You're probably smarter than you think you are if you rarely think you're smart. Basically, intelligent people are not the ones who find the answers the fastest and have the most confidence.
Wisdom seems to have more to do with being able to think rationally about a problem, rather than assuming you can come up with an answer right away.
Here are some atypical traits that really smart people have…
Uncertainty
They are never quite sure what they are thinking and whether their ideas are valid or not. Uncertainty creates possibility. Uncertainty makes smart people look for more evidence, better answers, more ideas – and evolve in the process. They realize that they don't know what it is that they don't already know.
They don't fix people
They just offer different perspectives. Intelligent people do not assume that their answer is necessarily correct, but offer their ideas as one option for consideration.
They respect others. Photo: Alireza Esmaeeli / UnsplashThey complement the conversation, they don't end it
What they say is not the end of the conversation because they don't always try to be right and don't feel threatened if someone offers an interesting idea. They want to hear them and maybe learn something.
They take time to think
They usually take a few moments to think before answering a question. They don't react quickly to anything as they think about their response instead of just letting their first thought take over. They do not argue with irrational people and do not try to prove that someone did something wrong, they prefer to help them.
They are not impulsive
They don't let their impulses override their instincts. They may be driven by passion, but not ruled by it. They are able to ignore the desire for immediate gratification for the sake of a greater goal. They distinguish between short-term and long-term wants and needs.
They are quiet and know how to listen
They don't join the conversation if they have nothing to contribute. They are reluctant to comment publicly (on social media) because they prefer live dialogue and are very good listeners. They do not use unverified information and their personal beliefs as arguments.
They don't judge. Photo: Marina Piano / UnspalshThey believe in themselves
They do not allow other people's ideas to create their way of life, they do not blindly believe and reject dogma in which they do not see anything reasonable or do not feel that it resonates with something within them.
They are always ready to help
They are masters at solving problems and people often turn to them for advice. Sometimes they get so caught up in their love of making things better, finding new ideas, finding better solutions that they don't enjoy the moment.
They admit mistakes
They are ready to admit mistakes.
They don't fight over every little thing. Photo: Jonas Svidras / UnsplashThey are calm
They are rarely aggressive, they do not fight, because they know that as soon as they lose their composure, they have lost the argument (that is, they can no longer credibly say what they wanted). They know that if they feel attacked, the other side will raise their defenses and close their minds.
They don't judge
They pursue their interests without judgment. They are not ashamed of what they love and what they stand for.
