If these 7 hobbies bring you joy, you're probably smarter than most people in the room

Ever notice how certain hobbies get labeled as "nerdy" or "weird," while others are considered totally normal?

I've been thinking about this lately because I keep running into people who apologize for their interests, like they're confessing to some embarrassing secret.

"I know it's boring, but I really love bird watching."

"Don't judge me, but I spend my weekends doing puzzles."

Here's the thing: those supposedly boring hobbies? They're often the ones that indicate a higher level of intelligence and cognitive ability.

So if you find deep satisfaction in any of these seven activities, there's a good chance you're operating at a higher cognitive level than most people around you.

1. Reading fiction for pleasure

Most people will tell you they "should" read more, but genuinely loving fiction is different from feeling obligated to finish that bestseller everyone's talking about.

If you're someone who gets lost in novels, who thinks about characters like they're real people, who stays up too late because you need to know what happens next, you're exercising some serious cognitive muscles.

Research from The New School found that reading literary fiction improves theory of mind, which is the ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and perspectives different from your own. This isn't just about empathy in some fuzzy, feel-good way. It's about sophisticated mental modeling.

When you read fiction, you're constantly making predictions, tracking multiple characters' motivations, holding complex plot threads in your working memory, and interpreting ambiguous social situations. Your brain is doing intense work that looks like relaxation.

I've mentioned this before, but I keep a stack of novels next to my bed, and I've noticed something interesting: the weeks when I'm reading fiction consistently are the weeks when I'm better at navigating tricky conversations and understanding subtext in my own life.

Fiction readers are essentially running social simulations in their heads. That's not escapism, that's training.

2. Playing a musical instrument

Learning to play an instrument is one of the most cognitively demanding activities humans can engage in.

Think about what's actually happening when someone plays music: they're reading symbolic notation, translating it into motor commands, coordinating both hands independently, listening to the sound they're producing, comparing it to an internal model of how it should sound, and adjusting in real time.

Oh, and if they're playing with others, they're also tracking what everyone else is doing and adjusting to stay synchronized.

Studies using brain imaging have shown that musicians have enhanced connectivity between brain regions, particularly between areas responsible for motor control and auditory processing. The corpus callosum, which connects the brain's two hemispheres, is often larger in musicians.

But here's what I find most interesting: it's not just about the technical skills. Music requires you to think both analytically and creatively at the same time. You're following rules while also interpreting and expressing emotion.

That dual processing, that ability to be both precise and expressive simultaneously, translates to enhanced problem-solving in completely unrelated domains.

If you genuinely enjoy practicing scales or working through a difficult passage, your brain is thriving on complexity that most people find frustrating.

3. Engaging in strategy games

Whether it's chess, Go, complex board games, or strategic video games, if you love games that require planning several moves ahead, you're constantly exercising executive function.

These games aren't just about following rules. They require you to hold multiple possible future scenarios in your head simultaneously, evaluate them against each other, and make decisions based on incomplete information.

What makes strategy games particularly interesting from a cognitive perspective is that they require you to model your opponent's thinking. You're not just planning your own strategy, you're thinking about what they think you're thinking, which requires sophisticated recursive reasoning.

I used to think of gaming as a waste of time until I started paying attention to what was actually happening in my head during a complicated game. The mental workout is real.

If you find joy in the challenge of outthinking an opponent or solving a strategic puzzle, you're someone who thrives on cognitive complexity.

4. Cooking elaborate meals from scratch

Cooking might seem like a basic survival skill, but if you genuinely enjoy the process of creating complex dishes, you're engaging in a sophisticated form of problem-solving.

Think about what goes into making a complicated recipe: you need to understand how different ingredients interact chemically, manage multiple timelines simultaneously, adjust for variables like humidity and altitude, taste and adjust seasoning based on sensory feedback, and adapt when something doesn't go according to plan.

Research has shown that cooking activates multiple brain regions simultaneously. You're using procedural memory, sensory processing, fine motor control, planning, and creativity all at once.

