The more important trait

With the subjects of politics and COVID-19 are getting a bit repetitive (and heated) perhaps some of you could lend your insight into something I've wondered about for a long time:

I was wondering if any of you could tell me which is the more important trait, concentration or memorization? i.e I've known people in school with near perfect memories who went on to academic success and to have successful careers in law, medicine or business. Magnus Carlson, Albert Einstein, and Steve Jobs credited their success to being able to concentrate for longer periods of time than the average person, while others such as Diane Savereide, 5 time US women's chess champion from the 70's and 80's (My avatar photo) said her success in chess was a result of equal parts concentration or memorization.

So, in terms of raw achievement, which is the more important trait - concentration or memorization?

@mchill said
With the subjects of politics and COVID-19 are getting a bit repetitive (and heated) perhaps some of you could lend your insight into something I've wondered about for a long time:

I was wondering if any of you could tell me which is the more important trait, concentration or memorization? i.e I've known people in school with near perfect memories who went on to academic ...[text shortened]...
So, in terms of raw achievement, which is the more important trait - concentration or memorization?

@wolfe63 said
I should think that an advanced capacity might allow for better focus.
But then again, if unable to concentrate, how might a willing, expansive memory be fulfilled.

Therefore, I think concentration has the imperative priority.

@petewxyz said
There are two sides to focus and concentration. One person holds their mind on the page taking in the information rapidly. One person finds tangents from the content and creative ideas firing off in their mind so rapidly that they have to re-read the page. They know they read it mechanically but their dissociative consciousness was lost in the creative thinking it stimulated ...[text shortened]... the team and both should be valued. A person who can move between the two at will is gifted indeed.

@wolfe63 said
"They know they read it mechanically but their dissociative consciousness was lost in the creative thinking it stimulated."
- petewxyz

This describes my 1970's experience precisely. My focused consciousness was the victim of tampering. It was unwittingly introduced it to "artificial" dissociations. And now those memories reside in a "fog". 🙂