My good friend and PathNorth member, Rick Goings, reminded me today of a curious truth: As we age, we become less child-like with all the implications of being ‘responsible’ adults. After extolling the virtues of child-likeness, Rick went on to share his list of EQ rather than IQ virtues—qualities like integrity, discipline, and drive as compared with the IQ virtues of test taking acumen and as David Brooks calls them, resume virtues. While Rick led a global company, he met truly amazing people from unexpected places and backgrounds, particularly women who had little education yet unbelievable EQ. As a result, they built extraordinarily successful businesses despite the supposed disadvantages of not having the ‘right’ education or pedigree. Social scientists bear witness to Rick’s astute observations. EQ is a much more reliable indicator of success than IQ. That intangible inner-drive and resilience are qualities that often propel a life to surprising places.

This morning during my PathNorth Small Group, Raj Shah, CEO of The Rockefeller Foundation, shared with us a letter written by 22-year old tennis star, Frances Tiafoe, who recently won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award. He hails from Silver Spring, MD, born of immigrant parents from Sierra Leone, and I believe our PathNorth member Ray Benton had an influence on his tennis trajectory. Tiafoe’s letter to the late Arthur Ashe is moving and inspirational. His EQ virtues are on full display. He views his public standing and success as important in that it enables him to make a difference in the world. How unusual is that? Read the letter from Tiafoe and ponder these questions.  

What is true success? 

What brings real meaning to our lives?

Am I childlike at all, or am I afraid of not coming across as serious and responsible?

Wonderful to be on the journey together. Please ponder the letter below. 

Carpe Diem. Doug