1. You have a strong distaste for the status quo.

You disagree with popular opinions on several topics. Even more so, it truly bothers you that the majority of people think a certain way. Being an individual, it makes you angry to live in a society that’s attempting to coerce us all into being the same.

2. You lack respect for authority figures.

You don’t automatically assume that being in a position of authority makes someone infallible. You don’t blindly adhere to people’s instructions just because they’re an authority figure.

3. You can objectively look at both sides of an issue.

Some say that you haven’t earned the right to express an opinion until you are able to argue the opposition’s side better than they can. People who think for themselves are able to see multiple perspectives on an issue and realize that there are valid points on each side of the fence. Life isn’t black and white. People who think for themselves are able to see things in shades of gray.

4. You’re passionate about learning.

Knowledge liberates one from ignorance. People who learn about myriad subjects develop their own unique philosophy because they’ve taken the time to explore tons of different ideas. It’s easy to be indoctrinated into a religion or political party. It’s enlightened to learn the ins and outs of every one of them and decide what works for you.

5. You’re always up for a good debate.

You play the Devil’s advocate for your own amusement. You’ll even argue for things you don’t believe in for the sake of gamesmanship. You love challenging people’s ideas and making them think and reexamine their convictions.

6. Sometimes people think you’re crazy.

You’ll say something to a friend or a group of people that contradicts conventional wisdom. They’ll laugh at you, call you crazy, or claim that your ideas are flat-out stupid. Cars were a crazy idea when everyone was riding horses. The idea of a smartphone would seem crazy to people living 100 years ago. All of the greatest ideas, creations, and innovations seemed crazy in the beginning.

7. You’re always refining your ideas.

The minute you think you’ve fully grasped a concept, new information will appear and you have to refine your thinking. The more you learn, the more you realize there’s a lot to know. It never stops. You continually chase information down the rabbit hole of learning and it’s ridiculously amusing and exciting. You’ve figured out that you’ll never fully figure it out.

8. You limit the amount of media you consume.

You don’t watch a ton of television and news programming. You’re aware of the influence that mass media has on the group and you’re cautious about what information you allow into your brain.

9. You fear being average.

Your worst fear in life is of being like everyone else. You see a world filled with people doing things they don’t like to do for seemingly no other reason than the belief that they have to. You want to live the life of your dreams. Your focus isn’t on money and accolades. Your focus is on being able to wake up each day and do exactly what you want to do.

10. You’re never bored.

In a world filled with so many cool opportunities, how can people possibly be bored? Thinking for yourself means having a high level of awareness. Observing the way people interact and the way things work is so fascinating that you couldn’t possibly succumb to boredom.