If you enjoy these 7 pastimes, psychology says you are unusually gifted compared to 98% of people

We all have hobbies that make us feel more alive. But what if the things you naturally enjoy doing are also a sign that your mind works differently than most?

Psychologists have spent decades studying the habits and quirks that separate the unusually gifted from the rest of the crowd.

And while success often looks flashy on the outside, the roots of it can be found in surprisingly simple pastimes.

If you find joy in even a few of these seven, you might already be part of the rare group whose everyday choices point to hidden strengths.

Let’s dive in.

1. You love to read books

I’ll admit it: I always feel a little thrill when I walk out of the library with a fresh stack of books. There’s something about holding other people’s ideas in your hands that feels like both a gift and a responsibility.

Reading isn’t just entertainment—it changes the wiring of your brain. It teaches you patience, sharpens your focus, and builds empathy by letting you live inside someone else’s perspective for a while.

This isn’t just my personal bias. Randall Bell, Ph.D., a socio-economist who has studied the habits of successful people for decades, found that “those who read seven or more books per year are more than 122 percent more likely to be millionaires as opposed to those who never read or only read one to three”.

Now, I don’t read because I’m trying to get rich.

But I do believe Bell’s finding reveals something deeper: people who carve out time to read are training their brains to stay curious, adaptable, and open to new ideas. And that’s a gift no one can take from you.

2. You practice meditation or yoga

Meditation and yoga might look simple from the outside—you sit quietly, or you move through poses—but they’re actually among the hardest hobbies to stick with.

Why? Because they demand patience, discipline, and focus in a world that constantly pulls our attention away.

People who enjoy these practices often discover something surprising: the ability to calm the mind spills over into the rest of life. You react less impulsively, handle stress with more ease, and think more clearly before making decisions. That’s not just relaxation—it’s a form of mental training that gives you an edge most people never cultivate.

3. You spend time outdoors

Some people see a trail as just dirt and trees. For others, it’s a reset button.

Spending time outside, whether it’s running, gardening, or just sitting under a tree, has a way of quieting the noise in our heads.

I notice it every time I lace up for a trail run—the chatter of deadlines and to-do lists fades, and a different kind of clarity sets in.

There’s a reason we feel more grounded outdoors. Nature has this quiet way of reminding us that we’re part of something bigger.

And if you genuinely enjoy being outside, it’s more than just a preference for fresh air—it often points to a capacity for mindfulness and resilience.

Think about it: when you can pause to notice the curve of a leaf or the rhythm of your own breath on a hill, you’re training your mind to stay present. That presence carries into every other part of life.

4. You let your mind wander

Do you ever catch yourself staring out the window, lost in thought, only to feel a spark of inspiration moments later?

That so-called “daydreaming” is often dismissed as wasted time, but it’s actually a gift. Sherry Turkle, an MIT professor and author of Reclaiming Conversation, notes: “When we let our minds wander, we set our brains free. Our brains are most productive when there is no demand that they be reactive.”

I can’t count the number of times my best ideas have arrived during a walk, in the shower, or even while I was zoning out over a cup of tea.

When we give our minds space to drift, we create the conditions for creativity to bloom.

Enjoying those moments of mental wandering doesn’t mean you’re unfocused—it means you have a natural talent for connecting dots others might miss.

5. You enjoy deep conversations

Small talk has its place, but if you’d rather dive into big ideas than skim the surface, that says a lot about you.

People who crave deeper conversations tend to be more reflective. They ask better questions, notice subtle patterns, and draw meaning from everyday experiences.

I’ve found this at the farmers’ market when a simple chat about tomatoes turns into a conversation about sustainability or the rhythms of community life.

Loving meaningful dialogue isn’t just a social preference—it’s a sign of intellectual curiosity. You’re not afraid to linger on the questions most people rush past.

And that ability to seek depth over distraction? It sets you apart in a world that thrives on quick takes and shallow exchanges.

6. You take on creative projects

Whether it’s sketching, writing, cooking something new, or tinkering with ideas in a notebook, creative pastimes reveal a different kind of intelligence.

What stands out about creativity is that it thrives on experimentation. You don’t always know what the result will be, but you dive in anyway.

That willingness to risk “getting it wrong” is what sets creative people apart from the crowd.

For me, it often shows up in the kitchen. I’ll throw together mismatched ingredients, half-expecting a flop, and end up with something surprisingly good. It’s not about perfection—it’s about the process.

If you love creative play, chances are your brain is wired to explore possibilities instead of settling for the obvious. And that, in itself, is a sign of unusual giftedness.

7. You commit to long-distance running or gardening

Some pastimes give instant gratification, but long-distance running and gardening are different.

Training for a half-marathon means logging miles for weeks before race day. Planting seeds in spring requires months of care before you see the harvest.

Terrie Moffitt and her colleagues followed more than 1,000 children from birth to age 32 and discovered something striking: those with lower self-control at age 3 were far more likely to face poor health, mental illness, substance dependence, financial struggles, and even criminal convictions as adults.

In other words, the patience you build when you stick with these “slow-burn” hobbies is more than a pastime—it’s psychological training.

By choosing activities that demand delayed gratification, you’re strengthening the very trait that predicts long-term success and well-being.

Final thoughts

If you recognize yourself in these seven pastimes, take a moment to appreciate it. Not everyone finds joy in reading, running, gardening, or wandering off into daydreams—and yet these small choices say something profound about how your mind works.

They reveal patience, curiosity, creativity, and resilience, which psychology tells us are rare gifts.

Something I’ve been reflecting on lately is how much of this ties into authenticity. I recently finished reading Laughing in the Face of Chaos by Rudá Iandê, and it inspired me to look at my own pastimes differently.

His insights reminded me that we don’t need to chase perfection in the way we spend our time. As he writes, “When we let go of the need to be perfect, we free ourselves to live fully—embracing the mess, complexity, and richness of a life that's delightfully real.”

The message hit home: our hobbies and habits don’t need to look impressive to anyone else. What matters is that they bring us closer to ourselves.

So if you enjoy even a few of these pastimes, lean into them. They aren’t just hobbies—they’re proof that you’re cultivating qualities most people overlook.

And that might just be your greatest strength.