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<p>Correct, they are not inherently conflicting attributes, but they are also not widely distributed attributes. Athleticism and intelligence are not inherently conflicting attributes, but they tend not to occur in the same individuals because of their rarity. I am one of these individuals, and for that I am Extraordinary, just as are those individuals who possess both IQ and memorizing/studying prowess. However, when ordinary individuals choose to develop themselves, they often choose one or the other due to their limitations. Higher-IQ persons with weak study habits fall short when they take memorization-based exams that demand daily grinding and burning the midnight memorization oil. Lower-IQ individuals with strong GPAs might not get into the top schools of their choice, so they’ll end up at, say, a flagship state school where they put their contemporaries to shame with their academic prowess, compounding their advantage as they ride the top of the curve to victory.</p>
<p>In fact, I’d make the argument that at the top half of the bell curve, intelligence and GPA show a weaker correlation than at the lower half. Intelligence coupled with minimal effort can get you to the middle of the GPA bell curve, but effort becomes exponentially more important in the upper echelons of achievement, especially in a typical low-IQ/high-GPA major.</p>