The answer to this question depends, to some extent, to your definition of success. If success in life is about the accumulation of wealth and an affluent lifestyle, then this kind of success is more accessible to people of average, or slightly above average intellect, than most people would imagine. In his study of successful entrepreneurs, Dr. Gene Landrum identified in his book, Entrepreneurial Genius, many of the personality characteristics that were shared by people like Henry Ford, Martha Stewart and Jeff Bezos, that catapulted them to the top of the world of business.
Among these personality characteristics were passion, tenacity, goal orientation, self-belief and a host of other qualities. For these entrepreneurial superstars, an IQ that was higher than average was an asset, but other qualities were much more important. If you really desire to rise to the top of any field, you have to pursue your goals with the intensity of a dog going after a bone. The journey will require a lot of personal sacrifice, a lot of failure and a great deal of wondering whether you’re wasting your time. When Jeff Bezos was building Amazon, he almost went bankrupt several times and nearly missed his payroll deadlines that would have put him out of business. He rarely had time to rest at home.
But, if your desire to achieve is strong, the odds are in your favour. However, these are merely odds; there is no guarantee. You could lose your time and energy and end your life with regret. Yet, those who have succeeded, will tell you that it was worth the struggle. In the many years that I have lived and observed, I’ve come to the conclusion that life belongs to those who want it most.
