"I'm not that smart"

[Al Skierkiewicz]

I like to think that the majority of people have about the same level of intelligence. The difference between us is how much we are committed to narrow our focus. I once met a brilliant heart surgeon. He would analyze your heart function by measuring it's volume when fully open and when fully compressed, throw in some variables based on your size (skin surface area), age, sex, etc. and be able to tell if your heart was capable of delivering the required flow at the right pressure. He was called on as an assistant in all kinds of difficult surgeries at different hospitals all over the state. But he couldn't remember how to play, rewind and fast forward a tape machine. He had focused his vision so much that all of his attention was on hearts and nothing else. His office assistant told me he had a hard time finding his office some days.
So if everyone is about the same then the response should be "you are already smart enough, you just need to focus on something. Join the team and we will help you learn how to do that."