Intelligence is a blessing but can sometimes be difficult to deal with. Many smart people sometimes go through a stage in life when they can’t help but say: “I hate being intelligent.” If you are one of those people, then you are probably have your reasons for feeling this way. However, intelligence should never be viewed as a burden – it should always be considered as an asset as your disposal.
If you are struggling to overcome the ” I hate being intelligent” mindset, then this post may help you make a positive shift in your thoughts. Here are 7 obstacles to overcome to start appreciating your smartness.
1) Decision fatigue
Being smart means your perspective on things are well thought of and often correct. It is therefore easy to fall into the trap of overthinking every simple decision. For example spending as much time on choosing your hair gel as you do on your investments. This may often leave you in a state of constant worry and doubt. I wrote a post on decision fatigue previously which highlights some decisions we can outsource others to make. The main idea here is to not burden yourself with decisions that add no value or alternatively with decisions that someone has more experience on e.g. a financial advisor will be much better equipped to deal with your investments than you are; unless you are an accountant or investment banker. It therefore comes down to trusting in the abilities of others – smart people are often reluctant to trust in others as they hold themselves in high esteem. Therefore one of the biggest obstacles to overcome the “I hate being intelligent mindset” is to trust more in others.
2) Self -imposed pressure
Being on the smart side of the spectrum I found that smart people were just as restricted with choices such as careers and degrees as those with average intelligence. You are are often led to believe that if you are smart traditional paths like advanced level degrees in science or engineering need to be followed. Therefore they often leave their passions to pursue paths that society depicts fit for them. If you were in the same boat, you may have found yourself in situations where you put pressure on yourself to impress or satisfy the expectations of others like friend or parents. This is because smart people generally have more expectation put on them.
An “A” or mediocre performance isn’t acceptable. “You are smarter than that” is often the follow up to your poor performance. However, it is this very thing that makes intelligent people consider intelligence a burden. The only way to overcome this pressure and follow your purpose is to muster up the courage to believe in yourself. You will need to have enough internal motivation to push aside the negative thoughts that lead you astray. It is only when you do this that you will realize the full potential of your intelligence overcome the “I hate being intelligent mindset.”
3) Fitting in
The thing with being smart is that you often find it difficult to communicate with people in simple terms. The way to be successful however and live a life with good relationships is to practice effective communication. Learn how to influence people, state things simply and understand how all people think. A big part is to develop tolerance and always look at things from the other person’s perspective. No one like’s a smart-ass nor someone who flashes around their intelligence like a badge of honor. There is a time and place for everything. Learn to change the way you speak for different occasions and different people you speak to.
4) You want to be a “Know it all”
Smart people are constantly intrigued by knowledge. They are generally polymathic thinkers with voracious appetites for learning new things. It is easy for them to easily lose sight of their goals as a result of putting too many things on their plate. It is okay to expand the span of your knowledge but make sure the depth lies in areas that are going to gravitate you towards your purpose. If you are like this – remember a balanced life is essential for happiness. Spend as much time fostering healthy relationships and doing the things that you are passionate about.
To learn how to fully achieve success in all facets of your life, read: Applying A Growth Mindset To Achieve Success
