A must-read: INTELLIGENCE EXCUSITIS (I bet you might have this)

Hey there.

Have you ever held yourself back from making an action or sharing an idea to someone because you thought your idea is lame.?

Do you ever quit too soon on something you have been trying to achieve because you thought you will never get to succeed?

Do you ever lose confidence in making friends or dealing with someone you thought who is smarter than you are?

Or

Have you ever chickened out in performing because fear suddenly ruled and overwhelmed you before you even have to start?

Then you might be suffering Intelligence Excusitis . It is not uncommon for all of us to have this kind of psychological disease. Sometimes, we don't even realize it. Or if ever we are already aware of it, we don't literally admit it to ourselves that it existed within our mentality. Imagine who would ever admit that he/she is "brainless". Am I right?

This topic is very interesting to discuss since this Intelligence Ecxusitis has affected the confidence of a person in so many ways. Even myself, I have to admit it to you that I have had this also and it peaked when I was in my high school years. I never forget those times when I was so timid and shy to interact with people because I thought I didn't fit in to be with the "smartest" people at school. I flunked in my academic subjects to be honest, because my fear and lack of confidence has preceded my capabilities. I would stammer if I was told to participate in a class recitation. I would conclude to myself "I'm not gonna make it, because I am not smart enough" and then Yes! I indeed failed like what I expected.

Intelligence Excusitis applies to various kinds of people. It could exist on a student, a professional, a businessman, a ruler, an athlete or anyone who is supposedly meant to be the best and successful by exerting hardwork and dedication. Most importantly, this APPLIES TO YOU.

The Intelligence Excusitis, simply from the word itself "excuse". You are thinking to yourself that you are not intelligent. So this is your excuse to not putting in the effort. This mentality often emanates from the past experiences of failure. It can also come from environmental factors such as from how your parents brought you up as a child or from worst humiliation you heard from your peers after you had failed at something. Sometimes, it even comes from "false impressions" such as fear of sharing your suggestions to someone whom you thought is an amazingly genius or smart by looking the way they talk and gesture.

To elaborate more of this, I would like to give you few examples:

A child who wants to become a scientist was discouraged to be one after he had been told by his teacher that it will take "big brains" to become a scientist. So the child just chose to be mediocre at school.

An inexperienced job applicant has been told by an employer that he does not fit to be on the "desired position" because he lacks certain qualities and has mediocre academic ratings in college. So the employer redirected him to apply instead for a "lower" position. And this poor guy just sold himself short.

A student after being bullied and criticized as incapable of speaking fluent english in the English subject has acquired stutter and is stammering everytime he is called to participate in an oral recitation. Then the student has been cutting classes on his English subject to shun away from the tease.

I know you may have reminded ideas of scenarios like this in your life. All of them falls into Intelligence Excusitis.

This disease is one of the many factors that hamper one's confidence. It stops someone from achieveing his goal because that disease is setting up one's mind to fail. It programs someone's mind to quiting or not trying at all. It stops someone's capability of performing when in fact all of us have innate equal chances to succeed. Being brainless is just in the mind.

According to the book I have read few days ago which is The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz, "What really matters is not how much intelligence you have, but how you use what you do have." That quote is located at page 37. I want you to put that on your head several times. Tattoo this idea on your mind so that on the next day, you'll be able to spread your wings wide and then fly, soar very high.

A person who is optimistic and humble whose IQ is just an average is more likely to be very successful than a person with high-end intelligence, a genius level you say but is pessimistic and arrogant. Real success isn't measured in one's level of intelligence but is measured in one's attitude and outlook in life. You see, our "way of thinking" is much more important than what brains we do have.

Looking back to my abovementioned examples, the child who wants to become a scientist could have been the best student at school who excel in Scinece subjects if only he did not listened to the remarks of his teacher.

The job applicant could have found another better job opportunity other than what he has been offered with if only he did not sell himslef short. He could have get a better job if also he showed assertiveness and confidence during the job interview.

The student could have been someone who is very fluent in english if only he build up himself and work out his study habits in learning the language. He could be a writer someday if he put the hardwork on it.

We can cure this disease though, and it comes into two mentality:

1. We Must not UNDERESTIMATE our brain power
2. We must not OVERESTIMATE someone elses' brain power

Remember, if only we just think that "we can do this", then our success can be limitless. We are what we think we are. So get yourself vaccinated to beat up Intelligence Excusitis.

Source: The MAgic of THinking BIG by DAVId Schwartz

Image Source: Google images

I hope I got my point across to you from what I have gleaned on that book. Please let me know in the comments section your thoughts about this.

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