This brain skill matters more than your IQ

Adrian Owen, a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at the University of Western Ontario, argues in his new book, "Think Before You Think," that our success in life is not determined by how intelligent we are, but by how well we manage our minds. These mental abilities, known as executive functions, allow us to focus our attention, hold information in mind, plan ahead, resist distractions and temptations, regulate our emotions, and understand others' thoughts.

Executive functions shape nearly every aspect of our lives, influencing our performance at school and work, our relationships, our parenting, our financial decisions, our stress management, and even how well we age. Despite this, many people are unaware of the importance of executive functions, often attributing their forgetfulness, wandering thoughts, and impulsive behavior to aging or other unrelated factors.

However, these everyday experiences are all interconnected and are all examples of executive functions. Owen emphasizes that while IQ is important, it does not determine how effectively we use our intelligence. Instead, the mental abilities that matter most in everyday life are often those we know the least about. He cites a study involving over 44,000 people that found intelligence to be a collection of distinct mental abilities, many of which depend heavily on executive function.

This discovery challenges the traditional notion of intelligence and suggests that we should focus on how well we use the intelligence we already have, rather than simply how intelligent we are.