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Painfully average IQ -- 95, destined for mediocrity

I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?

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Reply 1
anyone else feeling this way?
Original post by Anonymous
I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?

IQ won't prevent you from achieving good grades, that's more likely to do with the learning disability or illness you mentioned. Also, stigmatising yourself for this and losing confidence, they are the sabotages to performance.

I scored high on the IQ tests but I can't achieve good grades often, nor do I succeed in many things, due to my lack of discipline, dedication and consistency.
Original post by Anonymous
I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?

I wouldn't pay too much attention to IQ tests. You shouldn't rely solely on the results.

You mention you want to learn new things but lack discipline. This isn't a result of your IQ results - it seems like it shows you lack the effort and motivation to work hard. Sometimes, you have to push yourself and commit to something if you want to do something.

It's clear that you do have potential but you have to evaluate the way you do things. You have managed to buy your own house and find a job that supports you, which is an achievement in itself. If you are looking for promotion or increased pay, you could set up a meeting with your manger to talk about your current work performance and to set goals to improve, perhaps taking on increased responsibility or extra training. If you find you cannot get anywhere at your current company, consider using your qualifications and your current skills to seek a new job at a different company where there are more prospects for career development and promotion.
Reply 4
It feels like my destiny is written in stone to be a failure or mediocre
Reply 5
Original post by cheesecakelove
I wouldn't pay too much attention to IQ tests. You shouldn't rely solely on the results.

You mention you want to learn new things but lack discipline. This isn't a result of your IQ results - it seems like it shows you lack the effort and motivation to work hard. Sometimes, you have to push yourself and commit to something if you want to do something.

It's clear that you do have potential but you have to evaluate the way you do things. You have managed to buy your own house and find a job that supports you, which is an achievement in itself. If you are looking for promotion or increased pay, you could set up a meeting with your manger to talk about your current work performance and to set goals to improve, perhaps taking on increased responsibility or extra training. If you find you cannot get anywhere at your current company, consider using your qualifications and your current skills to seek a new job at a different company where there are more prospects for career development and promotion.

But I feel like and IQ tests are so indicative of future success.. I feel just so average..
Original post by Anonymous
But I feel like and IQ tests are so indicative of future success.. I feel just so average..

It seems like you attribute your IQ test for your successes and failures. You still need to work hard to achieve your goals, not solely rely on your IQ. If you never took an IQ test, do you think you would see and have done things differently in life?
Reply 7
Original post by Anonymous
But I feel like and IQ tests are so indicative of future success.. I feel just so average..

They're not. There's no evidence for that at all.
Reply 8
Original post by Anonymous
But I feel like and IQ tests are so indicative of future success.. I feel just so average..

I wouldn't hold yourself to that IQ. It might be vaguely indicative in the same way that your uni is indicative of salary - correlated but often influenced by a thousand other causal factors.

Imo work ethic is probably a much stronger indicator of how well you'll do. IQ might be out of your control, but work ethic definitely is and that will get you much further than a bone idle genius :smile:

There's also an good positive out of this: you can only properly communicate with people in your own IQ range (I forget the actual amount), so you can socialise better with a huge amount of people. It's really common for people with high IQs to struggle with socialising and interacting with most of the population, so a high IQ is often a curse more than a blessing
Reply 9
Original post by cheesecakelove
It seems like you attribute your IQ test for your successes and failures. You still need to work hard to achieve your goals, not solely rely on your IQ. If you never took an IQ test, do you think you would see and have done things differently in life?

hmm it would explain at lot as why I could never flourish academically,... but then again lack of discipline would also be adequate...
Original post by Anonymous
I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?

IQ as measured by a test depends on much more than your actual IQ.
Everything from the time of day to your sleep the night before can significantly impact on its measurement.
It is said that it is rare for someones IQ to be overestimated in a professional IQ test , however it is very common for it to be underestimated.
All this means for you is, opposed to having an IQ of 95, the lowest your IQ could possibly be is 95.
Original post by tmr19
I wouldn't hold yourself to that IQ. It might be vaguely indicative in the same way that your uni is indicative of salary - correlated but often influenced by a thousand other causal factors.

