Have you noticed that some of the most
intelligent and deep thinking individuals out there fail to be happy?
They may have a loving life partner, family
and be successful in their job; yet, there is something that occasionally makes
them feel alone, sad and discouraged. As Ernest Hemingway said, “happiness in
intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
Here are six possible reasons why happiness
in highly intelligent people is such a rare phenomenon:
01. Intelligent people overanalyze everything
Many people with a high IQ tend to be overthinkers who constantly analyze everything happening in their life and
beyond. This can be draining at times, especially when your thinking processes
take you to undesirable, frustrating conclusions.
Have you heard the saying, ‘Ignorance is
bliss’? It surely is – the less you understand, the more carefree and,
therefore, happy you are. Being able to read people’s true selves and hidden
motives is enough to make you feel disappointed with the whole world sometimes.
Not even mentioning the feelings that come along with the reflection on
philosophical matters, global issues and life’s timeless dilemmas that have no
solutions.
02. Intelligent people have high standards
Smart people know what they want and don’t
settle for less than that, no matter what area of life we are talking about.
This means that it’s more difficult for them to be satisfied with their
achievements, relationships and literally everything that has a place in their
life.
Moreover, many people with brilliant
theoretical minds happen to have poor practical intelligence and somehow
idealistic views of the world. So when their expectations face the raw reality
of life and other people, it inevitably leads to disappointment.
03. Intelligent people are too hard on
themselves
Another reason why smart people fail to be
happy is that they tend to be too strict with themselves. And here, I’m not
talking only about one’s achievements and failures. Intelligent, deep thinking individuals often analyze themselves and their own behavior in such a rigorous
manner like if they are intentionally seeking out things to blame themselves
for.
Sometimes, you just lie there in your bed
trying to fall asleep and suddenly recall a situation (which probably happened
years or, at least, months ago) when you didn’t act the way you should have.
This is enough to mess with your sleep and spoil your mood. Intelligent people
often experience such kind of flashbacks into their past mistakes. All this
cultivates guilt, discontent and other negative emotions that can poison one’s
happiness.
04. Reality is not enough
People with high IQs never cease to seek
something bigger – a pattern, a meaning, a purpose. The deepest and the
dreamiest of them don’t stop there – their restless mind and imagination don’t
let them just relax and enjoy “the good things in life.” I guess the reality
with its trivialities is just too boring for them. Such people crave for
something fantastic, idealistic, eternal… and, of course, never find it in the
real world.
Have you ever felt like you don’t belong here and should have lived in a different era or maybe on another planet? Deep
thinking, highly intelligent people constantly feel this way. How can you be
happy when you feel like a stranger to the world you live in?
05. Lack of deep communication and
understanding
Being truly understood by someone is one of
the greatest experiences a human being can have. How comforting it is to sit
with a like-minded person somewhere quiet and have a meaningful conversation,
realizing that this person understands your ideas and shares your views of the
world… Sadly, intelligent people rarely have this pleasure. Many of them feel alone and misunderstood, like if no one is able to see and appreciate the depth
of their minds.
It’s now scientifically confirmed that in
order to be happy, individuals with high IQs need less socialization than those
with average levels of intelligence. However, it doesn’t mean that smart people
don’t crave for human interaction and a good conversation. They simply prefer
to talk about fascinating and meaningful things rather than discuss food,
weather and one’s plans for the weekend. No need to say that nowadays, it’s
particularly difficult to find a person to have a deep conversation with. Thank
today’s consumerist and materialist society for that.
06. Many people with a high IQ suffer from
psychological problems
There have been many studies that link psychiatric disorders, such as social anxiety and bipolar, with high IQs. Could
it be that these conditions are a kind of a side effect of a creative genius
and a brilliant mind? Who knows, science is yet to unravel the mysteries of the
human mind.
At the same time, the intelligent people who
don’t suffer from any mental disorders are still prone to so-called existential depression, which often is a result of excessive thinking. If you are thinking
all the time and analyze everything in depth, at some point, you start
reflecting on life, death and the meaning of existence. Sometimes, it’s enough
to make you want to re-evaluate your own life and, as a result, get sad for no
obvious reason.
