I am not smart

And I use it to my advantage.

So what do I mean by this? To be clear, I’m not useless or somehow mentally incapable. However, retention of information, understanding procedures/instructions and being capable of applying new theories quickly, are all factors for intelligence.

And I have hard time doing all of those.

This has been the case ever since high school, which was why I found little enjoyment in most subjects. I began doubting my actual skillset as in, I knew I was capable at something, I just didn’t find the opportunity to understand or develop it.

(which also says something about the education system but that’s a topic for another time).

How did i get over this?

To start I figured out my passion, purpose, talents or, what it is I do effortlessly. To reach that all I had to do was leave everything I knew and seize every opportunity I could find, which I did by moving to China.

(stay tuned for the next post)

And through efforts and continuous reflection of the progress I had made and the understanding of skills I possessed, I found ways for what had always been shortcomings or weaknesses, and turned them in to strengths.

Now, I’m not afraid of sounding dumb when asking questions because I have accepted that my understanding is more important, than the fear I being seen as stupid. I also realize how if I have a question, odds are someone else does too.

Further the need for asking ‘stupid’ questions improves my phrasing of questions to ensure understanding ie. “can you explain it again?” vs “how does x work in this scenario?”

Although it may take me a while to understand a given topic or information, once I get it, it sticks, and I can apply said information and pass it on efficiently.

Most important is what I developed when applying this, because although my intelligence may not be the highest, being smart does not matter if you don’t know how to use it.

I make up for it by being practical about anything I’m faced with. Through my greatest and what I consider to be the most underrated skill, common sense.

Actually thinking about consequences to your actions and making an informed decision through reflection is incredibly simple and puts us on a steady trajectory for any decision we are presented, and yet, well thought out decisions are still hard to find.

Being able to utilize weaknesses by turning them into strengths is what makes for our greatest assets and since I had this realization I’ve made the most of it.