If you have any of these 3 ‘bad habits,’ it could mean you’re highly intelligent

One would think that highly intelligent people have easier lives. All that brainpower should make someone more disciplined, better at decision-making, and more focused on taking good care of their mental health. However, having a super-powered brain comes with its own problems, much like owning a Ferrari will give you more grief than owning a Toyota. Some people may be super smart but don’t really believe it because their lives aren’t exactly perfect and they still struggle with their faults and foibles. But that just means they’re human. In fact, highly intelligent people face challenges that aren’t necessarily solved by simply thinking their way out of them. Three ‘bad habits’ that super smart people often have Some research has linked these habits (that some folks deem “bad”) to higher scores on certain tests of ability. That doesn’t prove you’re highly intelligent, but it’s a good reason to go easy on yourself. 1. Smart people get bored easily Some researchers and educators have suggested that highly intelligent people get bored when forced to pFerform repetitive tasks or when activities are too easy. The evidence is mixed, though. A 2022 study of nearly 2,900 German third graders found that general cognitive ability was barely related to boredom, and that how interested students were in a subject mattered far more. However, there is some good news. People who enjoy thinking tend to seek out intellectual stimulation, which can help them find something interesting in a tedious task. Two students looking bored. Photo credit: Canva 2. Smart people swear a lot People often chastise those who use bad words for having a small vocabulary, which forces them to resort to vulgar language rather than find a more elegant way to express themselves. However, a 2015 study in Language Sciences found that people who could name more swear words in a minute also tended to name more non-swear words, which suggests that swearing fluency goes along with verbal fluency rather than a limited vocabulary. So, next time someone gives you grief for using colorful language, you can point out that it doesn’t mean you’re short on words. 3. Smart people stay up late A 2024 study from Imperial College London found that night owls, those who go to bed late, and early risers, those who get up early, scored differently on cognitive tests. The study drew on data from more than 26,000 UK Biobank participants. In two separate tests, night owls scored 13.5% and 7.5% higher than early risers. Those in the middle or “intermediate” types also scored higher than the early risers, by 10.6% and 6.3%. Why night owls may have an edge Night owls are often seen as lazy or undisciplined, so it may surprise some people that they scored higher on cognitive tests than those who go to bed early. The researchers noted that the study shows an association, not a cause, and that sleeping seven to nine hours a night was linked to the best brain function overall. It seems that at least part of the old adage, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” may not hold up. That doesn’t mean morning people are out of luck, though. The researchers noted that not all early risers perform worse. So, what does it all add up to? Ultimately, it seems that our assumptions about smart people aren’t all true. Many enjoy salty language, stay up late at night, and have a hard time paying attention if they aren’t being challenged. It goes to show that even though intelligence is a blessing, it doesn’t lead to a life that always looks perfect from the outside. And that if you struggle with staying focused, minding your language, or binge-watching late-night TV, it doesn’t mean you aren’t smart; in fact, it could be the exact opposite. This article originally appeared in July. It has been updated.