5 signs youre much smarter than average

5 signs youre much smarter than average5 signs youre much smarter than averageIntelligence, or IQ, isnt what you know, but rather the pace at which you acquire new information. Longitudinal studies have shown that IQ is fixed at an early age, so youre stuck with what youve got.While IQ is far from being the only thing that determines success in life- research shows that it isnt even the most important factor- a high IQ still isnt a bad thing to have. In fact, I dont know anyone who wouldnt mind having one.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits. -Albert EinsteinMost of us move through life never knowing exactly how smart we are. IQ is a difficult thing to measure, and unless youre willing to fork over several hundred dollars to a trained professional, youll never know for certain what your IQ is.New research provi des some interesting clues linking early life experiences too, among other things, high intelligence. If any of the following apply to you, you just might have a high IQ.Youre anxiousIts hard to think of anxiety as a good thing, but evidence suggests that it might elend be all bad. Psychiatrist Jeremy Coplan studied patients with anxiety disorders and found that the people with the worst symptoms had higher IQ scores than those with milder symptoms. Other studies have found higher verbal IQ scores in people with higher levels of anxiety.And then there was a more complex experiment conducted at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel. Researchers asked participants to evaluate artwork presented by a software program and then triggered a fake computer virus, making it look as if it was the result of something that the participant did.They then sent the participants on an urgent mission to get tech support, only to throw yet another series of obstacles in their way.They found t hat the most anxious participants were also the most focused and effective at executing tasks. The next time somebody tells you to stop worrying so much, just tell them its your oversized intellect getting in the way.Youre left-handedIt turns out that all of those teachers who tried to force lefties to write with their right hands may have had it backward. While there is a small and, as of yet, unexplained correlation between being left-handed and being a criminal, there are some intellectual benefits to being a southpaw. One large study demonstrated that left-handedness is associated with divergent thinking, all the more so in males.This unique ability to combine two unrelated objects in a meaningful way is a sign of intelligence.You took music lessons as a kidThere are a number of studies demonstrating that musical training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function, a skill thats critical to focus and self-control. In a study conducted by psychologist Sylvain Moreno, 48 children between the ages of four and six participated in a computerized training program that was led by a teacher.For one hour per day, five days a week for four weeks, half the students completed a musical program, and the other half completed a visual arts program. At the end of the experiment, 90% of the children who received musical training showed improvements in verbal IQ. So, if you took music lessons when you were a kid, thats a good sign.Youre funnyClass clowns rejoice Research shows a strong connection between being funny and having high scores in both verbal intelligence and abstract reasoning. It appears that your witty banter is the product of a sharp mind. Now, you just need to come up with a joke aboutthat.Bringing It All TogetherThis list is far from exhaustive, so if none of the items above apply to you, it doesnt exclude you from having a high IQ. But if a lot of these items do apply to you, you just might be smarter than the average bear.What do the smartest peo ple you know have in common? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.ABOUT THE AUTHORDr. Travis Bradberryis the award-winning co-author of the 1 bestselling book,Emotional Intelligence 2.0,and the co-founder ofTalentSmart, the worlds leading anbieter ofemotional intelligence tests and training, serving more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies. His bestselling books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by,Newsweek, TIME, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, andThe Harvard Business Review.This article first appeared on Linkedin.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your pro ductivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people