So many people assume that being smart involves doing obvious things. They’re wrong. In fact, some of the clearest signs of intelligence come from tiny habits that you might do without even realizing it.
Here are nine little habits that show you’re smarter than you think, backed by research. Which of these did you do this week?
Talking through problems out loud
You might be someone who mutters out loud when they’re trying to figure something out. It’s known as self-explanation.
Talking about your problems out loud is a sign of intelligence because it forces your brain to organize information step-by-step, rather than dealing with it all in silence. Vocalizing your problems locks in new ideas better.
Doodling during long calls or webinars
You’ve probably heard people claim that doodling means someone’s not paying attention. Actually, the opposite is true.
You’re more focused on the task at hand when your hand’s busy, and small sketches or shapes prevent your mind from drifting. It’s a strong sign of intelligence that you’re able to stay focused, even during slower moments.
Quizzing yourself instead of rereading
People who test themselves tend to be smarter than others. Some of them do it through flashcards, others through mini quizzes, but either way, they remember stuff for longer.
Recalling information has a more powerful effect on your mind than simply re-reading it. People who continually pull things out of their brains are more intelligent than those who don’t.
Actively hunting for the opposite view
Only smart people stop themselves in the middle of an argument to consider whether they might be wrong. That’s not to say that they constantly doubt themselves.
Rather, they train their mind to look at things from different perspectives in order to make the correct judgment. People who do so tend to spot mistakes faster. They often make fewer knee-jerk judgments that are typical of less smart people.
Checking sources sideways before sharing
Whenever you scroll through headlines, you check the sources to see who’s talking about it. You refuse to accept what you see at face value.
It’s known as lateral reading, and smart people do it because they recognize that fact-checking stops them from believing misinformation. They don’t spread half-truths. They know there’s always a lot more than meets the eye.
Summarizing what you heard in one line
As soon as someone else finishes explaining something, smart people will share a quick summary. They’ll restate what the first person said in a sentence or two. Giving a wrap-up is a strong sign of intelligence.
How? Because it proves that they were following the whole thing in real time & they’re able to filter through the key parts independently. They’re confirming what’s actually being asked instead of pretending they understood.
Keeping track of assumptions separately from facts
Intelligent people are very careful when they’re listening to other people. They’ll distinguish between assumptions & facts.
It’s not exactly deliberate. They simply can’t help separating information grounded in truth from arguments that are built on maybes. You’ll rarely find smart people being caught off guard by bad information, simply because they never treated it as the truth to begin with.
Noticing when people are using correlation instead of causation
We hear statistics all the time from different people. But what separates the smart people from the not-so-smart people is the fact that smart people always notice the difference between correlation and causation.
For example, do people who drink more coffee really get higher scores? Or is the truth that smart people happen to like coffee? Having a reflex to question cause & effect stops smart people from believing lazy logic, making them more intelligent.
Pacing slowly while thinking through a tough step
You’ll see smart people walking around when they’re dealing with problems. Not because they’re trying to run away from their issues, but instead because they’re trying to move slowly while their brain sorts things out.
Walking keeps their thoughts looping just enough. They may not even realize they’re doing it. However, it’s a good sign that they’re focused & dealing with problems in an intelligent way.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.