Don't label
By generally accepted standards, I can be called an intelligent person. I climbed the career ladder easily, while most of my colleagues experienced significant difficulties. I have received many awards and won dozens of competitions. Many people would describe me as a “smart and successful person.”
At some point, I really believed that I was smart, or at least smarter than most people. And because of this, I began to look down on family members, friends and acquaintances.
I began to feel a crazy mixture of giftedness, confidence, loneliness, insatiability and burden. And then I realized that I was wrong.
I started labeling everyone around me. I interacted with those around me rather superficially and soon realized that I envied people who had simple friendships in their lives. And such relationships, by the way, were precisely those people whom I considered stupider than myself.
I realized that dividing people into “smart” and “stupid” is a very stupid way to live. Now I try to look deeper. Each person has his own story, his own strengths and weaknesses, triumphs and failures.
Each person has his own point of view, and dismissing or despising him because his point of view does not coincide with yours is, at the very least, stupid. Every person in your life is an opportunity to see the world in a new way. Each person in your life will allow you to see yourself in a whole new light.
Today, people I know would describe me as a pleasant and caring person, and that suits me perfectly.
You constantly improve your level
You hold yourself to higher standards and therefore refuse to settle for a mediocre life. You are always looking for creative ways to improve your life. Whether it's starting a business, learning a new skill, taking on a new hobby, or even moving to a new city.
Being creative shows that you are smart because you are flexible and think outside the box. You must exercise self-control and adapt to new situations and activities. And this can only be done if you have strong volitional functions.
Don't compare yourself to others
During my university years, I often encountered situations that made me feel stupid. I could study a theorem for two hours and still not figure out how to prove it. Of course, such difficulties are quite normal, but experiencing this, I certainly didn’t feel smart.
The people who surrounded me at the university were no stupider, and many were even smarter than me. Many of them won international competitions and could beat me at chess blindfolded. But I don’t give up, I try to constantly develop. I try to follow my own path and not compare myself to others. The latter doesn’t always work out, of course, but I try.
The only person you should compare yourself to is your past self. And the only person you should be better than is who you are now.
Sigmund Freud
You put yourself first
Not in a selfish, narcissistic way, but in a way that allows you to “fill your cup and pour it into others.” You engage in meditation, which lifts you to a higher and more peaceful state. This peace gives you control over distractions and allows you to think, learn, and organize your thoughts.
Not only do you improve the quality of your life through meditation, but you also develop your intelligence, imagination and creativity. Being smart means that you know that the light within you is too bright and you are too exceptional to stand in another person's shadow.
A smart person knows...
If you are a smart person, then you:
- You know the answer when no one else knows it.
- You know the answer when everyone else knows it, but you come up with it faster than anyone else.
- You know which decision will be right, and you are ready to take the initiative into your own hands.
- You know the answer because you read it.
- You know the answer because life experience tells you it.
- You don't know the answer, but you know where to find it.
- You don't know the answer, but you know who to ask.
- You only know part of the answer, but this is enough for you to move forward.
- You know that you don't know the answer.
- You know that perseverance solves many problems.
- You know how to make people believe in you.
- You know how to turn the situation in your favor.
- You know how to involve other people in solving a problem.
- You know how to explain the essence of the problem to other people.
- You know how to hide a problem if circumstances require it.
- You know how to break down a complex problem into its component parts.
- Know how to get others on your side.
- Do you know how to prevent a problem?
- You know when is the best time to start solving a problem.
- Know how the problem will affect you and others.
- You know what you will lose and what you will gain in the process of solving the problem.
- You know how to visualize a problem.
- You know how to manage a group of people who will solve a problem.
- You know how important you are to people if you can solve a problem.
- You know who can help you solve the problem.
- You know which problems are worth solving and which are not.
If you can subscribe to most of these statements, then you can consider yourself a pretty smart person.
You long to be alone
You enjoy spending time alone. Every day you move away from the noise of the world and retire into your own cocoon of calm. Be alone with your thoughts and see yourself through clear lenses.
Spending time alone creates a space for positivity that encourages your creativity and inspires you to find great solutions to your problems. You are guided by the words of the famous French mathematician Blaise Pascal:
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
Is being smart a gift or a burden?
Being smart is an incredible gift, but it is also a great burden.
In my high school math competition, I placed 25th among all high school students in the United States. Considering that I had outperformed about 15 million schoolchildren, I couldn't help but feel like a capable and smart person.
I also did well in other school subjects and won many prestigious olympiads and competitions. Sure, some people thought I was a nerd, but unlike the stereotypical nerds, I was outgoing and quite popular among my peers. And, most importantly, my victories helped me believe in myself and my abilities.
I went to a prestigious college and after graduating got a position in a reputed company. I built a successful career (and continue to build it to this day).
Now let's talk about the disadvantages:
- I assumed that intelligence and academic success were the most important things, and that things like friendship or sports were great, but not that important. As I discovered later, this was a rather biased judgment. I believe that people tend to overestimate what they are good at and underestimate what they are not so good at.
- I tried not to communicate with people whom I considered stupider than myself. This is not surprising when you remember how important ratings were to me during school. In the end, this resulted in me having many fewer friends than my classmates. I try not to regret what has passed, but I still regret that at that time I fell into the trap of stereotypes that I myself created.
- Being smart is a big responsibility. People believe that you are capable of solving any problem, that is, they see you as practically a magician. If you try to dissuade them of your omnipotence, then they start teasing you with phrases like “Hey, I thought you were smart.” Being at the top and not giving up is hard work that not everyone can do.
In general, thanks to my abilities, I have achieved many awards; I have very solid achievements in my collection. But at the same time, I worried a lot, and the fear of failure could make me quit what I started. Now I'm 31 years old, and I'm trying to work on myself and my attitude towards problems and goals.
