If I pointed out that you probably think you’re smarter than me, I wouldn’t be the first one. The fact of the matter is that most of us feel like we’re (at least) in the top 50th percentile for intelligence.
But there are are about 8 different kinds of intelligence.
So it’s not surprising that we can always rationalize some reason why we’re smarter than someone who out-performed or is more successful than us . There’s always some way in which we’re sure we surpass them, and
Just consider how we’ve all complained about there being a lack of meritocracy in the world. We see how the “less capable” sweet-talking charmers clamber their way to the top while the tortured geniuses are left behind, unrecognized and unappreciated.
But we’re social creatures so social intelligence goes a long way. Besides, what good is any one kind of intelligence without some degree of the others?
Einstein once said that imagination is more importance than intelligence. His point was that all the smarts in the world don’t mean squat if you can’t envision some way to apply them to solving some kind of problem.
This is where attitude comes in. You can have all the brains or book smarts in the world, but if your attitude sucks, you’re not going to go anywhere. You’re going to rub people the wrong way, repulse those who can help you, and generally create a self-perpetuating cycle of misery and alienation.
You see, our attitude makes up for a lot of our personality.
So if you’re willing to accept that there are many kinds of intelligence, then it makes it easier to accept that some people really are smarter than you (in some respects). And that makes it easier for us to learn something from just about anyone.
It’s this kind of open attitude that drives people toward accomplishment. What we don’t know we can learn, and what we can’t do we can find others to help us get done.
Great post. This is the first time that I’ve heard about the 8 kinds of intelligence. Being able to understand where your intelligence lies gives you a way better perspective on current situations and helps when it comes to comparing yourself to others. As I’m on the forefront of transition myself, this was timely.
Glad you found the post useful.
You know, it only recently occurred to me that it’s a strength to know one’s own weaknesses.