The curse of highly intelligent people and how to stop it. (2024)

Is the glass half-empty or half-full?

Being ‘smart’ is a very desired trait for its rightful reasons. In addition to the endless bragging rights, intelligence does not only come with its positives but also its own downsides.

Let’s lay out some of the pros and cons of being a highly intelligent person to see if the good weighs the bad:

• You’re curious about the world. Intelligent people engage their passions and like to ask questions. They like learning about cultures, history, and the world at large.
• You have a good working memory. This means you have executive functioning skills and cognitive flexibility. It’s easy to transition from one thing to another.
• You recognize your limits. A sign of intelligence is recognizing the fact that you don’t know everything. This allows you to be open to learning more from others.
• People trust and follow you. People like to follow those who have developed the skills necessary to break down jobs into understandable components.

• You are the victim of over-analysis. Things are never as black-and-white as they appear so you read between every line and word, which can be draining.
• You tend to lack meaningful social connections. As your mind works at extreme speeds and deep complexity, it makes you feel like people won’t understand you.
• You are overly goal-oriented. This makes you peculiarly vulnerable to tying your happiness to "winning" or achieving those goals.
• You have high standards and refuse to settle down. Your mind is rarely satisfied with mediocrity, hence you become demanding of yourself and others.

The truth is, it’s neither one thing nor the other. The good comes with the bad, but you can always keep it under control to ensure the negatives don’t intervene with the positives. You could even turn the cons into pros with the right strategies.

When the brain is overrun

Being highly intelligent could be a vicious cycle for those who are unaware of its side effects. As society praises IQ over other things like EQ or AQ, those who are deemed as ‘smart’ could be prone to issues such as:

1. Analysis ParalysisThe constant need to analyze every possible outcome can result in analysis paralysis, where one becomes overwhelmed by choices and is unable to make decisions, which can lead to lack of progress, which could heighten pressure.
2. Social Anxiety and IsolationThe fear of being judged or not living up to the expectations of others can lead to social withdrawal and isolation. The comfort of solitude and intellectual pursuits may be preferred, but this can further exacerbate their sense of loneliness.
3. Impostor SyndromeIntelligent individuals are particularly susceptible to imposter syndrome because they often set high expectations for themselves and believe they need to meet unrealistic standards. This self-doubt can be debilitating.
4. Compromised Emotional Intelligence (EQ)Emotional intelligence encompasses the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and empathize with others. Highly intelligent people might struggle balancing between their intellect and emotions.
5. Perfectionism and Fear of FailureIntelligent individuals often set high standards for themselves and are driven by a desire to excel in everything they do. This pursuit of perfection can create immense pressure and anxiety.

Learn more about the ugly ways intelligence could manifest when not managed properly in the Medium article here.

The spells to combat the curse

No matter what age you’re at, which line of work you’re in, and what interests you like to indulge yourself into, when you’re seen as smarter than most, there will be struggles that come along with it.

Here a few ways you can do to minimize the downsides:

• Beware of deep dives. You might try exploring a topic in some depth, but stay alert to people’s early signals of being turned off: wandering eyes, bored body language, silence, and, of course, if they change the topic.
• Find your peers. In the job world that means working for organizations often laced with smart folks, like high-tech, biotech, and financial firms. Outside of work, you can try book clubs or in-person courses.
• Hold your powder. Just like the phrase means: wait before taking action, but be ready to take action if it is necessary. In the case of high intelligence, be sure to appreciate others’ ideas and ask of others’ opinions when sharing yours.
• Always have stimulation sources. Keep with you one or more ‘sponge activities’ such as a downloaded audiobook to keep your thoughts occupied. It’d be nice to also have a stimulating side project like researching on how to find good housing.
• Allow visitors time. In social situations, don’t jump to a topic or issue that’s at all cognitively demanding until you sense the person is comfortable. It may be wise to let the other person take the lead so you can sense when they have settled in.

Find more details on how you can incorporate the coping mechanisms above into your daily life in the full article here.

Though it seems intimidating to be the one people look up to, the responsibility of having high intelligence is a blessing if you use it right.

If you thought of someone while reading this Monday Mavens edition, could be your boss, a colleague, or a relative, be sure to share around the tips and loop them in!

We’ll see you for more conversation-starter tips next Monday.