The Science of Intelligent Achievement audiobook cover - How Smart People Focus, Create and Grow Their Way to Success

The Science of Intelligent Achievement

How Smart People Focus, Create and Grow Their Way to Success

Isaiah Hankel

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Career & SuccessProductivity

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The Science of Intelligent Achievement
Selective Focus+
Creative Ownership+
Pragmatic Growth+
8 Pitfalls to Productivity+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
According to the text, how much peak mental focus does the average person have each day?
  • A. 8 hours
  • B. 5 hours
  • C. 2 hours
  • D. 3.5 hours
Question 2 of 9
What is the main difference between average achievers and exceptional achievers regarding practice?
  • A. Exceptional achievers practice for 10,000 consecutive hours without breaks.
  • B. Exceptional achievers engage only in short bursts of deliberate, high-quality practice.
  • C. Average achievers focus solely on deliberate practice but lack natural talent.
  • D. Average achievers spend less time practicing overall than exceptional achievers.
Question 3 of 9
Why does the author recommend keeping negative influences and pessimistic people at a distance?
  • A. They constantly ask for favors and deplete your mental energy.
  • B. Listening to negative speech can actually cause neurons in the hippocampus to die.
  • C. Pessimists often refuse to use the Disney method for creative production.
  • D. They will try to sell you products using deceptive lead magnets.
Question 4 of 9
How does the 'Disney method' suggest handling the first draft of a creative project?
  • A. Turn your inner editor to full power and streamline the story immediately.
  • B. Write only about topics that you have extensively researched.
  • C. Turn off your inner editorial voice completely and write whatever comes to mind.
  • D. Use partial editing to expand on the good sections while cutting the bad ones.
Question 5 of 9
In the context of building a customer base, what is a 'lead magnet'?
  • A. A charismatic salesperson who can easily convince people to buy a product.
  • B. A productivity tool that tracks how much time you spend on different tasks.
  • C. Something of value offered for free in exchange for a potential customer's contact details.
  • D. A search engine optimization technique used to rank higher on Google.
Question 6 of 9
What is the 'negativity bias' described by psychologist Rick Hanson?
  • A. The tendency for people to complain about their jobs for at least 30 minutes a day.
  • B. The habit of writing down negative tasks on a to-do list.
  • C. The brain's tendency to immediately store negative information while requiring 12 seconds to store positive information.
  • D. The likelihood that a person will reject a new idea if it is presented by a stranger.
Question 7 of 9
Why does the author argue that traditional to-do lists are often a waste of time?
  • A. They take too much mental energy to write out each morning.
  • B. They encourage people to complete easy, unrelated tasks while ignoring larger, more important goals.
  • C. They prevent people from saying 'no' to incoming requests from coworkers.
  • D. They are usually lost or forgotten by the end of the 8-hour workday.
Question 8 of 9
According to the author's eight pitfalls to pragmatic productivity, why is 'accepting gifts' (like a free lunch) considered a pitfall?
  • A. It wastes valuable time during your peak mental focus hours.
  • B. It usually comes with the expectation of a favor, which can lead to unwanted obligations.
  • C. It triggers a dopamine release that distracts you from deliberate practice.
  • D. It prevents you from establishing a consistent morning routine.
Question 9 of 9
What is the recommended way to decline a request, according to a 2012 study by Vanessa Patrick?
  • A. Make a polite excuse to soften the blow of the rejection.
  • B. State clearly that you do not want to take on the task, without making excuses.
  • C. Ignore the request completely until the person stops asking.
  • D. Tell the person you will add it to your to-do list but never actually complete it.

The Science of Intelligent Achievement — Full Chapter Overview

The Science of Intelligent Achievement Summary & Overview

The Science of Intelligent Achievement (2018) is about how to become more productive and creative, so that you achieve the goals you have set for yourself. The book shows you how to think the right thoughts, and surround yourself with the right people to sustain your motivation.

Who Should Listen to The Science of Intelligent Achievement?

  • Entrepreneurs who want to harness their energy
  • Self-employed people who want to boost their productivity
  • Psychologists and coaches

About the Author: Isaiah Hankel

Isaiah Hankel has a PhD in biology and a talent for coaching people in the areas of mental concentration and behavioral psychology. He is also a successful author in these fields as well as a contributing writer to publications such as the Guardian and Entrepreneur Magazine. His previous book, Black Hole Focus (2014), was an international best seller in the business book genre.

 

© Isaiah Hankel: The Science of Intelligent Achievement copyright 2018, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons Inc. and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

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