I think some people are trying to be modest about actually posting a response to this question when they say "there's always more to learn." When you're around people of similar intelligence, or even more intelligent than you, that feeling is certainly there. Talking about a topic that I know nothing about? I better read about it obsessively so that I'm not caught outside "the know" if that ever comes up again.

I like being humbled in this manner; it makes me feel less significant. In my experience being in a position of (at least) some authority, and being the person that everyone comes to seeking answers, it's burdensome at times to be considered so intelligent. I'm often comparing myself to great people who I have no real business comparing myself to, and I feel somehow incomplete for not achieving what they had achieved by my age. I've had a lot of success just thinking very hard (not terribly descriptive here, I know) and solving some complex problems, to the praise of many around me; this really only adds to the pressure, as I feel I must beat or match my previous performance to feel secure in who I am.

I think the top comment makes a good analogy (the secretary); it seems I can often make connections between experiences that I've had, reasoning that I've previously done, knowledge that I have acquired, in a way that I believe others cannot, or at least not as quickly.

There are times when I feel as though I am leagues ahead of my peers in my intelligence, and there are times when I feel that I lack the common sense that helps most people get along in normal interactions. I constantly check my words to make sure that what I'm saying comes out perfectly because I fear that I won't live up to my "reputation."

I don't claim to be a genius, and I don't even claim to be smarter than everyone I know (I know some brilliant people, thankfully!). Yet I think the question is almost silly. I may think I'm perceived by others as intelligent, but ultimately the method with which one thinks is his/her own! I think I've just had the right experiences that allow me to make the right connections. I think my disposition toward adventure (admittedly literary adventure..) has allowed me to cram in more information about the world, and my severe need to find approval has led me to try to be better. I hope this helps!