My favorite topic when I was an undergraduate in psychology at the university was “intelligence.”
And one thing I learned that I’ll never forget is that intelligence isn’t just about IQ scores or academic achievements.
Real intelligence shows up in how you live your life, the decisions you make, and the habits you develop.
Some women have no formal education and are intelligent.
So if you want to be a truly intelligent woman, not just educated, but wise, these are the habits you should consider developing.
How To Be a More Intelligent Woman: 5 Habits of Intelligent Women
1. They Read Widely and Never Stop Learning
I remember turning a guy down years ago when I was single.
Why? Because when I asked him if he liked to read, he said no.
His reason? Why should he read when he’s already graduated from school?
Wow.
I’d never heard such ignorance in my life, and I knew right there that we weren’t compatible.
I know there are many ways to learn, podcasts, documentaries, courses, conversations with wise people, and lots more, but his attitude wasn’t about his preferred learning style.
It was about believing that learning stops after you get your degree.
And that mentality is the opposite of intelligence.
The world we live in is constantly changing, and information is constantly evolving.
What you learned five years ago might be outdated now, so if you are not informed, you’ll be deformed (mentally).
If you want to be intelligent, you have to be intentional about learning by reading books that challenge your thinking, listening to podcasts that expose you to new perspectives, taking courses that build new skills, and having conversations with people who know more than you do.
I’m currently taking three courses: one on e-commerce, another on how to dress my body, and the third one on personal branding.
You can’t be intelligent if you are not curious.
This is why intelligent women can hold a conversation about almost anything because they’ve invested in expanding their knowledge.
2. They Ask Questions Instead of Pretending to Know Everything
Just because intelligent women read a lot doesn’t mean they know everything.
In fact, the more they learn, the more they realize how much they don’t know, and that’s exactly what makes them intelligent!
They’re comfortable admitting when they don’t understand something, and they ask questions to know.
If you can say, “I don’t know, can you explain that?” or “I’ve never heard of that, tell me more” without any shame or embarrassment, you are an intelligent woman.
Isn’t that better than pretending to know everything and being afraid to ask questions because you think it makes you look stupid?
In fact, pretending to know something you don’t is what actually makes you look stupid, because eventually, your lack of knowledge will show, and it’ll be more embarrassing than if you’d just asked the question in the first place.
3. They’re Financially Literate
What’s the proof of your intelligence if your financial life is a mess?
You can have multiple degrees, read all the books, speak five languages, but if you can’t manage your money, you’re not as intelligent as you think you are.
Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth.
I used to be financially unintelligent five years ago, spending all I was making.
I didn’t have any savings that could save my life, but the story is different today.
Thanks to my husband, who encouraged me to save, and also the finance books I read that changed my life.
I am now encouraging other women to take their financial destiny into their hands.
If you can’t manage your money, then you can’t manage your life.
So where’s the intelligence in that?
Intelligent women know how to budget, how to save, and how to invest.
They don’t buy things they can’t afford to impress people they don’t even like.
They’re strategic with their money because they understand that financial freedom is actual freedom.
There are women making six figures, but they are drowning in debt because they have no idea how to manage money.
Intelligence is about what you do with what you have, not how much you have.
4. They Think Before They Speak
This is one thing I’m learning because I talk too fast for my own liking sometimes.
I’ve noticed that the intelligent women I admire are comfortable with taking time to process their thoughts before they share them.
They are not uncomfortable with silence, so you’ll never catch them rambling through half-formed thoughts, saying “I think… I mean, I don’t know, but like… maybe?” because they’re still figuring out what they think while talking.
They think first, then speak with clarity and intention.
And when they speak, their words carry weight because people know they’ve thought about what they’re saying.
This doesn’t mean they never make mistakes or never say the wrong thing; come on now, everyone does.
But they’re intentional about their words.
5. They Surround Themselves With People Smarter Than Them
I grew up hearing phrases like “show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are” and “birds of a feather flock together.”
Even my favorite book, the Bible, says “iron sharpens iron” and “he that walks with the wise shall be wise.”
These aren’t just sayings that sound deep; they’re the truth about how life works.
The people you surround yourself with either elevate you or keep you stuck.
If you want to be intelligent, you have to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you, because if you’re the smartest person in your circle, you’re in the wrong circle.
Growth happens when you’re challenged and around people who make you think differently and push you to be better.
If you spend all your time with people who complain constantly and aren’t trying to improve their lives, you will become like them.
It’s inevitable because their mindset will rub off on you, and before you know it, you’ll be just as stuck as they are.
So, look at your inner circle honestly.
Are these people making you better or just keeping you comfortable?
Are they challenging you to grow or encouraging you to stay the same?
Then make the hard decisions about who deserves close access to you because your circle isn’t just about who you like or who makes you laugh.
It’s about who’s going to sharpen you, challenge you, and help you become the woman you’re meant to be.
I’m rooting for you!