12 HABITS OF GENUINELY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE

1. They don't talk about how smart they are. They are busy growing their minds.

2. They learn best by studying what works and try it.

3. They try to figure things out themselves. They use a lot of experimentations and problem-solving approach to figure out things. 

4. They're always hunting knowledge. They focus on what they want to know, not what they already know.

5. They don't brag about what they know. They apply their knowledge instead. 

6. They connect the dots. They look for connections between dissimilar things, read across fields and disciplines.

7. They are curious and ask lots of serious questions.

8. They abstract from their experiences.

9. They seek out puzzles and paradoxes.

10. They have no problem with failure.

11. They don't try to sound smart.

12. They don't always use big words. They use the right words, when necessary, both big or simple, but focus on clarity and simplicity.