Being smart isn’t always easy. While being smart is often seen as an advantage, it also brings you great challenges. Then if you are a very intelligent person, you may feel lonely and isolated. In this article, we explore ten common difficulties experienced by intelligent people.
#1 Small talk feels pointless
Engaging in small talk about ordinary things can feel like a real waste of time. This is because your brain is full of tons of great ideas! Your interests may range from broad topics like science, art, or philosophy. Thus, small talk can feel like a waste of time. What you really need is a like-minded person to chat with.
#2 You Think More Than You Speak
It may take you longer than a person of average intelligence to present your opinion or reach a conclusion as your brain searches for all possible solutions and answers to a problem. In addition, if you are not completely sure that you have the right answer or a brilliant idea, you will be reluctant to talk about it. Many people around you are not used to how your thought process works, so they will be confused and may even consider you strange, introverted, or uninterested.
#3 You Get Bored Easily at Work
You need to constantly challenge your brain with new ideas and projects. This is why you are likely to struggle daily to complete your tasks. When you exhaust all your creative potential, your once exciting job becomes routine and boring. However, your boss may not care much about your need for constant brain stimulation; he just wants you to get the job done.
#4 You Suffer Paralysis by Analysis
You are someone who is very concerned with the pros and cons when making decisions. This can often stop you from making a decision altogether because you overanalyze and allow potential “what ifs” to get the better of you. This could be because you are a perfectionist and believe that you will get the best possible outcome. Unfortunately, people who see this tend to mistake this trait for laziness. So you feel like they have underestimated you.
#5 You Are Socially Awkward
This situation arises as a result of all the things mentioned above. If you feel uncomfortable during small talk or if you feel uncertain, then avoid talking. You should not get inspired by tired ideas. Or you feel more comfortable with ideas than with execution. Because of this, people tend to portray you as “socially awkward”. However, this situation puts more pressure on you and makes you self-conscious about your social behavior.
#6 You Find It Hard to Make Friends
You have a hard time making friends because you don’t like small talk or spontaneous adventures. Although you don’t really mind spending time alone, the lack of like-minded people you can call friends can make life very lonely, and you are at risk of becoming depressed. However, on the other hand, you are able to find solace in your work and devote more time to advancing in your field.
#7 It’s Hard for You to Find Love
Because you are much more cautious, analytical, and independent than others, you often tend to be mistaken for being cold and high-maintenance. In addition, you can sometimes lack spontaneity, which can make you lose interest in love.
#8 You Don’t Have Much Fun
Just because you feel like you need something, you can’t be brave enough to explore it or try something new. Your analytical skills come into play here again. You don’t even consider something that might be a little dangerous but could be super fun. In your mind, the sense of danger will outweigh the fun.
#9 Everyone Notices Your Mistakes
You may wish you didn’t have to prove your intelligence to people all the time, but because of your talent, it’s pretty much to be expected. Plus, people notice even the smallest mistakes you make! This is hard for an intelligent person like you, because it increases your fear of failure and makes you think about perfection even more. Since you tend to base your value on your intelligence, making mistakes can hit you hard.
#10 You Are Under Pressure to Succeed
You tend to think you are superior to others because you can see and understand things that those around you cannot. You feel that your life is going in a different direction than everyone else’s. It’s more important for you to have a better career, more money, and better relationships. But, if your life isn’t going the way you think it should, all your expectations are shattered and you start criticizing and attacking yourself.
Being highly intelligent comes with its own set of struggles. Society tends to misunderstand you because you struggle with perfectionism and the pressure to constantly succeed.These challenges can isolate you and make you feel inferior. However, recognizing these struggles is the first step to overcoming them. Embrace your intelligence, but remember to give yourself space to relax, make mistakes, and enjoy life without the constant pressure to perform at your highest level.
