Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Pete plays professional chess and is ranked in the top ten in his state. When discussing chess, he is great at explaining the tactics and strategy of the game and can easily relate to everyone. But when it comes to having a conversation other than chess, he becomes flustered and it is evident that he would rather not interact at all.
When you watch the match interviews of Magnus Carlsen (IQ 190), the highest ranked chess player in the world, you find this same phenomenon. Ask him about the game or anything related to chess and he’s brilliant and engaging.
People like Pete, are often ‘exceptionally and profoundly gifted’ whose IQ ranges are above 150. It is often found that people who are highly gifted struggle with their social skills. They are often referred to as weird, geek, nerd, or mad genius and have difficulty fitting into the societal norms.
Is an abundance of intelligence a blessing or a curse?
I know someone who was raised in a middle-class family. He studied hard and got himself a good job. When the company was listed, he made a substantial amount of money. You can imagine what happened next.
He became obsessed with money and looked down upon everyone — including his own family.
The change in his attitude negatively impacted his life. He was ousted from the company, his relationships crumbled, and his own children couldn’t stand him. He ended up a rich, albeit lonely man.
Such people are a constant reminder that too much money has the potential to rob you of everything that makes life worthwhile. While he and his family live comfortably, there is no joy or love in their lives.
“Warren has always said the measure is whether the people close to you are happy and love you” — Bill Gates, answering ‘What is the measure of success?’
I have often wondered if the windfall was a curse in his life.
These are just two examples of how when we are blessed with abundance, we often find ourselves at a crossroads — one path that leads you to pride and another that leads you to gratitude and humility.
What will you choose for yourself — pride or humility? How do we decide?
What you do with it matters
When you’re faced with an abundance of money, the most important question is: what do you do with it? Of course, money offers the promise of a comfortable life without having to worry about college, retirement, or healthcare. Which, by itself, is a blessing. But do you also have an obligation to use a part of it for the greater good?
The talk of significant wealth brings Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to mind. They both worked hard for the money they made. And they decided to use the money to make the world a better place.
When money is used as a vehicle for greater good, it serves a larger purpose than self aggrandizement. The joy you derive from making a positive impact is far greater than anything you can ever do for yourself.
This is one way you can share your blessing with others and multiply it.
Your identification with it matters
No matter the amount of money you have, your IQ score, how beautiful people say you are, the tags and titles the world bestows upon you, remember that you are not any of that. No one can be defined by a word or worse a number.
It becomes a problem when you equate your self-worth with money, beauty, power, or fame. Is it worth it, if you have to live with the constant worry of losing those transient aspects of life? What happens when time robs your beauty or circumstances lead to the loss of your money and power?
Research has proven that pursuing and identifying with these aspects — power, fame, money, beauty, etc — does not lead one to a satisfying life.
What truly matters is to recognize that you are not your money, beauty, IQ, fame, accomplishments, or titles. These external factors are only a small aspect of who you are.
Mindfulness matters
When I noticed that an article I had written on Medium was curated, I had to pinch myself. It was surreal. And of course, a big boost to my ego. I couldn’t help thinking about it all evening. When I woke up the next day, I was still feeling elated.
There’s nothing wrong with relishing success after a lot of hard work. But I observed that I was getting carried away. That was not something I was proud of. So I decided to make a shift, and I’m happy to report that I managed it this time.
I kept reminding myself, “Past performance is not indicative of future returns” – just like the disclaimer attached to a financial investment.
I have been trying to be mindful of my own blind spots. They are so easy to miss. I realized that I was becoming identified with “success.” This observation was the key to choosing better and that was possible because I was mindful of my own emotions, feelings, and actions.
Final Thoughts
Pause. Breathe. Ponder. Choose. Do.
When life blesses you with abundance, it’s up to you to choose. What you choose to do will determine whether it ends up being a blessing or a curse. So choose well.
Avoid the pitfalls of identifying with the extrinsic factors by being watchful of your own thoughts and behavior.
Ensure that your bounty serves a bigger purpose.
That’s how you can turn too much of anything into a blessing — not just for yourself, but for others as well.