Minutes ago I read an autobiography. It was, to me , so much interesting that I can't stop myself from quoting:
What can a person with an IQ of 160 do that a person with an IQ of 100 cannot? Are certain things fundamentally unlearnable/undoable like IQ claims? How can this be overcome? : by Leah Alissa Bayer, IQ score of 160+, administered by licensed psychologist.
When I was 15 my mother moved my sister and me out of state. To prove that I was qualified for the the AP classes I requested at my new high school, my mother had my IQ tested by a registered psychologist. When revealing my score to my mother, the psychologist recommended not sharing the information with me - her experience was that people who knew their IQ at my score tended to slack off in school. So my mom didn't tell me until I was an adult, but it didn't matter. It's not difficult to know when your mental abilities far outweigh those of your peers.
Then there's my sister - she always struggled with academics. She was in the slower groups at our private school and people tended to dismiss her abilities throughout her childhood because she didn't naturally shine or pickup concepts instantly like I did. Learning was a battle, so she was taught to focus and take her time in everything she did.
My sister went on to become a nurse, earning straight A's in college because she studied methodically and planned her routines meticulously. She does very well in everything she has interest in because she knows she has to practice. She doesn't expect to understand everything outright but knows she can learn with time. Her life's pace is slower, focused on practice, dedication, and social relationships. She works harder, but she's happier than I am.
I understand everything, conceptually, without much background. I learn systems, trades, programs, methods, etc extremely fast. I test at the highest percentages without extensive study or preparation. But I never learned how to keep a routine, practice consistently, or work hard. I was alienated as a child because I couldn't relate to my peers and now I have trouble forming deep, personal relationships. I was heavily medicated for severe clinical depression for over a decade. Contrary to what others have said about IQ, none of this is because I developed some elitist, alienating complex over a number. I didn't know my IQ score until a few years ago. Rather, I struggled because navigating through this world as an outlier is fundamentally soul crushing.
I do very well professionally because of my pattern recognition abilities (having major influence on business practices is inevitable because I'm able to see the big picture and long term like most can't), but I'm never happy with what I'm doing with myself - I always want to be more, better. I want to change the world. I'll do very well financially, I always have. I'll get where I want to be in my career and I'll continue to seek out and absorb more and more knowledge like a sponge until I die - it's what I do best. But my sister will always be a happier person, surrounded by warmth of friends and family, feeling connected to a tribe in a way that I am envious of.
So sure, with a higher IQ, I'll be more successful in career and the academic intelligence realm - but who cares? What about intelligence of the soul, emotions? Happiness? Truly belonging to a network, a collective intelligence? When we die, what matters more? I'd bet a few handful of IQ points on happiness.
EDIT: I wasn't expecting so much activity on my first answer on Quora! Thank you for taking the time to interact. After enough comments have popped up expressing similar views I'd like to clear a up few things.
High IQ does not predispose us to perfection. You'll find errors in my writing and everything else I do in life, just as I'll find errors in you. Hyper-focusing on inconsequential details to gain a temporary upper hand isn't nearly as satisfying as listening to a message and relating to the soul of a story. That said, I'm happy to see many can relate.
Some have read the above as a self-aggrandizing diatribe insulting my sister. I think that's harsh and off-base but I won't argue opinions on my writing; what you hear is as important as what I intended to say. I will, however, clarify a bit. I love my sister, I'm her biggest fan, and she knows it. She struggled, had many tutors, and was ultimately removed from private school, but she is by no means dumb. In a very small private classroom for gifted students she just wasn't the right fit. She's smarter than I am in many ways (which is what I tried illustrating above) and I am envious of the way her personality shines in a crowd.
Finally, through many years of therapy, self reflection, and goal setting I'm in a great place in life. I have a loving partner, a quiet home, and a successful career that allows me to contribute to the quality of life of many which I find extremely fulfilling. My point on happiness is that we all struggle in some way - mine is emotionally. It'll always be difficult, but I use tools to overcome just like my sister worked to overcome her struggles, and you can overcome yours.
