Indeed, I'd wager that raw intelligence is highly overrated. Hard work trumps intelligence. Hard work and intelligence are an unbeatable combination.
>> What can us, mere mortals learn from him? We can't change our baseline raw intelligence (which effects how quickly and deeply you can learn new things), but are there other patterns we can replicate in our lives?
Intelligence undermines hard work all too often. I wasted years of my life coasting, as coming top of the class in everything was easy, and only actually started applying myself after university, when it rapidly became clear that intelligence alone doesn't cut it.
You've gotta be smart, you've gotta be prepared to work insane and thankless hours, you've gotta be tough as nails to hear but ignore the naysayers, you've gotta be willing to lose everything, and above all, you've gotta believe in yourself.
Only when you put all of those together (with krazy glue, of course), only when you are leading yourself, can you hope to lead others.
>> What can us, mere mortals learn from him? We can't change our baseline raw intelligence (which effects how quickly and deeply you can learn new things), but are there other patterns we can replicate in our lives?
Become an autodidact, and study, study, study.