I had the pleasure of attending a LIFE seminar this past Saturday, with keynote speaker Denis Leger. Denis gave an amazing talk about needing to work on your Adversity Quotient (AQ) in order to be successful. On hearing the adversity that Denis faced on his journey, it is no wonder he was the man to give this talk.
Basing his talk on personal experience and the chapter on AQ in Orrin Woodward’s book Resolved, he broke it down into 3 areas, explaining how all of them lead you to overcoming the obstacles that are guaranteed to stand in your way on your path to greatness.
Without having a high enough score in these 3 areas, you are more likely to make excuses for not succeeding. You can make a million dollars or you can make a million excuses, but you can’t do both.
Denis pointed out how your AQ is based partly on your intelligence Quotient (IQ), which is your potential for intelligence. There are some people with lower IQ’s that are smarter than those with high IQ’s, because IQ is not a level of actual intelligence, but of potential. If we have a high IQ and never work on it, while someone with a low IQ studies and reads daily, we will almost surely be surpassed.
Your AQ also depends on your Emotional Quotient (EQ), which is your ability to not let your emotions cloud your judgement and your actions. For example, if you get mad easily if things don’t go your way, you’re liable to quit over the smallest things.
The last thing, and probably the most important in my opinion, is your Will Quotient (WQ). This is your ability to be consistent at whatever it takes to succeed. If, as Malcolm Gladwell said, it takes 10000 hours to master something, you will need a high WQ to be stick at it long enough.
So your AQ = IQ x EQ x WQ.
To succeed, it will take good planning which involves listening to those with good results (IQ). You will have to obey the person who gave you the plan long enough (WQ). Finally you have to trust that if you stick to the plan long enough you will succeed (EQ).
Success is having the IQ to plan, the will to be consistent and the trust that it will succeed.
Leadership to Freedom 
Great synopsis man. Denis was amazing this past weekend and I look forward to next months key note speaker as well! What a LIFE!
Sounds like it was a great talk! Hopefully it comes down on CD! Thanks for posting!
maybe it was just the passion of the moment, with it being the first seminar in Ottawa, but when he gave us his story it was incredible – full of emotion and great lessons!
That talk was amazing! It brought to focus that we are not limited by our IQ when dealing with day to day life. We are able to grow and get to our potential and become better. Success in dealing with adversity is just the product of how well we can keep our “Helmet On” (EQ), the persitence and thick skin to go through the learning experience (WQ), and being able to re-frame and ask for help when needed(IQ). Great article!
You got it Owen! Not being limited to our IQ, and being able to rely on abilities under our control, is what I got most out of that talk. what a great lesson!
I didnt know about an Adversity Quotient..interesting ! Thanks for sharing !