9 surprising signs you might be an actual genius without even realizing it

Growing up, we all learn about geniuses like Einstein or Newton and their scientific discoveries.

It’s also made pretty clear to us that we – ordinary children with dreams of becoming an astronaut or a vet – do not reach that same intellectual level.

This isn’t bad per se. After all, it’s important to keep our feet planted on the ground. There is, indeed, a high chance you’re not as smart as Einstein or as inventive as Nikola Tesla.

But it’s also vital to remember that you may be much smarter than you give yourself credit for.

Want to see the 9 surprising signs you might be a smart cookie without even realizing it?

Strap in.

Let’s go!

1) You’re endlessly curious

We often think of intelligence as something that we’re born with. Either you have it, or you don’t. End of story.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Researchers actually say that curiosity and intelligence correlate. This is partly due to the fact that “the experience of interest is central to intrinsic motivation for learning.”

Curiosity is what propels you to seek out new information, take online courses, watch interesting YouTube videos, read books, and pay attention in class.

It’s what urges you to ask strange questions that dig deep, think critically about every piece of information that’s presented to you, and remain aware of how much you still don’t know about the world.

It’s the very key to intelligence.

So, take a step back and have a think. Do you tend to go down research rabbit holes a lot? Do you often ask questions that wouldn’t occur to other people? Are you led by curiosity above all?

If your answer is yes, you may be smarter than you realize – and possibly even a genius.

2) You always see parallels where others see no link at all

Have you ever looked at three separate things and realized there were inherent parallels between them?

Do you often see links and similarities where other people see close to nothing?

Thus another sign you may be much more intelligent than you give yourself credit for.

As Robert C. Barkman, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus Science and Education at Springfield College in Massachusetts, writes, “Compared to all mental abilities, pattern recognition is said to have the highest correlation with the so-called general intelligence factor (Kurzweil, 2012).”

“The ability to spot existing or emerging patterns is one of the most if not the most critical skill in decision-making, though we’re mostly unaware that we do it all the time (Miemis, 2010).”

He also says that “pattern recognition can lead to new discoveries, breakthrough ideas, and innovative concepts.”

So, there you have it. If you can see the forest and not just the trees, it’s our second sign ticked off the list.

3) You worry a lot

Did you know that high intelligence is associated with increased anxiety?

Yep, that’s right. What can I say? You can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Even high intelligence has its downsides.

While it’s amazing that you can draw parallels between seemingly unrelated things and that you’re so knowledge-hungry that you constantly learn new information, the fact that you think so much also means you have more worries to obsess about.

It makes sense when you think about it. Since your mind works at a higher capacity, there is more space for anxiety and worries, and before you know it, your brain’s latched onto yet another negative thought.

You’re spiraling once again.

Researchers also suggest this may be due to the “hyper brain / hyper body theory,” which David Z. Hambrick and Madeline Marquardt summarize for Scientific American thus: 

“This theory holds that, for all of its advantages, being highly intelligent is associated with psychological and physiological ‘overexcitabilities,’ or OEs.”

“A concept introduced by the Polish psychiatrist and psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski in the 1960s, an OE is an unusually intense reaction to an environmental threat or insult. This can include anything from a startling sound to confrontation with another person.”

So, if you’re a worrywart…

It might mean you’re actually really freaking smart.

4) You’re a night owl

“A study investigating the effect of sleep on brain performance has found a link between an individual’s preference for morning or evening activity and their brain function,” writes Samantha Rey for Imperial College London News.

Apparently, this study suggests “that self-declared ‘night owls’ generally tend to have higher cognitive scores.”

It’s quite ironic that night owls tend to be persecuted in our 9-5 culture while their sleep schedules aren’t only natural to them but also hint at higher levels of intelligence.

The next time someone complains that you’re staying up late at night, tell them you’re just smart.

Ha!

5) Your desk is constantly cluttered

Look at your desk. Is it tidy and clean, or is there clutter everywhere you look?

No matter what your answer is, you might be a smart cookie, of course. But if there’s a lot of clutter, a study backs up that the mess is due to your intelligence rather than laziness.

I don’t know how about you, but I think this is a wonderful excuse.

What’s more, a messy desk might actually help you get into a creative flow.

How so?

Well, scientist Kathleen Vohs has apparently said, “Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights. Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe.”

What a great day to be messy!

6) You often feel like the odd one out in social situations

Ready for another unfortunate side effect of high intelligence?

Here goes…

According to experts, “Adults with an IQ above 130 are more lonely than adults from a norm group. The same results are expected for adolescents.”

You may have already guessed the reason.

When a smart kid mingles with children who aren’t on the same intellectual level, the gifted child may soon feel misunderstood and out of place.

In an attempt to blend in, they may downplay their talents and skills, disconnecting from their authentic sense of self and feeling lonely as a result.

It takes some time before highly intelligent people find their crowd, and before that happens, they might walk around feeling like aliens or oddballs.

If you can relate to that feeling…

You know what it means. You may be super smart.

7) You love to spend time in your own company

When you always feel like the odd one out, you’ll naturally spend more time in solitude.

But that’s not the only reason clever people are alone a lot of the time. In fact, they often prefer it.

Why?

Because they have so many hobbies and interests they need enough space to explore them all.

From researching quantum mechanics to reading one fantasy book after another or growing their own tomatoes on a windowsill, they’re so deeply preoccupied with various activities that socializing doesn’t even cross their mind as an option sometimes.

Of course, even geniuses get lonely.

But it may take them a tiny bit longer before that feeling well and truly hits because they spend so much time hyperfixating on different interests and passions.

8) You have a wild imagination

It probably comes as no surprise that higher creativity is linked to higher intelligence.

After all, the more you think about stuff, the more opportunity there is for you to come up with creative ideas that no one’s ever explored properly before.

And since intelligence comes in so many different forms, the way your imagination runs wild may be unique to you.

For example, you could constantly dream up new fantasy worlds and fictional stories, but you might also always think about maths, come up with a new entrepreneurial idea every day, or explore new approaches to old problems.

Whatever it is, it’s safe to say your head is never a boring place to be. You always have something creative to think about.

9) Your intuition is on point

You may think that intuition is some kind of woo-woo nonsense, but it’s actually rooted in psychology.

Don’t believe me?

Just have a look at what the experts in Psychology Today have to say: “Intuition is a form of knowledge that appears in consciousness without obvious deliberation.”

“It is not magical but rather a faculty in which hunches are generated by the unconscious mind rapidly sifting through past experience and cumulative knowledge.”

I’m sure you can now see how intelligence and intuition are interconnected. The more cumulative knowledge you have, the better your chances of having a good sense of intuition are.

So, ask yourself:

• Do I often get an uncomfortable feeling before something bad happens?
• Do I tend to see through people quite easily?
• Do I make decisions based not only on reason but also on my intuition?
• Am I very observant?

If you nodded yes four times…

Yay!

It’s the final sign you might be an actual genius – or at least very, very smart.