their feelings. Empathy is powerful and could give you insight beyond book smarts.
11. Funny
Funny people are often more intelligent than their peers. Being witty means that you can improvise in situations and create joy from bland situations.
While being funny doesn’t have an impact on IQ points, it does give people an emotional IQ boost that could help them learn to empathize.
Reasons You Aren’t So Smart
1. Dunning Kruger Effect
You aren’t brilliant but think you are. Ever met someone who knows a lot about stuff but doesn’t know anything? That’s the Dunning Kruger Effect.
People often believe that they know more from minutes of studying than doctors or subject matter experts on the subject. This is a psychological effect you often see with politicians.
2. You’re Lazy
People who don’t take the time to open books or study could be lazy. Of course, spending this time resting or recovering could be needed, but if you make it a staple, you could be lazy.
Don’t think of laziness as a bad thing! We all need rest, but if you want something, you must put aside your thirst for comfort to get the job done.
3. Genetics
You could come from a long line of pretty folks who don’t have much going on upstairs. People often have spots in their genetics that could keep them from reaching their educational potential.
4. No Drive
If you are lacking in a subject, it could be because you have no drive to learn about it. Not having drive is like being lazy, but it only occurs when you get in over your head.
Drive is crucial because genuinely passionate people learn by experience with the subject, and not having the drive for a topic could be disastrous.
5. You Know Your Limits
Knowing that something is out of your scope of intelligence is another reason you might not be smart about the topic.
If you want to learn about rocket science but have trouble with biology, you will find your limits quickly. Know what you can do and what you can’t for great success.
Ways To Improve Your Smarts
1. Study
Studying a subject is a fantastic way to learn more about it. By doing an internet search, you can slip into a rabbit hole that gives you all the information you want about the topic.
Be careful about which sites you choose. Look for sites that are from established sources and aren’t dressed up as propaganda about an item or idea.
2. Live It
Dedicate yourself to smartness if you want to know all you can about improving your smarts. Take time each day to improve on areas in which you are lacking.
By living your principle of improving your smarts, you could push the threshold of your mind to places you never thought were possible.
3. Find A Mentor
If someone is out there you respect and admire for their wit, ask them to be your mentor. It sounds like a dated concept, but the mentor-mentee relationship is strong and beneficial.
A mentor can guide you to avenues of thinking or other life improvements that could supercharge your learning and make you the most intelligent person in any room.
4. Improve Your Circle
A lot can be derived about a person from the company they keep. If you want to be more intelligent, improve your circle of friends or get some new ones.
The people around you influence your conversations and the fabric of your beliefs. Improve the folks with you or suffer beside them.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why “K” is so rude, why sighing is rude, and why it is rude to point.
Conclusion
Being smarter than other folks is a summation of all your intangible abilities combined. Sharp memory and a quick wit make you stand out above your peers.
There are things you can do and avenues to explore that can improve your already vast arsenal of smarts. Strive to get better daily, and there’s no ceiling to what you can do.