People Who Like Planning Things More Than Actually Doing Them Usually Have 9 High-IQ Traits
Migma__Agency | ShutterstockThere are two kinds of people in the world: planners and doers. Planners get a thrill out of comparison spreadsheets and research, and for doers, that might sound like a nightmare.
But people who like planning things more than actually doing them have some real advantages in life when it comes to brainpower. They get a dopamine rush every time they research a new idea or narrow down the best sushi restaurant in a 20-mile radius. It’s simply because the fun for them is in the plotting and planning. It’s a weird and eccentric nuance of their personality that many people would rather not even contemplate.
People who prefer planning things to doing them share these high-IQ traits:
1. They’re procrastinators
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While it might seem ironic, the most intelligent people are also the people who tend to procrastinate their tasks the most. They can see every single side of a project, which also means they’re hyper-cognizant of all the effort it will take to accomplish them. They know everything that goes wrong, so they push off the doing in favor of planning everything out to the detail.
For people who have creative, deep-thinking minds, there’s also a lot of joy in conceptualizing things they find interesting, even if they’re never actually going to follow through. They have all these plans, some of which might be useful at some point, but most of which are a hobby to think through on their own.
2. They’re perfectionists
Most intelligent people are at risk for all kinds of mental health struggles like anxiety because they tend to adopt perfectionist tendencies. They want their projects and outputs to be perfect, which is why they spend so much time and energy planning them out. However, that also means that actually executing those plans isn’t as exciting.
With the millions of things that could go wrong in the backs of their minds, of course, they struggle to move forward past the planning stage. However, that’s not always a bad thing. Yes, we live in a culture that’s always asking people to turn hobbies into side hustles and use their time productively, but what if the joy they get from planning is the end result?
3. They’re incredibly creative
Creativity isn’t always celebrated, especially when tech and AI are at the forefront of everyone's minds. However, the most intelligent people, with a strong sense of inner innovation and imagination, still find time and space to practice creative thinking in their daily lives.
For some people, that means planning. They conceptualize artistic pursuits, research what a new hobby would require, and do all kinds of planning to flex their creative muscles, even if they don’t have the time to actually see them all the way through.
4. They love a rabbit hole
Intelligent people are often deep thinkers. Honestly, of course they are.
They can’t help but dive deeper into things they find interesting. They love to research, even without obligations to turn in a paper or get a good grade. When something piques their interest, there’s no rabbit hole they’re not willing to entertain. That’s why they end up planning things that they never actually do, because there’s so much joy and mental stimulation in these moments of learning.
5. They’re effortlessly curious
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Intelligent people are inherently more curious than the average person, which is why they are naturally prosocial and excited by challenges. They appreciate learning new things, which is why planning creative projects and random endeavors is so fun and fulfilling.
Luckily, curiosity without guidelines truly breeds joy. High-IQ people might be more anxious with all kinds of information swirling around in their brains, but they can also create joy out of a small thought or a nagging curious interest.
6. They like solving problems and puzzles
Even if they’re not being asked to complete a project or plan something out, high-IQ people love the challenge of a problem or puzzle. That's because planning is basically strategizing. You're thinking 10 steps ahead and considering all the possible outcomes before committing to a plan. Whether it’s getting into a new hobby or piecing together things that wouldn’t naturally mesh, sometimes, planning things out is the perfect self-presented challenge.
For the same reasons smart people love strategy board games and debates, they love planning because it provides them with a problem to solve.
7. They need to organize information
With so much information constantly flowing through their brains, can you blame a smart person for appreciating organization? Most of the time, their brains subconsciously take over, filtering information by prompting them to daydream or zone out, but sometimes it’s conscious.
They plan things and solve problems that’ve been floating in their heads. They finally lean into that nagging interest that’s been coming up in their daily routine. They plan their schedules and their months down to the last detail, because it brings order to their minds that are usually chaotically filled with stuff.
8. They think abstractly
Instead of focusing on tangible solutions and simple facts, intelligent people’s minds work in more creative, abstract ways. They think more generally, because they see things from a very different perspective than their average counterparts.
So, even if conceptualizing things that they’ll never do sounds like a terrible way to spend their free time for ordinary people, smart individuals grasp at any chance they have to think in these creative ways.
9. They’re future thinkers
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Intelligent people are masters at manifestation. It might sound silly, but it’s true.
They have a unique ability to conceptualize the future and visualize a life that doesn’t exist yet. They can think about projects and situations before they’re actually realized, which is why they’re so good at piecing together puzzles and solving problems. They can see the future faster and more effectively than most.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
