Are IQ (Smarts) and Success Correlated?

[monnffffiiiiiii]

Its one factor. But entrepreneurship or business require all rounded skills. That’s why it is hard.

There are far less successful entrepreneurs than math and physics PHD.

The perfect fit for mental capacity is still academically related roles.

Yes, and out of these skills and capabilities, intelligence is the most impactful one.

I think actually there are more successful entrepreneurs than PhDs in math and physics, but that needs to be verified.

 

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[Kevin88660]

Yes, and out of these skills and capabilities, intelligence is the most impactful one.

I think actually there are more successful entrepreneurs than PhDs in math and physics, but that needs to be verified.

Graduate with physics PhD, 31, fell to his death from block of flats after taking job in call centre he was over-qualified for

Westminster Coroner's Court heard Dr Philip Elliott had recently completed a PhD in physics and was also a qualified engineer. But he had suffered a number of career knock-backs in the weeks leading to his death.

www.dailymail.co.uk

PHD are so common these days that they don’t even guarantee a job.

 

[monnffffiiiiiii]

Graduate with physics PhD, 31, fell to his death from block of flats after taking job in call centre he was over-qualified for

Westminster Coroner's Court heard Dr Philip Elliott had recently completed a PhD in physics and was also a qualified engineer. But he had suffered a number of career knock-backs in the weeks leading to his death.

www.dailymail.co.uk

PHD are so common these days that they don’t even guarantee a job.

We're talking PhDs in STEMs, not gender studies

 

[Kevin88660]

We're talking PhDs in STEMs, not gender studies

Just having a PHD in STEMs don’t mean anything. There might be skill shortage in U.S. but PHD in STEMs exist in large quantity in Europe and Asia.

Even before the Tech layoff the amount of jobs (hedge fund research, data sci analyst, algo optimization, assist prof career path) are not enough to absorb the large amount of math and physics PHD that are graduating every year.

CS background are much better because they can opt into IT careers which is hot (at least before the tech layoff). But you don’t need a PHD. A degree with good GPA is good enough.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Posts moved to its own thread.

 

[Bekit]

One way you could test this hypothesis is to look at the data on Mensa members and how successful they are.

Is there any correlation between being having an IQ in the top 2% and being successful?

Two percent of the US population is 6 million people. Are the 6 million people with the highest IQ in the US also the people with a disproportionate level of success and wealth?

I have a hunch the answer is no, based on the assumption that if there were a strong correlation, it would be trumpeted from the Mensa website and marketing materials, which it isn't. Plus, I would think this list of "noteworthy Mensans" would be much longer and much more populated with "well-known successful people" if there was any kind of correlation to success.

However, there IS a correlation where the higher your IQ, the more likely you are to have ADHD, stunted social skills, mental health challenges, or one or more other eccentricities. These factors act as headwinds to being successful.

Not saying IQ is useless... I'd rather be smart than dumb... but just saying that I doubt the correlation between IQ and success holds up unless the person also has multiple other factors supporting them (such as absence of childhood trauma, good mental health, good emotional stability, good social skills, good executive function, internal locus of control, good work ethic, etc.).

 

[Kybalion]

There are various types of intelligence and IQ encompasses only a tiny sliver of the whole thing.

Some people are good verbally, others have good spacial thinking, others grasp nature related systems really well etc - all of them can excel in their own fields irrespective of their IQ.

As long as you have a good mix of strengths you can make something happen.

With that being said there is truth in having the ability to actually make use of your strengths - and that ability could very well correlate with IQ - but I think it is a seperate thing altogether.

Its kind of like a meta level of thinking where you are aware of your thoughts, emotions and behaviours almost from a third party perspective, which therefore allows you to modulate your behaviour and drive favorable results.

 

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[monnffffiiiiiii]

I am amazed that it seems so hard to understand the simple relation between:

A. Entrepreneurship: a discipline whose principal activity is problem-solving.
B. Intelligence: the name given to the ability and speed to solve complex problems.

Just take the list of the richest people in the world: Real Time Billionaires

And now go see how smart these people really are.

Spoilers: here's what you will find:

 

[monnffffiiiiiii]

One way you could test this hypothesis is to look at the data on Mensa members and how successful they are.

Nope, it is the other way around.

Being smart does not guarantee entrepreneurial success.

