How can one be more insightful and be more of an intellectual?

To be more insightful you have to understand that perception is the key to communication. You need to learn the difference between listening and hearing, hearing what is being said, and hearing what isn't being said. Looking for the lie, watching the body language. Knowing when to talk and carry the conversation, when to back off and let someone else shine, and sometimes, when to just sit with a person and say nothing, you can't fix what is wrong, but you can at least be there for them. Having insight is often understand what that person is going through. You have a better chance of having insight in a situation if you have been in their shoes and struggled like they have. It is also about trusting your instinct. If you have an instinct telling you your bf is cheating, trust you insight, there is something telling you something is going on. Being intellectual isn't just reading important books with big words. Sometimes being intellectual is knowing facts about a subject, sometimes it is proving those facts and backing up what you are saying. Sometimes being intellectual is learning your job and knowing everything there is to know about that job or subject. Sometimes knowing how to be more intellectual is knowing how to have a conversation with a five-year-old child, and make them feel important.