Paul Brian
Intelligence doesn’t mean you have to talk a lot.
In fact, it’s often the exact opposite.
Here are the top ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word.
1) Be punctual
The first of the key ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word is to be punctual.
Showing up on time makes it clear that you take your commitments clearly and that you are able to manage your time.
To be sure, there are those who are tardy and still have brilliant minds.
But the habitually late tend to lose respect over time and create frustration in work colleagues, friends and family.
By making a point of being on time, you are showing your intelligence in managing your time, but you’re also demonstrating emotional intelligence in respecting the time of others.
This level of respect demonstrates a handle on yourself and your actions as well as real respect for others.
2) Be observant
Next up in important ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word is to be observant.
As a general rule, people speak far too much and observe far too little.
Practicing active listening and observing those who are talking to you is key, but so is observation of your environment and what’s around you.
Practice being curious about what’s around you and why. Look at the details of your surroundings and of those you interact with.
Demonstrating intelligence has so much to do with demonstrating keenness of perception.
It’s about answering the question what can you see?
Think of it this way:
Two individuals sit in silence at the same beachfront bar. After a time period of their choosing, they are asked to name ten things they can see.
Individual number one speaks after only about 20 seconds. He goes for the classics: sand, waves, blue ocean, women in bikinis, guys in shorts, a palm tree, a paperback novel, a folding beach chair, clouds, a boat.
Individual number two takes ten minutes in calm silence and then lists off some deeper observations of the same objects:
- The dark yellow-hued sand which changes color to more gray partway down the beach;
- The way the wind wicks up curlicues of white foam on the rivulets of waves;
- Women of all shapes and sizes wearing brightly-colored neon, pink and safari-themed bikinis;
- Men tending to older age wearing swimming trunks and a minority wearing speedos;
- Several palm trees along the edge of the beach with some having dried out remains of unpicked coconuts higher up in their branches;
- A dog-eared paperback that looks well-read sitting by a Spongebob Squarepants beach chair;
- The aquamarine ocean that looks like it’s from a cologne advertisement or an Italian holiday brochure;
- Whisps of cloud that look like cotton candy;
- A red-and-white striped boat that looks like it could belong to a local fisherman sitting out near the coral reefs.
Now, to be sure, you can’t demonstrate these deep observations silently, but you can take your time in silence to observe and perceive more deeply than somebody who feels the urge to talk right away. This gets at the truth that truly smart and perceptive people don’t feel a rush to be recognized or get the “answer.” They’re OK to let the surroundings soak in a little bit…
Another option, of course is to:
3) Write it down
Another of the ways to demonstrate intelligence without saying a word is to write instead of speaking.
Imagine the above scenario with the first individual talking about everything he can see on the beach to a group of friends while you sit and right your more in-depth observations on a notepad.
After about half an hour his friend comes over and says hi, asking what you’re working on.
You proffer the pad and the friend gasps.
“Man, Lola you gotta see this. This dude is writing like a Homerian epic poem about the beach scenery. Wow.”
You’re going to look a lot smarter than the guy sitting around saying some basic stuff about a woman wearing a bikini or how the waves are “cool.”
And you didn’t say a word.
You just put pen to paper.
4) Make eye contact
The next of the practical ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word is to make eye contact when interacting with people.
Looking people in the eye demonstrates both confidence and smarts.
When you believe in yourself and what you stand for, you meet people’s gaze unapologetically and fully.
From the most basic organisms and mammals to human beings, eye contact is a way of demonstrating belief in oneself and situational awareness.
You don’t need to say a word, just look people in the eyes.
You’ll be surprised at how strong a read you get on people and situations just by doing this, too.
5) Solve problems
Next up and very crucially in the ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word is to solve problems.
To be sure, words are powerful and can make a big difference in life and in meeting challenges.
But if you’re on a road trip and the car breaks down, who would you rather have as your companion: a guy who’s a brilliant English literature scholar and poet in residence, or a guy who knows how to change the tire?
Possibly, you’d rather a brilliant poet who can also change a tire.
But the point is that action often speaks louder than words, and people will gravitate towards somebody who actually gets things done.
One of the best ways to show you’re smart is to do effective things and provide solutions rather than talking about them.
Let’s put it this way:
There’s a reason the hunky main star in a romance movie is almost always a strong silent type who gets things done without a lot of fuss.
6) Look after yourself
Next in the ways to show you’re intelligent without saying a word is to look after yourself.
Dress the part, groom well and keep your hygiene tip top.
There are plenty of smart people who don’t look outwardly impressive, but if you’re interested in making an impression as intelligent, it does have a lot to do with image.
You want to be sharply dressed, attractive or handsome but more with an edge towards professionalism.
You want to look refreshed and alert, ready to hit the ground running.
Watch any impressive public figure who can rally a crowd and you’ll notice that they rarely look like crap and they take care of themselves.
Like it or not, appearance does have a lot to do with how you come across to others, especially in first impressions.
7) Master your vibe
Part of looking after yourself and dressing your best is to master your vibe.
Vibe is a slang term for the energy or impression that you send out to people around you through your presence.
It goes a lot deeper than just outer appearance and some feel it speaks to your soul level and the kind of spiritual energy radiating out of you.
If you want to show that you’re smart without talking, master your vibe.
Do breathwork, meditation, prayer, fasting and listen to powerful music. Work out your body and achieve physical health.
When you walk into a room you will shine with life energy and people will notice you right away and see you’re a person with a lot to offer.
All without you speaking a word.
This ties into the last point:
8) Use body language
Your body language in general is critically important for how you come across in the world and the impression that you communicate to others.
Think of it this way:
a) There is the verbal language that you speak with your mouth which can be heard. This makes a big difference in how people see you and perceive you.
b) There is the non-verbal language you speak with your body that can’t be heard. It makes an even bigger difference in how people see you and perceive you than the words you say, particularly in terms of first impressions.
All living creatures are similar in that the way they present themselves acts as a kind of “code” or subconscious signaling of where we consider ourselves to fit in a social or dominance hierarchy.
You could be the most handsome, accomplished man in a room, but if you walk with slumped shoulders and downcast eyes you will tend to make people uncomfortable and wary of your worth.
This is why body language is so crucial to showing you’re intelligent without speaking a word.
This means:
- An upright, confident posture
- A striding, sure way of walking (gait)
- Making eye contact (as mentioned earlier)
- Facing those who are speaking to you
- Avoiding fidgeting, playing with hair and other nervous tics
Body language matters a lot! And it goes a long way to showing the kind of intelligence and confidence that you want to be projecting when you walk in a room.
More than words
There’s plenty of intelligence that can be conveyed by speaking, but in this article we’ve seen how there’s even more that goes on at the unspoken level.
By following the tips above, you can ensure that you’re presenting yourself in the kind of intelligent, forthright way that shows your true intelligence and value.
