I think for people to tell you to "just grow up" is very unfair.
The problem with IQ is it suggests that intelligence can be generalized into a score after measurement, and that score is used as a baseline for rough correlations to such things as achievement. So I think IQ-achievement discrepancy models in psychology (which is a highly speculative science that predates the emerging modern neurosciences) is kind of an unfair label for society to be using. The brain is, at many levels, irreducibly complex. My reasoning is this:
The motivation and positive reinforcement conditioning mechanics in the brain seem to lie primarily in the neurotransmitter dopamine, and the relative anatomical size and receptor density of regions of the limbic system associated with sensations of reward, which are very high in dopamine receptors. Furthermore, dopamine knockout mice in laboratory experiments did not express any motivation or pursue any rewards, and experienced the symptoms of irregular dopamine functioning--depression and anxiety. However, they were otherwise functional and even expressed gratification when fed by the scientists. Without rambling on too much, I do think the evidence for motivation being inseparably tied to the dopamine system is very substantial, and anxiety resistance, depression resistance, and motivation/drive all rely on it working just right.
While dopamine does have some effect on cognition, an IQ test is measuring responses from different areas of the brain, responsible for different cognitive functions. Perhaps most heavily stressed during an IQ test is the frontal lobe, which performs many of our higher cognitive abilities and is often called the seat of humanity. Regions responsible for motivation, drive, and anxiety resistance lie mainly in the deeper, more 'ancient' (in an evolutionary sense) limbic system. The limbic system dates back at least as far as reptiles--the cortices used in human cognition, however, are relatively new.
TLDR; So I believe, based on a growing body of evidence and research, that IQ and motivation (the primary drive for achievement) are not strictly correlated. You can be highly intelligent, while at the same time not feel very motivated. Very often with IQ-achievement discrepancy, anxiety and depression are intertwined factors. It doesn't really mean as much to your IQ as people might think it does.
Creator of the Fantasy Sandbox roleplay.
Tip jar: the author of this post has received
0.00 INK
in return for their work.