Most of us define intelligence as possession of a high IQ combined with high EQ. That’s a pretty simplistic definition of what it means to be intelligent and humans definitely have much more to them than these test scores. Of course, had there been a single formula to become intelligent you would’ve definitely learned it in school by now. So what is it that makes up the geniuses of the world? Let’s have a look at some unconventional traits that can make someone truly intelligent.
1. Empathy
Understanding what other people are going through and accordingly modifying the behaviour of oneself is a sign of intelligence. In fact, a lot of people are not able to do this and it is also a pretty difficult skill to develop deliberately. Those who have this skill will have better chances at success in real life as they will find it easier to gain the trust of people around them.
2. Attention to details
Do you fret over tiny details or get anxious if something is not perfect? Don’t worry, paying attention to small details is definitely a sign of intelligence. It simply means you can identify the smallest areas of improvement, and this ability does require a certain amount of smartness.
3. Humility
The attitude of being humble about one’s skills and knowledge is not so common. The Dunning-Kruger effect supports the observation that intelligent people are more humble about themselves and tend to doubt their abilities more than the less knowledgeable ones who tend to be overconfident about themselves. This is primarily because you need to be smart enough to know what you don’t know. But why is humility so important? Well, for starters it will always allow for the scope for one to learn more. Prioritizing truth over ego will also earn you the respect of others in the future when problems get too complicated to be solved by one single person.
4. Metacognition
People possessing this ability can simply think about their own thinking. So the highly intelligent lot is basically aware of their own thought and learning process and can also critically analyse the same. Apart from focussing on what to learn they also plan, monitor and analyse how they learn. Having a metacognitive learning process also means you are not just learning for the present but also developing your learning ability for the future.
5. Curiosity
The curious ones want to know more just for the sake of knowing. They don’t always learn based on what goal they will achieve. This thinking helps them learn and acquire abilities that other people might never pay attention to and nevertheless can contribute significantly in developing one as an individual.
With the ever-increasing competition out there, there is a lot of pressure on us to be better than others. Thus we often feel pressured and try to imitate what we think makes other people successful. Rather than making someone else your idol, strive to be better each day in the pursuit of what you truly want to be. This way you are not limiting yourself to what others could achieve. In life, no single skill set will help you achieve extraordinary success. Such successes are mostly a culmination of multiple skill sets one acquires over a long period of time.
We hope this article will help you take a step forward in that direction. Do share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
