Tuesday, November 15, 2011

One Reason Why Smart People Aren't Always Successful

When I was growing up, school was pretty easy to me. I aced a lot of the homework. I made good grades. By the time I got to college, I was to the point that for some courses, I could skip class and still get a solid A grade. Many times, people equate being smart with being successful but that is not always the case.

Being successful requires more than being smart. It requires that you do things that others won't do either because they don't know how or because they won't make the effort.

In fact, my friend and I always have lots of great ideas. After we generate all of these ideas we usually joke that in order for them to work, well that would take one thing - effort. Then we laugh and say well we won't be doing that.

While we find it funny, it does address the number one reason smart people don't achieve anything and that's because they don't make the effort. They don't make it, I believe, because things have always come easy for them. And success is hard for a lot of people.

A lot of times, I use this as a motivator for myself. I see someone who is successful and tell myself, I am as smart as that person. Why are they more successful than me? The reason is usually because they will take action in cases I won't.

If you can relate to that, then you might be wondering what can I do to improve my effort or at least to start making some attempt at effort.

The key is to take action. Even if it is not the perfect action. Taking action gets things moving. It creates momentum. It stimulates your brain to figure out solutions. I would go as far as to say that it creates luck in a lot of cases because your action puts you in a spot to receive success had you not taken it.

The process is simple. Set a goal. Ask yourself what is one small step I could take to reach that goal today. Take it then analyze your results. Then repeat the process.

Most things are not rocket science. They are more often than not a function of effort. Supply that effort through consistent small steps and before you know it, you will start finding success.

Take action today.

Related Article

Michael Kuhn

Black Belt Project: Build Mental Strength

2 comments

Completely spot on. I think one of the most difficult things about growing up (in my late 20's now) is seeing people who I (secretly) think being more successful. Especially folks you went to school with.

Intelligence is hugely overrated. Being a good action taker seems to be a more rare skill then being a good reader or a good thinker.

I've found this phenomenon especially drives academics crazy.

hahhahaha "is seeing people who I (secretly) think being more successful" quite a few typos there. Not as smart as I hoped!


EmoticonEmoticon