Is it normal that my intelligence has crippled me in the long-term?

68% Normal
5 Comments

Not here to brag. Serious post.
I always achieved high results effortlessly throughout primary school and some of secondary school. Good, right? Well, I've realized recently that blazing through everything without needing to work has left me with extremely deficient studying skills, and is beginning to hinder my studies more and more as I progress through the education system. I have a friend who is not stunningly 'bright', yet manages to get consistently better marks than me through determination and hard work. It's not that I don't care about doing well, but more that I lack the motivation to reach any further than the bare minimum.
I am very disorganized, and my papers end up in a total mess no matter what system or technique I use to supposedly keep them in order. This also contributes to my poor performance at school.
I am worried that these faults will hold me back in the long-term, and prevent me from ever succeeding in the cruel, hard, adult world, which I shall be shoved into not long from now. is it normal that I feel my natural ability was a poisoned gift? Does anyone else have similar problems?

Voting Results
68% Normal
Based on 37 votes (25 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 5 )
  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    It's not your intelligence that has crippled you, it's your work ethic.

    You haven't learned the skill of hard work. Your intellect is not the cause, it's merely allowed you to coast by for longer.

    Anyone, regardless of their IQ, can be lazy.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    4
    4
      -
    • pusssyeater
      9 years ago

      true that

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0
  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    From elementary school to college, I have never, ever gotten anything below an A on a report card and have the ability to effortlessly breeze through projects and papers and get very high grades on them. I turned in a paper that I spent three hours on, that was basically a rough draft, and got a higher grade than people who labored over it. I study for three hours before tests (that's the only time I study) and get A's on them.

    When it came to my chemistry class last semester, my poor studying skills were clearly evident. I could no longer skim through my notes and get an A, and since getting a B is not an option, I forced myself to learn how to study better.

    I am still awful at it. I get easily distracted and have poor self motivation, but the fear of not getting an A is even better motivation. As my coursework progresses I know I will have to straighten up my extremely terrible studying skills :(

    Jut imagine what your intellect you do if you actually put some effort into it!

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    2
    2
  • disthing
    9 years ago

    Raw ability will only get you so far.

    In a competitive environment, people with a strong work ethic can surpass the laziest geniuses.

    So yes, you're right in a way - because you've been able to do well without trying previously, you haven't developed important organisational and motivational skills that are essential for turning that inherent ability into a valuable tool.

    That said, it's possible you'd be just as disorganised regardless of your intellect. You may still have had "extremely deficient study skills", even without the underlying intelligence.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
  • NiceTeethForClimbingTrees
    9 years ago

    I disagree with purpler and agree with Anthian. It's not that you're lazy, it's that you've never had the need to learn the skill of studying. Yes, it is an acquired skill and you don't have it just because you are intelligent. Quite the opposite, as you've described and as Anthian has reiterated, when you can get A's without having to study, you won't learn how to study.

    The same thing happened to me in secondary school and I don't think I've ever spent more than a couple of hours revising the course material before taking an exam. When I got to University I quickly learned that it was not going to be good enough for me. I would need to study my course material on an ongoing basis and do extensive, disciplined, study prior to exams. This was foreign to me and it took me very long to really learn how to do it well.

    Yes, there also is an element of self discipline and I hope you have the necessary discipline to learn this new skill but I certainly agree that it is normal to struggle in high workload environments when you've never really been trained to manage such workloads.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0