The smartest person in the room

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Are you the smartest person in the room when you go somewhere? Does that make you feel good? Superior? Well-liked?

I would like to think that I can hold my own on the smart scale in a room full of people, but I wouldn't consider myself the smartest and for that I am glad.

Again, I was reading one of the many newsletters I receive and this idea was posed: It's just like people who enjoy being the smartest person in the room … and then wonder why they never grow.

My thinking here is that I want to grow. If I am the smartest person in the room, growth isn't going to happen--at least not for me. In fact, in some ways I think the smartest person in the room might even regress a bit.

Instead, I want to surround myself with people who are smarter than I am. I want to include people with technical skills. People with a firm grasp on language and usage. People who know their way around health topics.

These are the types of people I want to "hang out" with. These people are many of you and many of the people with whom I work.

Have you noticed?

Have you ever noticed the differences in the conversations when you are the smartest person in the room and when you are not?

For example, when you are the smartest person in the room, I would venture that there is a lot of crude and vulgar language being used. (I am not saying that "smart people" don't use that kind of language, please do not misunderstand me.)

I once heard a man tell his brother (who swore all the time) that only uneducated people talked like that.

Obviously, that isn't true, but, it has stuck with me. Now, when I hear some of those words coming out of my own mouth, I think back on that and try to correct my language immediately.

On the other hand, when I am in a room full of people who are smarter than me, I don't notice so much of the foul language. I also feel that I come away from those "gatherings" having learned something.

What is your average?

There is a quote by the Late and Legendary Motivational Speaker Jim Rohn that says, You're the average of the five people spend the most time with.

Take a little time and think about that...

Now ask yourself where you want to be and with whom you want to spend your time. Also realize that being the smartest person in the room might be okay once in a while, but don't make it a habit because it can become addicting and you will not grow.

Help save a tree, blog more!

Karin

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Recent Comments

53

Great!!
It is a very beautiful message that you pass on. Intelligence also means knowing how to recognize our limits and continuing to learn in order to progress ever further. Posing ourselves as the smartest in the room and telling ourselves that we have nothing more to learn is the dumbest thing a human being can do. Fortunately, there are people like you and all the members of WA who are very intelligent but who are above all ready to develop their skills to become even more cultivated than yesterday.

Ingrid

Thank you for that nice comment. Recognizing limits and persevering to learn more to progress is a great way of putting this!

You are always so thoughtful. Truly one of WA's assets!

With 2020 vision,
Karin 😁

I've learned that no matter who I meet or who I'm in the room with with that I learn from everyone of them.
My favorite question to draw out learning is to ask this question. "Why do you say that? " Then I shut up and listen
Best to you ...Jim Rohn a very smart man.
Great Post
TIM

Thanks, TIM!

Sometimes just observing and listening can really enlighten someone. I would have loved to have met Jim Rohn. I feel, in a way, as if I have through his books and videos and legacy he has left behind.

Karin

When I am in with a large number of people, I only talk when asked a question directly. I listen to see if I can learn something. My wife is always accusing me of not talking when we are at dinner with a number of people. Most of the time it is very difficult too get a word in edgewise anyways so I listen.

I am like you--I listen and speak only if I'm asked something.

Your reply did make me think, though, what if everyone just listened? Then no one would be speaking... Hmmmm.... it just gets curiouser and curiouser!

Have a great weekend!

Karin

Then I would start talking.

I bet you would have a lot to share! :)

With 2020 vision,
Karin 😁

Interesting post.
I often find that so called smart, educated people often use their wits and intelligence to defend arguments with flimsy excuses, making it all look good and "reasonable" with great rethroric, but in the end, they just don't impress me at all, quite on the contrary, while at the same time they are convinced of their intelligence ... I don't know if I explain myself. It's like using intelligence to explain something that really doesn't make sense and then still "look smart" ...

Surround yourself with smarter people, I agree, learn from them. There is always room for learning.

The wise man knows that he knows nothing and needs to learn more. The not so wise man is convinced that he knows everything.

I totally get what you are saying. I used to refuse to hang around other writer's because I felt like they were so "full" of themselves and using their word power to overwhelm everyone in their path.

I know now that isn't entirely true, but using intelligence to defeat others is not a good use of it!

I am always on the path to learn more. There is so much to learn!

Have a great weekend!

Karin

I agree, using intelligence to defeat others is not a good use of it. That's a great quote, and true.

I'll have to write that one down! :)

With 2020 vision,
Karin 😁

Very true. I always want to be one of the dumbest / most inexperienced people in the room... although not so dumb / inexperienced that I cannot actually benefit and learn from the smarter / more experienced people. That's why I have spent time the past many weeks looking for very experienced mentors in online business and also why I still come here because there is a good amount of quality content and ideas presented here by some experienced / smart people. I prefer experienced over smart though. The one is real life the other is generally more theory-based.

I agree with you... in my opinion...real life experience tops book theory.

I studied psychology in college, but when I went to work with people who suffered from the mental illnesses I learned about... whoa... real life was WAY different than what I learned in class.

Have a great weekend!

Karin

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