It’s easy to think that smart people never make mistakes – they’re too clever for that, right? Turns out, they do things wrong just like the rest of us, but they don’t make the same mistake twice! Here are 20 things that even clever people can get wrong the first time.
Not Delegating
The BBC says that “delegating is one of the more challenging aspects of leadership”, so it’s no wonder that a lot of us struggle with it. Unfortunately, if you don’t delegate, you end up having to do everything yourself – which is definitely even harder! So, be smart and delegate!
Not Bothering with Networking
Even the brightest people might skip a networking event early in their career – it’s easy not to recognize the potential of these sorts of things. They’ll soon realize that they missed out on some big opportunities to make important connections. Next time, they’ll go to the event – and they’ll go prepared!
Overcommitting on a Project
We’ve all been there – trying to take on too much by ourselves, believing it’s the best way to show our abilities! Clever people also do this in the beginning, but they soon see that overcommitting themselves is not a good way to get things done. They won’t make that mistake twice!
Ignoring Feedback
Feedback is a prickly thing, isn’t it? It takes an emotionally intelligent person to be able to take on feedback without feeling criticized. Even the smartest people around us might have dismissed valuable advice at some point, but when they look back, they’ll notice that listening would have improved the situation.
Last-Minute Preparation
You don’t often see intelligent people cramming in last-minute preparation before a big meeting, exam, or presentation. That’s because they’ve learned the hard way that being organized is a much better way to see good results – and it’s less stressful, too!
Impulse Buying
Have you ever bought something expensive on a whim, only to see it reduced in another store a week later? Smart people don’t let this happen to them – they plan their purchases carefully, paying attention to upcoming sales. It takes a bit more thought, but it saves them loads of money!
Underestimating Timings
If you’ve ever been surprised by how long a job is taking, meaning you have to rush at the last minute, you might benefit from improving your time management. Medium explains that “buffer time” should be added into project management for unforeseen problems – this is something intelligent people are very good at including.
Ignoring Health When Stressed
The cleverest people know that looking after your body is the most important thing during times of stress. They might have made a mistake before of relying on junk food because they didn’t have time to cook or study instead of sleeping, but they won’t do this again!
Agreeing to Too Much
Intelligent people learn early on that it is not good to say ‘yes’ to all invitations. Agreeing to too much is an easy way to get burned out, which is bad news. Also, it will mean you sometimes have to cancel plans at the last minute, which never feels good.
Multitasking During Meetings
Have you ever sat in an important meeting, struggling to listen because you’re also trying to fire off a couple of emails on your phone? Time to stop! Intelligent people don’t make this mistake; they’ve realized that splitting their focus reduces the quality of their input in both activities!
Unclear Communication
When working in a team, it’s a mistake to assume that everyone is on the same page without checking. That’s why intelligent people focus on learning clear communication. According to Harvard Business Review, many business leaders don’t even consider communication to be a “soft skill” anymore – it’s key to progress in life.
Relying on Old Skills
The world is constantly changing, and if we don’t keep up, we’ll probably get left behind! Smart people are super aware of this, so they don’t try to apply their old skills to new things—instead, they keep training and learning so that they can adapt.
Avoiding All Risks
Sure, some risks aren’t worth taking, but in other situations – high risk can come with high reward and might actually be a strategy worth considering. The most intelligent among us have learned to weigh up risk versus reward so as not to miss out on potentially golden opportunities.
Spending Ages on Minor Details
Focusing on the tiny details of a project can be a serious waste of time. Forbes explains that 80% of the results you see in a project actually come from just 20% of the effort you put in – this is called the Pareto Principle. So, don’t sweat the small stuff!
Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Smart people don’t let unresolved problems get in the way of team dynamics. Instead, they jump in there quickly before misunderstandings have had the opportunity to balloon out of proportion. This is a clever move – conversations only get more difficult the longer you leave them!
Ignoring Their Personal Life
Having a healthy work-life balance is the ultimate sign of an intelligent person. CNBC says that 59% of people regret not balancing the two and feel bad for missing out on things like family events and hobbies. If you want to be smart, plan your work and personal life to complement each other.
Expecting Immediate Results
Don’t give up on something just because you don’t see results straight away. The brightest people know to stick with something for long enough to give it a proper go. You should find the victories in gradual progress and stay consistent—don’t keep changing direction!
Not Being Empathetic
Intelligent people have learned that empathy is a key skill in life. Not everyone naturally has the same levels of empathy, but it can be learned. Empathy is important for understanding other people’s points of view, so it’s really important when problem-solving.
Not Learning From Major Mistakes
We all make mistakes – clever people included. The difference is they won’t go back to repeat the same errors again and again. Instead, they’ll take the time to reflect on what went wrong and make sure not to do it again. Now, that’s real intelligence!
Skipping Breaks
Forcing yourself to keep working and skipping breaks is such an easy mistake—but it won’t make you more productive! The best way to work is to set a time limit and stick to it before stepping away from the project for at least 5-10 minutes. Your brain will thank you!
Up Next: 17 Commonly Believed Myths About The Wild West That Are Actually False
The Wild West was a peculiar place to live in, for sure. But are the stories of gunslinging cowboys and superhero sheriffs true? Here are 17 myths about the Wild West you should stop believing today.
17 COMMONLY BELIEVED MYTHS ABOUT THE WILD WEST THAT ARE ACTUALLY FALSE
18 Signs Someone Has a Personality Disorder
Personality disorders are underdiagnosed because they’re often misconceived as people ‘being difficult.’ Society also tends to focus more on the symptoms of anxiety and depression that accompany personality disorders, neglecting the other signs. To promote understanding, here are 18 signs someone isn’t being difficult but has a personality disorder.
18 SIGNS SOMEONE HAS A PERSONALITY DISORDER
20 Reasons Why Older Couples Are Ending Their Relationships
As our society modernizes and normalizes separation for couples who feel unhappy or stagnated, even older couples are choosing to end their marriages in greater numbers. While staying “till death do us part” and spending your golden years with a life-long partner may be more traditional, here are 20 reasons why older people might now be choosing divorce instead.