Imo work ethic is probably a much stronger indicator of how well you'll do. IQ might be out of your control, but work ethic definitely is and that will get you much further than a bone idle genius :smile:

There's also an good positive out of this: you can only properly communicate with people in your own IQ range (I forget the actual amount), so you can socialise better with a huge amount of people. It's really common for people with high IQs to struggle with socialising and interacting with most of the population, so a high IQ is often a curse more than a blessing

Hmm maybe. I am jut cursed with bad luck because i suck at people
you need to focus on things you can change in your life. £32K is well above the average UK income.... having your own house.... there is a lot of positive stuff there.
Original post by Anonymous
I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?

No,
in the real world ambition and work ethic matters more imo.

If your content getting an average grad job working 40 hours a week doing the basics then yes you may well be mediocre (theres nothing wrong with this either if you are happy).

If you seek out opportunities, commitment time and resources to things you are passionate you can succeed (financially or OTHER).

You can do what you want, you need to pick the direction tho.
My IQ was tested many many years ago and I was told that my score on the test was higher 99.9% of the general population. You're much younger than me and taking that into account I think that you're already doing much better than me and many others like me. So what if your IQ is average? You're doing brilliantly in my opinion.

And don't forget that without the mediocre the exceptional would be the mediocre.
Original post by Anonymous
My IQ was tested many many years ago and I was told that my score on the test was higher 99.9% of the general population. You're much younger than me and taking that into account I think that you're already doing much better than me and many others like me. So what if your IQ is average? You're doing brilliantly in my opinion.

And don't forget that without the mediocre the exceptional would be the mediocre.im

im 31 haha
Reply 16
Original post by Anonymous
I had an IQ test done in 2009 and that was the very painful result. The psychologist said not to place that much emphasis on this because IQ tests are not that very reliable. Having done my own research though, he may not have a point.
I never achieved anything in school and got very poor GCSEs.
I want to learn new content and expand my knowledge, but can never find the discipline and would rather watch films or play my XBox. Plus, it takes me forever to learn something.
My undergrad i got a 2:2 in a biological science degree where i had some of the lowest marks in the year and barely scraped the 2:2.
I got distinction on my masters. But it was bumped up from a merit due to illness.

I have managed to buy my house and live by myself and have a job that earns about 32k. But I can’t get promoted no matter how hard I try -- i went for years unemployed.. I have a learning difficulty which doesn’t help..

What should I do?


These are 3 things you can do;
Realise that IQ is a meaningless made up heavily biased undefined concept - and yours is old as well.
Realise that you have achieved a lot already!
Realise that you can press on and achieve more and more!
Reply 17
Original post by leopard202
IQ won't prevent you from achieving good grades, that's more likely to do with the learning disability or illness you mentioned. Also, stigmatising yourself for this and losing confidence, they are the sabotages to performance.

I scored high on the IQ tests but I can't achieve good grades often, nor do I succeed in many things, due to my lack of discipline, dedication and consistency.

IQ tests prove absolutely nothing. as you have found out!
Reply 18
Original post by Anonymous
But I feel like and IQ tests are so indicative of future success.. I feel just so average..

Have you researched IQ tests? they are a load of bs!
Exams are not much about using your intelligence really. They're about recalling information, mostly, not problem solving.

IQ = problem solving

There are plenty of people that have good IQ and don't use it. Someone with 130 IQ who only uses half of it, won't do as well as someone with 95 IQ who uses all of it. Like others said here, work ethic matters a lot.

Obviously it makes life harder. IQ is not 'meaningless' like some say. If it were, then admittedly the difference between our IQ and chimpanzees would be meaningless too, which is stupid. But life success is also far more complex than being simplified down to only a matter of IQ. The friends you make, how you treat people, your personal values, what you use your IQ for, etc. All these things matter. Some people with very high IQs end up putting their potential to very bad use. That's less than useless, it is destructive. You do not need a high IQ to get a leg-up in life on people like that, you just need to be a decent person.
(edited 3 years ago)

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