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I LOVE my job!! I am a Front-End developer who specializes in React and Next.JS applications, and I usually spend my days building and fixing new marketing webs

by surume 4y ago

I LOVE my job!! I am a Front-End developer who specializes in React and Next.JS applications, and I usually spend my days building and fixing new marketing websites for Fortune 500 companies like Toyota, Mazda, Coca Cola, McDonalds, etc The problem is, I have a rather low intellect. My IQ is medium/low, so I am not capable of solving complex algorithms, and my brain processing power is nowhere near some of the other guys that I work with, so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. And yet, despite my shameful lack of smarts, I feel truly satisfied by my job, because it is the right fit for my capabilities. I build and fix UI's, have a fantastic manager, am supported by a positive and helpful team which practices positive communication strategies, and regularly get rewarded with compliments for my work. I'm not a big fish swimming in a small pond, nor am I a small fish swimming in a big one - my pond and I are in balance, and there are no sharks or parasites in it, and that keeps me happy every day. Please God one day they will invent a therapy that will give me Einstein's IQ. Until then, this will have to do. Hope this helps.

xupybd 4y ago
You're probably much smarter than you give yourself credit for. You are achieving at a very high level.
- thorvaldsson 4y ago
  I concur. It sounds like the coworkers are perhaps more knowledgeable in some areas, rather than necessarily having higher IQ's. And getting to work with people who are more knowledgeable than you is exactly where you want to be. Never be the smartest person in the room (unless I guess if you are trying to sell or buy something).
  - mcv 4y ago
    IQ doesn't mean everything. Some people with very high IQs are terrible at making use of them. Theoretical smarts aren't always as practical as practical smarts.
frozencell 4y ago
The therapy: Andrej Karpathy's GPT tutorial (1) (1): https://youtu.be/kCc8FmEb1nY https://youtu.be/kCc8FmEb1nY
windowshopping 4y ago
> The problem is, I have a rather low intellect. My IQ is medium/low, so I am not capable of solving complex algorithms, and my brain processing power is nowhere near some of the other guys that I work with, so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. You need to forever stop worrying about your IQ. You will become happier, more capable, and more confident the moment you realize that your abilities, individuality, and worth cannot be reduced to a number calculated by a series of similarly formulaic logic puzzles. You don't have to be Einstein to make contributions to the world. When you are stuck thinking that way, there will always be someone smarter and more impressive and you will never be happy.
dgrr19 4y ago
I refuse to know my IQ because it would limit myself on the process of achieving something. Don't think about it. I live in Europe, I have no degree, which for many is a career killer, but I managed to work for 2 US companies and one trading company developing actual trading systems, and I am trying to make my own. Some people would consider me smart, but I don't think I am, I just like to go step by step solving problems. So just don't think about it. You'll achieve what you want to with effort, don't limit yourself.
- WheelsAtLarge 4y ago
  This 100%. You love your job and you're happy. You hit the lottery. I've read about high IQ individuals that just couldn't make life work for them for what ever reason. IQ is not that important to succeed in life. Please don't focus on it. Just learn to fight the projects one bit at a time until you get them done. I advice you to read about Richard Feynman's way to learn. It will help you get past your perceived limitations. You should also read the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Congrats on your job satisfaction.
- badpun 4y ago
  IQ is just one thing. I've scored highly on similar tests of math and verbal aptitude, but I have poor memory and have very little energy. These two (especially the energy) limit me to only the simple and, most importantly, non-demanding coding jobs, i.e. enterprise software backend work.
xdfgh1112 4y ago
> My IQ is medium/low, so I am not capable of solving complex algorithms, and my brain processing power is nowhere near some of the other guys that I work with, so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. So you're like 99% of developers then.
- kal40 4y ago
  You think that 99% of developers have low to medium IQ?
  - inkubus 4y ago
    99% of developers "can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems."
  - giantg2 4y ago
    IQ and building "incredible feats of engineering" are separate things. High IQ is helpful or maybe even necessary to build incredible things. However, many people with high IQs build regular stuff or even nothing at all.
MaxPengwing 4y ago
IQ tests are not useful to anything other than predicting social outcome on larger groups IMHO, well that and using it for what it was intended: measuring child development against peers in the same age group. Trust me on this, once you stop caring about it, the easier your life will be. Without anxiety and imposter syndrome feelings, you can focus on what matters. Besides, high IQ is nothing if you do not have social skills, soft skills are just as if not more important to get things done and to be happy.
BenoitP 4y ago
Aside from the self-bashing over IQ, this is what high emotional intelligence looks like. It is refreshing to read your comment!
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
cableshaft 4y ago
> so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. I wouldn't worry too much about that, there's plenty of great existing libraries you can learn to get the same results as if you had built it yourself anyway.
codegeek 4y ago
IQ is overrated. There are a lot of other things that matter more to be happy and successful in life. Just focus on your work and forget about IQ unless you are trying to be a rocket scientist or something ?
qsort 4y ago
> Please God one day they will invent a therapy that will give me Einstein's IQ. Have you ever read Flowers for Algernon? Your post reminded me of that story.

