Why is human intelligence not a factor in billionaires success?

 

Introduction:

                            We all have the belief that to be wealthy and extremely successful, we must be exceptionally brilliant and talented, and that if we are not, we cannot become billionaires. And we frequently assume that those who become billionaires are extremely intelligent and talented individuals. However, studies have shown that this is not necessarily true—not everyone with a high IQ is successful. In this article, we will examine why human intelligence is not the sole component that defines success and what other variables will affect your success.

What is Human Intelligence?

                          “Human intelligence is a mental attribute that includes the capacities to pick up new skills through experience, to adapt to unexpected circumstances, to comprehend and manage abstract ideas, and to apply knowledge to influence one's surroundings.” Our intelligence has a role in everything we do on a day-to-day basis.

Our intellect not only greatly influences the learning and working settings, but it also helps us solve problems.

                        According to Daniel Kahneman, the definition of human intelligence is: “Human intelligence is not only the ability to reason but also the ability to find relevant information from the memory and to deploy attention when needed.” 

Why success doesn't depend on intelligence?

                         After Terman passed away, researcher Melita Oden decided to continue his research and compare the 100 study participants who were the most successful (Group A) to the 100 least successful (Group C). Although they virtually had the same IQ scores, those in Group C had greater rates of divorce and drunkenness than people in Group A, and they only marginally outperformed the national average in terms of wealth at the time.

According to Oden, People in Group A exhibited "prudence and forethought, willpower, perseverance, and the desire to excel. In addition, they showed three important characteristics as adults that were uncommon among Group C participants: goal orientation, self-confidence, and perseverance.

From this research, it’s clear that it’s not only your intelligence that determines your success but your willpower, goal orientation, and persistence play a key role in your success. There is another study about human talent and success.

                          Thanks to the efforts of Alessandro Pluchino and a few of his colleagues at the University of Catania in Italy.  These folks have built a computer simulation of human talent and how individuals use it to take advantage of opportunities. The team can examine how chance plays a part in this process thanks to the model.

The outcomes are somewhat eye-opening. Their simulations faithfully reflect the distribution of wealth in reality. However, those that are wealthiest are not necessarily the most talented (although they must have a certain level of talent).

                             So, from this research, we have a point that talent and intelligence are not always a cause for your success but other factors also determine your success like your willpower, determination, your mental attitude, your environment, and your emotional intelligence.

In the preceding paragraph, we will look at these other factors which have an influenced our success.

Emotional intelligence is also required for success.

                              Another indicator of success is emotional intelligence. People with high emotional intelligence are very successful in their careers. Emotional intelligence or EQ is actually a measure of how people react towards situations, how they control their emotions, and how they react towards others' emotions.

                           According to research, 80% of our success in life is determined by our emotional intelligence. People with a high EQ tend to manage themselves and other situations better than people with low EQ.

Habits also had a major role in your success:

                         Do you ever see somebody who always procrastinates and loves to waste his time on social media and waking and sleeping late become successful? Of Course not, because your daily habits determine your discipline which is further going to lead you towards a better life. 

                       Habits are the day-to-day choices and activities we make on a small scale. Habits, according to Duke University researchers, are responsible for around 40% of our daily behaviors.

                       The early contributions to habit theory made by American philosopher William James are still relevant today. James (1914) defined habit as the outcome of repeatedly performing the same behavior under comparable conditions until it becomes embedded in our brain circuitry.

                        The activities which we perform daily become our habits and if these habits are positive then they will help us a lot in our way towards success.

Environment:

                           our path to success will also be significantly influenced by your environment. If, for example, everyone around you is critical of your work and makes you feel worthless, you won't prosper in that atmosphere. Because repeated reputations have the power to transform falsehood into a belief.

                        If everyone around you is careless with their work and enjoys wasting time at work, there is a potential that you will also turn out to be like them. Additionally, you are more likely to become distracted by things that are unrelated to your objective if you are working in a cluttered environment where everything is scattered about.

“Creating opportunities for little wins will give you the energy to tackle bigger changes.”

— APRIL SNOW, LMFT

Conclusion:

                            Although human intelligence is important to our success, it is not always true that only those with high levels of intelligence succeed. The foundational steps that provide the groundwork for our success are numerous. Success or living the life we want doesn't just happen when we dream about it; it always requires the appropriate mindset, the will to work hard, and a disciplined routine.