8 Signs Your Intelligent But Overly Critical of Yourself

Psychology has made us understand that we overly self-critic our inner self, thinking we are inadequate when in actual fact we are smart enough to get the best we can. Self-criticism is good, it helps keep us in check but at the same time, too much of it can make us chase an elusive perfectionism that can damage our mental health and self-esteem on the long run. The following are signs that you are intelligent but you over-criticize yourself.

1. You Overthink

Overthinking occasionally may be healthy but too much of it can lead to an endless self-analysis and self-criticism. It means you constantly replay conversations in your mind and second-guess what you thought or said. It means you wouldn’t stop criticizing your choices.

You might want to focus on your past errors and things you could have done differently and blame yourself for things that didn’t go perfectly. Over time, self-criticism can become normal because you will constantly think you could have done some things better.

2. You Chase Perfectionism

It’s normal to set high standards and try to achieve the best possible results in every situation, it could mean staying up late at work and focusing on the little details in your life. You constantly feel unhappy when things don’t turn out how you projected them. While setting a goal to achieve excellence is a good thing, you need to understand the difference between being careful and becoming a perfectionist. Focusing your mind on perfectionism will lead to higher stress levels and constant burnout, making you feel you are not good enough, no matter how hard you try.

3. You Indulge in Self-Deprecation

Have you ever felt uncomfortable when someone compliments your actions or work? You might have even become an expert in making self-deprecating jokes. You downplay your abilities just to avoid people’s praises but there is a problem with it. Being humble is a good thing but constantly deprecating yourself can make you register negativity in your mind. Psychology has found out that people who make self-deprecating comments are more likely to believe them and that could damage their self-esteem.

4. You are Constantly in Fear of Failure

The fear of failure can be overwhelming because it will prevent you from taking calculated risks and pursuing your passion. It also means you end up sticking to what you know and not being able to leave your comfort zone. The simple truth is that failure remains a part of living a normal life, and people who see failure as a chance to learn and do things better become more resilient and better prepared for future challenges.

5. You Indulge in Constant Comparison

Social media has complicated the way we view our self-worth and it has become even easier to get caught up in comparing ourselves with others. If you are smart but constantly weigh your achievements against those around you, then you are missing a critical point- You compare your everyday life to everyone else’s best moments. You need to understand that many of the things you see on social media are polished, and someone’s best moment may not be as good as your expected moments, hence you should focus on your life’s journey and growth.

6. You Procrastinate

Sometimes, we keep postponing tasks because of the fear they may end up imperfect, or we avoid deciding because we are afraid they might end up as the wrong ones. The funny thing about procrastination is that it often leads to more stress because it keeps piling up tasks for you until they become overwhelming.

The next time you find yourself delaying what you should do now, you should rather break the tasks into smaller bits even if it will take longer to accomplish. You need to constantly remind yourself that making progress is more important than getting perfect results.

7. You Neglect Self Care

You may constantly put others’ needs ahead of yours when you are smart but too hard on yourself. This could mean skipping meals, staying late at work, and losing sleep. Ignoring your own needs may burn you out sometimes, because you eventually become, tired, stressed, and worn out. Get enough sleep, eat well-balanced food, exercise, and do things that make you happy.

8. You Constantly Seek External Validation

When you are intelligent but too hard on yourself, you might constantly end up looking for praise and recognition from people. Putting your work promotion or high grades in school, on social media is one of the ways you look for external validation. You become hard on yourself when your work goes unnoticed but the truth is, your true worth comes from within, it’s all about your strength, character, and passion, which cannot be rated.

Conclusion

We should all endeavor to better our lives by making better smart decisions, but when things go wrong, we should learn and pick up the pieces that remain so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes.