Psychologist Catharine Cox studied the lives of 100 highly intelligent and famous people to understand why some achieved extraordinary success while others did not.
She divided them into two groups: the first ten, who were the most successful, and the last ten, who were the least successful among the geniuses.
Cox examined 67 personality traits such as intelligence, cheerfulness, humor, extroversion, and school performance.
Her study showed that intelligence, good marks, and social qualities were not the main reasons for success.
All the people she studied were intelligent, yet their achievements differed greatly.
The real factor that separated the most successful from the less successful was what Cox called persistence of motive. This refers to a strong and lasting inner drive to work toward a goal over a long period of time.
Highly successful individuals had a clear long-term purpose in life and did not keep changing their goals.
They showed deep interest in their work and remained committed even when progress was slow.
They also possessed strong perseverance, which means they did not give up easily and continued working despite failures, obstacles, and difficulties.
Cox concluded that a person with average or high intelligence but strong persistence of motive is more likely to achieve great success than a person with very high intelligence but weak persistence.
Thus, long-term dedication and determination matter more than intelligence alone.
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