Redefining 'Smart': Why Your Mindset Matters More Than Your IQ

By,

McKenzie Osborne

We have all been there. You are staring at a test, the clock is ticking, and a single thought creeps in: I am just not built for this. In high school, intelligence often feels like a fixed trait—something you either have or you don't. But what if "being smart" isn't about what you know, but how you think?

According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, intelligence is simply “the capacity to understand, learn, and make judgments.” Yet, in the halls of RAHS, the pressure to perform can make learning feel more like survival of the fittest.

The differences in students often come down to two specific ways of thinking: fixed and growth mindsets.

Stanford University psychology professor Carol Dweck found that students with a "fixed mindset" believe their ability is limited. “They are often full of concerns about their ability, and this can lead, in the face of challenges and setbacks, to destructive thoughts.” Students tend to worry about proving they are smart rather than actually getting smarter. When presenting with this mindset they tend to think, "I failed because I’m dumb," leading to feelings of humiliation and a desire to give up.

On the flip side is the "growth mindset." Dr. David Yeager of the University of Texas at Austin explains that learning physically changes the brain. “Changes in our knowledge and in our brain are possible under the right conditions and with the right support,” said Yeager. When you struggle with a new concept, your brain is actually growing new connections.

For many students at RAHS, these two mindsets are constantly at war.

"Whenever I get a low grade, I think both in negative and positive," says Corvette Sarayno ‘28. "At first I think to myself about how I could’ve done better and that it wasn’t my best work, but I turn my outlook around into a positive way. I think on how I could do better and work on the things that I didn’t do as good on."

Multiple Versions of ‘Smart’

Part of the problem is that we often judge our intelligence by a very narrow standard. We look at math scores or essay grades and assume that is the only measure of our intelligence.

However, back in 1983, Harvard Professor Howard Gardner published the "Multiple Intelligence Theory," arguing that there are actually nine different branches of intelligence.

While schools often focus on Linguistic (word smarts) and Logical-Mathematical (number smarts) intelligence, Gardner argued that other types are just as vital.

For example, the athletes and dancers walking our halls possess Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence—the ability to manipulate objects and move with precision. The artists and daydreamers likely have high Spatial intelligence, thinking in three dimensions and vivid visualizations.

Some students are Interpersonal geniuses, reading social cues and understanding their peers effortlessly, while others are Intrapersonal, possessing a deep, self-motivated understanding of their own thoughts.

There are even unique categories like Naturalistic intelligence (understanding living things and nature), Musical intelligence (discerning rhythm and tone), and Existential intelligence—the ability to tackle the deep questions of why we are here.

The Golf Analogy

Mr. Lucas Farber, who teaches AP Psychology at RAHS, sees the impact of these definitions every day. He notes that research overwhelmingly shows a student’s mindset drives their performance.

"A fixed mindset leads students to disengage when challenged," Farber says. "Conversely, a growth mindset teaches them their brain actually strengthens with effort and mistakes."

Farber offers a sports analogy that might resonate with anyone who has ever had a poor practice.

"Consider the golf analogy," Farber says. "The fixed mindset golfer quits after playing a bad round; the growth mindset golfer views that poor round as data, adjusts, and practices until they improve."

The goal for students at RAHS isn't just to get better grades, but to change the way they view the struggle of learning.

"We hope students apply this to their grades and feedback," Farber adds. "Seeing setbacks not as failures, but as opportunities to learn, adjust, and grow."

Resources

Summary Source: Multiple Intelligence Theory. UTHSC. (2022). https://www.uthsc.edu/tlc/intelligence-theory.php 

Armstrong, T. (2009). Multiple intelligences in the classroom, (3rd ed). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Cambridge University Press. (2025). Intelligence. Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/intelligence 

Limeri, L., Choe, J., Harper, H., Martin, H., Benton, A., & Dolan, E. (2020). Knowledge or abilities? How Undergraduates Define Intelligence. CBE life sciences education. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8697642/ 

Dweck, C., Walton, G., & Cohen, G. (2014). Academic Tenacity Mindsets and Skills that Promote Long-Term Learning. Stanford Education. 

Yeager , D. (2021). Speaking of psychology: Can a growth mindset help students achieve their potential? other. Retrieved 2025, from https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/growth-mindset.