The Dangerous Fallacy of IQ
Why are some people successful and others not? The secret may not surprise you at all.
Scott Kaufman, the author of Ungifted,Intelligence Redefined and a former “Special Ed” student who became a Yale/Cambridge expert on intelligence, isn’t a fan of the IQ test.
Yes, IQ is the single biggest driver of financial success, with a correlation coefficient of .4. But to understand its true impact, you have to square that number. So, IQ only explains 16% of success.
Resilience, Grit, Determination, Engagement, Kindness
It turns out that resilience, grit, determination, engagement, kindness, and a whole host of other factors are more important. Deep down, we already know this.
- We know that potential, growth, and mindset matter far more than verbal fluency and processing speed.
- We know that competence—getting the job done—matters more than prestige or the ability to talk a good game.
- We know that while superstars are valuable, a team of superstars who can self-manage and self-govern, each using their unique gifts, is exponentially more powerful—and more fun.
As Kaufman puts it: “Every human has a need for competence, autonomy, relatedness, belonging, and uniqueness.” Intelligence isn’t a number on a test; it’s “the dynamic interplay of engagement and abilities in pursuit of personal goals.” In other words, it’s the Hero’s Journey.
Children with high IQs might sail through prestigious universities with straight A’s but still lack true intelligence, happiness, or fulfillment.
Prestige or Competence
Prestige or competence—that’s the real choice. That’s why at Acton, we champion self-management, self-governance, and the pursuit of a calling.