There are many smart people out there who are unhappily surprised to discover that the key to happiness and resiliency in the face of life's challenges - is not being smart.
Sure, being smart, like being beautiful, confers unearned benefits through daily life. Yet I often meet intelligent people who have huge achille's heels. Big flaws that could sink a Titanic. Mental rigidity. Paralyzing anxiety. Lack of empathy or other social skills. Lack of self awareness. Poor coping skills. Narcissism.
Such "soft" traits as cognitive flexibility, a wide range of coping skills, and optimism, can guide a person through life's rough patches in a way that sheer, dogged smarts can not. A great deal of education research now is examining how general factors of executive functioning (like coping skills and impulse self control) maybe much better predictors of school (and life) achievement than IQ points.
An area of psychological study that has fascinated researchers and clinicians alike for ages has been this: what are the factors for human resilience? What factors help a person bounce back from trauma or stress? Why does one victim of abuse repeat the cycle of violence or become severely depressed and another reclaims health? Why do some combat veterans have an smoother time re-integrating into civilian life than another?
For a great overview and to learn more about assessing your own resilience- take a look at the great information from the Resilience Project.
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