Get smart? Or get wise?

I’ve always been a relatively ‘smart’ person.

Reading, writing, school, uni, working as a lawyer. These things came pretty easy to me.

But what does smart really mean? So often we think of intelligence as being book smart. We think of intellect, or IQ. But how far can our intellect really take us? 

One cool study of engineers and software writers found that ‘success’ as evaluated by peers, was zero correlated with IQ and highly correlated with EQ - or emotional intelligence (the capacity to be aware of, control, and express emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically). And curiously - EQ is zero correlated with IQ - go figure!

One of my meditation teachers once said to me: ‘you don’t listen’. I haughtily replied - ‘I’m a great listener - I ALWAYS remember what people say’. And I proceeded to rattle off what he’d just been telling me, word for word.

His reply? Just because you have a good memory, doesn’t make you a good listener. 

Something to ponder peeps.

Just because you’re smart - doesn’t mean you’re wise.