The three qualities of intelligent people (not exhaustive, subject to change and a work in progress):

(1) Forecasting

“Time and time again, Salazar, for all his lack of his own world vision, or notion of where Portugal fitted into global politics, got it right in forecasting the postwar order of Europe…sitting alone in his office plotting Portugal’s postwar politics, Salazar confided to British and American diplomats that he envisaged little prospect of the Soviet Union conducting itself as a decent member of the European family of nations.”

Source: Lisbon: War in the Shadows of the City of Light, 1939-1945 by Neill Lochery

Forecasting done against the backdrop of war when moods and sentiments changed with news published on the wires.

(2) Intuition

“In articles and books over the past five years, Dr. Gigerenzer has developed the startling claim that intuition makes our decisions not just quicker but better. He rejects the notion that hunches are second best, trading off accuracy for effort to achieve decisions that are “good enough” but not perfect.”

Source: All Hail the Hunch—and Damn the Details by Matt Ridley

(3) Delaying Gratification

“…these and later studies on delayed gratification have shown that self-discipline is a bigger predictor of later success than other factors such as I.Q.”

Source: Hope, Greed, and Fear: The Psychology Behind the Financial Crisis