Second Act

Raymond Katell theorized:

Fluid Intelligence ability to reason, analyze, and solve novel problems, quickness of thought. Increases in your 20’s but peaks around age 39.

Crystallized Intelligence is the ability to use knowledge that was learned in the past. This increases around age 40. Strong pattern recognition, recall, etc. They make great teachers, mentors, and managers.

So many start to decline in their Fluid Intelligence but must jump on the Crystallized Intelligence curve, rather than fight to improve in their fluid intelligence.

Recommends to serve others with your crystallized intelligence.

  • Make a jump to the Crystallized Intelligence curve

    • Also to create a portfolio of Crystallized Intelligence activities until you find one of them resonating more, and pursue that. This may look like teaching a class, mentoring, sitting on a board

  • Serve other people

  • Seek transcendence

    • Worship—find a life philosophy

  • Connect more deeply with people. Crystallized Intelligence is about “we” not “me.”

  • Connect with others

Michael Wei