High energy and low anxiety seem more trainable than IQ, although even then they aren't infinitely trainable. Thomas Edison, by the common accounts, slept four

High energy and low anxiety seem more trainable than IQ, although even then they aren't infinitely trainable. Thomas Edison, by the common accounts, slept four or five hours a night plus a few short naps; most people couldn't do that. There are some other important factors that aren't as flattering to modern Western society. I know some smart people who are stuck in dead-end jobs because their parents didn't know the right hoops to jump through to get them into an environment conducive to socioeconomic advancement and a good college, and some who aren't going anywhere because they just can't buy into the BS they're supposed to buy into. If you can't suck it up and agree with your professors, even when they're obviously wrong, you're going to have a hard time. On the other hand, I know a guy who isn't very smart but got into Harvard because his parents were rich and he's the sort of person who reflexively identifies with and agrees with authority.