You’re here because something has happened to you that’s left you questioning your intelligence.
It’s normal!
In life, most of us will ask ourselves if we’re stupid from time to time.
So, if you’re facing this situation, this article contains some key markers to help you identify just how intelligent you are!
Let’s dive in.
What defines intelligence?
An individual’s intelligence is defined as the ability to learn, reason, and solve problems. But it’s not just about how quickly you can do these things.
IQ tests are a good way to measure your intelligence level, but they aren’t the only way.
Intelligence levels vary from person to person, but some telltale signs indicate whether someone is intelligent.
1) You’re able to visualize ideas
Visualizing an idea is one of the most important skills that a brilliant individual possesses.
In fact, it’s often considered one of the primary components of being intelligent. It allows an individual to see the abstract idea in front of them and understand it.
For example, if someone asks you to draw a square that is 3 feet by 3 feet, you could do it without any problem. You have a visual representation of what that looks like in your mind.
That’s only one example, but you know what I mean. So, if you can visualize ideas, you’re definitely not stupid!
2) You can define ideas accurately
Being able to define an idea accurately is another key component of being intelligent. Defining an idea accurately refers to the ability to recognize the complexity behind an idea.
When you define an idea, you don’t just give a simple definition. Instead, you dig down and get to the core of what the idea is.
For example, if someone asked you to define a car, you might say that it’s a vehicle that has four wheels and can be used for transportation. That definition is accurate, but not very specific.
If you can go further and deeper and expand a bit more on the subject, it shows that you have a pretty good understanding and that you’re not stupid.
3) You can think on your feet
Being able to think on your feet is another key component of intelligence.
It refers to the ability to think quickly and make decisions as they come up without getting flustered. It’s not just the ability to make a decision, though. It’s also the ability to act on those decisions and make them work.
For example, if you were playing a game of chess and your opponent moved their piece to your side of the board, you might be able to figure out where they want to place it by using your strategic thinking skills.
If you can think quickly enough, you might be able to come up with a plan and beat them back before they can accomplish their goal.
I’ve used the example of chess, but it goes for other things too, using your quick thinking skills at work, or when interacting with people.
This is a surefire sign that you’re more brainy than you give yourself credit for.
Do you want to know a secret?
The truth is, most of us never realize how much power and potential lies within us.
We become bogged down by continuous conditioning from society, the media, our education system, and more.
The result?
The reality we create becomes detached from the reality that lives within our consciousness.
I learned this (and much more) from the world-renowned shaman Rudá Iandé. In this excellent free video, Rudá explains how you can lift the mental chains and get back to the core of your being.
A word of caution – Rudá isn’t your typical shaman.
He doesn’t paint a pretty picture or sprouts toxic positivity like so many other gurus do.
Instead, he’s going to force you to look inwards and confront the demons within. It’s a powerful approach, but one that works.
So if you’re ready to take this first step and align your dreams with your reality, there’s no better place to start than with Rudá’s unique technique
Here’s a link to the free video again.
4) You’re eager to learn
Learning is one of the most important things that smart people do daily.
They learn new things about themselves and their surroundings every single day. They feed their curiosity and constantly strive to learn new things about the world around them.
So, if you’re always curious about how, what, why, and when and you’re open to learning and improving yourself, you’re definitely not stupid.
5) You can think critically
Critical thinking is another key component of intelligence. It refers to the ability to think rationally and make decisions based on facts, not emotions or feelings. It’s not just a simple skill, though; it takes years of practice to get good at it.
For example, when a smart person hears a rumor about someone they know, they won’t jump to conclusions. Instead, they will think critically about the information and analyze it before deciding whether it’s true.
A person who’s not very bright will take the information as fact without even considering the other side of the story.
6) You can learn to adapt
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
Being able to adapt is another key component of being smart. It refers to the ability to change your behavior based on what is going on around you.
You can navigate your environment and the situational circumstances you find yourself in.
Because you understand that in life, change is part of the process, you don’t have an issue going with the flow.
7) You are creative
One of the biggest elements of intelligence is the ability to be creative. A creative person always looks at the world in a new way and can come up with unique solutions to problems.
For example, if you were stuck in traffic, a creative person might think about driving an alternate route or trying to find another way to get where they are going.
If you’re not that bright, you’d probably just accept the fact that you’re stuck in traffic and won’t seek any other solution.
Creativity is not just about creating things. It’s about thinking outside of the box to make life easier!
