Success and intelligence has always been a topic of debate. Success is believed to be the single most way to show someone’s intelligence by many, whereas others think that there can be multiple ways to calculate intelligence. I think intelligence is not just confined to success and can have other ways to measure it.
On the one hand, impact of someone’s work on others can be a proof of their intelligence without them being very successful. The influence of an individual and their knowledge can help many people, but they might not be ultra successful themselves. Many school teachers shape up the lives of so many students and make them great human beings, but they themselves are not that successful according to societal standards. They might not be super successful in life but their smartness is clearly reflected in their actions and effect on other people.
On the other hand, some might think success as the clear marker of intelligence because of the rewards they get due to their brain power. The smartness of bright people might give them an advantage as they get preference and more respect in the society. Best students from any colleges are picked up by big companies and are paid extremely well. Their intellect is clearly rewarded with good incomes leading them to a successful life.
However, this perspective is solely according to standards set by the society. The definition of success can vary from person to person. Someone who does not earn millions can be very intelligent and their actions and manners can clearly reflect that. Modern world is moving towards appreciating the intelligence without any judgement, and being successful is not the only parameter to judge anyone’s intelligence anymore.
In conclusion, intelligence might lead to a successful life and can be very rewarding, but apart of being victorious in life, footprints of a smart person on other people can be the best measure of their intelligence.