Once upon a time, we thought intelligence was about knowing things. IQ.

Then we decided it was about how fast you could know them — IQ, now with a stopwatch.

Then we added feelings — EQ — because obviously nothing says progress like a new acronym.

And then psychology quietly cleared its throat and said: Actually — the clever bit is noticing how you’re thinking in the first place.

This skill has a name: metacognition. Which sounds like something you’d be charged extra for at a wellness retreat, but is in fact just thinking about your thinking. The term was coined in the 1970s by John H. Flavell, who was less interested in how smart people were, and more interested in whether people noticed what their mind was doing while being smart. A radical concept, then and now.

Since then, psychologists and neuroscientists have pointed out something mildly inconvenient for the rest of us:

IQ tells you how much horsepower you have.

EQ tells you whether you’re crying in meetings.

But metacognition tells you when to slow down, change gear, or stop driving straight into the hedge.

It’s the difference between:

Having thoughts

Realising those thoughts might not be telling the truth

Which is why metacognition is often described as a higher-order cognitive skill — not because it’s glamorous, but because it supervises everything else. It’s the mind’s internal editor. The adult in the room. The one quietly saying, “Interesting reaction… let’s not email that.”

In short, metacognition isn’t about being the smartest person in the room.

It’s about noticing when your brain is being dramatic — and choosing not to let it run the meeting.

Which may be the most intelligent move available to any of us right now.

With you,
Isabelle.

Happiness Iz… Being Kind to Your Own Mind.

Photo Credit: Kent Wong

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