You’re only smart if…
1 min readNov 3, 2022
- You are deeply knowledgeable in at least 1–2 fields, yet you know a breadth of related or unrelated subjects as well.
- You can convey complex concepts in digestible form to others.
- You pick up on concepts, patterns, behaviors well. You can see big picture and small details alike. You can analyze, debate, cross apply these things. You ask good questions.
- You are an effective thinker: able to see what you don’t know, build on what you know, go to the roots of a cause and effect, and work up from first principles
- You don’t brag, you speak only when necessary; you are devoid of the need to prove your smartness to yourself or others (including your colleagues or managers/stakeholders). You don’t try to create a smartness persona just to look smart.
- You don’t claim to know what you don’t know. You can find out what you don’t know, ask the right questions, and get to the truth you seek.
- You pick others up and make them feel understood, without embarrassing them, and enrich their knowledge only when solicited.
- You surround yourself with people wiser than you in variety of things and have a network of smart people.
- You can convert your intelligence and skill to success in life, be it in career, finances, dexterous tasks, health and fitness, relationships, and society.
- You openly accept your flaws, comfortable in your own skin, and know you’re not the smartest.
