The Only Real Test of Intelligence
– Naval Ravikant
“The only real test of intelligence is if you get what you want out of life.”
A Thread on Becoming More Intelligent
There is a science to becoming more intelligent.
It’s called cybernetics.
Most people haven’t heard of that word. Or they think it’s only about robots and cyborgs.
But it’s about so much more.
Cybernetics is the art of getting what you want.
Understanding Cybernetics
Cybernetics comes from the Greek word “kybernetikos,” which means “to steer” or “good at steering.”
It illustrates the properties of intelligent systems:
- To have a goal.
- Act toward that goal.
- Sense where you are.
- Compare it to the goal.
- Act again based on that feedback.
Judging Intelligence by Action
You can judge intelligence based on the ability of a system to iterate and persist with trial and error.
Examples:
- A ship blown off course that corrects toward its destination.
- A thermostat senses a change in heat and turns on.
- The pancreas excretes insulin after blood glucose spikes.
The Connection to Getting What You Want in Life
What does this have to do with getting what you want out of life?
Everything.
Acting, sensing, comparing, and understanding the system from a meta-perspective is fundamental to intelligence.
High intelligence is the ability to iterate, persist, and understand the big picture.
Low Intelligence: The Inability to Learn
The mark of low intelligence is the inability to learn from your mistakes.
Low-intelligence people get stuck on problems rather than solving them.
They hit a roadblock and quit.
High intelligence is realizing any problem can be solved on a large enough timescale.
Low Intelligence: Fixed Mindset
Low intelligence people pursue a goal and don’t change anything along the way.
They take one process or ideology and attach to it.
They either get upset and quit or work hard for suboptimal results.
They have terrible problem/solution awareness.
They don’t experiment because they don’t realize that they CAN do something that gets better results.
Even if they work hard, they slowly fail without realizing it.
The Importance of Having a Goal
If you want to become more intelligent, start with the goal you are pursuing.
Goals are what determine the system.
The destination is what determines the journey.
The goal and destination are vastly more important than the system or journey because they create it.
Goals: More Important Than We Think
Goals are so much more important than we think.
They determine how you see the world.
They determine what you consider “success” or “failure.”
You can try to “enjoy the journey,” but if you pursue the wrong goal, you are making it 100x more difficult to enjoy it.
Your Mind as the Operating System
Your mind is the operating system for reality.
That system is composed of goals.
For most people, those goals are assigned to them.
Programmed like lines of code in your psyche:
- Go to school.
- Get the job.
- Get offended.
- Play victim.
- Retire at 65.
A known path that doesn’t work.
How to Become More Intelligent
To become more intelligent, you must:
- Reject the known path
- Dive into the unknown
- Set higher goals to expand your mind
- Embrace chaos, allow for growth
- Study generalized principles of nature
- Become a deep generalist
Hyperspecialization is for servants (and insects).
Transforming Your Life by Changing Your Goals
When you change the goals your mind operates on, a new depth of life opens up to you.
For example:
You are tired of working for someone else.
You realize 8 hours of unfulfilling work drains you.
Nurturing relationships and maintaining your health becomes near impossible.
Setting New Goals to Transform Your Mind
You use that realization to set a new goal.
Like doing your own thing for work.
Your mind starts to transform.
Your Google searches change from “funny memes” to “best skills to learn.”
Almost automatically, you start ordering books and learning in your free time.
The Power of Conversations
Your conversations take a new shape.
You share your interests. You talk about your goals. People offer help.
You feel yourself starting to change.
It feels good.
But there’s a trap.
The Trap: Distraction
Distraction.
If you maintain singular focus on a large enough goal, you will achieve it.
If you get distracted or quit, rather than improving with trial and error, you are the definition of low intelligence.
Summary: The Path to Getting What You Want in Life
Let’s summarize the path to getting what you want out of life:
- Have a vision for your life. A big meta-goal that evolves as you do.
- Reject the goals society assigns to you that lead to narrow-mindedness and stupidity.
- Filter all observations, information, and self-reflection through your vision.
If it doesn’t align, it is a distraction.
Written by: Dan Koe