7 Signs That You Are Highly Intelligent

There is a good reason for your daily struggles

Highly intelligent people are natural talents at deciphering the big questions of humanity. They enjoy asking the right questions and solving the most difficult puzzles.

They strive for knowledge and prefer making new discoveries over mindless gossip about the neighbor’s latest affair. And when it comes to daily tasks like washing the dishes or grocery shopping, they feel like it’s a waste of time. There’s nothing to discover, nothing new to learn here.

So when you feel like you are a lazy person who behaves socially awkward, struggles to make new friends, and avoids daily chores like the plaque, you are not a lazy, bad and uninteresting person. You may just be highly intelligent.

Here are 7 signs that you are in fact highly intelligent.

#1 You choose your words very carefully around people

You think way more than you speak. You weigh your words before you make a comment and try to predict the impact and outcome.

Do you look at something from every possible angle before forming an opinion on it? Do you search for the facts and objective meaning, rather than just saying how you feel about something?

This behavior is typical for someone with high intelligence. But thinking about even simple topics for too long in order to form an answer can often appear as being reserved or too serious.

If you have difficulties in everyday conversation, chances are that you are highly intelligent.

#2 You are very analytical and tend to overthink

You are a perfectionist in a sense and tend to look at the pros and cons every time you have to make a decision.

Which is the better payment plan? Should you make an appointment for 4.30 PM? Will you get there in time? What about the traffic? Should you take the highway or the country road?

This process can at times be more of a hindrance. Because you try to always make the best decision possible, you spend a lot of time on preparation and planning. But if you have to make too many decisions, you get caught up.

Overthinking, also known as analysis paralysis, can paralyze highly intelligent people when they receive more decisions than they can process, or a decision has no clear “good option”.

So if you’re a chronic overthinker, there’s a good chance that you are highly intelligent.

#3 You’re horrified of failing

You often set yourself up for failure by having too high expectations of yourself. You have an inherent need to make the right decisions and succeed in everything you attempt.

This inevitably causes a great fear to not reach these goals. The fear of failure. Unless you can predict success with a certain chance, you often tend to not act.

More than the pressure you may get from your surroundings, it’s the inner pressure you create that’s holding you back. This also hurts your self-esteem.

So if you are having problems “just doing it” and fear failure so much that you don’t even try, you might be highly intelligent.

#4 You prefer conversations about deep topics rather than gossip and Smalltalk

Talking about the new neighbor or the latest episode of that famous show on Netflix just doesn’t excite you. You prefer thought-provoking questions and complex topics, from philosophy to science. That’s where the fun is at.

Thinking about the universe can keep you entertained for hours. But this also means that you are having a hard time engaging in Smalltalk with others.

It’s boring and you have nothing relevant to say because you simply don’t care as much about these topics.

If you are looking for deeper meaning in everything and avoid talking about stuff like the latest trends, then you are likely a highly intelligent person.

#5 You prefer to stay home

You just can’t understand why people enjoy loud parties, binge-drinking, and going out all night. It’s exhausting, boring, and doesn’t gain you anything. Rather than spending the day in the mall, you prefer sitting at home with a good book or even watching a documentary.

Your brain is constantly hunting for food. By spending your time with a creative hobby, you get that nourishment you crave. And you get smarter by doing it. It’s a win-win.

If you’d instead go out, you’d only end up in more awkward Smalltalk where you have no opinion on most topics and you’d waste your money on alcohol that just doesn’t seem worth the nights hugging the toilet in regret.

If you feel more comfortable at home than outside, you might be a highly intelligent person.

#6 You have difficulties making friends

When you meet new people, you want to present yourself from your best side to leave a lasting impression and possibly befriend that person.

But because you struggle at approaching them at the same level, you may unintentionally leave an entirely different impression than you intended.

You thought of something great to say, only for it to be received as awkward, unfunny, or inappropriate. If you spend too much time thinking about what to say, you are too silent and give the impression that you are shy.

And since your hobbies and interests may not appeal to the average, you have a hard time bonding and relating to each other. This often leaves you lonely and unable to form lasting friendships with people.

If you struggle to make friends or aren’t often invited or included by the friends you have, chances are you are a highly intelligent person.

#7 You’re socially awkward

Now it’s time to address the elephant in the room. There’s no shame in being socially awkward. If you put all your points in Intelligence, you can’t put as many in Charisma anymore. A high IQ (intelligence quotient) often comes with a low EQ (emotional quotient).

Seeing that you just can’t engage in Smalltalk and prefer being at home, you will inevitably come off as socially awkward to some. But that’s not your fault. You’re simply hanging with the wrong crowd.

If you find like-minded people, you will feel comfortable around them and be able to engage in SmartTalk like everyone else. You will have common hobbies and many topics to talk about.

It may not be easy to find these people, but they exist.

So if you think you’re socially awkward, you just need to find intelligent people to hang around with.

Conclusion

If you recognized yourself in one or more of these common signs, then you might be smarter than you think you are. All of these signs are fairly common in highly intelligent people.

While a few people are blessed with being charismatic as well, most intelligent people lack the social skills for the reasons mentioned.

But there’s nothing wrong with being you. You should never try to fit with a group that doesn’t share your interests or hobbies.

And you should never try to be someone else. All you need is the right group of people to hang around with. If you start looking in the right places, you will find many people who are just like you. And these people can be great friends for life.

Don’t be ashamed of who you are. Be proud. And take care of yourself.