by surume 4y ago

xupybd 4y ago

You're probably much smarter than you give yourself credit for. You are achieving at a very high level.

thorvaldsson 4y ago
I concur. It sounds like the coworkers are perhaps more knowledgeable in some areas, rather than necessarily having higher IQ's. And getting to work with people who are more knowledgeable than you is exactly where you want to be. Never be the smartest person in the room (unless I guess if you are trying to sell or buy something).
- mcv 4y ago
  IQ doesn't mean everything. Some people with very high IQs are terrible at making use of them. Theoretical smarts aren't always as practical as practical smarts.

frozencell 4y ago

The therapy: Andrej Karpathy's GPT tutorial (1) (1): https://youtu.be/kCc8FmEb1nY https://youtu.be/kCc8FmEb1nY

windowshopping 4y ago

> The problem is, I have a rather low intellect. My IQ is medium/low, so I am not capable of solving complex algorithms, and my brain processing power is nowhere near some of the other guys that I work with, so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. You need to forever stop worrying about your IQ. You will become happier, more capable, and more confident the moment you realize that your abilities, individuality, and worth cannot be reduced to a number calculated by a series of similarly formulaic logic puzzles. You don't have to be Einstein to make contributions to the world. When you are stuck thinking that way, there will always be someone smarter and more impressive and you will never be happy.

dgrr19 4y ago

I refuse to know my IQ because it would limit myself on the process of achieving something. Don't think about it. I live in Europe, I have no degree, which for many is a career killer, but I managed to work for 2 US companies and one trading company developing actual trading systems, and I am trying to make my own. Some people would consider me smart, but I don't think I am, I just like to go step by step solving problems. So just don't think about it. You'll achieve what you want to with effort, don't limit yourself.

WheelsAtLarge 4y ago
This 100%. You love your job and you're happy. You hit the lottery. I've read about high IQ individuals that just couldn't make life work for them for what ever reason. IQ is not that important to succeed in life. Please don't focus on it. Just learn to fight the projects one bit at a time until you get them done. I advice you to read about Richard Feynman's way to learn. It will help you get past your perceived limitations. You should also read the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Congrats on your job satisfaction.
badpun 4y ago
IQ is just one thing. I've scored highly on similar tests of math and verbal aptitude, but I have poor memory and have very little energy. These two (especially the energy) limit me to only the simple and, most importantly, non-demanding coding jobs, i.e. enterprise software backend work.

xdfgh1112 4y ago

> My IQ is medium/low, so I am not capable of solving complex algorithms, and my brain processing power is nowhere near some of the other guys that I work with, so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. So you're like 99% of developers then.

kal40 4y ago
You think that 99% of developers have low to medium IQ?
- inkubus 4y ago
  99% of developers "can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems."
- giantg2 4y ago
  IQ and building "incredible feats of engineering" are separate things. High IQ is helpful or maybe even necessary to build incredible things. However, many people with high IQs build regular stuff or even nothing at all.

MaxPengwing 4y ago

IQ tests are not useful to anything other than predicting social outcome on larger groups IMHO, well that and using it for what it was intended: measuring child development against peers in the same age group. Trust me on this, once you stop caring about it, the easier your life will be. Without anxiety and imposter syndrome feelings, you can focus on what matters. Besides, high IQ is nothing if you do not have social skills, soft skills are just as if not more important to get things done and to be happy.

BenoitP 4y ago

Aside from the self-bashing over IQ, this is what high emotional intelligence looks like. It is refreshing to read your comment!

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

cableshaft 4y ago

> so I can't build truly incredible feats of engineering like 3d rendering engines or voice recognition systems. I wouldn't worry too much about that, there's plenty of great existing libraries you can learn to get the same results as if you had built it yourself anyway.

codegeek 4y ago

IQ is overrated. There are a lot of other things that matter more to be happy and successful in life. Just focus on your work and forget about IQ unless you are trying to be a rocket scientist or something ?

qsort 4y ago

> Please God one day they will invent a therapy that will give me Einstein's IQ. Have you ever read Flowers for Algernon? Your post reminded me of that story.