10 Simple Truths Smart People Forget

Some of the smartest people I know constantly struggle with success and advancement because they frequently overlook some obvious truths that collectively limit their ability to make progress.

Note: This article is based on the writer Marc Chernoff, and in it he tells us about some simple facts that smart people forget.

10 Simple Truths Smart People Forget:

Here is a quick reminder of some of these simple truths:

1. Education and Intelligence Achieve Nothing Without Effort:

You cannot affect change or advance in the real world without effort, regardless of whether you have a super IQ or a Ph.D. in quantum physics. Knowing how to do something and actually doing it are very different things. Without work, both intelligence and knowledge are useless. It is that simple.

2. Happiness and Success Are Two Different Things:

I know a very smart businesswoman who made close to a million dollars in revenue online last year, and every entrepreneur I know considers her to be a very successful woman.   However, a few days earlier, she did admit to having depression, saying, "I feel worn out and lonely, and I haven't been spending enough time with myself lately." I was shocked to realize that one of the most successful people I know was not happy.

I also know a surfer who spends nearly his entire day at the beach. He's one of the most optimistic people I've ever met, and you can always see a broad smile on his face. While I can't deny that this surfer appears happy, I wouldn't classify his life as a success story because he sleeps in a shared van with another surfer, and they both frequently solicit donations from tourists.

“What makes me happy?” and “What makes me successful?” These are two of the most crucial questions you can ask yourself, but they are also extremely diverse.

3. Everyone Runs Their Own Business:

Regardless of how you earn a living or who you believe you work for, in the end, you are only working for yourself. The most important question is, “What are you promoting and to whom?” Even when you have a senior position in a large company full-time and with a high salary, you still run your own business, but you give a client (your employer) a portion of your existence (an hour of your life) at a set price (your salary).

How then can you reduce your workload while boosting your revenue? Although the response varies slightly from one person to another, you should search for it.

4. Having Too Many Options Hinders Decision-Making:

In the 21st century, information spreads quickly, and there are countless opportunities for creativity and innovation. So, when it comes to creating our lives and businesses, we have a wide range of options. Unfortunately, this abundance of options often leads to indecision, confusion, and inaction.

Numerous business and marketing studies have demonstrated that consumers tend to purchase fewer products the more options they are given. Selecting the best product from a list of three options is undoubtedly simpler than choosing from a list of 300 options because most shoppers will simply give up if they are having trouble making a purchase decision.

Therefore, keep it simple if you're promoting a particular product line. If you're trying to decide on something in your life, don't spend all your time weighing the pros and cons of every possible option; instead, choose one you think will work and give it a shot. If it doesn't work, pick another option and keep moving forward.

5. All People Have Successes and Failu res in Their Lives:

This truth is somewhat related to truth No. 2, which is about happiness and success. However, it stands alone as a separate truth, as striving for perfection is a waste of time and energy, and perfection is an illusion.

All people have multiple sides or perspectives, even the ones we consider to be our ideals. Even our parents, successful businessmen, world-class musicians, best-selling authors, and other successful people have experienced failures and successes in their lives.

Our aspects of success usually include those things we invest the most time in. We achieve success in these things because we have a long-term commitment to them; they are positive aspects of our lives that we want other people to see and that influence how we work in life, the idea of giving our best to achieve our goals, and the appealing public image that we believe captures who we really are.

However, a multidimensional human being with a long history of unprecedented failures is behind any glamorous story we choose to tell the public. This person could occasionally be a bad partner, make someone look foolish, or hurt someone else.

6. Every Mistake You Make Is Progress:

Every time you make a mistake, you move closer to your goal because mistakes help you learn valuable lessons. The only mistake you can make that will truly hurt you is choosing not to do anything just because you are afraid of making a mistake.

Therefore, don't be afraid, and don't doubt yourself. In life, seizing an opportunity often requires taking a risk. While there is never a 100% guarantee that something will work, there is always a 100% guarantee that doing nothing will result in nothing. You mainly just need to go after the opportunity.

No matter how this mistake occurs, it always ends up the way it should have been: either you are successful or you gain knowledge. Keep in mind that if you don't be bold and take risks, you will undoubtedly never learn, and you will always stay where you are.

7. People Can Be Great at Doing Things They Don't Like:

I've heard a lot of smart people say things like, "To be great at what you do, you have to love it," but that's not always true, and I'm not suggesting here you choose a career or a job you don't like.

A friend of mine who worked as a public accountant frequently complained about his job, saying, "It bores me so much," but he consistently received raises and promotions. At the age of 28, he was one of nearly a thousand junior accountants in his department who received promotions. Although he dislikes his job, he has become an expert accountant over the past year because he is skilled in his field.

I could provide a dozen similar examples, but I won't go into detail. Just try to understand that anyone can become proficient at something they dislike doing if they put enough time and effort into learning it.

8. Our Issues with Others Are More About Ourselves Than They Are About Them:

The issues we have with other people, such as our spouses, parents, siblings, etc., frequently have nothing to do with them. This is because many of the issues we believe we have with them originated unconsciously in our minds. They might not have done something we expected them to do, or they might have done something in the past that touched on one of our fears or doubts. In either case, issues like these are about ourselves, not the other person.

It simply means that these minor issues will be simpler to resolve, which is good. We are in charge of our decisions, and it is up to us to decide whether we want to cling to the issues of the past or instead choose to broaden our perspectives to see the positive realities that are taking place right in front of us.

We simply need to be open to adopting a fresh perspective, letting go of "what was" and "what should have been," and putting our energy into "what is now" and "what could be possible."

9. Emotional Decisions Are Rarely Good Ones:

Decisions driven by intense emotions are usually misguided reactions rather than informed judgments. These reactions are by-products of a lack of conscious thought and are primarily driven by fleeting "feelings" as opposed to conscious awareness. Therefore, the best straightforward advice in this situation is to take your time and think things through before making any decisions that could have a significant impact on your life, and don't let your emotions cloud your intelligence.

10. Not Feeling Fully Prepared When an Opportunity Comes:

I believe that smart people are constantly hampered by their unwillingness to seize opportunities because they feel unprepared for them. In other words, they think they need more education, training, experience, etc. before they can effectively seize this opportunity. Unfortunately, this way of thinking prevents personal development.

But the truth is that no one is ever fully prepared when given the chance because the majority of life's great opportunities push us to expand intellectually and emotionally and to step outside of our comfort zones. As a result, we won't initially feel completely at ease, and when we don't, we won't feel prepared.

Just keep in mind that important opportunities for personal growth and development will come and go throughout your life. If you want to make changes in your life, you must seize these opportunities, even though you won't always feel completely prepared for them.