As a part of my job I frequently present information about individual children to others. One of the pieces of information is to describe what kind of student the child is. Most of the form says the student is average. As people are scanning the information about the kids I will regularly get the question, “Why are most of the kids listed as average?”
Logic tells us that most of us are average. If you chart a bell curve of almost anything to do with your life the vast majority of the time we’ll fall in that big hump that groups us with almost everyone else.
Most of us don’t think of ourselves as average. Unless something requires special education or ability most of us highly overrate ourselves. If you ask me what kind of basketball player I am or what I know about neurosurgery I’m going to rate myself as below average. Ask me what kind of driver I am though and I’ll tell you I am well above average. So, will the vast majority of people. Yet, in all these categories I am probably right in the middle of the bell.
Yet, when I go to a bookstore and look at business how-to or self-improvement books the authors are encouraging me to be special. I can become a great leader, great in relationships, a great salesman, and a great investor. And I read all those books because I want to be all those things. I want to understand the philosophy of human thinking, business trends, and my place in the world. I want to live a special life. I want to be special.
But if I am going to be honest with myself, and lately I’ve been in a place where I was forced to look deeply and candidly at who I am, I must realize I’m not a great thinker, I’m not a great leader, I’m not especially charismatic. I’m probably not going to build anything spectacular. I’m probably not going to leave a huge legacy of thought or relationships, or create an organization that changes things for people.
I’m not really bad at any of these things. In fact I think I’m pretty smart. But, I realize I am only smart enough to realize how brilliant some others are. I am somewhat creative, and can tell when something is particularly good or bad. But I can’t necessarily tell you why or what it is missing. I have good ideas, and sometimes great ideas. But, that doesn’t mean I can implement them greatly.
Yes, I know I am doing a lot of comparison. I am not as smart and creative as Bill Gates. Does that mean I’m not smart and creative at all? No. But, what it does mean, since I don’t even come close is that I am probably average.
As an average person can I still lead a special life? Does being average mean that I am condemned to mediocrity? I think the answer is yes and the answer is no. That’s what I’m going to be exploring here. I hope others who are also average are interested in joining me.
November 5, 2008 at 6:24 am |
So what’s your IQ? I read the whole article thinking that you wrote it because your IQ is 100.00 or something like that, and it was a great article, but my curiosity still hasn’t quite been satisfied…If you have ever taken a formal IQ test (an in-person test, not an online test) then I would appreciate it if you included your score in this article.
November 5, 2008 at 6:29 am |
(the reason I ask is because your article is vaguely insightful which makes me think your IQ may be more like 110-115)
November 5, 2008 at 12:59 pm |
To be honest I have no idea. I’m guessing it’s average, so if that’s about 100 that may be right.
November 5, 2008 at 1:02 pm |
Vaguely insightful was just what I was going for. Thanks for stopping by.
November 29, 2008 at 7:20 pm |
I agree that this is a very insightful post but I woudn’t say you’re doomed to mediocrity. People are gifted in different areas and you can become great without having a high score on an IQ test. Look at Muhammed Ali, who’s been reported as scoring an IQ of 70 when he was in the millitary back in his prime. He achieved greatness in spite of the one score. I say just find your gift or talent and work hard. Besides I don’t want to be great, I just want to be OK. PS – I’ve seen a few of these forums on the web and have yet to meet someone with an iq below 130-140 leading me to believe that there are some bad versions of the test out there…or just a bunch of liars.
January 14, 2009 at 3:52 am |
I was tested (professionally) by a fortune 50 company in my early 20s and the results indicated that my IQ was 139. I’ve spent the last 25 years of my professional life jumping from job to job (average 2.7 years) in sales, and a sales management capacity with various high-tech companies. I’ve made money on & off, but I’ve also found myself in the ranks of the “unemployed” for months at a time as well. I recently took another IQ test (not a 3 minute internet test) and found that my current IQ is now 131! I’m losing ground – I’m not financially secure, and I’m unemployed again! There is certainly something more to financial success than just your IQ! A great deal of introspection had led me to the following conclusion. It was time I started following my dreams, my passion. I loved playing the guitar & keyboard as a teen, but placed my hobby on the back burner while pursuing a professional career in sales and marketing. I started composing music at the ripe old age of 40. Now I know that that is where my “true calling or passion” is! Hey, don’t let the fear of what you are “supposed” to be doing interfere with who you are, and what you really want! I now gauge my success by how I feel when I’m working. Will I find financial success? I do not know, but I do know that I’m finding a new kind of “personal success” and satisfaction that I’ve never had before.
January 14, 2009 at 9:41 pm |
Good for you!! I agree that judging success by a financial scorecard is just not the way to go. Satisfaction is personal success.
Many blessings on your adventure!
January 18, 2009 at 5:54 am |
to Paul Jay: An IQ is just a base of your learning capabilities not the end all be all. Sales is a difficult career in general. That has nothing to do with your IQ. Great article Justice Guy.
January 18, 2009 at 2:16 pm |
Thanks!
May 29, 2009 at 7:54 pm |
I loved your little article. I hapened to land on it while looking for a deeper explanation of the term IQ. I think what you have is a beautiful thought process. How we all unconsciously overate ourselves during any simple self analysis.
What good work, you are certainly above the average.
Freddy Nagarvala
Bombay, India
June 2, 2009 at 12:56 pm |
Thanks so much. I appreciate the encouragement!