IQ Matters Less Than You Think

I always tested in the 99th percentile, went to gifted and talented classes, was a merit scholarship semi finalist, etc. I think by any measure I had a high IQ. I also barely graduated high school, flunked out of junior college and spent most of my 20s going to raves instead of accomplishing anything worth while.

Meanwhile my sister, who had an utterly average iq by any measure has a masters degree and is a hospital executive.

The answer is she just worked harder than me. I gave up as soon as anything was difficult for me because I was so used to learning everything easily. She assumed that learning was supposed to be hard and put the work into it.

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#5

Post by MrEfficiency » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:43 AM UTC

Can someone do a test for willpower/hardwork?

I think that would be a useful indicator. I was a B student, but I've accomplished more than A students now that I'm approaching my 30s.

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#6

Post by bad_user » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:45 AM UTC

throwanem wrote: post #3

Of course IQ isn’t a measure of success. Success is a measure of success.

This remark is either really smart, or really dumb, depending on how you interpret it.

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#7

Post by melling » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:47 AM UTC

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

― Calvin Coolidge

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#8

Post by sidcool » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:47 AM UTC

I want to believe that my perhaps above average IQ won't matter and I could be in a league of PhDs. But practically it seems very difficult and there is a glass ceiling which seems too difficult to break. A feeling that there is something which my mind cannot probably grasp.

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#9

Post by yhoneycomb » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:50 AM UTC

melling wrote: post #7

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ― Calvin Coolidge

Depends in what field.

Being persistent will never give you the facial features to become a male model.

Re: IQ Matters Less Than You Think

#10

Post by k__ » Thu, Oct 04, 2018, 11:51 AM UTC

I know a few people with >130 IQ and they all have executive disfunction and anxiety problems.

So yes, the best CPU doesn't help if the IO is constantly blocked.