0009: Why Aren’t Really Smart People Always More Successful?

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Hey there, hero!

If you look at the most successful people in the world, they’re usually pretty resourceful. Pretty charismatic. Pretty…smart.

But that doesn’t mean that if you’re smart (or resourceful or charismatic, for that matter) that you’re guaranteed to be successful.

There’s one element that’s pretty universal when it comes to success, and far more important than pure unleashed intelligence.

And I bet you have it.

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  1. I would add to what you said, that people who persistently work hard are motivated and have a positive attitude in the face of opposition. Many smart people get bogged down in cynicism and negative self-talk.

  2. I once had a coach who told me that things usually aren’t hard (difficult), they’re just time-consuming… and we too often confuse the two. Feel like that applies here, as well. Successful people are PATIENT. There are time-saving tactics, but there are no shortcuts.

  3. Tech is a great example because a lot of people find barriers and get nervous about a lack of knowledge. Tech has long been a field you can’t know everything about, and it’s important to remember that so we don’t feel intimidated.
    I’ve got a good example: last year I hired George “the Tech” Whittam to help me with my studio space. I learned a lot and it went well because I put in the work…but I’m not George. I don’t know what he does. Rather than let that rattle me and make me feel like I need to know more, I remind myself that George probably can’t narrate an audiobook as well as I do and that probably doesn’t keep him up at night.
    We all have our strengths and should play to them without trying to do everything and end up all over the map because you don’t settle on the one right workstream that will make you productive at what you do.
    George might not play Halo as well as I do either. So I’ve got that going for me because I put in the time playing Halo, and I played hard and I played consistently. 🙂