Are You Smart Enough To Get What You Want?

Very few people would openly admit to being a 5 out of 10 in terms of intelligence.

So, what are we really measuring?

I believe one way to assess intelligence is by your ability to achieve what you want. If you are smart enough, you should eventually obtain what you truly want. And if you don’t, you should be smart enough to recognize that either you do not genuinely want it or it is not feasible.

Personally, I have always achieved what I truly desired. I wanted to be the best in the world. I wanted to live in a different country. I wanted a family. I wanted to pursue a meaningful career. I wanted to feel free. So far, I have accomplished all of these goals.

One time, my daughter asked me, “Dad, you say you can get and do anything you want. Can you lift a truck?” My answer was simple: “I don’t want to lift a truck.”

The question isn’t whether we are smart; most of us would say yes.

The real question is: Are we smart enough to get what we truly want?

Another way to assess intelligence, in my opinion, is to recognize that your goal is to live a life without regrets. I’m not suggesting a life without mistakes; rather, I mean a life in which you are constantly aware that there is only one life conscious of the urgency of time and understand that mistakes are acceptable as long as you keep an eye on the bigger picture.

You want to look back at 95, sitting in your rocking chair, and say, “Boy, what a ride that was. I’m glad I took it. I’m proud that I got everything I could out of it.”

No regrets that’s what I call wisdom.

I don’t believe being smart is solely about solving problems. It also involves preventing them. It means knowing when to outsource. It’s about recognizing when you are not equipped to handle something on your own. Above all, it requires the honesty to admit when you need help.

I consider it very wise to say, “I’m struggling with this,” and then actively seek help.

One question I always ask myself is, “How can I handle this in the most effective way?”

I also think it’s smart to believe that every problem has a solution—and that you are not the only person who has faced it. Someone out there has already walked that path, figured it out, and emerged stronger on the other side.

It’s smart to recognize that you are not alone and to avoid defaulting to pessimism or negativity when challenges arise.

In the semi-autobiographical novel Shantaram, Gregory David Roberts recounts a powerful scene in which the main character locks himself in a room to detox from heroin addiction while living in Bombay and makes the radical decision to break it.

He locked himself in a small room, handed the key to a trusted friend, and gave one clear instruction: do not open the door, no matter how much I beg. What followed were days of violent withdrawal hallucinations, vomiting, shaking, screaming, manipulation, and desperation. His body and mind fought to pull him back. He begged to be let out, but his friend refused, holding firm to the boundary they had agreed upon.

Eventually, the storm passed.

That scene isn’t just about addiction; it’s about structure, discipline, and understanding that in moments of weakness, your emotions can deceive you. Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is build systems and relationships that are strong enough to protect you from yourself. 

The main character was smart enough to realize that in that room under the influence, he would become someone else, someone he couldn’t trust. So, he created accountability before his weakness could manifest.

I loved that book. After all, it is a book about wisdom.

That’s intelligence, if you ask me.

And that could be you as well.

We all have something we struggle with, something beyond our full control, something we’re not proud of.

The question is:

Are we smart enough to understand our own limitations?

Are we smart enough to acknowledge our weaknesses?

Are we smart enough to seek help not just acknowledge that we need it?

Are we smart enough to achieve what we want?

Perhaps being smart isn’t about knowing everything. Instead, it’s about understanding yourself—knowing what you need and knowing how to achieve it.

Cheers.

If this hit home for you, let’s talk.

Book a 30-minute Smart Strategy Session with me for $75.

We’ll identify:

• What you truly want

• What’s blocking you

• The structure you need to build

• Your first decisive move

Smart isn’t knowing. Smart is acting.

Simply reply “SMART,” and I’ll personally reach out to book your session. Let’s build it.