Ever had those moments where you feel like your whole world is collapsing around you, and you wish you knew how to tackle your situation while also keeping your head up. Many people around the world wish they were smarter than they actually are. When faced with tough situations, it important to make sure you not only think but act smartly.
To help you, here are a few tips to act smart even in the toughest situations;
1. Act Confident Even When You Don't Feel Confident
A distinct attribute of highly intelligent people is that they always seem to be extremely composed and in control of the situation, even in the middle of a crisis. Smart people act confident, whether they feel confident or not. While most people tend to lose control, which leads to heated words and shouting, staying calm even when confronted with difficult situations can really help you feel smarter.
One way you can do this is by speaking clearly and calmly, without stumbling over your words. People tend to take you more seriously when you do this. To help, you can ask yourself a few short questions in your head to help get your thoughts in order. Questions about your situation or argument can really help in making you feel more grounded and confident.
2. Think Outside Of The Box
The world is full of innovative thinkers always striving for new things. If you want to act smart, you have to be ready to think outside of the box. Smart people tend to ask themselves questions like, how did I get here? What points am I about to make? What kind of situation am I in? And how do I rise above it?
An example is if you're in an argument with someone about politics. Instead of blindly arguing and riling yourself up, try to analyze what you know about that person and ask yourself why you think he/she would be so passionate about a particular party or policy. This can help you understand your situation better and help calm you down.
Most people find that being curious and willing to learn more about the situation you are in, no matter how stressful or time-tasking it maybe can help to increase your level of intelligence.
3. Develop Good Listening Skills
Smart people tend to listen well before coming to a conclusion. Listening to other people talk will leave you more equipped to deal with the situation at hand and enable you to tackle things better. Even when you are on your own, it helps to be able to remind yourself what others have said.
Listening to what people say gives you time to choose your words carefully and pick a proper response.
4. Calming Rituals
Calming rituals are those actions we perform in order to reduce tension and anxiety. This includes a range of things from yoga to smaller actions like counting in your head, anything that gives us emotional stability.
This technique is useful when faced with negative people and difficult people. For you to present yourself as a smart person, you cannot let your negative emotions consume you. In order to feel emotionally intelligent and confident, you must first be calm and positive-minded. Calming rituals are common, and can easily be added into everyday conversations.
The important thing to do is to spend your time accumulating this into your everyday lives, so it is easier for you to remain calm when you feel anxious.
5. Make Use of 'Smart' Words
As silly as this sounds, it's true. People who use words that sound 'smart' are often presumed to be smarter than those who don't regardless of their levels of intelligence.
Take a look at these two statements; 'They were looking for me to begin my quest' and 'they sought me out to commence my quest.' While both statements are saying the same thing, statement number two sounds considerably smarter than the first statement. This is because of the use of the words 'sought' and 'commence'.
To go even further, you can decide to make use of quotes from famous writers or leaders in order to sound smarter, not randomly of course, but when the situation presents itself. Spend time practicing these words till they come naturally when you speak.
If you are worried people might catch on to what you are doing, don't be. Studies have shown that 70 percent of those who act smart are actually faking it, so you have nothing to be afraid of.
6. Develop A Plan
If you find yourself stuck in a tough situation, why not make plans to get out of that situation instead of sitting back on your heels. Even if you're unsure what to do, highlighting the situation you're in, how you got there, and ways you can get out of that difficult situation can leave you feeling grounded and in control. This is a great way to counteract negative emotions that might get in the way of clearer and better thinking.
7. Never Hesitate To Put Yourself In The Shoes Of The Other Person
Part of what makes a smart person truly smart is their ability to put themselves in the shoes of others and see things from a different point of view. If you're in a difficult situation, attempting to understand the viewpoint of others stuck in that tough situation with you will assist you in understanding what is going on at the moment.
This can prove very useful when dealing with difficult people.
While most people often panic when they find themselves in situations they can't solve, spending your time understanding the different viewpoints of those around you will give you a better outlook on what to do.
During difficult situations, people tend to lean more towards those they see as being smarter and in control of their emotions. Dedicate yourself and spend time practicing how smart people act and it will start to come naturally to you soon enough.