But there's something deeper happening too. When you cook, you're essentially running a complex project with multiple dependencies, deadlines, and quality standards. The cognitive skills involved are remarkably similar to those required in project management or software development.

I started paying attention to this when I was developing recipes for my work. The mental process of figuring out how to veganize a traditional dish requires understanding the functional role each ingredient plays, then finding plant-based alternatives that fulfill those same functions. It's applied chemistry and creative problem-solving combined.

If you're someone who finds meditation in chopping vegetables or satisfaction in perfecting a technique, you're drawn to the kind of hands-on problem-solving that requires both precision and adaptability.

5. Learning new languages

If you find genuine enjoyment in learning languages, not just because you need to for work or travel, but because you love the process itself, you're demonstrating cognitive flexibility that most people lack.

Language learning requires you to rewire fundamental patterns in your brain. You're not just memorizing vocabulary. You're learning to think in structures that might organize reality completely differently from your native language.

Studies have consistently shown that bilingual and multilingual individuals have enhanced executive function, better attention control, and improved ability to switch between tasks. The constant practice of inhibiting one language while using another strengthens cognitive control mechanisms.

But what fascinates me most is the metalinguistic awareness that develops. When you learn how another language works, you start noticing patterns in your own language that were previously invisible. You become aware of language as a system rather than just a transparent medium for thought.

This kind of pattern recognition and systematic thinking transfers to other domains. People who enjoy language learning tend to be better at recognizing structural similarities across different fields and applying knowledge from one context to another.

6. Pursuing photography as a creative practice

Photography might look like just pointing a camera and clicking, but if you're someone who genuinely loves the craft, you know it's about training yourself to see differently.

Good photographers develop what's called "photographic eye," which is the ability to recognize visual patterns, anticipate moments, understand how three-dimensional reality will translate to a two-dimensional image, and make split-second compositional decisions.

This requires simultaneously processing technical information (light, exposure, focus) while also thinking creatively about framing, storytelling, and emotional impact.

I spend a lot of time walking around with my camera, and I've noticed that photography has changed how I perceive everything, even when I'm not shooting. I notice light quality, I unconsciously frame scenes, I'm more attuned to decisive moments.

That heightened perceptual awareness is a form of intelligence that doesn't show up on traditional tests but affects how you navigate and understand the world.

If you find joy in the challenge of capturing a fleeting moment or composing a compelling image, you're someone whose brain thrives on complex visual processing and aesthetic decision-making.

7. Writing for personal expression

If you write regularly, not because you have to but because you genuinely enjoy it, you're engaging in one of the most cognitively demanding activities possible.

Writing requires you to translate nebulous thoughts into precise language, organize complex ideas into logical structures, anticipate how a reader will interpret your words, and revise based on that anticipation. You're essentially creating a mental simulation of communication.

But there's something else happening too. When you write regularly, you're forced to clarify your own thinking. You can't hide fuzzy reasoning behind vague language when you're committing words to page. Writing makes intellectual sloppiness visible.

I've found that writing about topics forces me to understand them at a deeper level than I would otherwise. The act of explaining something reveals the gaps in my own knowledge.

If you're someone who journals, writes essays, or works on creative projects because you find the process itself satisfying, you're training yourself to think more clearly and communicate more effectively.

Conclusion

Intelligence isn't just about solving math problems or memorizing facts. It's about curiosity, pattern recognition, cognitive flexibility, and the ability to engage deeply with complex systems.

The hobbies on this list require sustained attention, tolerance for difficulty, and genuine intellectual engagement. They're not passive entertainment. They're active cognitive workouts that happen to be enjoyable.

If several of these activities bring you real joy, not just obligation or the sense that you "should" do them, you're probably operating with cognitive abilities that exceed most people around you.

The smartest people I know don't necessarily have the highest test scores or the most degrees. They're the ones who remain genuinely curious, who pursue interests for their own sake, and who find satisfaction in activities that challenge them.

Your hobbies say a lot about how your brain is wired. If you're drawn to complexity, creativity, and continuous learning, trust that instinct. You're not wasting time. You're becoming smarter.