8 non-obvious signs you’re a highly intelligent person

You don’t have to be a mathematician or scientist to be intelligent. 

According to Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner, there are eight types of human intelligence.

This means even if you flunked your math tests in school, there is still hope that you’re a gifted individual. 

So, what is the best way to measure intelligence?

Well, highly gifted people think, act, and feel differently from those with average IQs. So, many subtle cues can suggest how bright a person is.

If you recognize yourself in the following eight traits, there’s a good chance you have hidden intelligence waiting to be tapped into!

1) You choose education over entertainment

You can often tell how intelligent a person is based on how they spend their free time. 

A common intelligence trait is curiosity and desire to learn. 

That’s why intelligent people spend their free time sharpening their skills, learning new ones, and generally working their brains.

Intelligent people don’t tend to spend all evening watching soaps or TV dramas. Nor do they spend hours mindlessly scrolling social media or gaming.

Smart people thrive off knowledge. They always have tons of burning questions that they are desperate to find the answers to.

Interestingly, research on curiosity and exploration shows that curious people have highly active brains, and their brain waves stimulate a desire to seek information.

So, if you grab your phone to google the answer to something rather than checking out what your peers are up to, this is a sign of smartness!

2) You’re open-minded

On the subject of the brain, intelligent people are known to be more open-minded than less intelligent folk. 

Some research supports this, too. 

This study published in Social Psychology Quarterly found that people with higher IQs tend to be:

• Less traditional
• More open-minded
• More likely to go against the grain and challenge ideas

Intelligent people understand that we’ve all had different life experiences, which shape our perspective. 

And because intelligent people are more curious than egotistic, they are happy to listen to someone with contrasting views because they might learn something new. 

3) You’re self-sufficient 

There is a well-known stereotype of intelligent people being loners. But is this true?

Psychologists Norman Li and Satoshi Kanazawa explored this theory and discovered an interesting finding as to why intelligent people are happier being alone than with friends. 

Intelligent people don’t need to have many friendships as they can figure things out on their own.

Yes, really.

Li and Kanazawaable’s research found that people with high IQs can solve problems independently without needing help from their friends.

As a result, being with friends doesn’t make them feel as happy and secure as it does for others.

So, it’s likely you’re highly gifted if you:

• Have a knack for solving problems without any assistance
• Rarely need to ask for help
• Enjoy alone time

4) You get anxious easily

While you may be a pro at fending for yourself, this doesn’t mean you’re always emotionally stable. 

Research by Alexander M. Penney of MacEwan University found that people with higher IQs are more likely to encounter mental illness than those with average IQs. This includes depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Why is this?

The researchers theorize that it is due to intelligent people’s tendency to overthink.

Intelligent people are always in their minds, but this is both a blessing and a curse.

Sometimes, they solve a problem or think up their next great idea. 

But sometimes, they ruminate on minor things. 

For example, they might overanalyze a comment from their boss that came across as slightly critical. 

Or they may think up all the possible outcomes of a situation, causing them to worry about the negative scenarios, no matter how unlikely they are. 

This is due to a psychological term called psychological overexcitability, coined by Polish psychologist Kazimierz Dąbrowski. 

Psychological overexcitability refers to the enhanced and intensified mental activity of intelligent people compared to “normal people.”

5) You have a witty sense of humor

Intelligent people often get a bad rap for being dull and boring. So you may be surprised to hear that research shows the opposite is true.

Yes, smart people are hilarious.

However, not everyone will get their wit, as people with high IQs are particularly associated with black humor.

In a 1991 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, intelligent people ranked highly for humor cognition (the ability to quickly think up jokes) and humor memory (remembering jokes).

So, smart people have a swift wit – they can instantly spot opportunities for humor and quickly devise creative and hilarious remarks.

6) You frequently doubt yourself

Yes, even intelligent people can become victims of the inner critic.

In fact, some psychologists, such as Valeria Sabater, believe that highly gifted people are more insecure than everyone else.

Why?

Well, smart people are typically very self-aware, which can be good and bad.

They’re able to reflect on their actions and behaviors to grow and evolve, but they can also get caught up on their flaws and imperfections. 

This, coupled with their tendency to overthink, can lead to doubting their abilities.

So, intelligent people often do not think they are as smart as they are, due to a cognitive bias known as the Dunning–Kruger effect.

Interestingly, the opposite is true in people with low intelligence. So, not-so-smart people tend to overestimate their own competence.

In other words, if you think you’re super bright, you’re probably not. And if you believe you have average intelligence, you may actually be unknowingly gifted!

7) You’re extremely empathetic

If you’re a fan of The Big Bang Theory, you’ll know all about Sheldon’s incredibly high IQ but non-existent emotional intelligence. 

Luckily, this is not a reflection of all intelligent people.

A 2021 study found that higher IQ levels typically means a higher emotional intelligence. 

IQ and EQ are closely linked, meaning gifted people tend to have more emotional intelligence than most.

What exactly does this mean?

If you’re intelligent, you’ll notice the following traits in yourself:

• Self-awareness (recognizing and understanding your emotions)
• Self-regulation (managing those emotions)
• Motivation (a strong drive to improve and achieve)
• Empathy (understanding and sharing the feelings of others)
• Social skills (being good at communicating and listening to others)

8) You talk to yourself

Here’s the most surprising sign of intelligence!

If you’re in the grocery store and you see someone talking to themselves, you would probably assume that they are crazy or on drugs. 

But guess what? This person could be highly gifted.

How?

Well, self-talk is a common habit among intelligent people, and thanks to research by Psychologist-researcher Gary Lupyan, we now know why.

Lupyan conducted an experiment (coincidentally in a supermarket!) where participants were tasked to remember the objects they were shown.

Researchers told half the group to repeat the objects out loud and asked the other half to remain silent. 

The participants then had to go and find the objects themselves. Interestingly, the group that repeated the objects out loud found them faster than the group that didn’t.

This study, along with others, suggests that speaking to yourself can:

• Stimulate your memory – i.e., help you remember where an item is in a grocery store
• Help you stay focused on the task at hand
• Clarify your thoughts and regulate your emotions (in other words, talk sense into yourself)

So, if you often talk to yourself, this could be a sign you’re highly gifted!

Final thoughts

We associate certain traits with high IQs, such as having good memory recall, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. 

But being smart goes beyond that.

If you recognize yourself in these eight signs, congrats, as you may well have a hidden treasure of brilliance within you.

Remember that intelligence can show up in many forms. The first step to accessing its potential is uncovering your unique gift.

Once you’ve discovered it, nothing can stop you from stepping into your power and shining your light!