I’m sure we’ve all encountered a smart Alec before, you know, that know-it-all who brags about how intellectual he is, the one who goes around telling people how wrong they are and how right he is, the guy who never owns up to any mistakes, because “it happened due to other people’s stupidity, not my fault”.
Truth is, some of those smart Alecs are actually really deep, intelligent and talented. Their minds are sharp like a knife and their insights can be mind-blowing. But alas, when you look at them in general, you realize that many of them are not living their lives to the fullest potential. Their lives are in a mess – they’re not excelling in their work, or are consistently overlooked when it comes to promotion, their relationships are in shambles, and their outlooks on life are usually pessimistic.
How did that happen?
When you first meet him, you immediately noticed how distinctive he is, and what a breath of fresh air his thoughts can be. But overtime, as you get to know him better, you start to keep your distance because:
- he is not teachable and his attitude sucks
- his condescension irks people, spoils their mood and make them feel bad about themselves
- it’s a pain to work with him. He has no sense of teamwork and it’s always “my way or the highway”
In the event that there are problems that need fixing, he’ll probably be the very last person people go to, after ALL available options have been systematically exhausted. Because the previous experience was so harrowing, people rather waste time running around in circles first than to look for him.
And if God forbid, he finds himself in serious need of help, that’s when he finds out just how people really feel about him, and reality can be very cold and harsh.
“NO!”
“You always talked about how smart you are, settle it yourself!”
“Why should I help an a**hole like you?”
He might be shocked by the truth, wake up and change for the better. Or he might turn bitter, blame the society for being a big popularity contest, and slowly withdraw himself, throwing away his previous gifts and talents.
If you have been told that you are “too smart for your own good”, maybe it’s time to do some self-reflection. Get off your high horse, and take a humble pie for a change. It will take time, but people are generally forgiving. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favour by becoming a better person. Make that positive choice, with your talents, you can go to places.
Truth is, some of those smart Alecs are actually really deep, intelligent and talented. Their minds are sharp like a knife and their insights can be mind-blowing. But alas, when you look at them in general, you realize that many of them are not living their lives to the fullest potential. Their lives are in a mess – they’re not excelling in their work, or are consistently overlooked when it comes to promotion, their relationships are in shambles, and their outlooks on life are usually pessimistic.
How did that happen?
When you first meet him, you immediately noticed how distinctive he is, and what a breath of fresh air his thoughts can be. But overtime, as you get to know him better, you start to keep your distance because:
- he is not teachable and his attitude sucks
- his condescension irks people, spoils their mood and make them feel bad about themselves
- it’s a pain to work with him. He has no sense of teamwork and it’s always “my way or the highway”
In the event that there are problems that need fixing, he’ll probably be the very last person people go to, after ALL available options have been systematically exhausted. Because the previous experience was so harrowing, people rather waste time running around in circles first than to look for him.
And if God forbid, he finds himself in serious need of help, that’s when he finds out just how people really feel about him, and reality can be very cold and harsh.
“NO!”
“You always talked about how smart you are, settle it yourself!”
“Why should I help an a**hole like you?”
He might be shocked by the truth, wake up and change for the better. Or he might turn bitter, blame the society for being a big popularity contest, and slowly withdraw himself, throwing away his previous gifts and talents.
If you have been told that you are “too smart for your own good”, maybe it’s time to do some self-reflection. Get off your high horse, and take a humble pie for a change. It will take time, but people are generally forgiving. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favour by becoming a better person. Make that positive choice, with your talents, you can go to places.
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