“How do you know all this stuff? Seriously.”
Well…in my case, I’m just obsessed with solving problems; getting to the bottom of things; and figuring out how to make something work even when it doesn’t make sense at first. I’m not intimidated by looking like a “fool” or on the opposite side of the spectrum, looking like a “know-it-all.” The latter type gets a bad rep, but when that group assignment is due or no one else at work seems to have a solution, I promise you that know-it-all’s presence will quickly shoot up in value.
Besides, better to look like a fool by asking a “dumb” question or a teacher’s pet by asking “overly-detailed” one than to sit there confused and less prepared overall. People often confuse knowledge with intelligence. But, being “smart” isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about relentlessly searching for them.
The Real Flex? Problem Solving
The real advantage is not how “smart” you are, it’s how stubborn you’re willing to be when something doesn’t work or make sense. Some people stop at the first wall. Me? I treat the wall like a puzzle with a million dollar prize. Where’s the weak point? Can I go over it? Around it? Can I break it down piece by piece? Is there a magic word or phrase? A secret brick to press somewhere?
That tenacity is what builds skill. Not IQ.
What looks like confidence or expertise is usually just accumulation. Brick by brick. Question by question. If you’re obsessed with the process, not the praise, you’ll build a base of knowledge that becomes almost second nature. You’ll walk into rooms and know how to connect the dots. Not because you’re inherently smarter, but because you’ve seen the dots before. You’ve connected them in other ways. Familiarity breeds confidence.
Stop Measuring Yourself by Natural Talent
You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. You just need to be the most curious. The most resourceful. The one who won’t rest until a concept has been fully understood.
It’s easy to romanticize intelligence. But, natural talent without work ethic will always lose to someone who’s committed to learning. Give me a curious, gritty person over a genius with no follow-through any day.
When you stop trying to prove you’re smart and instead focus on being useful, something magical happens. You get better. Your solutions get sharper. Your instincts get stronger. You stop comparing yourself to other people and start comparing yourself to who you were last year, last month, last week.
Your Knowledge Base is a Muscle
Here’s the thing about problem-solving: it compounds. The more you do it, the more tools you have for the next time. Eventually, your brain becomes a database, part Google, part intuition, part lived experience. You can start predicting the shape of problems before they even fully form.
Still, you only get there if you’re willing to show up over and over again. Even when it’s boring. Even when it’s frustrating. Even when it feels like everyone else is getting it faster than you.
You don’t have to be a genius. You just have to stay in the room. Your pride and ego be damned.
So, No—No One is Necessarily Smarter Than You
They’ve just failed a lot; researched a lot; asked a lot of questions; and stayed committed to the process even when it was messy. In my case, when I say messy, I mean messy and slow. If that makes me look “smart,” fine. But I know the truth. And now so do you. *wink*
Happy problem solving~
Lence in Layers 