Successful Intelligence:  How Practical And Creative Intelligence Determine Success In Life, by Robert J. Strindberg

Admittedly, there is something somewhat tautological in the way that the author views successful intelligence, though this does not negate the insights the author has about the importance of creativity and practicality when it comes to intelligence.  Successful intelligence is intelligence that succeeds.  Practical intelligence is intelligence that succeeds, that is seen as practical by others, that does not only demonstrate sterile knowledge but an awareness of what needs to be done in the world.  Creative intelligence, in the author’s estimation, is intelligence that is directed to solving problems, often in novel or at least unusual ways.  We understand what is novel or unusual, of course, by understanding that which has been done before and that which is done in a statistical sense by a given population.  Obviously there are repercussions and consequences, as what is usual for me in my own habits may be unusual for the particular societies I have found myself in, but usual for some other population that I have not yet found.  Successful intelligence is therefore context dependent, and harder to test or encourage than the sort of sterile rote memorization and response sort of intelligence that can and is tested quite often.

This particular book of more than 250 pages is divided into eight chapters in four parts.  Throughout the book the author speaks from his own personal experience and that of his children as well in school and in life.  After a preface the author begins the book with the question of what counts in life, IQ, intelligence, or successful intelligence (I), with the question of how we can move beyond the intelligence quotient (1).  The author then affirms that IQ doesn’t count even though that is what people count (II) by talking about what IQ tells us (2) and doesn’t tell us (3).  After that the author affirms that successful intelligence is what counts (III), and discusses three keys to successful intelligence (4), namely finding good solutions through analytical intelligence (5), finding good problems with creative intelligence (6), and making solutions work with practical intelligence (7).  After this the author looks at how someone may activate successful intelligence (IV) and avoid the tendencies of self-sabotage (8), even if it does not appear as if the outside world generally favors creativity when push comes to shove.  Finally, the author concludes this particular volume with acknowledgments, notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Although the author’s definitions are a little bit defective concerning that which is practical or successful, there are definitely some worthwhile insights that one can gain from this book.  For one, the lack of competition in measurement of intelligence has meant that intelligence tests are stagnant and not nearly as statistically relevant as their frequent use would support.  For another, the creative solving of problems is something that comes relatively easily to small children but is something that is actively suppressed in older children and adults because it is genuinely unpopular and sometimes even dangerous in societies that have always valued a high degree of conformity.  That which is creative is often not initially appreciated and so it is important for a creative person to be somewhat thick-skinned when it comes to the carping criticism of one’s peers while also focused on the eventual success that comes with having successfully solved a problem that many people may not even have recognized the existence of.  Success may come only in time, and if one is to be successful, one may have to endure much before being vindicated through eventual success.  Hopefully this book can provide some encouragement for genuinely creative people, as we do tend to need some encouraging.