BUT

Entrepreneurial success cannot happen without being smart.

 

[Andy Black]

I'll back street-smart over book-smart.

 

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[Shono]

The IQ test are math oriented so quite hard.

What is heavier?
One pound of iron or one pound of feather?

I have no idea as we have everything in kilograms here in Poland haha

on average a pound of iron

 

[Shono]

Some say EQ is more important than IQ...

Only if its Parametric EQ

 

[Kak]

on average a pound of iron

We better get the Gatorade out for the crops everyone.

 

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[Shono]

View attachment 47270

We better get the Gatorade out for the crops everyone.

i know its hard to acknowlege ill use an example, would you rather hit in the face with a pound of iron or a pound of feathers? feathers of course, because iron is heavier on average

 

[Antifragile]

i know its hard to acknowlege ill use an example, would you rather hit in the face with a pound of iron or a pound of feathers? feathers of course, because iron is heavier on average

Is your IQ same as your age?

Unreal.

Who’s got the double face palm meme? One just isn’t enough.


Edit: and for anyone advocating dropping out of school… the quoted post above should be proof: don’t. Stay in school kids. You F*cking need it more than I can explain.

 

[Shono]

Is your IQ same as your age?

Unreal.

Who’s got the double face palm meme? One just isn’t enough.

so youre telling me feathers are just as heavy??? different things have different mass and structure, next youll try and convince me feathers are as hard as diamond??

 

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[Kak]

so youre telling me feathers are just as heavy??? different things have different mass and structure, next youll try and convince me feathers are as hard as diamond??

Yes. A pound of feathers is exactly as heavy as a pound of iron. Unequivocally.

It is also the same exact weight as a pound of every single other substance on earth.

 

[Shono]

Yes. A pound of feathers is exactly as heavy as a pound of iron. Unequivocally.

It is also the same exact weight as a pound of every single other substance on earth.

not on average? would you rather have a pound of iron fall on your head or a pound of feather?? obviously the lighter option of the two

 

[Antifragile]

not on average? would you rather have a pound of iron fall on your head or a pound of feather?? obviously the lighter option of the two

One day you’ll figure out the rule of holes. When you find yourself in one, stop digging.

Think. Once you get it; ask MJ to permanently delete the posts here that are making you look stupid.

Use google, ChatGPT, your neighbor whatever… just please don’t dig any deeper.

 

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[Kak]

not on average? would you rather have a pound of iron fall on your head or a pound of feather?? obviously the lighter option of the two

Your confidence is an inspiration to us all.

 

[Shono]

Edit: and for anyone advocating dropping out of school… the quoted post above should be proof: don’t. Stay in school kids. You F*cking need it more than I can explain.

i am not dropping out of school i dont get where you got that idea thank you very much

 

[WillHurtDontCare]

Goodhart's law - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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[Kak]

Entrepreneurial success cannot happen without being smart.

I agree that there’s probably a disqualifying IQ level where you’re pretty much screwed.

However, below average isn’t smart, and I know several examples of people with below average intellect that are what most would consider successful.

 

[monnffffiiiiiii]

I agree that there’s probably a disqualifying IQ level where you’re pretty much screwed.

However, below average isn’t smart, and I know several examples of people with below average intellect that are what most would consider successful.

I can live with that

 

[Bekit]

However, below average isn’t smart, and I know several examples of people with below average intellect that are what most would consider successful.

I attended a training once where the instructor told the story of how he paid to attend an expensive mastermind. At the in-person event, it was pretty clear that one of the business owners in attendance had a "below average" IQ compared to others.

My instructor was standing around with a few other guys at the mastermind, and some of them were talking down about the low IQ guy, until one of them commented, "Yeah, well [Name-of-low-IQ-dude] has his own airplane. And you don't." And that shut everyone up really quick.

All that to say... there's not always going to be a 1-to-1 correlation between intelligence and success (or the lack thereof).

But if you have the wherewithal to outsmart your competition by playing 3D chess while they're playing 2D checkers, by all means, go for it and leverage that advantage!

 

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[Shono]

I attended a training once where the instructor told the story of how he paid to attend an expensive mastermind. At the in-person event, it was pretty clear that one of the business owners in attendance had a "below average" IQ compared to others.

