Raw intelligence is undoubtedly a huge asset, but it isn’t everything. And sometimes, when intellectually gifted people don’t achieve as much as they’d like to, it’s because they’re subtly undermining themselves.
Alice Boyes, PhD, author The Healthy Mind Toolkit & The Anxiety Toolkit.
Takeaways of Note:
Raw intelligence can sometimes lead people to…
1. Devalue other skills, like relationship building, and over-concentrate on intellect… tip: use strengths to overcome weaknesses – i.e. identify behaviors that would improve our success
2. Be frustrated by teamwork… tip: be self-compassionate re: internal reactions, understand where they come from & learn to genuinely appreciate what diverse minds bring to team
3. Attach a lot of self-esteem to being smart, which can decrease resilience & lead to avoidance… tip: be objective re: benefits of working with people who are, in some respects, smarter than we are – develop relationships with people whom we trust to give constructive feedback
4. Get bored easily (might quickly lose interest in execution side of performance; would rather be learning new things)… tip: instead of attempting dramatic change, tolerate short periods of boredom that could benefit our success. Also, have outlets for learning across the various domains of life (work, hobbies, physical fitness, etc.)
5. See in-depth thinking & reflection as the solution to every problem… tip: take breaks to get unstuck, and allow self to learn “by doing” rather than through exhaustive research