Are You Smarter Than a College Grad, MBA, or PhD?

Let’s flip the script.

You’ve been told that smart people have degrees.
That success belongs to the credentialed.
That the higher the education, the higher the intelligence.

But here’s the truth:

Smart isn’t a degree. Smart is a way of operating.

And in today’s world, plenty of “average” people—no degree, no MBA, no PhD—are thinking and performing at a much higher level than many with expensive diplomas.

Let’s break it down.

What Most Degrees Teach (and Miss)

College grads are trained to follow rules, recall information, and repeat what they’re told.
But few are taught how to solve real problems or think for themselves.

MBAs speak in frameworks and buzzwords. They analyze case studies—but often struggle to take action, sell, or lead without a slide deck.

PhDs know more than most—but often get stuck in perfectionism, complexity, and inaction. They go deep but forget how to simplify and move.

Degrees reward academic ability—not practical intelligence.

So What Actually Is Practical Intelligence?

Practical intelligence is:

• Solving real problems
• Communicating clearly
• Making smart decisions with limited info
• Learning by doing
• Adapting when the plan breaks
• Building, testing, refining
• Delivering outcomes—not just theories

You don’t need formal education to do any of that.

Are You Smarter Than a College Grad, MBA, or PhD?

Let’s test it:

• Do people come to you with problems because they trust your judgment?
• Can you explain things simply—even if they’re complex?
• Have you helped someone get a result they couldn’t get alone?
• Do you learn new skills on your own—and actually use them?
• Can you figure things out without waiting to be told?

If you said yes to any of the above?

You’re already operating at a higher level than most degree holders.

How “Average” People Win Today

So-called “average” people are winning because they:

• Take action while others prepare
• Simplify what others overcomplicate
• Learn by doing, not just reading
• Solve problems instead of writing about them
• Build proof of value, not just resumes

They’re not average.
They’re just free from the system that told them they weren’t enough.

Want to Think Like a Top Performer?

Here’s how:

1. Learn something useful every day.
   Not just theory—tools, strategies, systems, skills.
2. Solve real problems.
   Start with your own. Then help someone else. That’s how value begins.
3. Document your thinking.
   Write. Teach. Share. It sharpens your ideas and builds credibility.
4. Simplify everything.
   Smart people make things understandable. That’s how you get heard and hired.
5. Keep moving.
   While others debate, you act. That’s what separates winners from watchers.

Final Thought

You don’t need a degree to be brilliant.
You don’t need permission to contribute.
You don’t need to wait to be “qualified.”

You’re smarter than you think—because you’ve already started thinking for yourself.

Now go do something with it.

See you at the top,
—The Myford University Team

Want to read the full article? Find it here.