There are many factors why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential in life. In career, business, education, organizations and the communities we belong, we see many smart and intelligent people missing their mark. Why? You may even be asking why the seemingly less intelligent are rich and successful but not the intelligent ones. It could even be you asking that may be in this dilemma…
The truth is, really intelligent people don’t achieve full potential because you may be the one thinking so. The people you are thinking about…they have, and are achieving what they’ve set out to achieve.
Kim Ung-Yong, perhaps one of the smartest and intelligent people to be born – a South Korean. He solved calculus and spoke five languages before he turned five. By eight he was already solving mathematics at NASA. And then he finished his PhD before turning fifteen.
After his I.Q. was tested to be over 200, his life was fast-tracked. But none of it was his decision or making. He bagged academic accolades and continued working at NASA for years until he abruptly quit. Why would Kim walk away from everything?
He wasn’t happy. The pressure on him was too much. He felt like a machine and wanted a normal life for himself. Now, he works in a university as a professor. But to many, he is a ‘failed genius.’ Why? Because he was expected to change the world but he chose another path. Has he failed to achieve full potential? No! He only didn’t meet the expectation of others. Most people define success as making lots of money or becoming very popular. But not everyone defines success that way.
Just because someone is smart, intelligent, and creative doesn’t mean they want to be on top of the world. Some don’t even know they have potentials. Ambition, desire, determination among others are a number of factors to also consider when asking why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential.
We’ll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it. — Travis Rice
Some people are happier with a low key life. If they are happy, your expectations don’t matter.
Most of the intelligent people are cognitive. They rationalize events and fit them into their mental models. Very few try to influence the world and make a large-scale impact. Money and power come when you can make wide-reaching impact. But not everybody uses this scale to measure success in life.
Intelligent people fail at times because society is hostile against gifted individuals. And not every intelligent person has the mental toughness, grit, and perseverance to overcome such odds and averages. Not all intelligent people are rugged.
Also, many truly intelligent people underestimate their own intelligence and abilities. They see the achievements of others and become intimidated and stricken with inferiority complex. They don’t believe in their own capacity.
Other reasons why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential
Highly intelligent people are rarely satisfied. They always seek tougher and bigger challenges. Many times they fail and when they are successful they don’t consider it a victory. If its not a challenge, its not a triumph. This is why many intelligent people feel they haven’t reached their potential.
Intelligent people also tend to think a lot before doing anything. They are not your typical impulsive go-getters. They analyze every opportunity instead of going for it first as the window is closing fast. This over-analysis can paralyze their decision-making and blind them from going with intuition.
Also, intelligent people are easily distracted. Everything fascinates them. And since they have a higher IQ, they tend to be less focused as they seldom complete a project before moving onto the next. Most are jack of all trades, and master of none.
Many intelligent people lack social and managerial skills to reach their full potentials. And not many know how to build these necessary life skills and qualities that lead to success. Hardwork, persistence, motivation among other qualities are more important than the generic ‘intelligence.’
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Another reason intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential is because they are out for personal knowledge and not for attention. They seek to improve themselves mostly. Some are busy seeking the next challenge while the sly ones take credit for their work. This happens at times when they can’t fund projects personally and it has to be done.
Sickness is another reason why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential or capacity in life. Some really intelligent people have had health challenges all or most of their lives. Do you imagine what Stephen Hawking could have contributed to his field if he didn’t have ALS? And there are many intelligent people that are worse off.
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are many intelligent ones who may never reach their full potential because of the environment they are born and grew up in. They probably didn’t recognize their time and chance. Highly intelligent people are born everywhere, all around the world, every day but some die even before their time.
Nation, parents, neighborhood, education and other factors play roles in achieving potentials. Circumstances in their lives will be the pivot on which they turn, sending them onto the trajectory to becoming the next Einstein. Or towards becoming a local rice farmer somewhere in Vietnam.
So many potential Einsteins have been lost. They missed their road in life due to circumstances.
It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you use that makes a difference. — Zig Ziglar
Some overestimate their intelligence or underestimate the intelligence of others. A lot of intelligent people miss out simply because they become overconfident and cocky. They refuse listening to others even though they may have started humbly.
Some intelligent people feel because they’re intelligent, everything will be easy. So, as soon as they hit something they can’t do in one shot, they just don’t work it out. Because they do not know what it is like to work hard or spend hours tying to do something.
Schools/teachers have made and also marred the lives of very intelligent people. Imagine how Albert Einstein’s life would have turned out if he had accepted the verdict of his teacher. Not every pupil or student has a brain for academic intelligence. Unfortunately, the world still judge fishes by their ability to climb trees.
Not having a (suitable) mentor in life is also why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential in life. They have everything but not anyone to point them in the right direction.
So set big and tangible goals. Then achieve them. You never can tell what your full potentials are until you can’t achieve your set goals after trying your very best.
In life, career, education, business, leadership we see people perform far below their potentials and capabilities. What are other possible reasons why intelligent people may fail to achieve full potential?
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