The Hard Working Idiot

I'm fairly sure most people think I am at least above average intelligence. Some might even believe me to be genius level, including an online IQ test I took in Junior High, but I am not.

In reality, I am not very intelligent. In reality, most of my peers are not brilliant masterminds. So what puts some of us above others? Hard work and determination.

Or plain stubbornness.

As detailed in this article, studies have found that really hard work and belief that you are intelligent tends to make people perform better. similarly, in this article it is noted that discipline outpaces raw IQ.

So in reality, hard work and medium intelligence can out perform better intelligence coupled with lazy habits.

Sure a hardworking genius will dominate everything, but that is not a reason to be discouraged. Think of it like this. Some of those really smart people have been getting lazy doing the bare minimum. If you put in the extra effort and build up knowledge and discipline to do the job and manage your time, you can outdo them or at least come alongside them.

That has been my recipe of success. I know I am not a genius. I have been surrounded by geniuses that outclass me. However, I know how to lock myself down and work. I know how much work it will take me so I can get things done ahead of time in case there are problems along the way or I can explore extra avenues. I always leave myself a full day to write up things if I can allowing me not only time to do a good write-up but also time just in case you realize something went wrong or there is something I forgot to consider.

One student I was TA-ing actually asked me if they were smart enough to attempt the final project. I knew this student is one of the hardest working and most comprehensive report maker. I have no idea what his actual aptitude is. But I did know that this lab required a clear head, good design, and a lot of wires that you had to keep track of. So, I recommended that he try. His meticulous design and ability to spot problems ahead of time put him ahead of others, but at the end I think he ran out of time and was not able to complete the entire lab. Granted, only around nine out of the fifty-plus students completed a working circuit.

Take home message: put in that extra bit of work. Work hard, work efficiently, and ignore what people think your intelligence actually is. At the end of the day, if you can get results, you get the praise.