Sweat Success.

Today’s Marketing Cookie is a reminder that hard work often outweighs raw talent, showing how dedication can turn the odds in your favor.

Is the sweat-to-smarts ratio in today’s fortune really correct? I went for a walk this morning well before the sun came up specifically to avoid getting overheated. If perspiration increased my aptitude, I should start walking at high noon, wearing a sweat suit. Okay, I’ll admit that I do get good ideas sometimes when I’m exercising, but suggesting that the more drenched in sweat I get, the smarter I become, doesn’t seem to be how intelligence works. If it did, HR recruiters would be hanging out in the deodorant aisle looking to hire new talent.

If today’s fortune is only trying to highlight the virtue and value of hard work, I’m not sure if that holds up either. I’ve seen people work super hard on the wrong things, and other than a few lessons learned about what not to do, it didn’t make them a genius. I know because I was one of them. We had a goal, we felt inspired, but at the end of all that effort, our investors decided it wasn’t worth the money, and our new dot-com quickly became another dot-not.

Today’s fortune is actually a quote by Albert Einstein, a genius himself, who was far better qualified than I on the subject of intelligence. It reflects a common theme in Einstein's philosophy regarding the importance of dedication and effort over innate abilities. Einstein didn’t just create a philosophy about working hard—he lived it.

Einstein had a rough start with his academic career. He faced a big setback when his first doctoral application to the University of Bern was turned down. They not only rejected his application but also passed on giving him a position as an associate professor. But he didn’t let this discourage him. He continued his work and eventually completed a new dissertation that led to him being awarded a doctorate by the University of Bern the following year, along with a position as a lecturer at the institution.

Einstein believed that even an inspired dummy who works hard, puts in the blood, tears, and yes, sweat, is actually smarter than an undermotivated, lazy genius. Intelligence isn’t just about having natural talent but about the relentless effort, enthusiasm, and commitment you bring to your work. When you do, it will be as Einstein says in today’s fortune, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”