If you are so smart, why are you still broke?

Have you ever had a friend who always saw themselves as the smartest in the group? The one who acts the wisest and often behaves like an elder?

Well, I have had some of those.

There are those individuals who are overly obsessed with being "the one". They aim to be perceived as intelligent. Everywhere they are, they are obsessed with how people see them; they can only be seen in one way - as the "intelligent" one.

They never have an "I don't know" response.

They always tell you what you're doing wrong, or what you should've done.

They always look down on people whom they think are beneath them.

Inversely, many such individuals are miserable.

They sound and act smart, but they hardly see any progress in their lives; they often remain stagnant. But act like the know-it-all around others. So, the question is: if you are so smart, then why are you broke?

This question may be offensive to some, but it's a real question. If you are the smartest person you know, you must be the richest person you know too.

Richness may not only come in the form of finances; it includes being rich in your career, in your relationships, and in any other aspects of your life.

However, these ones often remain in broken states. They consistently entangle themselves in unhealthy relationships or have utterly horrible financial habits. Yet, they see themselves as the smartest, which does not make sense.

Here's what's happening:

They are obsessed with how others perceive them instead of actually working on themselves.

They spend time researching, finding themselves in analysis paralysis. They spend months researching topics that may make them look intelligent at a braai but never bring real, significant value to the development of their lives.

They hate looking average or even making mistakes. This is because they have a grandiose self-image, and they expect others to see them in the same light.

With all this, they lose sight of what's really important. That is making or creating something of value and meaningful. Which they can take to the marketplace and actually earn from it. Thus really improving their lives.

Weirdly, they have all the business advice, but they never have any business. Because they can never have an "I don't know" response, as they have to live up to this self-image they aim to be perceived with.

Like the famous Socrates saying, "I know that I know nothing", any normal person believes that. And is willing to learn, and never sees themselves as superior to others. And those ones find riches more than the self-proclaimed smarties. This is no fluke.

Normal people are willing to learn a valuable skill that they can take to the market and make money from it. But the "smarties" are concerned with watching YouTube videos that will make them sound smart, instead of building and executing on wealth-building resources and tools.

So, basically, the few individuals who always act the smartest are really the dumbest. Or else their lives would translate into the same intelligence they claim to possess.

If you see yourself as the most intelligent and yet you are broke, you are not as intelligent as you may think you are; it is all a delusion you hold. Because if you were really intelligent, you wouldn't be broke.

The question is, do you think you are the smartest person and always try to prove it to those around you? If yes, you must be rich (financially, emotionally, and socially). If not, come back to your senses; you are not the smartest. You merely have a false sense of intelligence that has no authentic proof. Your real life is the only proof required to prove your level of intelligence. Period.