High-IQ People Who Always Win In Life Do 6 Things Most People Rarely Even Think About
Alena Darmel | Pexels You want to be a champion. You want to win; who doesn't? But what does a winning mentality actually look like? There are certain signs to look for that determine if you have this champion mentality. Mohammed Ali, boxing champ of the world, said, “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”
High-IQ people who always win in life have the intelligence to keep fighting when life gets tough, and their goals seem out of reach. Winners ignore doubt and believe in their own power. By refusing to quit, champions who are smart and driven can succeed against all odds. Nothing keeps them down once they decide on a goal because they will use every obstacle as energy to power them further toward victory.
High-IQ people who win in life do these 6 things most people rarely even think about:
1. They do their best work when they feel least like it
The average person doesn't do what they're supposed to if they don't feel like it. A winner pushes through and shows up even when they don't feel like it. But a champion? Research has suggested that they are the ones who do their best work when they least feel like it.
If you turn your "not feeling like it" days into your best days of effort, it's a sign you have a champion mentality. It means you are resilient and don't let negative feelings prevent you from going after what you want.
2. High-IQ people realize now is all they have
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The cringey adage "tomorrow never comes" is unfortunately also accurate. While almost everyone has heard this trite-but-true advice, only a few have the self-control to practice the implications.
For example, perhaps one of your friends wants you to go to the movies with them, but you have plans to work on your latest writing or project you decided you would finish that day. When they ask, "Well, is there a deadline? If not, you can work on it tomorrow," you reply, "No deadline, but I still have to do this today," because you are sticking to your guns and not putting off work for another day.
Though your friend may be confused, it reminds us how incredibly normal it is for people to put off their "today" to tomorrow. And while it might not feel like a big deal to your friends, it's a big deal for you. Realizing that now is all you have is a big sign of a champion mentality, and resisting the urge to procrastinate has also been shown to benefit health.
3. High-IQ people have a 'one more' mindset
A "one more" mindset means doing something outside of your comfort zone and spending more time and effort to see results. A good example would be going to the gym, completing sets, and then doing "one more," explains research on physical training. Though in your head you may be telling yourself you've already completed your workout, pushing yourself just a bit further is a champion mindset.
However, that's only the case in the right situation: If you and your friend just finished eating an extra-large pizza and one friend says, "One more?" that's a different situation. People with a champion mentality push themselves to go the extra mile, but not for the wrong things.
4. They don't go easy on themselves
Somewhere along the line, self-help has taken a deadly turn. It's the "go easy on yourself" philosophy that claims if you don't do something you told yourself you would, you shouldn't beat yourself up over it.
But that type of philosophy teaches you to be soft and tells you to be okay with the fact that you don't respect your own word. Champions don't believe in this philosophy: If they promised themselves they'd do something and they don't do it, they let themselves feel guilty.
They don't downgrade their guilt. They don't go easy on themselves. Instead, they make sure they feel the pain and guilt so they keep their word the next time.
That's not to say you should be completely against going easy on yourself; rather, it's a caveat. On an overall basis, go hard on yourself. Do hard things. Push yourself. Only in very rare cases, as a way to protect your mental health or take very necessary breaks in life, should you go easy on yourself.
5. High-IQ people occasionally sacrifice 8 hours of sleep
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Everyone is a big fan of sleep, and most people try to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep each night. But that number may vary: perhaps one night you're sleeping for 9 hours, or another night you get even more. But those with a champion mentality, from time to time, end up sacrificing their sleep to keep their promises.
For instance, pro basketball player Kobe Bryant probably got 8 or more hours of sleep every night. However, in one of his interviews, Bryant talked about how he would go out late at night with his teammates to bond with them, but the next day, he was up at 6 a.m. to wake everybody up for practice.
Or take retired Navy SEAL David Goggins' example: One time, he finished his day at 2 a.m. and was supposed to be in the studio to record his audiobook the next day at 9 a.m. However, Goggins runs a few miles every morning, so that day, he woke up at 6 a.m., ran his miles, and then went to the studio.
This isn't to say you should sacrifice sleep all the time or that it's a good habit to have. It's not. Chronically sleeping less than 8 hours leads the body to self-destruct.
However, there will be some days when you're just not able to find the time to do what you told yourself you would. On those days, when it's time to go to bed, you can either tell yourself that 8+ hours of sleep is important and fall asleep. Or, you can consider that day a rare exception where you sacrifice your sleep and do your work.
6. They take full responsibility when things go wrong
Most people have found themselves in a position where they're trying to reach out to cold-pitch an idea for a project. After scouring the internet for a way to contact the right department and maybe even sending several emails, you are finally able to schedule a call with the right person.
You're super excited and well-prepared for the pitch, but when you begin talking about it, the person seems to lose interest and tell you all the problems with your idea. Perhaps they even ask you to reach out again if and when you have something better.
You will no doubt feel dejected and will probably complain to your friends or family, saying something like, "That made me angry. I wish they had paid a bit more attention or given me the benefit of the doubt and actually realized the potential of my idea."
Your wise friend may respond with something like, "Maybe it was their fault. But blaming them isn't going to get you better. The next time you pitch them or someone else, assume full responsibility. Believe that it's completely on you to actually make them buy what you're selling."
Your friend's point of view blows your mind, creating an epiphany of sorts. There are certain things outside of your control in life, and how other people act and behave is definitely not in your control. So what's the use of complaining about it?
Returning to Mohammed Ali, who said, “Inside or a ring or out, ain’t nothing wrong with going down. It’s staying down that’s wrong.”
The only person whose actions and competency you can control is you. So you might as well believe it's always on you and focus on what you can do to tilt the favor in your direction.
Akshad Singi, M.D., is a writer whose work has been published in Better Humans, Mind Cafe, Medium, and more.
