Psychology says if you enjoy these 7 hobbies, you likely have an above-average IQ

Intelligence isn't just about acing tests or solving complex equations. It shows up in the quietest moments of our lives, in the activities we choose when no one's watching, in the hobbies that make us lose track of time.

I used to think intelligence was something you either had or didn't have, measured by grades and job titles.

Then I spent nearly two decades analyzing financial data, where I learned that the smartest people weren't always the ones with the highest credentials. They were the ones who stayed curious, who found patterns others missed, who never stopped learning.

The hobbies we gravitate toward say more about our cognitive abilities than we might realize. Research in psychology reveals that certain leisure activities correlate strongly with higher-than-average intelligence. Not because these hobbies make you smarter, necessarily, but because they appeal to minds that work in particular ways.

If you find yourself drawn to any of these seven activities, there's a good chance your IQ sits comfortably above average.

1) Reading for pleasure

This one might seem obvious, but it goes deeper than you think.

People with higher intelligence don't just read more. They read differently. They seek out complex narratives, they question what they're reading, they make connections between books and real life.

I've filled countless hours with books across psychology, philosophy, and memoirs. What started as an escape from spreadsheets became a way to understand human behavior in ways numbers never could. Reading taught me that every story contains patterns, and recognizing those patterns is a form of intelligence in itself.

Studies consistently show that avid readers have larger vocabularies, better analytical skills, and more developed empathy. The act of following complex plots, remembering character details, and inferring meaning between the lines exercises your brain in ways that few other activities can match.

But here's what makes it truly indicative of higher intelligence. People with above-average IQs tend to read not because they should, but because they genuinely can't imagine life without it. The curiosity drives the habit, not the other way around.

2) Playing a musical instrument

Music and intelligence have a fascinating relationship that researchers have been studying for decades.

Learning an instrument requires your brain to do several complex things simultaneously. You're reading notation, coordinating your hands, listening critically, and expressing emotion, all at once.

This kind of cognitive juggling builds neural pathways that strengthen overall mental function.

But it's not just about the technical challenge. Intelligent people are drawn to music because it satisfies something deeper. It's pattern recognition disguised as art. It's mathematical relationships that somehow produce emotion.

According to research, years of musical training strengthen the neural pathways that govern decision-making and information retention. They make your brain more efficient at processing complex information across the board.

Don't worry, you don't need to be concert-level skilled. What matters is the sustained engagement with something that challenges multiple cognitive systems at once.

3) Engaging in strategic games

Strategic games like chess, poker, video games, and the like require you to think several moves ahead, to hold multiple possibilities in your mind simultaneously, to adapt your strategy based on changing circumstances. This kind of cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of higher intelligence.

I've noticed that people who excel at strategic thinking often approach life the same way they approach games. They consider consequences, they plan for contingencies, they learn from losses instead of being defeated by them.

A study published in the journal Intelligence found that performance in strategic games correlates significantly with measures of fluid intelligence, the ability to solve new problems without relying on previous knowledge. The better you are at adapting your strategy in real-time, the higher your cognitive horsepower tends to be.

What's interesting is that intelligent people often enjoy losing at these games almost as much as winning. The challenge itself is the reward, not just the victory.

4) Solo outdoor activities like hiking or running

There's something about moving through nature alone that appeals to a certain kind of mind.

I discovered trail running at 28, initially as a way to escape work stress. But over the years, it became clear that those early morning runs did more than just burn calories.

They provided space for my brain to work through problems, to make connections, to process information in ways that sitting at a desk never allowed.

Psychology research supports this observation. People with higher intelligence often seek out solitary activities that allow for deeper cognitive processing.

Studies have shown that aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain, promoting neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells) particularly in the hippocampus, which is crucial for learning and memory. But beyond the biological benefits, there's the simple fact that intelligent minds need quiet time to think.

The preference for solo outdoor activities isn't about being antisocial. It's about creating the conditions where your brain can do its best work, free from the constant input of modern life.

5) Writing, whether journaling or creative

Writing is thinking made visible.

I started journaling at 36, initially skeptical about whether putting pen to paper would do anything meaningful. Forty-seven notebooks later, I can tell you it's been one of the most intellectually rewarding habits I've ever developed.

People with higher intelligence tend to be drawn to writing because it forces you to organize your thoughts, to find precise language for complex ideas, to examine your own thinking process. It's metacognition in action.

According to research, expressive writing enhances cognitive processing and improve stress regulation. The act of translating internal experiences into coherent narratives requires significant cognitive resources.

It strengthens your ability to structure arguments, to see patterns in your own behavior, to learn from experience instead of just living through it.

The format doesn't matter much. Whether you're journaling about your day, working on fiction, or writing essays, you're exercising the same cognitive muscles. You're taking the chaos of thought and imposing order on it.

6) Learning new languages

Few activities challenge your brain quite like trying to communicate in a language that isn't your native tongue.

Language learning requires memory, pattern recognition, cultural understanding, and the humility to make mistakes repeatedly. It's cognitively demanding in ways that make it particularly appealing to people with higher intelligence.

Studies have consistently shown that bilingual and multilingual individuals have enhanced executive function, better problem-solving skills, and delayed cognitive decline in aging. The mental gymnastics of switching between linguistic systems keeps your brain sharp and flexible.

But here's what's interesting about intelligent people and language learning. They're often less concerned with achieving perfect fluency than with the process of learning itself. The challenge of understanding how another language structures reality differently is intellectually stimulating regardless of mastery level.

The willingness to struggle with something difficult, to sound foolish while learning, to persist through the uncomfortable intermediate stage, these are all markers of both intelligence and intellectual maturity.

7) Creating comedy or humor writing

Making people laugh is harder than it looks. And according to psychology research, it requires a specific type of intelligence.

Creating humor, whether through stand-up comedy, writing funny stories, or crafting witty observations, demands sophisticated cognitive abilities.

You need to recognize incongruity, understand multiple perspectives simultaneously, play with language and timing, and predict how others will respond to your material.

The act of constructing a joke requires you to hold competing ideas in mind, recognize unexpected connections, and express them in precisely the right way.

What's fascinating is how comedy creation exercises your brain differently than other creative pursuits. You're constantly testing theories about human nature, social norms, and shared experiences. Every joke is a hypothesis about what will resonate with others.

The intelligence here isn't about being the class clown. It's about understanding the architecture of humor well enough to build it yourself. Whether you're writing satirical essays, performing at open mics, or crafting clever social media posts, you're engaging in a cognitively demanding activity that reveals a sharp, agile mind.

Final thoughts

If several of these hobbies resonate with you, it's likely your brain is wired for above-average intelligence. But here's what matters more than any IQ number could tell you.

Intelligence without curiosity is just potential. Intelligence without action is just theory. What makes these hobbies meaningful isn't that they signal high IQ. It's that they represent a mind actively engaging with the world, seeking challenge, embracing complexity, and finding joy in the process of learning.

The smartest thing you can do is keep doing the things that make you feel alive, that challenge you, that make you better than you were yesterday. Intelligence is less about what you have and more about what you do with it.

So keep reading those books. Keep playing that instrument. Keep lacing up those running shoes. Not because it proves anything about your IQ, but because a life engaged with challenge and curiosity is a life well lived.