Can You Be Both Clever and Happy?

Do you think you're clever? Are you actually clever? If you're so clever, why aren't you happy?

To Noe De Coster

You're wondering whether you're making the right decisions in life, and that makes you think about whether you're clever enough to make the right decisions. But what is intelligence? Is the essence of intelligence a unified definition, is it clearly subdivided or can in infinitely be subdivided? Intelligence can, for example, be split into these categories:

• intra-personal intelligence

• inter-personal intelligence

• linguistic intelligence

• spatial intelligence

• logical intelligence

• learning intelligence

• creative intelligence

• critical thinking intelligence

• problem-solving intelligence

• existential intelligence

Do you need all types of intelligence to succeed? Some certainly seem to financially succeed despite underdevelopment in multiple types of intelligence, although nothing assures that they are emotionally successful. That idea aside, if you're asking yourself the question of whether you're intelligent enough to make the right life decisions, there is most certainly an underlying assumption that intelligence is or should be one of our supreme values. In theory, the more intelligence there is the world, the more development there is, and the more happiness there is. Yet there is evidence that as we become more intelligent and the world progresses, people don't necessarily become happier (1). In part, that's due to hedonic adaptation, the idea that we have a tendency to return to relatively stable levels of happiness despite recent fortunate or unfortunate events. Maybe if we were less clever we'd be happier? So then, are the two mutually exclusive?

In the startup community, it's not uncommon to hear "I don't want to be happy. I want to be successful, and for that I need to be clever and not happy". They're afraid that if they're happy they'll settle for their current life and lose their drive. Happiness is said to be for the idle or obtuse. I suppose there is an element of truth to this; when you're bright enough to see behind appearances, veneers and veils of the world, to see life isn't quite as rosy as it was during youthful ignorance, to see the manipulation pervading space and time, all pictured as good for you and society, you're naturally shift towards cynicism.

But the concept that you're unhappy because you're smart doesn't mean you can't undo becoming unhappy, that you can't become happy again. It will probably take you more time and work than it would a more dim-witted person, but if you're really that clever you'll figure out a way. You'll figure out the even deeper truths of humanity rather than simply the second layer ugly truths. The more you try to figure out those truths, the quicker a natural serenity will come to you, itself inevitably accompanied by happiness.

Intelligence may not be an advantage to be happy, but intelligence and happiness aren't mutually exclusive. You can be both intelligent and happy.

If you enjoyed this article, a little comment below is always appreciated, I'd love to know your thoughts!