When I looked at the study from Standford which said 98% of all children are born with a genius capacity, but it diminishes 25% every every five years until at the age of 21 there are only 2% left.
It was specifically interesting to me because I was 40 years old before I found out I had an IQ of 144. I never knew I was smart. I always thought I was slower, less capable than everyone else I knew.
I was convinced I had nothing to offer when it came to everyday conversations and witty repartee. I always leaned back and became the silent observer at gatherings. I admired those who had quick responses and could laugh easily because they understood the inferences.
Then one day I was talking with a friend and she asked me if I realized how often people waited to see what I had to say. Of course I didn’t.
Then when I started my business where I had to advise entrepreneurs, I had to own my expertise. It wasn’t until after the first two years when a client walked in at the beginning of the meeting and asked if I’d be available after the meeting to talk with him, I finally was able to acknowledge my place among the world of entrepreneurs. Of course I made myself available.
I worried the entire meeting he would tell me he was going to end our affiliation. It was hard to concentrate. But when the meeting was over, this Masters in Business educated CPA, asked my opinion on how to handle a difficult employee. When I told him what I would do, which seemed a simple and direct solution, he was very grateful.
Who knew? I finally began to own my intelligence.
Why was it it took nearly 40 years of living experiences before I recognized I had as much to contribute as anyone else?
Was it from my environment? Was it my parents influences? My teachers? My siblings?
Well, a bit of each one in my situation. But what happens when parents are too busy surviving to pay attention to the well being of their children?
The children slip through the cracks and become less than they are capable.
What steps can be taken to return these children to their genius?
I was raised knowing that I was special, my talents being in arts and engineering was a lot easier to express as a chilled then in your case being a business genius ,but my problem was the total opposite of yours as I got older and start surpassing the older establishment types ,I was told to slowdown and stop making others feel useless they told me about the values of teamwork they thought me how to say “we” and they sang the song of there is no I in team over and over again and I obliged but when it was all over ,I got all the praise …
now I am 49 years old and I do not have a single man I can call a friend cause for me to be just myself I am being arrogant and there is noting I can do about it short of pretending ignorance but ironically I have plenty of female “not counting my girlfriend friend” and they seem to enjoy my brand of arrogance or maybe its my bone structure is what they are after…I don’t know ! after all even an arrogant genus can’t know what women want:-)
Gaus
Hi Gaus
Being arrogant is not the same as being a genius. Being arrogant infers a person thinks they are better or smarter than others. In reality, everyone has different life skills and knowledge based on their personal experience. If you lack male friends, you are probably putting yourself in a place where others as smart as you might be found.
Some times women assume men should be smarter than they are, but you might find more fulfillment with a woman who is as smart as you, possibly in different areas. Best wishes, Sharyn