About the disadvantages and advantages
I have quite a lot of achievements; during my student years I was a prize-winner of many Olympiads and always showed excellent results in tests. I have completed internships in world famous companies.
My achievements make me proud of myself and I am happy when I see that my parents are proud of me too. I like it when others use me as an example. But despite this, there are several points that upset me.
- People quickly get used to everything. When I started to make the first significant progress, my family was ready to throw a party about it, and now it’s just a smile and a nod.
- True friends will be able to share your sorrows and joys. And if many can cope with the first, they are ready to listen to you for hours, console you and give life advice, but not everyone can cope with the second. Envy is a constant companion of any human relationship, even friendly ones.
- Knowing your reputation as a “super smart guy,” many people will call you arrogant and cocky.
It’s difficult for me to communicate with many of my friends; sometimes I get the impression that I’m a loner. Often I want to be simpler, to be like most people. Sometimes I feel like I'm a teenager again, with the same phrase constantly running through my head: “Nobody understands me.”
You know that love is everything
You and I know that warm and fuzzy feeling of love, right? It's incredible, but that's the exciting part; When you love someone, your thinking changes. Because you are focused on the bigger picture, your brain becomes creative. After all, you want this person to be around for a long time, right? That's why you put people before property. You share your time and resources. You know that a real, meaningful relationship is the epitome of happiness and satisfaction.
You are genuinely interested in other people's lives—their joys and sorrows. You are truly elated when they have great success. And you are the first to offer a shoulder to lean on when their world turns to dust.
From today, remind yourself how far you have come because you are wise enough to handle the changing winds of life. Believe in yourself and keep moving forward no matter what.
Intelligence is not judged by grades
I consider myself a smart person, but I don’t have a bunch of different certificates, cups and other things, like those who answered above. I never pursued this, simply because I didn’t see the point in it.
At school and university, I always asked more questions than my peers and always expected more detailed answers.
I try to surround myself with smart people, but they don't necessarily have to have a PhD. A person can have a hundred pieces of paper to prove his intelligence and still be incredibly boring to me. I like people who have an inquisitive mind, who are open to everything new and are not afraid to express their opinions. It’s nice to talk to such people, it’s interesting to listen to their reasoning.
Nowadays, intelligence is measured through IQ tests and university grades. I think this is a big misconception. A thirst for knowledge, a passion for everything new, a penchant for analysis - this is what distinguishes a truly smart person.
You live by the adage that health is wealth.
Knowing that money means nothing if you are not healthy, you treat your body with extra care. You eat fresh, healthy food and drink enough water. Some days you can run a good 5K, do an hour of yoga, or have a great workout at the gym. In other cases, walking is fine for you.
Here's what you may not know; Besides the health benefits, exercise makes you smarter. Exercise increases your heart rate and pumps blood to your brain. More precisely, it concerns the part associated with the ability to remember, according to scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Own little game
I attended a private school, but my family was forced to move to a small town, and I continued my education at a less prestigious educational institution. Thanks to the foundation I received in private school, I studied well without putting in much effort.
Then I entered the university, and at the end I was supposed to become an engineer. I prepared diligently for admission, since everyone said that studying would be very difficult and good preparation was needed. But in the first few weeks at university, I realized that studying was not difficult for me and that it was quite boring because of it. I quickly found myself in a fun company and started skipping classes.
I attended about 10% of my classes and studied for all the exams in one night. My grades, accordingly, have never been particularly brilliant.
I can't call myself an intellectual, but I won my own little game: in one night I could learn what others had been studying for a whole semester. I proved to myself that I am a capable person.
You stay in your lane
You don't pry into other people's business because you are too busy with your own business and creating your life. When you mind your own business, it demonstrates a high level of self-control, a trait that researchers believe stems from intelligence. The more control you have over yourself, the wiser you are.
You also understand that life happens slowly and then it ends suddenly, so you live for today because tomorrow is unpredictable. However, you also know that today can cast a shadow on tomorrow. So, you live right in the sweet spot of balance.
Being smart is...
What does it feel like to be smart? So here it is:
- It hurts. You tell people something they can't comprehend, and it makes them look at you like you're from another planet. You read the dictionary for several days, getting to know new words, but you can’t talk to anyone about it (because everyone thinks it’s very strange and boring). No one can answer most of your questions. If you are a child, then everyone by default takes you lightly, buys you toys and picture books, and no one cares that you have already started reading science fiction from your father's library. If you are a teenager, then your reasoning is not taken seriously. Any argument with a teacher ends not in your favor.
- It's lonely. Sometimes you really just have no one to talk to. All the conversations of your peers seem empty to you. And at the same time you suffer from a lack of communication.
- It's boring. School and university programs seem insanely simple to you. Teachers and teachers always focus on average students and students, and what they tell you in lessons and classes seems boring, boring, boring to you.
- It's awkward. Classmates, and then fellow students, complain to you that they spent three hours doing homework and still could not prove all the theorems. And you dealt with it in 20 minutes and feel awkward: it seems to you that your comrades are normal, but you are not of this world.
- This teaches you to adapt to those around you: people love you when it suits them and hate you when it suits them. If you are being clever, in the opinion of others, not to the point, or constantly answering those questions that most people cannot find answers to, then they hate you, they look at you like a cockroach that unexpectedly ended up in a cake. And if you help people solve a problem or task, then everyone loves and admires you.
Are you curious?
Wise people are curious. Albert Einstein, one of the smartest people on our planet, attributed his smart brain solely to curiosity. He said: “I’m not a genius, I’m just curious.” Research shows that the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory is activated when you are interested.
As you learn something new, your memory improves and becomes better at retaining more information. Because you are wise, you know that people are always teaching you something. Sometimes the wisdom is in their words and sometimes you learn from their actions.
