I have grown up to hear enough varying success stories to know that: belief in your own work was important. Learning a little more in college each day, I understood that motivation to learn better comes from learning what I’m most interested in. Clubbed into a paper talking the secrets to success, On being smart, by Nabil H. Mustafa, digs into the experiences that went behind groundbreaking discoveries, and makes you wonder.. Do you really think all these great discoveries happened purely because the discoverer was like, really really smart? Consider this: If they didn’t spend enough time with the subject: pondering, wondering and seeking curiosity, would they really know enough with just their ability to be smart?

Richard Feynman declined the offer to work with Newton, because being called “a genius” had him feel pressured under work, deeming his faith in himself at the time declining him the opportunity. Lucky for all of us, he got over this phenomena and blessed us with his great intellect.