Do you ever take the time to consider why the brightest individuals in your world don’t mind hours, even days, of solitude? It’s not necessarily that they do not enjoy human contact or are unable to connect.
Indeed research puts forward that the answer may be that intelligence influences the experiences of happy times and social interaction.
When Time by Yourself Is Your Gift
For most bright individuals, the mind is never at rest. It is continuously generating thoughts, pondering over problems, and making associations that another person might not even be conscious of.
Couple that with polite talk, communication with teammates, and ever-present social imperatives, and it is overwhelming.
That’s why solitude is not isolation for those individuals. It’s mental space. Being alone for hours is like hitting the reset button, achieving clarity and focus. They’re not saying no to companionship. They’re just giving busy thoughts space to breathe.
The Paradox of Happiness in Socializing
We automatically link the quantity of time socialized to the quantity of time happy with the people we socialize with–family, friends, co-workers. Doesn’t being human mean being social? Above-average intelligence actually feels just the opposite of that.
They become less happy the more they socialize. Why is that? Their thrill is not necessarily from the hum of continuous communication. Rather, it’s from contemplation, creativity, and activities that require focus.
Often, they opt for fewer people, but more intense interactions, in which camaraderie is natural rather than forced.
A Theory Rooted in Evolution
Psychologists reference something called the “savannah theory” for that. Back in our prehistoric hunter-gatherer days, survival was based on communal living. Safety, nutrition, and shelter all came from staying together.
But under this theory, super-intelligent humans could actually be less dependent upon group functioning. Because they’re keener at problem-solving, they can accommodate more easily even when they’re not among others.
In the modern world, that means they’re more at ease being alone. They can be happy without constant reinforcement from society.
That is, while the vast majority of human beings are yet prone to want to be secure in crowds, bright individuals can actually fend for themselves, directing their energies to self-betterment, innovation, or creativity.
Breaking Away from Social Conventions
Modern existence has its own protocol. Networking is cause for celebration, extraversion is occasionally rewarded, and success is all too commonly linked to whether or not you “fit in.” But for bright people, fulfillment is almost never the product of fitting in.
That is not to say they are loners. It’s that they prioritize quality over quantity, favoring relationships and experiences that share their own values over opportunistically leaping at every social possibility.
What Small-Town Living Teaches
Few realize that even studies indicate that residents of smaller towns are actually happier than those from cities. Why’s that? It’s not just the easy-going environment; it’s the richer, deeper relationships that only exist in rural areas that can deliver.
Neighbors are acquainted with each other, interactions don’t come quite so fast, and people feel more at home. For those of average intelligence, such settings can be enjoyable due to the fact that they eliminate superficial interactions and substitute them with something authentic.
It highlights the underlying truth that it’s not how many individuals you are connected to that is important; it’s how much those connections count.
The Influence of Real Relations
If you’ve ever had that late-night talk with another person who “gets” you, then you realize how rewarding that is. That’s when it matters for bright people. They invest in a few relationships that give depth, genuineness, and mental stimulation.
That’s not being finicky, that’s being intentional. Their people motivate them to be better, to be smarter, to lift the standard. If they don’t do that for them, they begin to look elsewhere. That’s where they find fun, encouragement, and belonging.
Reimagining Solitude
What others sometimes confuse with loneliness is usually the contrary. For bright people, solitude is a productive space of clarity and creativity. It’s where creativity is born, passions are fed, and personal fulfillment is obtained.
By giving themselves space from ceaseless activity and distraction, they clear space to thrive by their own choice. Their happiness is not a question of filling time with nonstop talk. It is a question of discovering significance in the manner they live, work, and connect.
So next time you see someone opt for solitude over a busy party, don’t confuse it for missing out.
Chances are, they’re embracing all of that they can handle of another, deeper level of happiness, one that is immersed in self-reflection, meaningful relationships, and the subtle strength of solitude.
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