Do you think you might be a gifted adult?
I oftentimes see parents who bring in their children for gifted evaluations who suddenly realize that many of the things I am saying about their children also apply to them. It's a sudden AHA moment! Suddenly, they begin to re-conceptualize themselves according to this new backdrop.
Why does it matter? Before answering this, let's consider common characteristics of gifted adults:
Vivid imagination
Tendency to bore easily
Need to be challenged
Need to be intellectually challenged
Learn new concepts quickly
Extremely curious
Very driven
Fear of failure
Feelings of being an imposter
Highly sensitive
Highly aware of criticism
Experience intense emotions
Advanced understanding and strong convictions related to moral & social issues
Feel separate from others
Feel misunderstood by others
Enjoy the company of others but still require solitude
Crave autonomy
Strong desire for work that makes a difference
Many of these characteristics are extremely positive. Yet, others could be a double-edged sword. Indeed, many argue that "gifted" is not the best word, since there are many challenges that gifted adults face. For example, gifted adults may struggle with witnessing injustice and their inability to change it. They may see things in a unique way that is different from their peers, which can be alienating. They may not be interested in mundane conversations that are common among their peers and instead may seek out deeper, more meaningful conversations and relationships.
Some gifted adults have a history of intentional underachievement. This is also especially common among gifted women, who learn to adapt to their environments and seek to fit in versus standing out with their achievements and accomplishments. This can also be confounded by imposter syndrome, where gifted women feel they are not as strong as others think they are and they fear they are fooling people somehow.
Yet, despite these issues, we also know that gifted populations at-large experience better outcomes than their peers. Research has demonstrated that higher IQ is linked to better health outcomes, longer lifespan, higher income potential, and higher education.
So why does it matter if an adult understands that they are gifted? Perhaps it varies from one individual to the next, but many adults suddenly understand why they have "felt" different from others for most of their lives. They begin to understand that they are not alone, that there are other gifted people who have characteristics much like their own.
For more information on gifted adults, hop over to our page on gifted adults. You are also welcome to join our Facebook page to link up with others!
