7 Things Clever People NEVER Pay Attention to
Too smart for stupid pastimes. Or, as the legendary quote by Forrest Gump goes: "Stupid is as stupid does." This could be extended by an important addition: Smart is as smart doesn't do certain things or simply doesn't pay attention to them. Smart people use their mind, their resources and their time wisely; busywork and mental games are not their thing. The following seven habits or traits we present in this article are things the smart among us simply leave by the wayside.
1. Gossip, gossip and gossip.
Smart people love facts. What's more, their brains are usually busy anyway, coping with their above-average daily demands and processing the myriad of stimuli that pours in on them. There is no time and, above all, no brain cell left to deal with unfounded rumors and meaningless gossip. They prefer information that has added value for them. They have absolutely no need to make fun of other people or share sensations just to make themselves feel superior. Considering how often rumors make the rounds before they are proven true or false, smart people know that’s just a good way to waste resources they would use wisely.... Dealing with negative headlines, rumors and gossip are rarely anything else, and it’s even bad for your health. A smart person knows that.
2. One's own ego
Smart people know their worth, their strengths and their weaknesses, they see themselves very high on their list of priorities, but not at any price. Many good decisions require us to put our ego on the back burner, for example when the common good is in the foreground or when our personal opinion stands in the way of a development that serves higher goals. A smart person can think in the long term and check strategies for the consistency and success of dreams. The trick is always to stay true to yourself without losing sight of the big picture. It takes quite a bit of inner greatness to push a strong personality into the background in favor of others. Smart characters know that the bottom line has to be right, because it's not okay until it's right for everyone. They are also above average at putting themselves in other people's shoes; when in doubt, empathy always wins out over ego for them.
3. Negative beliefs
Every one of us is familiar with well-intentioned advice from childhood and youth that tends to stick with us throughout our lives. Sometimes, however, they also haunt us and become real players in our self-assessment and perception. Sooner rather than later, smart people begin to question such truisms for their truthfulness. Who says that money really spoils character and women always have to be nice so they don't die lonely and alone? Particularly when it comes to success and career, intelligent people use these obstacles placed in their path to build beautiful new things. The notorious inner critic, who persistently has to give his two cents on every decision we make, also falls into this category. Those who have a clue check their inner critic’s words for truth content and then simply move on.
4. The pursuit of material prosperity
In principle, of course, everyone has to know for themselves what is important in life and what makes them happy. A certain amount of material backing is absolutely necessary to be able to lead a good life in safety and security. If these basic conditions are fulfilled, however, it is often already sufficient for clever people. While they appreciate the comfort and convenience of a secure income, they would never accept jobs that do not fulfill them or enter into relationships that do not enrich them emotionally and spiritually. The pursuit of wealth is neither wrong nor morally questionable, provided it is pursued legally. But it is simply not the most important thing for a contented, happy and fulfilled life. Besides, earthly wealth is a bit like beauty: both are fleeting; smart people know that.
5. What-if scenarios
An alert mind does an above-average amount of thinking during the day, but it doesn't dwell on pointless mental episodes that lead nowhere. You can be sure that intelligent people have examined and weighed decisions according to the facts. What is not included in this thought process, however, are doomsday scenarios, UFO sightings and the butterfly effect. Analyzing something to death is, after all, a form of dying. This applies to every important decision and to every good idea. Intelligence, after all, is not just a matter of brains. Emotional and social intelligence guide us just as reliably and let us know whether we're barking up the wrong tree or about to soar to new heights.
6. Let themselves drift aimlessly
Life is supposed to bring joy and happiness, but it's not a party zone. A thoroughly hedonistic approach to life is something smart people will never aspire to; they weigh the consequences of their actions carefully and like to go about life in a planned and well-organized way. Fun must be natural, and the odd moment of weakness overcomes them just as it does less smart people. However, being carried away by a wave of non-commitment does not happen to them so easily. They can enjoy beautiful days full of idleness on vacations and during free time. However, they would never give preference to sweet idleness at the expense of work or social obligations.
7. What others think about them
Smart people are accountable to exactly one person in their lives: themselves. What other people think about them, their lifestyle and their decisions affects them only very peripherally, if at all. This does not mean that they do not accept the opinion of others, they just do not let it influence them and their circles. Those who have both feet on the ground and are aware of who they are, what they have, and what they’re capable of need not worry about image and external impact. In the case of intelligent and therefore successful people, envy and resentment are simply a means of choice in other people’s evaluations. Smart people keep the good old English proverb in mind: What others think about you is none of your business.
Today’s Conclusion:
Blind spots and uncluttered brain space can maximize your own potential. Anyone who has ever successfully pulled off a fasting cure or a radical clean-out campaign in the closet or apartment knows that less can sometimes be more. The lightness that comes with letting go of clutter is indeed a feeling that makes us soar more weightlessly. Smart people live by this principle every day. By consciously blocking out the items just mentioned and banishing them to the corners of their perception, much more space and energy remains for meaningful things. Many trivialities of everyday life are like black holes that devour our attention and our energies. They put our resilience to an unnecessary stress test and make us miss out on a lot of real and beautiful things. That's it for today.