8) You learn from your mistakes
Intelligent people are also able to learn from their mistakes and use them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
They don’t just give up when something goes wrong—instead, they take it as an opportunity to learn something new and improve themselves in the process.
They don’t throw in the towel and wallow in self-pity, instead, they take the opportunity as a learning curve and do what needs to be done to do better the next time around.
In fact, believing you are capable of mistakes is a key sign of self-awareness, as Ideapod co-founder Justin Brown shares in his video below. It’s one of the benefits of believing in your idiocy, which paradoxically enhances self-awareness.
9) You see the bigger picture
Smart people are also able to look at things from a big-picture perspective. They can see the big picture and understand how things fit together.
For example, if you were in a conversation with someone who was talking about a topic you had never heard of before, an intelligent person would be able to understand what they were talking about because they would be able to put the new information into context and understand how it fits into the overall picture of what they already know.
On the other hand, an individual with limited intelligence won’t have the ability to piece the puzzle together and, therefore, will not be able to understand why some things happen and the rationale behind them.
10) You can accept failure
Intelligent people are also able to accept failure and learn from it. They don’t let failure get them down, but instead, they use it as an opportunity to grow and improve themselves.
If you understand that failure is part of life and if you make peace with it, it shows that you are way more intelligent than you think.
Not everyone succeeds on their first attempt. Smart people know that failure inevitably drives success.
11) You are self-aware
Intelligent people are also able to be self-aware. They can understand their strengths and weaknesses and have a pretty good understanding of what they are good at and not so good at.
If you’re stupid, this concept won’t resonate with you. You will think you know all the answers and won’t be able to see that you’re not perfect and that you have weaknesses.
Stupid people are often cocky and will do anything to “show” how great they are, even when they have no idea what they’re doing!
12) You are curious
Intelligence is not just determined by IQ score. It also depends on how well you understand complex topics, learn from experiences and make informed choices.
People with high intelligence are more likely to be curious about the world around them and to seek out new information.
This can lead them to become smarter than average individuals through learning from experiences and understanding complicated topics in a more depth way than those that are not smart.
13) You can think on your own
Intelligent people can also think on their own because they can come up with their ideas, thoughts, and opinions about things.
Smart people question everything and very seldom settle when they’re seeking to understand. They also challenge the status quo and are not afraid to push back when necessary.
So, if you don’t just take someone’s word for it, you’re smarter than you think!
14) You can see things from other people’s perspective
Intelligent people are also able to understand other people’s perspectives on things because it is easier for them to see things from other people’s perspectives.
For example, if you were to tell an intelligent person that you had a bad day at work, they would be able to understand why you are feeling upset because they know that you have a job and thus can understand how difficult it can be.
Smart people can put themselves in the shoes of others and can empathize with them.
15) You can put things in perspective
Intelligent people are also able to put things into perspective and realize that they are not the center of the universe.
For example, if you were to get upset about something that happened in your life, an intelligent person would be able to understand that what happened wasn’t that big of a deal because it doesn’t even matter in the big scheme of things.
They would just be able to let it go and move on with their life without letting it bother them too much.
16) You keep an open mind
Intelligent people are also more open-minded than unintelligent people because they can see things from other people’s perspectives.
For example, if you were to disagree about an issue, an intelligent person would be able to understand that you might have a different perspective on the issue than they do and thus be able to see things from your perspective.
An unintelligent person would take this as a personal attack and will try to argue their points of view.
See the difference?
Smart people are open-minded and can agree to disagree.
What characteristics make you appear unintelligent?
Just as there are signs that reveal if you’re intelligent, there are a few telling ones to signal that you’re the opposite.
1) Uninformed
People come off looking stupid when they say things without thinking them through.
They may also be the people who don’t have a lot of common sense and often seem to have their heads in the clouds.
They also believe everything they read on social media and can be incredibly gullible.
2) Overly sensitive to criticism
Unintelligent people can often be overly sensitive when it comes to receiving criticism from others or when they are rejected.
They feel that any criticism is a personal attack and tend to take things to heart. They don’t understand that criticism can help them to improve and see it as a negative thing, not a positive experience that can actually benefit them.
3) Overly emotional
Intelligent people are also able to keep their emotions in check.
They don’t allow themselves to get overly emotional about things because they know that emotions can often lead us astray from our goals.
For example, if something bad happens and we get overly emotional about it, we may end up doing something we regret or making decisions that could negatively impact our future.