My instructor was standing around with a few other guys at the mastermind, and some of them were talking down about the low IQ guy, until one of them commented, "Yeah, well [Name-of-low-IQ-dude] has his own airplane. And you don't." And that shut everyone up really quick.

All that to say... there's not always going to be a 1-to-1 correlation between intelligence and success (or the lack thereof).

But if you have the wherewithal to outsmart your competition by playing 3D chess while they're playing 2D checkers, by all means, go for it and leverage that advantage!

Maybe he was secretly a genius who liked to pretend to be dumb, kind of like how norm macdonald was. If you watch Norm on Conan and you didn't know who he was beforehand, you'd think he's fighting off early onset dementia, but if you listen to him on more candid platforms you'll see how sharp and quick witted he really was, always 3 steps ahead of everyone else in the room, his Who Want's to be a Millionaire appearance for example. By his own words he says noone likes a smart a$$ and his appeal came from his stupid 'everyman's comic' demeanour.

 

[Kevin88660]

One way you could test this hypothesis is to look at the data on Mensa members and how successful they are.

Is there any correlation between being having an IQ in the top 2% and being successful?

Two percent of the US population is 6 million people. Are the 6 million people with the highest IQ in the US also the people with a disproportionate level of success and wealth?

I have a hunch the answer is no, based on the assumption that if there were a strong correlation, it would be trumpeted from the Mensa website and marketing materials, which it isn't. Plus, I would think this list of "noteworthy Mensans" would be much longer and much more populated with "well-known successful people" if there was any kind of correlation to success.

However, there IS a correlation where the higher your IQ, the more likely you are to have ADHD, stunted social skills, mental health challenges, or one or more other eccentricities. These factors act as headwinds to being successful.

Not saying IQ is useless... I'd rather be smart than dumb... but just saying that I doubt the correlation between IQ and success holds up unless the person also has multiple other factors supporting them (such as absence of childhood trauma, good mental health, good emotional stability, good social skills, good executive function, internal locus of control, good work ethic, etc.).

I remember seeing a Mensa booth back in university days. They literally tell you don’t worry that you cannot score enough to join in. They can give you preparation training to boost your performance. Of course that is not free.

If you google online this is how IQ test companies work by selling to C now. They charge you to do the test. They charge you again to train you to score better. Then eventually and hopefully their clients can download a high IQ cert to show to their friends.

 

[Walter Hay]

As I wrote in Post#28 of my featured user thread,

Walter Hay, Imp/Export Extraordinaire (Vandalay Industries),​

while spending a lot of time in hospital as a child, I read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica, and having a photographic memory, was able to answer every question asked by the kids in the street where I lived. They called me "The Professor." Is that genius, or a quirk of nature?

My mother sent me to a primary school that was attached to a nearby university and its teachers' college. The school was used as a source of guinea pigs for various tests, and I often had to walk to the college to do an exam. The dumbest boy in the school was also often present.

As I reached high school age, the tests changed and unbeknown to me I was being tested for entry to a "Selective High School." The entry criterion was a certain high IQ score. I know what it was, but will omit reference to the number.

The question is: Was my photographic memory an indicator of a high IQ, or did I achieve that score because of diligence in reading all those volumes?

In addition to that: Was my problem solving ability that fueled my industrial chemical business without any chemical qualifications due to genius or plain hard work?

Any answers?

Walter

 

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[starttoday123]

Okay maybe so, maybe not, I don’t see the point though, it sounds like you’re looking for limiting beliefs instead of spending your time building your future unless there’s a lesson that moved you forward here

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

Lol @ the feathers and iron

I googled the weight of a feather in ounces, took whatever google spit out and converted it to 0.000018 lbs - that's the weight in pounds of one feather. Sadly I don't have a scale that could really do this!

That means it would take roughly 55,556 feathers to make 1 lb. That's quite a lot of feathers!

A pound of iron would be very small. You have probably used plates in the gym before and seen the 2.5 lb plates. Well... You can guess the volume of 1 pound from that. We are talking about something the size of your fist, or smaller.

The volume of a bag of ~55,000 feathers would be pretty large since the average king-sized pillow only contains roughly 1,000 feathers. That means 1 pound of feathers would be the equivalent of 55 king-sized feather pillows. Wow!

Same weight, different densities, very different volumes. The universe is fascinating. (I wouldn't want to be hit in the face with either, to be honest)