While there is the belief that hard work can help people achieve great things, science paints a different picture, according to a recent New York Times opinion piece.

In their article, David Z. Hambrick and Elizabeth J. Meinz, associate professors of psychology at Michigan State University and Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville - respectively - wrote of a study they conducted to see how individuals' talents affected their abilities.

The professors assessed pianists' practice habits as well as their working memory capacity, according to the news source. Next, the musicians were asked to read pieces of music without any preparation. The number of years of practice these individuals had accumulated and their working memory capacity played a role in their performance differences.

However, the professors wrote that of two pianists who have both practiced for the same amount of time, the musician who has higher working memory capacity will perform better on a sight-reading task, in their opinion.

While Hambrick and Meinz's research tells one story, past studies have shown that hard work trumps one's IQ in the long run. For instance, in a University of Pennsylvania study, researchers found that self-disciplined students performed better in school than their peers with high IQs, Lifehacker reported.

No matter what research people choose to believe, taking an IQ test may help them decide whether their natural talents or their efforts have fueled their accomplishments. 

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