Smart people are easier to fool than they think, mentalist warns intelligence can become a liability
Announcement posted by Invigorate PR 19 Aug 2026
Being intelligent does not protect people from making terrible decisions. According to Australian mentalist, TEDx speaker and keynote expert Andy Nunn, intelligence can sometimes make people more vulnerable because smart people are often brilliant at convincing themselves they are right.
After more than 25 years studying attention, persuasion and human behaviour through mentalism, combined with more than a decade coaching leaders, Nunn says some of life's biggest mistakes happen because people trust their own thinking too much.
"We like to believe smart people make smart decisions, but that's simply not true," Nunn said.
"Highly intelligent people still fall for scams, make poor investments, hire the wrong people, stay in unhealthy relationships and make costly business decisions. The biggest risk isn't stupidity, it's believing you're too smart to be fooled."
Your brain is wired to trick you
Nunn said the human brain constantly relies on assumptions, biases and mental shortcuts, often without us realising.
"We notice evidence that supports what we already believe and conveniently ignore information that challenges us," Nunn said.
"As a mentalist, I don't control people's minds. I understand where attention is going, what assumptions people are making and how easily perception can be manipulated. Those same vulnerabilities influence business, leadership, relationships and everyday life."
Nunn said intelligence can also create overconfidence.
"We can make an emotional decision first and then use our intelligence to build a sophisticated argument for why it was right," he said.
"Confidence is not evidence and certainty doesn't mean you're right."
AI has made critical thinking more important than ever
Nunn believes artificial intelligence, misinformation and manipulated online content have made discernment one of the most important skills people can develop.
"We live in a world where seeing is no longer necessarily believing," Nunn said.
"We're being bombarded with information designed to attract attention, reinforce beliefs and provoke reactions.
"The people who thrive won't necessarily be those with the highest IQ. They'll be the people who know how to question information, challenge their assumptions and recognise when bias is influencing what they believe."
Catch it, challenge it, change it
Nunn uses a simple three-step framework in his keynotes to help people interrupt automatic thinking: Catch it. Challenge it. Change it.
"First, catch it. Before making an important decision, pause and notice the story you're telling yourself, the assumption you're making or the emotion driving your reaction," Nunn said.
"Then challenge it. Ask yourself: 'What evidence could prove me wrong?' That question forces you to consider that your thinking may be flawed.
"Finally, change it. Actively seek opinions and evidence that challenge your thinking rather than surrounding yourself with information that reinforces it."
Nunn said the framework can be applied to leadership, recruitment, investments, relationships and everyday decisions.
"The people who make the best decisions aren't always right. They're willing to question themselves before they act," Nunn added.
Stop waiting until you feel ready
Nunn said overthinking is another major trap for intelligent and capable people.
"We can analyse something so extensively that thinking becomes a substitute for doing," he said.
"People wait until they're certain, confident or completely ready. The problem is that moment may never arrive."
Drawing on his experiences with addiction recovery and ultra-endurance sport, Nunn uses his GO method to help people move through fear and discomfort.
"The G is for ground yourself. Instead of fighting the feeling, acknowledge it: 'I feel fear, and that's okay'," Nunn said.
"The O is for one tiny step. Ask yourself: 'What is the smallest action I could take right now?'
"You don't need to solve the entire problem. You just need to take the next step."
Nunn said the same philosophy has helped him tackle extreme endurance challenges.
"A 200-mile race feels impossible if you're standing at the starting line thinking about every kilometre ahead. You move forward one step at a time," he said.
"The same principle applies in business and life. Big changes often begin with very small actions."
Humility is becoming a competitive advantage
Nunn believes one of the most valuable qualities people can develop is accepting that their perception may be wrong.
"My keynotes aren't about fooling people, they're about helping people experience their own blind spots," Nunn said.
"When you experience how easily attention can be directed and assumptions exploited, you realise none of us is immune to bias.
"That creates humility, and humility makes us better thinkers, leaders and decision-makers.
"I don't want audiences leaving believing I'm clever. I want them leaving asking better questions about themselves.
"Catch it, challenge it, change it. Ground yourself and take one tiny step. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is accept that you might be wrong."
About Andy Nunn
Andy Nunn is an Australian mentalist, TEDx speaker, keynote presenter and critical-thinking advocate who uses psychological illusion, behavioural insights and lived experience to explore how humans think, make decisions and respond to pressure.
Performing magic since childhood and professionally since 2019, Andy has worked with organisations including Google, Amazon, EY and Ralph Lauren and now delivers approximately 50 keynote presentations each year. His keynote experiences include The Human Advantage, Wonderfully Uncomfortable and Seeing Isn't Believing, covering leadership, bias, change, resilience, misinformation and critical thinking.
Andy combines more than 25 years of experience in mentalism with more than a decade coaching leaders, his journey through addiction and five years of sobriety, and extraordinary endurance challenges including the 200-mile Dragon's Back Race. Based on the Central Coast of NSW, he is currently writing a book, developing a critical-thinking program for high school students and building his podcast and broader thought-leadership platform.