It is Not How Smart You Are, It Is How You Are Smart That Leads to Success in Life.

Wouldn’t you know it! Research has finally caught up to the fact that intelligence is not what creates success

Top marks in school is not the only way to a prosperous future and life success, so says a research study out of New Zealand.

Well, I hate to say it but parents have know this for many years. Yes, parents want their child to do well in school but they also want their child to be happy, well adjusted, healthy and wealthy.  In fact, for most parents these results come before school success.

Researcher found that self-control in young children was the best indicator of a person’s health and wealth later in life.  The young children who had the least self-control early in life were up to three times more likely todevelop multiple health problems, struggle financially or be convicted of a crime.  Children with self control problems were more likely to start smoking by age 15,drop out of school or become teenage parents. They had a greater chance of having financial, criminal and health problems as adults.

So what did the researchers mean by ‘self control’? And how can you make sure that your child develops it?

The term ‘self-control’  included skills such as conscientiousness, self- discipline and perseverance.  Let us look at those skills more closely.

*  Conscientiousness – the ability to know right from wrong, awareness, perception, scrupulous,

industrious,  painstaking, dedicated, careful, meticulous, thorough, attentive, hard-working, studious, rigorous, particular

*  Self – discipline – the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it

* Perseverance – tenacity, determination, staying power,  purposefulness, patience,  application, diligence,  commitment, doggedness, stamina, informal stick-to-it-iveness

These are the skills children need if they are to succeed in life.

And YOU need to help your child develop them.

I will be telling you how in my free weekly tips newsletter.  You can sign up for it at the top of the page.

The more I learn, the more I understand the importance of parents!