5 ways to demonstrate intelligence without saying a word

Listen with genuine curiosity

It sounds silly, but you'll be surprised how many people don't make active efforts to listen with curiosity and empathy.

According to psychology, only 10% of people are good listeners.

Psychologist Caren Osten explained that everyone thinks they're listening to the conversation, but in reality, they're just thinking about how to connect to tell their own story and give advice.

Stay silent if you can't contribute anything valuable

Too many people speak words without really considering their meaning.

And if there's something that can undermine your intelligence, it's the misuse of words, chatter on meaningless topics, and interference with futile proposals.

This doesn't mean you should doubt yourself when you have an idea you want to express.

It's just to remind you that sometimes the smartest thing you can do is to stay silent and listen.

Practice patience and mindfulness

The art of maintaining composure under pressure and patience in stressful situations speaks more about your intelligence than you might think.

And that's because intelligence depends not only on how high your IQ is or whether you graduated from university. It also depends on how well you can manage your emotions.

Unpredictable situations

If you stick too rigidly to your expectations and plans, there's a good chance you'll have a serious breakdown when things don't go as you wanted.

And although feeling overwhelmed, betrayed, disappointed, and hopeless is completely normal.

Life is just too complex, so flexibility in situations is an important skill.

Read a book in public

Many people consider those who read books in public transport to be smart.

So, if you're looking for a quick way to demonstrate your intelligence without saying a word, open a book on the subway and start reading.