We all feel insecure about our intelligence from time to time. The “I’m so stupid” feeling can be hard to shake if you make a mistake. You might need a reminder that you’re wiser than your oops moments.
Before you go into a “stupid” spiral, here are 20 phrases that reveal you’re smarter than you think:
1) “I enjoy intellectual challenges and problem-solving”
When someone needs help figuring something out, do you immediately jump to their aid?
If so, that means you have a penchant for complex mental tasks. It suggests that you like exercising your sharp intellect to solve the world’s problems.
2) “I have a curious mind and love exploring new ideas”
You’re not a know-it-all, but you like to know it all. Curious by nature, you ask a lot of questions and you dive into unfamiliar topics to learn and grow.
Your thirst for knowledge is astounding. And you actively seek out new information because you genuinely enjoy exploring subjects you know nothing about.
3) “Let’s look at the data/evidence”
This phrase is a real indicator that you’re a critical thinker. Which means you question things with logic.
Your logical reasoning skill is not something everyone possesses. Only the smartest people have this quality.
While some people are encouraged to do things easily (like cult members), you’re on the other side of the spectrum. You don’t take what people tell you at face value. You think before you believe.
You evaluate information objectively and know the importance of evidence-based thinking.
4) “I enjoy engaging in deep conversations”
You’re the person people love to talk to. And not just when it comes to banter, but deep, vulnerable conversations.
It’s because you relish in meaningful discussions that delve into profound topics. Your intellectual capacity to engage in thought-provoking dialogues is appreciated by fellow smart people.
You connect with them as you explore complex concepts. You present interesting facets to topics too.
5) “I’m always seeking opportunities to learn and grow”
Simply put, you love to tinker! A tinkerer is someone who loves to work with their hands. They tinker with objects or systems to understand how they work and to improve them.
Experiments are your thing. You love to explore. You’re a builder by nature. You play with objects to learn all the ins and outs.
And in the process of your tinkering, your personal and intellectual development is at the forefront. You have an innate drive to expand your knowledge and acquire new skills while you tinker.
6) “I love reading and constantly have a book on the go”
If you’re in a book club, say no more. If you are always reading and sharing the knowledge as you go, even better.
Your passion for reading indicates that you are an intellectual.
You actively seek written material to gain knowledge and broaden your perspective.
7) “I find value in questioning the status quo”
You’re not a naysayer. That’s not quite it. But you will wonder if society at large is on the right path.
Your inclination to challenge established norms and seek alternative viewpoints is an outlier in a sea of not-so-smart people.
This quality suggests that you possess a critical mind and are not afraid to question assumptions.
8) “I’m comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty”
When you don’t know what’s going to happen, you’re oddly calm about it.
Because you can navigate complex and ambiguous situations, uncertainty doesn’t phase you at all.
You possess the cognitive flexibility to adapt and find solutions in uncertain environments. Essentially, you know you’ll be A-OK.
9) “I enjoy exploring different cultures and learning from diverse perspectives”
You’re never the person at an ethnic restaurant going, “Ew, what is that?” You are the opposite. You say, “Ooh! I’d like to try that!” when met with a dish you’ve never encountered.
You genuinely appreciate cultural diversity and are interested in being well-versed globally.
You also love to connect with various viewpoints. You have a global mindset and are open to embracing different ways of thinking and living, which is a lovely quality.
10) “I believe in the power of lifelong learning”
You’ll never say, “I’ve learned enough.” You know knowledge is infinite. It never ends, and there’s always more to know.
Learning is a continuous process that extends beyond formal education, and you love that.
You learn from books, plus experiences. Your growth mindset makes you actively seek out opportunities to acquire knowledge throughout your life.
11) “I’m comfortable with being wrong and see it as an opportunity to learn”
You have humility and are willing to accept that you’re not perfect. You know you make mistakes, and you learn from them.
And the best part is, you appreciate constructive feedback. You use it as a catalyst for your own personal growth.
12) “I have a natural curiosity about the world and how things work”
You always wonder about the world beyond yourself. You ask yourself questions like:
- How do they do this in other countries?
