Why Smart People Reduce Their Social Circles As They Age: 6 Reasons

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Do you have a large circle of friends? If you only have a few, you may be the smartest person in your circle. According to science, smart people tend to have fewer friends, but that doesn't mean they're unhappy.

Some people may feel like outcasts if they don't have a large group of friends. However, a recent study found that intelligent people are often happier spending time alone than hanging out with friends. This may explain why loners tend to have higher intelligence than popular people.

As you go through life, your social circle will naturally change and evolve. You may become distant from some acquaintances, colleagues, or even close friends. This is especially true for intelligent people, who tend to have smaller social circles as they age. This may seem counterintuitive, since you would expect intelligent people to have larger social circles due to their superior communication skills.

One of the perks of getting older is the opportunity to spend more time with friends and loved ones, but ironically, most people's social circles begin to shrink as they age. This phenomenon was once thought to be linked to our own sense of the limitations of our future time—we realize our finite lifespans and choose to spend the little time we have left with a select few. But recent research has shown that this is not the case.

There are several reasons why smart people choose to narrow their social circles as they get older, and it may be a sign of their wisdom and maturity.

Here are 6 reasons why smart people may narrow their social circles as they age:

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1. Change of priorities

As people age, their priorities change. Adults usually have a job or business, a family, and personal goals that require their time and attention. They also tend to spend their free time on hobbies, advanced training, and activities that match their interests and passions. Due to limited time and energy, they may choose to limit their social circle to those that match their current priorities and interests. This may result in their social circle shrinking.

2. Insightful character

Smart people tend to be selective and discerning in relationships. They are likely to have already identified their true friends in life.

They also tend to surround themselves with people who share similar values, thoughts, and interests in related areas. And once they have established strong relationships, they don't feel the need to start new ones.

They prefer deep conversations to gossip and superficial small talk. As a result, some people may naturally distance themselves from intelligent individuals because they prefer more meaningful interactions and are not interested in superficial communication.

3. They are picky

Being picky isn't a bad thing. In fact, many people wish they were more picky about who they let into their lives.

Smart people don't let people into their lives who can hinder their goals and belittle their intelligence. Who they spend time with affects who they become, and these people can either lift them up or tear them down. Smart people not only learn to understand themselves well as they age, but they can also see through other people.

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

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4. Quality is more important than quantity.

Smart people prioritize quality over quantity, especially when it comes to relationships. They understand that having a large number of friends or acquaintances does not necessarily lead to meaningful connections or fulfilling relationships. As they get older, they focus on creating deeper connections with people who share similar interests, values, and goals. They know that real relationships take time, effort, and emotional investment, so they choose to invest their energy in a select few rather than spreading themselves thin on everyone.

5. They find solitude beneficial

Intelligent people often enjoy spending time alone, pursuing their interests, recuperating, and reflecting. They may not feel the need to socialize and prefer to spend time alone or with a small group of like-minded people. This may also lead to them having fewer friends because they are content being alone.

6. They know their worth

It's surprisingly easy to break off a relationship with someone who treats you badly if you know your worth.

People seek meaningless friendships and relationships for a variety of reasons, but one of them is that they get some sort of satisfaction from having a long list of contacts on their phones and from the attention they get on social media.

Smart people have gotten past this stage of constantly needing to prove their worth over the years. In most cases, they are already happy with themselves and confident in their relationships. They also don’t rely on others to validate their worth. All the support they need or want comes from within and from the few friends they have.

Smart people's decision to downsize their social circle over time is a reflection of their wisdom and maturity. They prioritize quality over quantity, adjust their priorities, are selective, and value their personal space. This is not a decline in their social skills, but a conscious choice to pursue deeper, more meaningful relationships that align with their values, interests, and personal growth.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that people living in smaller towns tend to be friendlier and more welcoming than those living in larger cities. This trend is seen all over the world.

What do you think about this? Do you have a large group of friends? Did you grow up in a noisy city or a small village?