Stupid people are the complete opposite. They shoot from the hip and don’t even consider the consequences!
4) Easily manipulated
Intelligent people are also able to think critically and understand when they are being manipulated.
They can see through the manipulation and realize what is going on. For example, if you were trying to use a certain tactic to manipulate a person, an intelligent person would be able to sense it and not let themselves be manipulated by you.
People with lower intelligence are easy to manipulate because they don’t question anything.
Hook, line, and sinker.
5) Can be domineering
People with lower intelligence often try to substitute their lack of smarts with being domineering. They can often be bullies and try to use fear tactics to get people to do what they want.
Because they feel inadequate in the brains department, they usually put on a front to appear intimidating to hide the fact that they’re actually just not very smart.
Intelligent people are often always those that put others at ease and are easy to get along with.
How to tell if you’re not as smart as you think you are
1) You need to stay in the comfort zone
If you are not as smart as you think you are, likely, you will not want to try new things because it is easier for you to do what you know.
For example, if you were to tell an unintelligent person that there was a new restaurant that they want to go to, they would be unlikely to want to go because it is easier for them to stay in their comfort zone and eat at the same restaurants that they always eat at.
This is why unintelligent people often have a limited life experience because they are unable or unwilling to try new things and thus stay stuck where they are and are unlikely to grow as people.
2) You have trouble understanding new ideas
Unintelligent people also have trouble understanding new ideas because they do not know how to think about things differently.
For example, if you were to tell an unintelligent person about an idea that you had, they would be unable to understand it because they are unable to think of new ways of looking at things.
The mentality is black and white thinking, and there is absolutely no room for anything else.
3) You can only think about one thing at a time
Unintelligent people are unable to multitask.
This means that they are unable to think about more than one thing at a time. When unintelligent people try to multitask, they often become frustrated because they can only think about one thing at a time and end up botching the other things they were trying to do simultaneously.
This is why unintelligent people often have trouble accepting new ideas because they cannot understand them when there are so many other things that are competing for their attention.
4) You have trouble seeing things from different people’s perspectives
Unintelligent people also have trouble seeing things from different perspectives because their minds don’t allow them to.
For example, if you were to tell an unintelligent person about a new idea that you had, they would likely reject the idea because it is difficult for them to see things from another side of the coin.
They adopt a sheep-like mentality and follow the herd instead of thinking for themselves.
How can I increase my intelligence levels?
So what can you do to increase your intelligence level?
Do you just stay in your comfort zone and reside yourself to the fact that you’re just stupid? Or do you take action?
So, where do you start?
Begin with yourself. Stop searching for external fixes to sort out your life, deep down, you know this isn’t working.
And that’s because until you look within and unleash your personal power, you’ll never find the satisfaction and fulfillment you’re searching for.
I learned this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. His life mission is to help people restore balance to their lives and unlock their creativity and potential. He has an incredible approach that combines ancient shamanic techniques with a modern-day twist.
In his excellent free video, Rudá explains effective methods to achieve what you want in life and that includes gaining more confidence in your abilities.
So if you want to build a better relationship with yourself, unlock your endless potential, and put passion at the heart of everything you do, start now by checking out his genuine advice.
Here’s a link to the free video again.
Here are some other practical ways for you to boost your brain cells:
1) Read more books
You can increase your intelligence levels by reading more books. If you read more books and learn about different things, you will become more intelligent.
2) Learn about different things from different people’s perspectives
You can increase your intelligence levels by learning about different things from different people’s perspectives. Shift your mindset and put yourself in the other person’s position. How would you react if it were you?
3) Be open to continuous learning
Most of us stop studying after college or high school, but the difference between smart and stupid is often as simple as never ceasing to learn.
Smart people are always learning new things all the time.
4) Learn new skills and increase your knowledge
There are thousands of online resources that can help you to increase your knowledge. You can use these resources to learn a new skill and increase your knowledge.
For example, you can learn how to play guitar, learn about different cultures, or learn about different languages. If you do this, you will become more intelligent.
5) Find a mentor
If you want to boost your knowledge, then a great idea would be to find a mentor and learn from them.
Mentors can also help guide and encourage your thinking processes, which in turn can result in a greater level of intelligence.
Conclusion
So there you have it.
You’re definitely not stupid and if the thought crosses your mind, there are so many options for you to increase your knowledge and help you to regain your sense of self-confidence.
Good luck!