- What is it like at some other place?
- What are other cultures like?
- Is there a better way to get this done?
Your inquisitive nature makes you intelligent. You desire to understand the underlying mechanisms of the world around you.
You possess a keen intellect and a thirst for knowledge on a global scale.
13) “I’m not afraid to ask questions and seek clarification”
Are you the type of person who isn’t afraid to ask a stupid question? Funnily, that makes you one of the smarter people in the room.
Your confidence in seeking clarification when faced with unfamiliar concepts or information adds to your intellect.
You are willing to admit when you need to know more, which adds to your information bank. Those who don’t ask “stupid” questions are limited in their understanding of concepts.
14) “I enjoy connecting seemingly unrelated ideas”
This might make some people’s brains hurt. But not you, smarties.
This means you have the ability to think creatively and make connections between disparate concepts.
You manage to process things on a deeper level. Your cognitive flexibility can see patterns and relationships that others may miss.
15) “I have a strong memory for details”
You are as detail-oriented as they come.
You have the ability to retain and recall information accurately. Your strong cognitive abilities can absorb and organize tidbits—even the minutiae.
16) “I can explain complex concepts in simple terms”
Take something complex and dissect it into things people can actually understand. You can do that!
You typically can provide people with more accessible explanations to complicated topics.
Your deep understanding of a subject makes it easy to communicate it to others, but you do so with simplicity.
17) “I enjoy solving puzzles and brainteasers”
Sudoku, Wordle, the New York Times crossword puzzle: you relish the opportunity to solve these and more!
You don’t shy away from a mental challenge. Your problem-solving skills are on point, after all.
You possess strong analytical skills and enjoy exercising your cognitive abilities with brainteasers.
18) “I can see multiple perspectives in a given situation”
That’s right, empath. You have an innate ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes.
You know to consider different viewpoints and understand various sides of an argument or situation even if you’re directly involved.
You might disagree with someone, but also can understand where they’re coming from.
19) “I’m passionate about a wide range of topics”
Your intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm is always going to be a part of you.
You don’t just know a lot about one thing. You are a subject matter expert about a multitude of things, and you show no signs of stopping.
Your broad knowledge base and a genuine interest in learning about various fields of study makes you worldly and smart.
Each of these phrases reflects different aspects of intelligence. You might be more of a critical thinker or a naturally curious person. You might have strong adaptability or just a love for learning.
Having confidence in your intelligence can be challenging. I get it. I often question my own smarts. If this is an area you struggle with, I’d recommend this insightful video created by the shaman Rudá Iandé.
Thanks to Rudá’s guidance, I learned how to navigate my insecurities. He’s had similar experiences in his life and has a lot of tips and tricks on improving your self-esteem.
After I watched his video, I felt empowered and more capable of understanding myself and what leads to my insecurities. As a result, I learned self-love.
Try it out by clicking here to watch the free video.
Regardless, you’re smart, okay? Don’t let anybody tell you any different. Embrace your strengths so you can uncover your innate intelligence.
How to know if you’re actually smart
While determining if you’re intelligent is not solely based on one single measure, there are some indicators that can help you recognize if you are indeed a smart one.
If you can answer yes to most if not all of these, you’re smarter than you think:
- Do you have problem-solving ability?
- Are you quick to learn things?
- Do you have critical thinking skills?
- Can you adapt to new environments, tasks, or challenges?
- Can you think outside the box, generate original ideas, and come up with innovative solutions?
- Do you have a strong memory?
- Do you have verbal and linguistic skills?
- Do you have analytical skills?
- Can you break down complex information into smaller components, identify patterns, and draw logical conclusions?
- Are you open-minded?
- Are you self-aware, and have a realistic understanding of your strengths and weaknesses?
Another thing to note is that intelligence is multifaceted. It’s not just about your IQ. There are also other types, such as emotional, social, and creative intelligence.
In short, being smart is not a one-size-fits-all situation. There are varying levels of intelligence and different types of brains.
Regardless of where you fall on the intelligence scale, always appreciate your unique strengths and abilities. Don’t rely on external validation. The most important opinion out there is your own.
