The common habits of highly intelligent people
FRIDAY, AUGUST 01, 2014 13:51 PM

Science hasn't really found what makes some people geniuses and others only average. There's not yet a genetic marker of smarts, nor is there a list of traits every intelligent person, without fail, has. However, many of history's greatest minds have displayed similar habits. While the data indicates correlation, it certainly does not denote causality. That is to say, while a vast number of people who have amazing IQ scores perform certain habits, doing such tasks will not make a person smarter or even indicate that they already are. 

With that important differentiation out of the way, here are some of the most common habits people with genius-level IQs have and how to foster those behaviors in your children:

Set and share goals
Many intelligent people create lists of goals they'd like to accomplish and then share that information with friends or family. According to Now Source, those who perform this behavior are more likely to achieve their dreams. When a group of students was given four weeks to accomplish a set task, 76 percent of students who defined their goals and shared them with others completed their given task.

Encouraging your kids: The study's results indicate that clearly defining goals and sharing them with others helps people complete them. Teach your child how to set goals that are possible to achieve. Each goal should be a baby step toward an overall dream. For instance, if your son wants to be on time to school more often, some goals might be to wake up earlier each day, chat less on the way out the door or go to sleep sooner. Encourage him to include you in his goal-making so you can keep him accountable.

Read fervently
Reading allows you to learn new words, exercise your imagination and acquire knowledge. Reading regularly improves people's ability to absorb and process information. With this in mind, it's no wonder geniuses like Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein read religiously.

Encouraging your kids: Develop your kids' love of reading by taking them to the library and reading to them at night. Let them pick stories they enjoy, whether they're in the form of a novel or a comic.

Never give up
Perseverance may be a trait, but getting up when you're kicked down can become a habit (and a good one at that). Edison made over 1,000 attempts at creating a functioning light bulb before it finally worked!

Encouraging your kids: Share stories of failure and perseverance to inspire your child. Remind them that accomplishing a dream takes hard work, and that blunders are only hiccups in their journey.