15 Daily Habits Of Truly Brilliant People
Their brilliance extends far beyond knowledge.
PeopleImages / Canva Pro Contrary to popular belief, the most brilliant people are often quiet, observant, and humble. Rather than displaying arrogance regarding their intelligence, they are cognizant of how little we actually know. Their brilliance goes beyond their intellect and is evident in their everyday behaviors.
A business and motivation account, @winner.spirit on Instagram, shared some of the habits of the most brilliant among us.
Here are 15 daily habits of truly brilliant people:
1. They don’t talk about their intelligence
That’s right — the most brilliant people often don’t boast about how smart they are. These individuals have much more important matters on their minds and don’t need to rely on others’ validation.
Instead, they spend their time expanding their mind and learning new things.
2. They learn best through imitation
Brilliant people learn by observing others and discovering what works best. With analytical minds and strong attentive skills, they study various methods developed by others and imitate these practices for the most beneficial outcomes.
3. They try to figure things out by themselves
Most of the time, brilliant minds are drawn to challenges and problem-solving. They prefer to figure things out on their own before asking others for help.
This is because, through the process of investigating, thinking, and pushing through frustration, individuals build perseverance, self-reliance, and critical thinking skills that can aid them in future situations.
4. They’re always seeking knowledge
Aristotle, one of the most influential philosophers, wrote, “The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.” While some may misunderstand what he meant, as a truly wise and brilliant thinker, his point rings true today.
Correlated with the Dunning-Kruger effect, this phrase emphasizes the vastness of universal knowledge. Even as the most brilliant people expand their minds, they understand there is always more to learn.
5. They don’t brag about what they know
Brilliance is not correlated with arrogance. Most of the time, these individuals keep to themselves and weigh in when their perspective is desired, but never in a bragging manner.
As stated above, these individuals don’t think they know everything. In fact, despite their brilliance, they often believe they don’t know enough. As Socrates, another famous philosopher, said himself, “All I know is that I know nothing.”
6. They know how to connect the dots
Brilliant individuals know how to think from an objective perspective and see the greater picture. Rather than reading into the minute details, these individuals have the ability to zoom out and make connections between different subjects.
7. They are comfortable with conflicting ideas
Most of the time, brilliant individuals don’t see the world as black and white. Rather, they have open minds and understand the multitude of varying philosophies and ideas.
8. They ask a lot of questions
With an innate sense of curiosity, brilliant minds often teem with countless questions. In fact, the most brilliant thinkers are not the ones who carry all the answers, but all the questions. This is because these people are aware of their limitations and aren’t afraid to learn from others.
By asking thought-provoking questions, these individuals spark elaborate discussion and explore topics from a deeper perspective, expanding their understanding.
9. They abstract from their experiences
Brilliant people are skilled in using both concrete and abstract thinking. In addition to understanding how something works, they have developed the ability to understand why something works.
They do this by analyzing patterns and paying attention to the little details that often get overlooked.
10. They’re drawn to puzzles and paradoxes
Brilliant minds love a good brain itch, and they find intrigue in trying to understand the things that don’t make sense. They dig into complex subjects and focus thoroughly on how certain things occur, dedicated to discovering reasonable explanations.
Photo: WichM / Shutterstock
11. They don’t get hung up on others’ actions
Due to their high emotional intelligence, brilliant thinkers are too busy exploring their innovative endeavors to get distracted by the actions and behaviors of others.
This is because they devote their undivided attention to their work and studies, and they don’t have the time or energy to let themselves become phased by what others say or do.
12. They move slowly, thinking before acting
Cautious and deliberate thinkers, truly brilliant people contemplate problems thoroughly before acting on anything. This is because they want to ensure they fully understand the elements of a situation so they can come to a clear and conscientious decision.
As philosopher Lao Tzu coined, similar to the way “nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished,” brilliant individuals don’t rush their efforts, and as a result, they adopt clarity and deep understanding.
13. They aren’t intimidated by failure
The last thing brilliant people are intimidated by is failure. This is because they understand failure is a part of life, and there are a myriad of lessons that can be learned from failing.
As TikTok creator Babita Bassi pointed out, the most beneficial thing you can do when you experience failure is extract the learning lesson from the experience and use it to propel yourself toward your goals.
14. They don’t try to sound smart
Only those who are doubtful of themselves put on a performance to appear smart. Truly brilliant people don’t feel the need to prove their worth to anyone. They know who they are and where they stand, and they use their desire to seek knowledge as a roadmap to life.
15. They don’t always use big words
A common assumption associated with brilliance is having an expansive vocabulary. While this may be true, brilliant people don't try to rub their intelligence in others’ faces by using exorbitant words to describe things.
Instead, they aim to use the simplest, most accurate terms to explain information in a concise manner that others can easily understand.
Francesca Duarte is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team based in Orlando, FL. She covers lifestyle, human-interest, adventure, and spirituality topics.