You Want to Be Capable and Not Just Smart

If you’re already intelligent, don’t stop there

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Nowadays, everyone seems to place special emphasis on being “smart.’ STEM education and working for technology companies seem to reward the “smart” people with a premium lifestyle. Every parent and their next-door neighbor wants their child to be an engineer or a programmer. Being “smart” seems to be synonymous with being accepted in the upper echelons of society.

The truth is that being “smart” doesn’t matter as much as people think.

In Asian countries, being “smart” has historically carried a premium. In India, some castes are rated higher simply due to the amount of “scholarship” that ran in the family. In China, “scholars” work for elite government institutions. They are not as prestigious as politicians. But they are prized for their ability to contribute to the social economy through innovations.

When you see through the facade, the genetic makeup, and the maniacal pursuit of knowledge in “smart” individuals, you will see that there’s a huge difference between those that succeed and those that fail.

The “smart” individuals that succeed are often those who are emotionally intelligent and have well-rounded interests. They often adapt to the world better than reclusive “smart” individuals. They also can identify what is truly “valuable” about their “smarts” or “talent.” They can develop a product or a service using their “smarts” that people will buy and use. They can rally people who have other special talents to help them achieve their goals. They are a pleasure to work with on a team.

This is the difference between being capable and being smart.

Capability implies ability, proficiency, efficiency, and competence. It implies a well-adapted attitude towards one’s talent or “smartness.” It also implies acceptance of one’s self.

A capable person is a person who can achieve goals, results, and destinies using one’s talent or “smarts.”

A person who’s “smart” but not capable is one who simply likes to discuss topics of interest. But, this person never really takes their ideas to the practical arena where they can be tested and developed further.

This is why when you know that you are “smart” in a subject area, you can’t just stop there.

This is simply the beginning.

When you find that you are intensely interested in an area of work or play, you pick up the skills easily, you are in “flow” when you practice this skill. People tell you that you are “smart” for doing what you do.

But don’t stop there.

To convert interest, skills, and passion into practical ideas, scope them out to develop projects, then implement the projects to help people in some way, that is a difficult journey.

It is your life’s work.

It’s also not just YOUR work. You will need to use all the emotional intelligence you can muster to rally your troops to help you achieve your goals. This is how you prove to yourself that you are “capable.”

It’s a long road ahead. Often, you will learn and re-learn everything that you know. You will fail. You will wish that you never started the journey.

But, you will keep going.

Why?

This work, well, that is your destiny. Your talent, your smartness, and everything in your life screams out to you that “you” are the best person to do this work. You appreciate the impact of this work on others. You are energized by the prospect of it all working as it should someday.

You keep going until results start to pile up.

One day, when no one’s looking, and you are down on yourself, you look back at the long road that you just passed and realize that you are no longer just smart.

You are capable.

Congratulations on finding your way and acting on it. You are an inspiration to many who are still figuring it out.

So, don’t be satisfied. Don’t just be smart. Find your way. Become the capable person that you are meant to be.

What are you waiting for?